When you’re standing on the frontline making an operational call, risk doesn’t come with a green or red light. You have to make a binary decision: stop or go. We don’t necessarily make it easy for our decision-makers to make good, defendable decisions. This video unpacks Andrew Hopkins’ 2011 Safety Science article, “Risk Management &… Continue reading Risk Management vs. Rule Compliance: The False Choice
Do less profitable construction companies have more injuries?
Do less profitable construction companies have more injuries? This investigated business performance measures and occupational injuries (OIs) in Swedish construction companies. >13k companies between 2003 – 15 were investigated. PS. Check out my YouTube: https://youtube.com/@safe_as_pod?si=iUaDPJynPemQRZhY Shout a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/benhutchinson Extracts:· They observe that OIs “tend to rise during periods of economic growth and decrease during recessions”… Continue reading Do less profitable construction companies have more injuries?
AI flatters you: sycophantic models
“Absolutely — that’s a very nuanced observation.” New research shows AI isn’t just ‘too agreeable’, it can actually change how we see ourselves. The 2026 Science study discussed in my vid found that sycophantic AI (flattering, people-pleasing, affirming) boosts our confidence even when we’re wrong, reduces willingness to fix conflicts, & makes us more dependent… Continue reading AI flatters you: sycophantic models
Dr Matt Hallowell: What are better use cases for lagging injury measures, like TRIR / LTIR?
What are better use cases for lagging injury measures, like TRIR / LTIR? Here Professor Matthew Hallowell discusses their use, and, if they’re not statistically robust for their common use cases, what should we measure instead? Links to the full 2 part interview below also. Part 1: Part 2:
Safety clutter: An attribute-based conceptualization and taxonomy for diagnosis (full PDF)
“some safety effort functions as “safety clutter:” work that consumes time and resources without improving safety” A new article on safety clutter worth your time from Yaqoob Raheemy, Matthew Hallowell, Helen Lingard & Fred Sherratt. Shared under an open access licence. PS. Check out my YouTube: https://youtube.com/@safe_as_pod?si=iUaDPJynPemQRZhY Shout a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/benhutchinson Extracts: · “safety clutter is… Continue reading Safety clutter: An attribute-based conceptualization and taxonomy for diagnosis (full PDF)
Sensemaking, bureaucracy and weak signals (full PDF article)
Can adherence to process mask weak signals of risk? A cool read examining how ‘soft’ info influences safety in rationalistic firms (a prison in this case) that prioritise ‘hard’ info. Shared under an open access licence. PS. Check out my YouTube: https://youtube.com/@safe_as_pod?si=iUaDPJynPemQRZhY Shout a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/benhutchinson Extracts: · “Soft information is informal, tacit and often qualitative”,… Continue reading Sensemaking, bureaucracy and weak signals (full PDF article)
Pathways to failure: Emeritus Prof Michael Quinlan part 2 interview
What are the repeat failure types across major accidents? In part 2, I continue my discussion with Emeritus Professor michael quinlan, focusing on his Ten Pathways To Failure framework to make sense of how we can avert disaster. He found that these disasters were rarely just simple mechanical failures, but linked to recurring pathways, like:a.… Continue reading Pathways to failure: Emeritus Prof Michael Quinlan part 2 interview
Is too much inclusive leadership a good thing?
“well-intended … inclusive leadership can lead to unanticipated negative effect on employees’ task performance when taken too far” Can leaders be too inclusive? This study sought to investigate that question in a Chinese context, via 191 questionnaires asking employees to report on their direct supervisor’s inclusive leadership. PS. Check out my YouTube: https://youtube.com/@safe_as_pod?si=iUaDPJynPemQRZhY Shout a… Continue reading Is too much inclusive leadership a good thing?
Management lulled into false sense of safety and the filtering of bad news
“London Underground did not guard against the unpredictability of fire. Unhappily they were lulled into a false sense of security by the fact that no previous escalator fire had caused a death.” I was working on a new YouTube ep on the weekend, and was reminded by these apt comments from Des Fennell in the… Continue reading Management lulled into false sense of safety and the filtering of bad news
Weight training & heart health
Is weight training healthy for your arteries? It may seem counterintuitive, but earlier research suggested that hitting iron can stiffen arteries – which is used as a measure for predicting cardiovascular health. Stiffer arteries have less elasticity, and forces the heart to work harder, increasing the risk of cardiovascular events, high blood pressure and stroke.… Continue reading Weight training & heart health
