How well do permit to work (PTW) processes in practice align to the documented process? An upcoming summary explored the difference between WAI and WAD via FRAM modelling of a permit to work process in oil & gas. Unsurprisingly, they found some key differences in the PTW as imagined/prescribed versus in practice. Differences between WAI… Continue reading Permit to work in oil & gas and a false sense of safety
Good safety may not be good business based on relationship between accidents and economic performance in construction
Is good safety good business? According to data from >500 Spanish construction sites – not so much. A study to be posted evaluated the relationship between economic performance and a composite risk indicator comprised of incidents and 10 site risk variables. Overall, they found a quadratic relationship between safety investment and economic performance. That is:… Continue reading Good safety may not be good business based on relationship between accidents and economic performance in construction
Association between certification to ISO 45001 and improved safety performance across the EU
Is there a link between certification to ISO 45001 and safety incident performance? According to a 2023 study, as the number of organisations certified to ISO 45001 across the EU increases, the number of accidents at work in EU member states decreases. They found that “the number of organizations certified to ISO 45001:2018 does affect… Continue reading Association between certification to ISO 45001 and improved safety performance across the EU
The audit masquerade and the focus on paperwork over operational risk
Our free open access paper can be read via the link below. Some of the key findings in this sample were: · What are the characteristics of assigned actions? o A spread of audit findings involving the rectification of administrative defects and physical actions to rectify hazard-related defects. o The most frequently assigned actions targeting administrative aspects involved… Continue reading The audit masquerade and the focus on paperwork over operational risk
Normalising deviance in construction project organizations: a case study on the collapse of Carillion
This paper explored the collapse of the UK construction and facilities company Carillion from the perspective of the Normalisation of Deviance (NOD). Too much to cover in this, so I’ve skipped large sections. Providing background: · NOD was first introduced by Diane Vaughan in her Challenger Launch Decision book · It occurs when “individuals within… Continue reading Normalising deviance in construction project organizations: a case study on the collapse of Carillion
Coroners report: rules not playing nicely, and too much focus on compliance over managing risk
Can a focus on compliance distract us from managing risk? Perhaps, according to a coronial investigation. Described in this coroner’s report was the drowning of an Operations Supervisor at an organics facility during a flash flood event. Regrettably, the supervisor was caught in an overflowing leachate drain. Some findings in this report were that: An… Continue reading Coroners report: rules not playing nicely, and too much focus on compliance over managing risk
Cognitive and Human Factors in Expert Decision Making: Six Fallacies and the Eight Sources of Bias
This paper discussed 6 fallacies of biases and 8 sources of bias that influence decision making and investigations. The focus is more on forensics and the like, but still a useful read. Note that bias isn’t an inherently bad or undesirable thing. First, six fallacies of bias are presented: For ethical issues, “Many incorrectly think… Continue reading Cognitive and Human Factors in Expert Decision Making: Six Fallacies and the Eight Sources of Bias
Project complexity, unsafety and resilient safety culture
How does project complexity influence safety, and what impact does an organisation’s capacity for resilience moderate this relationship? An upcoming summary studied the complexity/unsafety relationship and also the impact that a “resilient safety culture” (RSC) had in the construction sector. Resilient Safety Culture (RSC) is defined as “an organizational culture that fosters safe practices for… Continue reading Project complexity, unsafety and resilient safety culture
Normalisation of deviance and the collapse of construction company
An upcoming summary explored the normalisation of deviance (NoD) in the collapse of British construction and facilities firm Carillion. NOD was first introduced by Diane Vaughan in her Challenger Launch Decision book. It occurs when “individuals within an organisation become gradually insensitive to deviant practice so that it no longer feels wrong”. NOD is typically… Continue reading Normalisation of deviance and the collapse of construction company
Heat-related work death and the abrogation of responsibility of safety to workers
Another coroner’s inquest which had some interesting findings around a tragic workplace death. This related to heat-related cardiac arrest, relating to a likely +40 degree Celsius day. First, I like how the coroner’s frequently call out hindsight bias, and its effects in post-event clarity, that being “the potential to look at circumstances in retrospect and… Continue reading Heat-related work death and the abrogation of responsibility of safety to workers
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