This US study evaluated whether distributing construction safety toolboxes, with workplace fatalities, to supervisors by mobile phone would increase their compliance delivering toolboxes each month, 56 construction supervisors in Oregon were recruited and received a link to a toolbox talk by text message every two weeks for three months. This is based on a tool… Continue reading Does sending Safety Toolbox Talks by text message to Residential Construction Supervisors increase Safety Meeting Compliance?
Tag: safety
Safetywashing: The Strategic Use of Safety in the Construction Industry
This paper investigated the influence of safetywashing in the case of 106 Indian newspaper articles relating to construction and 439 reader comments. Namely, they were interested in: · What safetywashing strategies are used? · What are the effects of safetywashing? Providing context: · Numerous safety strategies are used, ranging from design, technology and interpersonal. Some… Continue reading Safetywashing: The Strategic Use of Safety in the Construction Industry
Wrong, Strong, and Silent: What happens when automated systems with high autonomy and high authority misbehave?
This article from Dekker and Woods discusses the ‘risks of literal-minded automation’, being a “system that can’t tell if its model of the world is the world it is actually in”. This issue manifests in automated systems being wrong, strong and silent—and while the issue has existed for at least 70 years, the risk “looms… Continue reading Wrong, Strong, and Silent: What happens when automated systems with high autonomy and high authority misbehave?
Harnessing the power of ChatGPT to promote Construction Hazard Prevention through Design (CHPtD)
This study compared whether ChatGPT can assist in hazard recognition during Construction Hazard Prevention Through Design (CHPtD) sessions (e.g. safety in design). Via randomised controlled experimental design, 162 civil and construction engineering students were tasked with hazard recognition activities with or without ChatGPT assistance. Providing background: CHPtD “places emphasis on identifying potential workplace hazards that… Continue reading Harnessing the power of ChatGPT to promote Construction Hazard Prevention through Design (CHPtD)
Thinking About Process Safety Indicators
This well-cited paper from Hopkins (2007) discusses some of the inconsistencies that existed at the time (and likely does still) about process safety indicators, and the definitions and uses of other indicators like leading and lagging. This paper sparked a number of interested follow-up papers from other authors – I’ll cover some of these soon.… Continue reading Thinking About Process Safety Indicators
The relationships between safety professionals and incident performance
What’s the relationship between safety professionals and incident frequency? I was reminded recently (thanks Stuart Hughes) that I ran a simple project a while back looking at if there was any guidance or evidence behind the effects of safety professionals on incidents, and whether having more or less changes the impact. I didn’t find much… Continue reading The relationships between safety professionals and incident performance
Normal accident theory and learning from major accidents at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
This paper discussed four major NASA accidents in the context of Normal Accident Theory (NAT), high reliability and some other aspects of organisational theory. Then they discuss some ‘remedies’ to counter some of the organisational risk factors. I’ve skipped large amounts of this paper, so much that maybe even parts of this summary won’t make… Continue reading Normal accident theory and learning from major accidents at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Safety Theatre: Where your accidents hide in the green
This article from Dekker discusses how accidents “hide in the green” within organisations. He covers a lot of ground, and I can’t cover all of the key points, so you’ll find my paragraphs pretty disjointed and jarring; so check out the full paper. Firstly, it’s stated that incidents involving fatalities seemed to have a consistency… Continue reading Safety Theatre: Where your accidents hide in the green
Behavior-Based in Hong Kong’s Safety Management Construction Industry
I found this an interesting throw-back to 1997, where Helen Lingard and Steve Rowlinson studied the impact of a BBS intervention in Hong Kong construction. ** Note 1: Noting the findings relate to HK industry from 1997, but there’s some broader learnings I think are really interesting and not just related to BBS, e.g. system… Continue reading Behavior-Based in Hong Kong’s Safety Management Construction Industry
When Things Go Right: Safety II in an Academic Emergency Department
This study explored variability and ED clinician proactive adaptations in order to enhance safety in the face of demands and pressures. Data was based on a cross-sectional survey. Background: · Patient safety, according to one agency, is defined as “the prevention of errors, injury, or other preventable harm and reduction of unnecessary harm” · They… Continue reading When Things Go Right: Safety II in an Academic Emergency Department
