Safety Culture

Error Trajectories and Risk

Error Trajectories and Risk Another provocative article by Dr Robert Long to add fuel to the fire! – If you liked this article then you should read the whole series: CLICK HERE. I highly recommend you check out Rob’s new book “RISK MAKES SENSE” – click on image in right column to read precise. In [...]

Employee Engagement: Chocolate, Vanilla, or Strawberry?

We are thrilled to be able to be able to introduce a new guest writer for our Blog: Bill Sims, Jnr. You will find his articles quirky, refreshing, thought provoking and just plain fun to read. Who would write a book called “Green Beans & Ice Cream – The Definitive Recipe for Employee Engagement, Motivation [...]

Double Speak in Managing Risk and Safety

Enthusiasm, Motivation and Double Speak in Managing Risk and Safety Another excellent piece by Dr Robert Long to keep the ball rolling – If you liked this article then you should read the whole series: CLICK HERE. I highly recommend you check out Rob’s new book “RISK MAKES SENSE” – click on image in right [...]

There is no such thing as a safety culture

There is no such thing as a safety culture Hopefully most people can see right through meaningless and demoralising slogans like “safety first” and “zero harm”? The employees certainly can and you will see them cringe at the big sign out the front when then arrive at work each day. The ONLY reason that businesses [...]

Risk Makes Sense – Book Competition

Risk Makes Sense – Book Competition It is no secret that we are big fans of the work of Dr Robert Long (you can read some of his inspirational articles here). He has just released his new book and we are really pleased to announce a short competition for those interested in receiving a gift [...]

Effective Safety Improvement Ideas

Successful Safety and Risk Management Initiatives These are some of the entries in our recent Risk Makes Sense – Book Competition. Listed in the order they were submitted: 1) Internal standards of OHS excellence – George Robotham – www.ohschange.com.au One of the best pieces of OHS work I have seen was when one organisation implemented [...]

Safety on work sites ‘dumbed down’

Interesting article in today’s Canberra Times, quoting our guest author Dr Robert Long (see his work here) Safety on work sites ‘dumbed down’ BY JOHN THISTLETON 08 Feb, 2012 01:00 AM A safety and risk assessment consultant engaged after the Beaconsfield Mine disaster says safety on Canberra construction sites is being dumbed down and over-regulated. [...]

Risk and Cultural Values

Risk Management

Cultural Values and Translation by Trade Another little gem by Dr Robert Long – If you liked this article then you should read the whole series: CLICK HERE. I highly recommend you check out Rob’s new book “RISK MAKES SENSE” – click on image to read precise One of the most important things we discover [...]

A Formula for Safety Culture Failure and Success

A Formula for Safety Culture Failure and Success Another provocative article by Dr Robert Long – If you liked this article then you should read the whole series: CLICK HERE I find it fascinating to read many uses of the word ‘culture’ and ‘risk’ that have no complementary reference to people. Even when there is [...]

Types of Safety Advisers

TYPING SAFETY ADVISORS – 2 Minute Read New Article on GenWhyAsk Extract: Along my professional path I have being exposed to more and more fellow Safety Advisors and its becoming more apparent the great divide between us. In my opinion we can generally be slotted into one of two categories Type A or Type B… [...]

Conducting a Psychology and Culture Safety Walk

Conducting a Psychology and Culture Safety Walk Another guest post by Dr Robert Long – If you liked this article then you should read the whole series: CLICK HERE Safety walks, observations and conversations are foundational to managing safety in organisations. Site walks, office walks or whatever you want to call them are a critical [...]

Safety Culture Sinks Ships

See all the amazing photos here: http://cryptome.org/2012-info/costa-concordia/0041.htm Culture not Rocks Sink Ships Another guest post by Dr Robert Long – If you liked this article then you should read the whole series: CLICK HERE These amazing photos of the Costa Concordia are a stark reminder that poor safety culture sinks ships. The picture of the [...]

Risk and Safety Maturity

Risk Management

Risk and Safety Maturity Another guest post by Dr Robert Long – If you liked this article then you should read the whole series: CLICK HERE There are many programs which advertise about ‘safety leadership’ and ‘safety culture’ but advocate little more than tightening up systems, vigilance in policing and raising penalties for non-compliance. Whilst systems, policing and compliance [...]

Safety Culture Program Essentials

Safety Culture Program Essentials Another guest post by Dr Robert Long – If you loved this article then you should read the whole series: CLICK HERE Now is the time of the year when people begin to think of rebooting or starting up a safety culture program. The concept of safety culture is so overworked yet so poorly defined. [...]

Safety Fundamentalism

Behaviour Based Safety

Is there such a thing as safety fundamentalism? Another guest post by Dr Robert Long – If you loved this article then you should read the whole series:CLICK HERE The concept of fundamentalism was originally coined in reference to a rigid theological movement in the USA in 1905 upholding the literal interpretation of the Bible. More generally, fundamentalism [...]

The Rage for Safety Utopia

The Rage for Safety Utopia Another guest post by Dr Robert Long – If you loved this article then you should read the whole series: CLICK HERE This is the title of the stirring book by Ronal Conway published in 1992 but I have added the word safety to the title. Conway argues that obsession and compulsion for Utopia [...]

Non-Compliance and the Ten Fundamentals of Motivation

Non-Compliance and the Ten Fundamentals of Motivation Another guest post by Dr Robert Long – If you loved this article then you should read the whole series: CLICK HERE Why do people not do as they are told? When all the rules, codes of practice and standards in safety are clear and the procedures are plain, why do people [...]

Effectiveness in Managing Risk and Cultural Change

Risk Management

Effectiveness in Managing Risk and Cultural Change The need to change safety culture Another guest post by Dr Robert Long – If you loved this article then you should read the whole series: CLICK HERE In recent times it has occurred to coroner’s at inquests, auditors and government (eg. Cole Commission) that poor safety culture has a central role [...]

How To Develop Trust in OHS

George’s Safety Reflections Developing trust in OHS Having worked in industrially volatile environments I have seen trust breakdown between management and workers. Sometimes it has been for no real reasons and people were working on perceptions. Without trust it is impossible to have an efficient operation. Introducing OHS change inevitably upsets the established order in [...]

Safety Interventions

Safety Communication

Safety Interventions "The pro-active supervisor observes for signs of substandard behaviour, and corrects it before it has a chance to cause an incident by performing an intervention. Sometimes you just need to nudge them back on track." ~John Wettstein Safety Selections (Motivational Quotes and Information for Safety Inspiration!) is a means of distributing messages [...]

Friday Safety Poster

Friday Safety Poster –If you’re not happy – say something One of the quirky new safety posters from the SAFETY TOOLSHED Technorati Tags: safety poster, safety toolshed

Small breaches undermine safety culture

Small breaches undermine safety culture Guest post By John Wettstein Workplace injuries and incidents increase when a company lets little violations go Admit it. We sit back, shocked by illegal actions at large corporations which cause preventable injuries. But what about you? Have you ever violated a procedure, and then justified your action because “it’s [...]

Safety culture

George’s Safety Reflections MORE HERE Safety culture A good safety culture is an elusive thing those responsible for safety management systems struggle to achieve. Culture is often defined as “The way we do things around here”. Schein (1990) defines organisational culture as the system of shared beliefs and values that develops within an organisation and [...]

Deming on Safety

I had the pleasure of meeting this guy just before he died – LEGEND! Deming on Safety: Adopt the New Philosophy I’ve long been a big fan of Deming’s Philosophies and Phil La Duke has provided here an excellent article of how to apply to them to safety in the workplace. See the full article [...]

Safety Culture–Does Anyone Really Want to Get Hurt

Job Hazard Analysis

Safety Culture–Does Anyone Really Want to Get Hurt This new website SAFETY CULTURE PLUS, has been put together by safety culture and Job Safety Analysis Guru and Author, James Roughton. As part of his ongoing efforts to promote a safety culture, his blog contains posts from his personal experience, related-items from the web internet that [...]

We’ve always done it that way

Safety Consultants often find themselves visiting a new site and asking “why do you do it that way”? The standard response is: “we’ve always done that way” That has been problem for many years CHECK OUT THIS POEM written in 1885! I once asked a manufacturing company why they end their financial year in [...]

George’s Philosophy on Life, Work and Relationships

Must Read Article For All Safety Professionals Hot off the press from Australia’s Safety Guru, George Robotham. No apologies for the raw language and honesty. George does not hold back on telling it how it is and I respect him 100% for that because he has actually been there, done that. This is one of [...]

Keys to Safety Communication

Safety Communication

Keys to communication – its more than language barriers Lean management and technological innovations have changed the way the workforce communicates. Employers that keep their employee safety risks at acceptable levels also need to evaluate communications, training and administrative techniques to ensure they are sending the right safety message. While there are many new communication [...]

SHIT HAPPENS

The Plan In the beginning was the Plan. And then came the Assumptions. And the Assumptions were without form. And the Plan was without substance. And the darkness was upon the face of the Workers. And they spoke amongst themselves, saying, “It is a crock of shit and it stinketh.” And the workers went [...]

OHS is Bullshit

Health and Safety

Some Occupational Health and Safety is Bullshit – Should Safety be Third? Does making SAFETY FIRST make SAFETY LAST? We recommend you also ready our other related articles: You Should Actively Encourage Poor Safety in the Workplace Safety Professionals – We Are Our Own Worst Enemies Safety Communications are Not Always Safe Image Source [...]

Risk Perception

Risk Management

WHAT MAKES SOME RISKS MORE ATTRACTIVE THAN OTHERS? The following factors influence perceived risk: Voluntary risks are accepted more readily than imposed risks Risks under individual control are accepted more readily than those under government control. Risks that seem fair are more acceptable than unfair. Risk information that comes from trustworthy sources is more readily [...]

How to make Safety Culture a Reality

Recommended Reading: Culture of Safety – A Reality Another great article from Sina Safety Solutions. Their mission is to make Health and Safety become a way of life in every workplace. They are very successful at this by creating simple and useable systems that can and will be used by all employees. As one of [...]

The Good, Bad & Ugly of My Safety Career

George Robotham

The Good, Bad & Ugly of My Safety Career We are extremely privileged to be able to publish this work by George Robotham. George is one of the most respected and experienced safety practitioners in Australia. This paper is enthralling reading and documents Georges’ learning’s in his 38 year career working in some of the [...]

Safety Culture Survey Tool

Safety Culture Survey Tool We’ve written and published many articles about the importance of safety culture and how to sell safety (see them all here). Whilst we believe that safety culture is completely dependant on the overall culture of the organisation, trying to improve your “safety culture” can be a good catalyst for overall organisation [...]

Incident Investigations – An Integral Component of a Safety Culture

Accident Investigation

Incident Investigations: An Integral Component of a Safety Culture When any type of safety incident, accident, near-miss, or hazard is identified, it is important that the proper reporting procedures are followed in a timely manner. This information is provided by Summit Safety Technologies – they produce some of the highest quality, cost effective training materials [...]

Safety Professionals – We Are Our Own Worst Enemies

Safety Consultants

New article from Rockfordgreeneinternational’s Blog. and well worth a read Extract: “Making the workplace safer and improving overall working conditions is difficult, but the greatest threat to worker safety may be the very people charged with protecting workers. While safety professionals whine about the lack of leadership support, chase every safety fad that rears its [...]

How to Sell Safety

The GFC became a great excuse for many as to why things didn’t go to plan or why vital funds for essential capital works and safety initiatives should be cut. Unfortunately many businesses did fail and many people lost their livelihoods. But, many more survived and some of them even prospered. Many of our better [...]

Safety Culture and How to Improve it

George Robotham

Another brilliant article from George Robotham at OHSChange based on his extensive experience and research. DOWNLOAD THE FULL ARTICLE HERE: EXTRACT: Management summary Safety culture is said to be an underlying construct that influences the effectiveness of an organisation’s Safety Management System. Culture is often defined as “The way we do things around here”. A [...]

25 Ways to stuff up a Safety Management System

George Robotham

25 Ways to stuff up a Safety Management System Following on from our mega popular article about how to encourage poor safety performance (READ IT HERE), here is another great article Courtesy of George Robotham From OHS Change Download the Word Version Here: 1 Lack of management commitment, leadership and drive from the top [...]

Safety Communications are Not Always Safe

Safety Communications – Not Always Safe Image from Simple Complexity Lean management and technological innovations have changed the way the workforce communicates. Employers that keep their employee safety risks at acceptable levels also need to evaluate communications, training and administrative techniques to ensure they are sending the right safety message. While there are many new [...]

You Should Actively Encourage Poor Safety in the Workplace

Safety Committee

Here’s a thought: We spend so much time and money trying to stay safe, act safe and make things safe. We can modify things, change laws, train people, supervise them, implement procedures etc etc but is it working? Sort of! What if we started getting a little creative…………… A friend of mine, Nathan Crutchfield, who [...]

The Plan – Corporate Reality Check

Thumbnail image for The Plan – Corporate Reality Check

Photo from Mail Online The Plan – Corporate Reality Check Everyone says that cultural change must start at the top. I beg to differ. Just found this classic old poem in the archives. Explains, better than I could, why corporate initiatives (like safety or cultural improvements) are not always best led from the top. Despite [...]

Safety Culture – Twelve Steps to a Change Management Checklist

Safety Culture – Twelve Steps to a Change Management Checklist By James Roughtonand Nathan Crutchfield Conducting site reviews (audits), areas surveys, findings from job hazard analysis (JHA), and observations may uncover perceptions, areas or tasks that must be quickly addressed. To be effective, change management must be used if the necessary revisions and actions are [...]

Barriers To Improving Safety Culture

Safety Culture – Nine Warning Flags – Factors That Defeat Controls By James Roughtonand Nathan Crutchfield The implementation of an improved safety culture requires an almost Sherlock Holmes ability to use observation and logic to identify where underlying loss potential resides in the workplace. Just as Sherlock searched a crime scene, the OHS professional must [...]

Safety Culture

Safety Culture – Developing, Writing, and Communicating the Direction! By James Roughtonand Nathan Crutchfield When you plan a vacation, you and your family have this great vision in mind about where you want to go, what you want to see, and what you want to do as well as the types of experiences you want [...]

Thats The Way We’ve Always Done It – The Calf Path

Thumbnail image for Thats The Way We’ve Always Done It – The Calf Path

I’m a firm believer in finding creative (often cheaper and more effective) ways to solve ongoing problems. I love to quote this poem about creative thinking whenever I get: “that’s the way we’ve always done it” The Calf Path – Sam Walter Foss – 1895 One day through the primeval wood A calf walked home [...]

Safety Culture – Are Injuries Consequences of Our Daily Actions

Safety Culture – Are Injuries Consequences of Our Daily Actions? By James Roughton I am a firm believer that injuries happen for a reason! There are many that will agree with this statement, while others will rationalize that some injuries are just, “Freak accidents.” If you listen to news reporters on your local new stations, [...]

Safety Culture – Six Basic Safety Program Elements

Safety Culture – Six Basic Safety Program Elements By James Roughton If you run a small business, sometimes it is hard to keep up with all the rules and regulations. However, there are some very basic elements that must be implemented into a management system. One example is Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA’s) Proposed [...]

How to Create a Safety Culture

On the LinkedIn EHS Professionals Forum there is currently an excellent ongoing discussion about how to create a company safety culture. Read More…………….. Technorati Tags: company safety, ehs professionals, safety culture