In today's episode, David and Drew examine the fundamental problems with just culture models through analysis of a BP case study from the Journal of Loss Prevention in the Process Industries titled "From Individual Behavior to System Weaknesses: the Redesign of the Just Culture Process in an International Energy Company." The discussion centers on how these frameworks, originally designed by Jim Reason to reduce individual blame, often become tools for discipline rather than system improvement, despite well-intentioned redesign efforts.

In today’s episode, David and Drew explore the concept of behavioral substitution as a strategy for decluttering safety practices, examining a 2023 paper from the JBI Evidence Implementation journal titled "The Big Six Key Principles for Effective Use of Behaviour Substitution." The discussion centers on how healthcare's approach to de-implementing low-value practices can inform safety professionals' efforts to replace ineffective safety measures with more valuable alternatives.

In today’s episode of the Safety of Work podcast, hosts Drew Rae and David Provan examine the attributes of effective supervision through analysis of McPherson, L., Federico, M., & McNamara, P. (2016). "Safety as a Fifth Dimension in Supervision: Stories from the Frontline" published in Australian Social Work. The study, focused on child and family practice supervision, provides valuable insights into supervisory relationships that can be applied broadly to safety management. Through interviews with 10 practitioners and 10 supervisors, the research identifies eight core themes including safety, emotional support, learning and growth, and leadership behaviors.

In this episode, we examine the role of narrative skills in safety education through Robson, Holgate, and Randhawa's 2021 Oxford study "Storycraft: The Importance of Narrative and Narrative Skills in Business." Based on interviews with FTSE 100 business leaders, the research challenges traditional distinctions between 'hard' and 'soft' skills in professional education. We explore a framework of five core narrative competencies - narrative communication, empathy and perspective-taking, critical analysis, creativity and imagination, and digital skills - examining how these relate to communicating organizational values, achieving persuasive outcomes, and managing change initiatives.

Welcome to our first episode for 2025. Is it time to rethink the traditional notion of "safety culture" in today's organizations? Join us as we explore this provocative question, inspired by the article, “Seeking a scientific and pragmatic approach to safety culture in the North American construction industry” by Fred Sherratt, Emi Szabo, and Matthew R. Hallowell in Safety Science Volume 181, January 2025.

Today Drew and David scrutinize ChatGPT's ability to deliver safety recommendations, questioning the fairness of expectations placed on the AI and considering appropriate benchmarks for its performance. Their analysis is shaped by the framework of the article, “The Risks Of Using ChatGPT To Obtain Common Safety-Related Information And Advice” from the Journal of Safety Science from November 2023.

In this episode, we dig into conflicting research, question the role of data, and offer practical insights on transforming safety from a compliance burden to a strategic asset. Instead of a research paper, we look into an upcoming Sept/Oct 2024 Harvard Business Review Workplace Health and Safety Magazine Article called "Safety Should Be a Performance Driver - It’s more than just a compliance issue” by Vikas Mittal, Alessandro Piazza, and Sonam Singh.

Join us for an insightful exploration of the complex world of risk perception and decision-making, by examining the foundational work of Paul Slovic, whose groundbreaking research has significantly shaped our understanding of how humans evaluate risk. Through the lens of Slovic's influential 2004 paper "Risk as Analysis and Risk as Feelings," we uncover the intricate interplay between analytical reasoning and emotional intuition in safety management.

In this episode, David and Drew delve into what makes a good PowerPoint presentation. They explore the evolution of PowerPoint and its importance in modern business communication, referencing Associate Professor Mitch Ricketts' 2018 paper, "No More Bullet Points: Research-Based Tips for Better Presentations."

Safety might not be the ‘golden goose’ for business success. We unpack the complexities of workplace safety and its true impact on business performance. In a thought-provoking 2020 paper by Mark Pagell and colleagues, the delicate balance between worker safety and organizational survival is investigated. Drew voices his skepticism about the assumed benefits of safety investments, while David contemplates the long-term advantages, despite short-term sacrifices.

Join us for a special episode where we navigate the intriguing world of safety professionals viewed through the lens of literature. Today, we celebrate Dr. David Provan’s first published paper, “Bureaucracy, influence and beliefs: A literature review of the factors shaping the role of a safety professional” by David J. Provan along with Sidney W.A. Dekker and Andrew J. Rae.

Listen in as we explore the ever-evolving field of accident investigation research, where the shift from pinpointing causes to understanding contributors is gaining traction.

Have you ever considered who shoulders the blame when technology fails us catastrophically? Today’s paper by Dr. Katherine Elizabeth Kenny, “Blaming Deadmen: Causes, Culprits, and Chaos in Accounting for Technological Accidents” examines the complex web of causes behind technological accidents. We examine the chilling case of the Waterfall rail tragedy, unraveling the layers of human judgment, mechanical failure, and the systemic implications that ripple through our safety practices. Kenny's insights offer a transformative lens on how we perceive and address the chaos of disasters, challenging us to rethink the assumptions that underpin our search for answers.

Could the key to transforming workplace safety lie within the realm of virtual reality? In today’s episode, we explore the exciting domain of digital twins—a technological marvel with the potential to overhaul how we approach operational safety across various industries.

Could what we perceive as the bedrock of workplace safety be merely an illusion? Safety audits are supposed to be our safeguard, but Ben Hutchinson, PhD student from the Safety Science Innovation Lab at Griffith University, is here to shatter some long-held beliefs. Ben is a National HSEQ Manager, Fatigue Specialist and Exercise Physiologist with a focus on adaptive and system principles - including system safety. He brings to light the potential gap between the comforting assurance of ‘safety protocols’ and the stark reality of their execution in the workplace. Our discussion traverses the terrain of his research, dissecting the effectiveness of safety management plans and audits, and revealing the unsettling prevalence of "fantasy documents" that promise more than they deliver.

Have you ever wondered about the tightrope walk that subcontractors do, balancing on the edge of safety in high-hazard industries? Our exploration into the world of subcontracting safety is eye-opening and crucial, as we dissect the factors that leave these workers more vulnerable to workplace accidents. This episode serves as an investigation into the findings of the paper, "Behind Subcontractor Risk: A Multiple Case Study Analysis of Mining and Natural Resources Fatalities," by Charan Teja Valluru, Sidney Dekker, and our own Andrew Rae.

Who would have thought that ‘safety in the workplace’ would eventually extend to our homes? As we navigate the new normal, work-from-home arrangements have emerged as a key component of business continuity plans. This episode unravels the intricacies of health and safety management for remote workers, as we investigate the findings of the paper, "A Systems Model for the Design of Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems, Inclusive of Work from Home Arrangements," published in the Journal of Applied Ergonomics. As we share our candid thoughts on the study conducted, we voice our concerns about the imbalance in participant representation.

Can you envision your organization setting a goal that seems impossible to achieve? Join David and Drew as they dissect the paradox of stretch goals and discuss the overarching impact of aspirational objectives on an organization's performance. We take you through the controversial concept of ‘zero harm’ and why it's so scarcely represented in academic literature.

David and Drew discuss a research paper published this year in the Journal of Safety Research entitled “Exploring Bias in Incident Investigations: An Empirical Examination Using Construction Case Studies” by Sreeja Thallapureddy et al.

In this episode, David and Drew discuss the role and impact of senior leadership safety visits and management walkarounds in safety management programs. The episode explores how management walkarounds can influence staff perception and the effectiveness of safety programs, and scrutinizes how the same general initiative can have different outcomes depending on its implementation.