For several years now Mark Abkowitz’s book “Operational Risk Management” has been sitting on my “to-read” shelf. Given my recent wish for a case study approach to leadership and given the Fukushima nuclear issues, the book caught my attention. Books that analyse disasters are far superior to watching real-time disasters because the distress is minimised, [...]
All posts for the month March, 2011
Operational Risk Management – a timeless book, sadly
Posted by Kevin Jones on March 30, 2011
http://safetyatworkblog.com/2011/03/30/operational-risk-management-a-timeless-book-sadly/
Election excitement masks OHS confusion
The Liberal Party of New South Wales won last Saturday’s State election in a landslide. The New South Wales employer associations are jubilant but the jubilation masks some confusion over OHS reforms. The new NSW government is being urged to act promptly on OHS reform issues particularly by the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) [...]
Posted by Kevin Jones on March 29, 2011
http://safetyatworkblog.com/2011/03/29/election-excitement-masks-ohs-confusion/
Managerial OHS walk-arounds and D&O liabilities
The latest edition of The National Research Centre for Occupational Health and Safety Regulation’s newsletter lists two new working papers, one from Andrew Hopkins and one from Neil Foster. Both should be obligatory reading. Hopkins discusses how to increase the value of the “management walk-arounds” an increasingly common key performance indicator for senior executives. Hopkins, [...]
Posted by Kevin Jones on March 29, 2011
http://safetyatworkblog.com/2011/03/29/managerial-ohs-walk-arounds-and-do-liabilities/
Rotting fish, safety leadership and wizards
In business, government and public authorities, CEOs and executives regularly resign during periods of controversy. Within the 24 hours of each other in 2010 two prominent Australian executives resigned – Brian Waldron and Russell Rees. Waldron because the rugby league team, Melbourne Storm, his previous CEO appointment, was found to have operated unethically during his time at the top. [...]
Posted by Kevin Jones on March 28, 2011
http://safetyatworkblog.com/2011/03/28/rotting-fish-safety-leadership-and-wizards/
The How, How likely and How much of workplace safety
I return to the observation Ken made in his article, the obs about the most successful safety places where “…safety is driven at the shop floor level and led by a committed team of senior executives who can be relied upon to show it by their actions and not just words.” Of course, at first [...]
Posted by colrf on March 28, 2011
http://safetyatworkblog.com/2011/03/28/the-how-how-likely-and-how-much-of-workplace-safety/
Understanding people is understanding safety
SafetyAtWorkBlog reader Ken Malcolm submitted this comment in response to Yossi Berger’s article of 21 March 2011 but I think it warrants a post of its own: It is often said two safety professionals never agree however I do agree SA law has been ineffective. However let me explain why I think this way. I [...]
Posted by Kevin Jones on March 22, 2011
http://safetyatworkblog.com/2011/03/22/understanding-people-is-understanding-safety/
Authority in denial?
Polite or ignorant? Coroners can be a polite lot, preferring what they would call ‘substance’ to emotion, accuracy to grand standing. They also hope that their Findings make a difference and help to protect people against a range of lethal circumstances. Ex-coroner Graeme Johnstone (Victoria) was an outstanding example in OHS. So any comments in [...]
Posted by Kevin Jones on March 21, 2011
http://safetyatworkblog.com/2011/03/21/authority-in-denial/
Conference videos provide optimism and nerves
Several years ago I assisted the Safety Institute of Australia in providing introductory video profiles for many of their conference speakers. The intention was to provide a teaser for the content of conference presentations and to introduce more obscure speakers. The strategy is continuing with several pre-conference videos being made available on-line. Conference teasers in 2011 include Professor Niki Ellis and Australian lawyer, Andrew [...]
Posted by Kevin Jones on March 18, 2011
http://safetyatworkblog.com/2011/03/18/conference-videos-provide-optimism-and-nerves/
Safe Work Method Statements and independent positions
Over the last few months most Australian OHS regulators, and many labour law firms,have been conducting workshops and public seminars on Australia’s plans to harmonise its OHS legislation. In those workshops, the consultative process and timeframes have been described by some as a “nightmare”, which is not exactly inspiring participants who are seeking clarity from [...]
Posted by Kevin Jones on March 17, 2011
http://safetyatworkblog.com/2011/03/17/safe-work-method-statements-and-independent-positions/
People enter the quad bike ROPS debate
A week on from Australia’s The Weekly Times using its front page to open a debate about roll over protection structures (ROPS), the debate has continued in the letters and op-ed pages of The Weekly Times. Dr Yossi Berger of the Australian Workers Union asks the valid question in his opinion piece – should all [...]
Posted by Kevin Jones on March 16, 2011
http://safetyatworkblog.com/2011/03/16/people-enter-the-quad-bike-rops-debate/
http://au.loadedweb.com/
