Clarification on Andrew Hopkins and the US Commission of Inquiry

FutureMedia has finally issued a clarification on its claim that Professor Andrew Hopkins was nominated for the US Commission of Inquiry into the BP Gulf of Mexico oil spill as discussed at SafetyAtWorkBlog on 3 June 2010.  It advises that it took its nomination story from comments by the “former Research Director of the US Chemical Safety … Continue reading “Clarification on Andrew Hopkins and the US Commission of Inquiry”

Independent safety investigation into BP’s Gulf disaster requested by Congress

On 8 July 2010 the United States government asked its Chemical Safety Board (CSB) to consider investigating the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.  It would be good news for safety and the environment for the CSB to take on this role. Primarily, CSB is well placed to consider any issues concerning the safety management structure … Continue reading “Independent safety investigation into BP’s Gulf disaster requested by Congress”

Inaccurate claims made of BP spill inquiry membership

On 1 June 2010, the Safety Institute of Australia (SIA) informed its 3,000 members that Professor Andrew Hopkins has been “nominated for a spot on the US commission’s inquiry into the disaster’s causes”. Andrew Hopkins has advised SafetyAtWorkBlog that the nomination is not true and that the article is inaccurate.  His name was included in … Continue reading “Inaccurate claims made of BP spill inquiry membership”

Leadership starts with the truth

Guest contributor Jim Ward writes: Interested observers of past OHS failures would do well to pay close attention to the insights of former BP employee Ross Macfarlane in the SafetyAtWorkBlog –  A personal insight into BP and the corporate approach to safety. His erudite observations of some of the underlying issues surrounding BP’s succession of … Continue reading “Leadership starts with the truth”

A personal insight into BP and the corporate approach to safety

Ross Macfarlane is a regular reader of SafetyAtWorkBlog and an active safety professional in Australia.  Below he provides his perspective on BP’s approach to safety as an ex-employee [links added]: As an ex-BP employee I am again feeling a strong sense of dismay at what is occurring in the Gulf of Mexico.  The fact that … Continue reading “A personal insight into BP and the corporate approach to safety”

Phenomenology and the safety professional

In Australia, safety management is being progressed most obviously through sociology and the work of  Andrew Hopkins.  But perhaps it is possible to cut through some of the commercial  “safety culture” twaddle by looking at the work of philosophers and the concept of phenomenology.  As any modern student seems to do instead of reading the original, look to the movie. … Continue reading “Phenomenology and the safety professional”

New Safety Institute magazine is (mostly) a winner

Finally, the Safety Institute of Australia has got its act together and has contracted someone who has produced an OHS magazine that, mostly, satisfies the needs of its members and the aims of the Institute. The first edition of OHS Professional landed in the SafetyAtWorkBlog letter box this morning and, it is fair to say … Continue reading “New Safety Institute magazine is (mostly) a winner”