How did it make sense? Ep 15. Stephen Harvey - If only they'd have followed the rules. Then they would be alive.
"If only they'd followed the rules"—a phrase we hear all too often in health and safety. But what if the story isn't that simple?
In this episode of How Did It Make Sense?, I chat with safety expert Stephen Harvey to uncover the second story—the deeper, more complex reality behind incidents. Stephen shares his journey from mechanic to safety advocate after a near-fatal workplace accident and reflects on a tragic mining fatality where a worker’s decision-making was shaped by experience, pressures, and the realities of the job—not just disregard for rules. We also tackle the myth of stop-work authority, why humour is a powerful safety tool, and how real change comes from leaders who listen, not just enforce.
Resources recommended:
The Field Guide to Understanding Human Error – Sidney Dekker
Pre-Accident Investigation Podcast – Todd Conklin
Disastercast – Drew Rae (a must-listen, you can find on Itunes)
Connect with Stephen Harvey:
Find Stephen on LinkedIn and check out his YouTube and Instagram (@SafetyBhoy) for insights, stories, and a bit of humour in safety.
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