Embracing Differences Paper Safe: The Triumph of Bureaucracy in Safety Management
Feb 2, 2021
Greg Smith, an internationally renowned lawyer and expert in operational safety, dives deep into the issues surrounding safety management in this engaging talk. He highlights the pitfalls of excessive bureaucracy, illustrating how it can create complacency and disconnect from purpose. Greg critiques the gap between documented safety procedures and real-world practices, emphasizing the need for meaningful compliance over mere paperwork. Their discussion also unveils the 'safety paradox,' revealing how a focus on compliance often undermines true safety outcomes, stressing the urgent need for reform in safety protocols.
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Car Carrier Grounding
- A car carrier ran aground leaving Southampton port, prompting an investigation.
- The report highlighted excessive checklists as a contributing factor to the accident.
Bureaucracy in Safety
- Excessive safety controls can increase the risk of failure.
- A study by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology supports this claim.
Informal vs. Formal Systems
- Workers often create informal systems because formal ones are disconnected from reality.
- Overzealous inspectors destroy these practical aids in the name of documentation control.
