The information contained in this and any other communication is for evaluation and consideration purposes only. It is not intended, nor should it be construed

The information contained in this and any other communication is for evaluation and consideration purposes only. It is not intended, nor should it be construed as The information contained in this and any other communication is for evaluation and consideration purposes only. It is not intended, nor should it be construed as providing legal advice or warranting any level of safety or regulatory compliance. The sole purpose of such information is to assist with the identification, evaluation and providing legal advice or warranting any level of safety or regulatory compliance. The sole purpose of such information is to assist with the identification, evaluation and control of serious or unnecessary hazards. Any action taken based on this information, including but not limited to opinions, suggestions and recommendations, whether control of serious or unnecessary hazards. Any action taken based on this information, including but not limited to opinions, suggestions and recommendations, whether

implied or expressed, is the sole responsibility of the individual taking the action. Safety determinations are unique to each individual based on their respective knowledge, implied or expressed, is the sole responsibility of the individual taking the action. Safety determinations are unique to each individual based on their respective knowledge, values and situation. Some representations and materials in this presentation have been altered or paraphrased to protect privacy. Most sources of information are values and situation. Some representations and materials in this presentation have been altered or paraphrased to protect privacy. Most sources of information are

available upon request. There are exceptions to all materials presented.available upon request. There are exceptions to all materials presented.

SAFETY SECRETSSAFETY SECRETS

FORFOR

SURVIVALSURVIVAL(Abbreviated Version)(Abbreviated Version)

Contrary to popular belief safety is an Contrary to popular belief safety is an obscure, ambiguous and ill-defined human obscure, ambiguous and ill-defined human concept that can have grave and ominous concept that can have grave and ominous

consequences for the uninformed consequences for the uninformed practitioner.practitioner.

In recent years there has been an In recent years there has been an increasing disparity between the increasing disparity between the

traditional perception of safety and the traditional perception of safety and the realization of safety. The consequences of realization of safety. The consequences of this disparity have often placed the safety this disparity have often placed the safety

practitioner in an indefensible position practitioner in an indefensible position with no avenue of escape.with no avenue of escape.

WHAT IS SAFETY?WHAT IS SAFETY?

WHICH AIRPLANE IS SAFER?WHICH AIRPLANE IS SAFER?

Fatal crash every 1000 hoursFatal crash every 1000 hours Fatal crash every 500 hoursFatal crash every 500 hours

IN THE EVENT OF AN ENGINE FAILURE IN THE EVENT OF AN ENGINE FAILURE WHICH AIRPLANE IS SAFER?WHICH AIRPLANE IS SAFER?

All other factors being the same. All other factors being the same.

POLITICAL SAFETY:POLITICAL SAFETY:

Standing at a crash site where more than Standing at a crash site where more than 100 people had just been killed the 100 people had just been killed the

Secretary of Transportation declared: Secretary of Transportation declared: “flying is safe”!“flying is safe”!

Frontline

POLITICAL SAFETY:POLITICAL SAFETY:

Following the fatal luge crash, one of the Following the fatal luge crash, one of the sponsors stated: “the luge is safe and we sponsors stated: “the luge is safe and we

are making it safer!”are making it safer!”

NBC

SAFETY MANAGEMENT:SAFETY MANAGEMENT:

Company president: “I’m going to Company president: “I’m going to appoint “_________” as the company’s appoint “_________” as the company’s safety manager.”safety manager.”

Company owner: No! Pick “________”- Company owner: No! Pick “________”- he’s got more fingers.” he’s got more fingers.”

EDUCATING SAFETY PROFESSIONALS:EDUCATING SAFETY PROFESSIONALS:

The faculty of an accredited university The faculty of an accredited university granting Ph.D. degrees in safety could not granting Ph.D. degrees in safety could not

(or would not) define “safety”.(or would not) define “safety”.

EDUCATING SAFETY PROFESSIONALS:EDUCATING SAFETY PROFESSIONALS:

Only about half the colleges and universities Only about half the colleges and universities granting degrees in safety teach granting degrees in safety teach

MCDM /MCDA.MCDM /MCDA.

SAFETY PROFESSIONAL IN TRIAL: SAFETY PROFESSIONAL IN TRIAL:

Attorney: “If your jobsite was safe, why was Attorney: “If your jobsite was safe, why was my client so badly injured?” If it wasn’t my client so badly injured?” If it wasn’t

safe, why was my client there at all?”safe, why was my client there at all?”

Attorney

SAFETY PROFESSIONAL IN TRIAL: SAFETY PROFESSIONAL IN TRIAL:

Attorney: “As a safety professional, if you Attorney: “As a safety professional, if you had a 50% of saving 100 people or a 100% had a 50% of saving 100 people or a 100% chance of saving 50 people which would you chance of saving 50 people which would you choose?”choose?”

Safety Professional: “I'd flip a coin!”Safety Professional: “I'd flip a coin!”

Judge: “You’re disqualified!”Judge: “You’re disqualified!”

Attorney

JUDITIAL DECISION: JUDITIAL DECISION:

Judge: “You (safety professional) can not Judge: “You (safety professional) can not testify on, or refer to, safety codes, testify on, or refer to, safety codes,

regulations, statutes, laws, compliance, regulations, statutes, laws, compliance, violations or other criteria when giving expert violations or other criteria when giving expert

opinion.”opinion.”

SLIPPERY SAFETY:SLIPPERY SAFETY:

Coefficient of Fiction .5 or .6 (2)Coefficient of Fiction .5 or .6 (2) Wet or Dry (2)Wet or Dry (2) Static or Dynamic (2)Static or Dynamic (2) Slip Meter Types (73)Slip Meter Types (73) Surface Type (20)Surface Type (20) Shoe Sole Type (12)Shoe Sole Type (12)

2 x 2 x 2 x 73 x 20 x 12 = 140,160 Combinations2 x 2 x 2 x 73 x 20 x 12 = 140,160 Combinations

ACCIDENT ANALYSIS:ACCIDENT ANALYSIS:

Act of GodAct of God Linear Event AnalysisLinear Event Analysis Determinant Variable AnalysisDeterminant Variable Analysis Fault Tree AnalysisFault Tree Analysis Multi Linear Event Sequencing AnalysisMulti Linear Event Sequencing Analysis

Why?Why?

Benner

PUPLIC SAFETY STATEMENTS:PUPLIC SAFETY STATEMENTS:

CEO: “Give it to the safety department, CEO: “Give it to the safety department, that will keep them out of our hair!”that will keep them out of our hair!”

Lawyer: “Find some safety guy who will Lawyer: “Find some safety guy who will see it our way!”see it our way!”

Safety Professional: “You’ll be safe if you Safety Professional: “You’ll be safe if you stay behind the cones!”stay behind the cones!”

Regulator: “Let me talk to the witness or Regulator: “Let me talk to the witness or we’ll take the evidence!”we’ll take the evidence!”

CODE OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT:CODE OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT:

““Maintain confidentiality of privileged Maintain confidentiality of privileged information.”information.”

““Inform the public, employers, employees, Inform the public, employers, employees, clients and appropriate authorities when clients and appropriate authorities when professional judgment indicates that there is professional judgment indicates that there is an unacceptable level of risk.”an unacceptable level of risk.”

ASSE

PROFESSIONAL SAFETY STANDARDS:PROFESSIONAL SAFETY STANDARDS:

ANSI/ASSE: “Criteria for Establishing the ANSI/ASSE: “Criteria for Establishing the Scope and Function of the Professional Safety Scope and Function of the Professional Safety Position.”Position.”

ANSI/ASSE: “Criteria for Accepted Practices ANSI/ASSE: “Criteria for Accepted Practices in Safety, Health and Environmental in Safety, Health and Environmental Training.”Training.”

ANSI/AIHA: “Occupational Health and ANSI/AIHA: “Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems.” Safety Management Systems.” ASSE/ANSI/AIHA

SAFETY REGULATIONS:SAFETY REGULATIONS:

State regulators have just released a State regulators have just released a new document regarding Occupational new document regarding Occupational Safety and Health Regulations totaling Safety and Health Regulations totaling 680 pages. 680 pages.

The 680 pages are the “index”(to the The 680 pages are the “index”(to the regulations)…regulations)…

STATE INVESTIGATOR’S DEPOSITION: STATE INVESTIGATOR’S DEPOSITION:

Attorney: “Was it part of your intent in Attorney: “Was it part of your intent in looking into this matter (accident) to try to looking into this matter (accident) to try to figure out what happened?”figure out what happened?”

Government Investigator: “No”! “(Only) to Government Investigator: “No”! “(Only) to see if the employer violated some aspect of see if the employer violated some aspect of Title 8!”Title 8!”

SAFETY PRIORITIES: SAFETY PRIORITIES: Foreman: “Safety comes first - most of the Foreman: “Safety comes first - most of the

time.”time.” Operations Manager: “Production has to Operations Manager: “Production has to

comes first or there won’t be any safety.”comes first or there won’t be any safety.” Safety Regulator: “I come first, the rest of Safety Regulator: “I come first, the rest of

you will just have to wait.”you will just have to wait.” Management: “The more (safety) paperwork Management: “The more (safety) paperwork

we have to do the less safety we get done.”we have to do the less safety we get done.” Accident Investigator: “Compliance with the Accident Investigator: “Compliance with the

safety standards cost him his life.”safety standards cost him his life.”

WHAT’S WRONG WITH SAFETY?WHAT’S WRONG WITH SAFETY?

It’s us!It’s us!

SAFETY’S SECRETS:SAFETY’S SECRETS:

Safety is a human perception that does Safety is a human perception that does not exist in the physical world.not exist in the physical world.


Safety can not be quantifiably measured.Safety can not be quantifiably measured.

SAFETY’S SECRET:SAFETY’S SECRET:

Safety is unique to each and every Safety is unique to each and every individual.individual.

SAFETY’S SECRET:SAFETY’S SECRET:

Safety is temporally dependent.Safety is temporally dependent.


Safety is an inherent and unavoidable Safety is an inherent and unavoidable element in all human endeavors element in all human endeavors (whether we recognize it or not).(whether we recognize it or not).


Safety has two objectives: event Safety has two objectives: event avoidance and consequence mitigation.avoidance and consequence mitigation.


Safety is derived from the human Safety is derived from the human perception of the acceptability of risk perception of the acceptability of risk

(probability and consequence).(probability and consequence).


Safety is a function of the probability and Safety is a function of the probability and consequence of future events where consequence of future events where

probability is a “derivative of knowledge” probability is a “derivative of knowledge” and consequence is a “derivative of values”.and consequence is a “derivative of values”.

CONSEQUENCES OF VARYING CONSEQUENCES OF VARYING INDIVIDUAL KNOWLEDGE & VALUES: INDIVIDUAL KNOWLEDGE & VALUES:

OH,OH,WHAT A BAD WHAT A BAD

MISTAKE!MISTAKE!

OH,OH,WHAT A WHAT A SERIOUS SERIOUS

ACCIDENT!ACCIDENT!

GREAT JOB!GREAT JOB!

OH,OH,THIS IS MY THIS IS MY

LUCKY DAY!LUCKY DAY!

CONSEQUENCES OF VARYING CONSEQUENCES OF VARYING INDIVIDUAL KNOWLEDGE & VALUES: INDIVIDUAL KNOWLEDGE & VALUES:

OH,OH,WHAT A BAD WHAT A BAD

MISTAKE!MISTAKE!

((AIRCRAFTAIRCRAFTDESIGNERDESIGNER))

OH,OH,WHAT A WHAT A SERIOUS SERIOUS

ACCIDENT!ACCIDENT!

((BYSTANDERBYSTANDER))

GREAT JOB!GREAT JOB!

((SABOTEURSABOTEUR))

OH,OH,THIS IS MY THIS IS MY

LUCKY DAY!LUCKY DAY!

((MISSEDMISSEDFLIGHTFLIGHT))


Safety regulations are the imposition of Safety regulations are the imposition of one individual’s knowledge and/or one individual’s knowledge and/or

values on another individual’s values on another individual’s knowledge and values.knowledge and values.


By their very nature, safety regulations By their very nature, safety regulations create arbitrary inefficiencies and create arbitrary inefficiencies and

misrepresentations that alter (for good or misrepresentations that alter (for good or bad) the affected individual’s exposure to bad) the affected individual’s exposure to

hazards.hazards.


Regulatory compliance and safety Regulatory compliance and safety are not the same.are not the same.


Safety like any other decision making process Safety like any other decision making process requires “criteria” to be determined.requires “criteria” to be determined.

SAFETY DECISIONS ARE SAFETY DECISIONS ARE “CRITERIA DEPENDANT!”“CRITERIA DEPENDANT!”


Safety can not be accurately assessed or Safety can not be accurately assessed or communicated without specifying the communicated without specifying the criteria by which it was determined.criteria by which it was determined.


It is usually the criteria selected which It is usually the criteria selected which ultimately resolves the safety decision. ultimately resolves the safety decision.


Safety (whether implied or expressed) Safety (whether implied or expressed) requires two criteria to be determined requires two criteria to be determined

(knowledge and values).(knowledge and values).


Altering the probability and/or Altering the probability and/or consequence of one criteria usually alters consequence of one criteria usually alters

the probability and/or consequence of the probability and/or consequence of other criteria.other criteria.


Safety decisions are “multi criteria” Safety decisions are “multi criteria” decisions.decisions.


The science of Multi Criterion Decision The science of Multi Criterion Decision Making (MCDM) and Multi Criterion Making (MCDM) and Multi Criterion Decision Analysis (MCDA) have never Decision Analysis (MCDA) have never

established a single accepted standard or established a single accepted standard or methodology for making consistent and methodology for making consistent and

uniform decisions using multiple criteria.uniform decisions using multiple criteria.


The fundamental foundation of safety is The fundamental foundation of safety is Multi Criterion Decision Making (MCDM) Multi Criterion Decision Making (MCDM)

and Multi Criterion Decision Analysis and Multi Criterion Decision Analysis (MCDA).(MCDA).

SAFETY’S MEANINGLESS SAFETY’S MEANINGLESS TERMINOLOGY:TERMINOLOGY:

??

WHAT DOES HAZARDOUS MEAN?WHAT DOES HAZARDOUS MEAN?

WHAT DOES REASONABLE RISK WHAT DOES REASONABLE RISK MEAN?MEAN?

WHAT DOES ACCEPTABLE RISK WHAT DOES ACCEPTABLE RISK MEAN?MEAN?

WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF ACCIDENT?ACCIDENT?

WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF SAFETY?SAFETY?


Safety is the perception of the Safety is the perception of the acceptability of the probability and acceptability of the probability and consequences of future events (to an consequences of future events (to an

individual’s personal interests).individual’s personal interests).


No two people share precisely the same No two people share precisely the same consequences from safety decisions.consequences from safety decisions.

SAFETY SUGGESTIONS FOR SURVIVAL:SAFETY SUGGESTIONS FOR SURVIVAL:

SAFETY SUGGESTION FOR SURVIVAL:SAFETY SUGGESTION FOR SURVIVAL:

Provide definitions of safety terminology.Provide definitions of safety terminology.


Know your professional organization’s Know your professional organization’s certification requirements.certification requirements.


Provide criteria with safety decisions.Provide criteria with safety decisions.


Realize safety affects everyone differently.Realize safety affects everyone differently.


Grasp the difference between regulatory Grasp the difference between regulatory compliance and safety.compliance and safety.


Be aware that altering the safety of one Be aware that altering the safety of one activity/condition changes the safety of activity/condition changes the safety of

other activities/conditions.other activities/conditions.


Know that it is often more important to Know that it is often more important to evaluate the criteria used in a safety evaluate the criteria used in a safety

decision then the activity or condition itself.decision then the activity or condition itself.


..Refrain from referencing safety as Refrain from referencing safety as quantifiable value.quantifiable value.


Realize that the only way to change safety is Realize that the only way to change safety is to change the knowledge and/or values used to change the knowledge and/or values used

to determine it.to determine it.


Remember that safety is a human Remember that safety is a human perception and not a physical reality.perception and not a physical reality.


Realize that safety is not regulatory Realize that safety is not regulatory compliance.compliance.


Avoid the use of such terms as: good, bad, Avoid the use of such terms as: good, bad, safe, unsafe, hazard free, all, every, safe, unsafe, hazard free, all, every,

compliant and the like when addressing compliant and the like when addressing safety issues.safety issues.


Anticipate that the basis for safety may Anticipate that the basis for safety may often be more political than virtuous and often be more political than virtuous and that not all efforts to correct this situation that not all efforts to correct this situation

will be victorious.will be victorious.


Attempt to get the truth out in spite of any Attempt to get the truth out in spite of any obstacles that may be placed in your path.obstacles that may be placed in your path.


If safety is the identification, evaluation and If safety is the identification, evaluation and control of anticipated hierarchical hazards control of anticipated hierarchical hazards

based on an individual’s knowledge and based on an individual’s knowledge and values it will not necessarily parallel that of values it will not necessarily parallel that of

the safety professional. In such the safety professional. In such circumstances the safety professional’s best circumstances the safety professional’s best

coarse of action may be to simply ensure coarse of action may be to simply ensure that the individual has the best information that the individual has the best information possible upon which the make the decision.possible upon which the make the decision.

Grave and ominous consequences

befall the uninformed practitioner!

Documents

The information contained in this and any other communication is for evaluation and consideration purposes only. It is not intended, nor should it be construed