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A Trade Unionist View of Risk Assessment
Tim Briggs MA CFIOSH University and Colleges Union Safety Representative Chair Leeds Beckett University H&S Committee
Risk Assessment Tim Briggs MA CFIOSH University and Colleges Union - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Risk Assessment Tim Briggs MA CFIOSH University and Colleges Union - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
A Trade Unionist View of Risk Assessment Tim Briggs MA CFIOSH University and Colleges Union Safety Representative Chair Leeds Beckett University H&S Committee My personal belief It is people that makes things unsafe It is people that
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Perceptions of Hazards
In relation to hazards adults are
considered responsible for their actions
Are they always trustworthy or
sufficiently well informed?
After all it is only “Common Sense” !
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Changing Attitudes
Work as imagined Work as it really is
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Assumptions
If we assume Assumption will make an Ass U Me
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Naive Views are easily manipulated
Where weak opinion exists people
are at mercy of how information is presented
Influence of the popular press Are journalists able to distinguish all
manner of characteristics making the risk?
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Learning The Lessons From The Past
Silvertown – Buncefield Great Fire of London– Grenfell Tower Herald of Free Enterprise – Costa Concordia Texas City Gulf of Mexico (Macondo Oil Rig)
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The Response To Risk
Propensitity to take risks REWARDS Percieved Danger Accidents Balancing Behaviour
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Degrees of danger
Sensible Risk Assessment
Why were conkers subject to ridicule?
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Consequences of Risk - Factors
Perceptions
When was road traffic at its most dangerous – 1937
- r 2017
Different groups will have different perceptions of hazards Societal – will accept 10 deaths from 10 accidents will not accept 10 deaths from one accident
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Despite the huge increase of road traffic the risk of an
accident has decreased by a factor of four
Will this argument alter the response of a mother whose
child has been killed in a road accident?
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The Health & Safety Mantra’s
- Health and Safety is part of the day job
- Health and Safety is not a bolt on extra
- Health and Safety is just plain common sense
- Managers manage
- Managing safety is just good management
- No blame culture
- Zero accidents
- Employees are our most important asset
- Etc, etc, etc----------
How big a part does culture play?
Mantra
‘An expression or idea that is repeated, often without thinking about it, and closely associated with something’
Reality?
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Safety Culture and Management
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Human beings are so innovative are they not?
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Risk Assessment Contributes to Good Workplaces
Why do we need good work and workplaces?
Source Woodall and Burton 2006
See notes view
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is therapeutic; helps to promote recovery and rehabilitation; leads to better health outcomes; minimises the harmful physical, mental and social effects of long-
term sickness absence;
reduces the risk of long-term incapacity; promotes full participation in society, independence and human
rights;
reduces poverty; improves quality of life and well-being. Improves self esteem worth and value
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Advantages
Becoming legally compliant Know what is to be managed Reduces cost of illness
absence
Increases learning in the
- rganisation
Can aid better
communication
Can hep to develop trust Improve productivity Prevention of waste Reduce damage to
equipment or goods
Improves quality issues Can help increase trust Contributes to continuous
improvement
Protects corporate
reputation
Can be prevention by
being proactive
A process all areas of
business can use
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What seems to be the norm?
No employee involvement Experts telling us what to do Impractical controls
implemented
No systematic examination Over estimating –
Underestimating risk
Out of date information used Risk Assessments used to justify
decisions already taken
Does not encompass different
levels of knowledge
Failing to review risk
assessment
Failing to protect people
not included in workforce
Does not take account of
cognitive effects
RA being reactive RA process being tick box
approach
Not considering
technology advancements
Creates division
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Learning Lessons & Unseen Benefits
“Someone Upstairs Cares Syndrome”
Management Involvement Improved Communication Improved Trust & Respect Improved Teamworking Gap filling (CI) Employee & Organisational learning Reduction of costs and efforts Improves productivity - profitability - lessens waste Protects Corporate and individual reputation Least of all legal compliance
The Hawthorne studies of the 1920s Elton Mayo Western Electric Hawthorne Works in Cicero, Illinois
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