SAFETY AS A

VALUED
CHOICE VS COMPLIANCE
SAFETY AS A CHOICE
• IT IS CONDITION OF BEING PROTECTED AGAINST FAILURE,
DAMAGE, ERROR, ACCIDENTS, HARM OR ANY OTHER EVENT
WHICH COULD BE CONSIDERED NON-DESIRABLE
• SAFETY IS A LIVING EVOLVING CONCEPT, NOT A STATIC
PAPERWORKS EXERCISE.

• CHOICE
• IS IN YOU HEART AND MIND
• YOU SET THE STANDARD HIGHER
• YOU DO IT BECAUSE IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO
HOW TO MAKE A GOOD CHOICES
• GUT INSTINCTS – THIS IS AN EXPERIENTIAL AND/OR FILTER THAT
MAY OFTEN TIMES HAVE NO CURRENT UN DERPINNING OF
HARD ANALYTICAL SUPPORT. THAT SAID, IN ABSENCE OF OTHER
DECISIONING FILTERS IT CAN SOMETIMES BE ALL A PERSON HAS
TO GO ON WHEN MAKING DECISION. EVEN WHEN MORE
REFINED ANALYTICS ARE AVAILABLE, YOUR INSTINCTS CAN
OFTEN PROVIDE A VERY VALUABLE GUT CHECK AGAINST THE
REASONABILITY OR BIAS OF OTHER INPUTS. THE BIG TAKE AWAY
HERE IS THAT INTUITIVE DECISIONING CAN BE REFINED AND
IMPROVED. MY ADVICE IS TO ACTUALLY WORK AT BECOMING
VERY DISCERNING.
HOW TO MAKE A GOOD CHOICES
• KNOWLEDGE – KNOWLEDGE IS INFORMATION THAT HAS BEEN
REFINED BT ANALYSIS SUCH THAT IT HAS BEEN ASSIMILATED,
TESTED AND/OR VALIDATED. MOST IMPORTANTLY,
KNOWLEDGE IS ACTIONABLE WITH A HIGH DEGREE OF
ACCURACY BECAUSE PROOF OF CONCEPTS EXISTS.
HOW TO MAKE A GOOD CHOICES
• RISKS – YOU ALSO NEED TO WEIGH THE RISK IN ANY GIVEN
SITUATION. LOW-RISK SITUATIONS MAY NOT NEED MORE TIME
AND RESOURCES. BUT RISK CUTS BOTH WAYS – YOU MAY RISK
MISSING AN OPPORTUNITY OR GIVING THE WRONG
IMPRESSION IF YOU TAKE TOO LONG TO MAKE YOU DECISION
OR FIND THAT YOU’VE MADE THE WRONG CALL IF YOU TRY TO
RUSH IT. FAULKNER SAYS, LOOKING AT THE BENEFITS AND
DRAWBACKS OF EACH APPROACH CAN LEAD YOU IN THE
RIGHT DECISION
SAFETY AS A COMPLIANCE
• IT MEANS CONFORMING TO A RULE, SUCH AS A
SPECIFICATION, POLICY, STANDARD OR LAWS.
• HAVING A WRITTEN SAFETY POLICY IS PART OF BEING IN
COMPLIANCE, BUT IT IS TOTALLY USELESS FOR SAFETY
PURPOSES IF IT IS ONLY ON A PIECE OF PAPER IN A FILE IN THE
SAFETY OFFICE.

• COMPLIANCE
• IS ONE PAPER
• SOMEONE ELES SETS THE STANDARD
• GENERALLY DELEGATED TO THE “SAFETY PERSON”