Thanks Sheri Lovely to hear from you

audits of schools and their safety management systems

I'm started my career as a cabinet maker, did a 10 year apprenticeship in the UK and regularly give advice to schools on managing risks in their hard tech rooms etc.
The problem is as you've indicated is a lack of knowledge in many areas on a campus, but also a lack of money as school try to offset some of their general budget, but simply can't cope with old buildings, asbestos, storage of chemicals etc etc

I would firstly like to know the evidence of the relative amounts of increased deaths or respiratory disease (nasal cancer) in NZ supporting this?

And, If applied I don't think not many companies, schools or other organisations would be able to substantiate paying for upgraded extraction to meet the new exposure standards

Mark

I believe there is too much emphasis on risk calculation, that is very subjective and diverts the attention away from people concentrating on the bigger issue, which is actually managing an controlling the risk.
It's interesting that the HSE have taken the risk matrix off their pro-forma's now because in some instances it has actually increased the possibility of harm when the risk is scored at a lower level.
Some larger organisations are now undertaking risk management as a reverse process, which consists of identifying worker experience and knowledge first relative to the job, accessing the current working practices and spending the most time on this part to find better methods elsewhere or perhaps where alternative technology can be used to reduce the risk up front.
The current risk based system most people adopt is very reactive in approach, whilst the reverse is far more proactive (Safety II)
Mark

Hi Tania,
I've been studying neuroscience and the link to positive psychology mindsets and new habit formations using smells which bypass the PFC, through a course at Harvard University.
I would be very interested in your analysis and possible interventions?
Mark

Thanks for your comments and I like the idea of focusing on organizational culture and a Safety II mindset. The problem is as I see it, is that we don't actually Think Deep enough for better solutions in safety and automatically jump to pre-existing solutions which are too standardised, stifle innovation and limit improvements.