One day Safety may discover that language, metaphor and semiotics are critical for communication and messaging.

The latest nonsense from Safety confirms that it has no idea what safety is about.

We’ve seen this before from other traditional safety sources such as so called ‘safety differently’ that ran the discourse of the ‘lean green safety machine’ (https://safetydifferently.com/lean-green-safety-machine-part-1/) in a 2 part series on traditional safety. (I’m yet to see anything that is ‘different’ from the S2, SD, RE, NV, HOP fad).

There is no connection between anything military and anything safety.

Using language like ‘elite’ and ‘force’ have no place in safety discourse.

It’s like putting a punching fist on a brick wall and trying to spin some goop that the image has nothing to do with violence.

The ignorance of Safety and its inability to learn about language and semiotics is breathtaking.

The job of Safety is to get alongside, listen and advise NOT to promote itself with guns, khaki and ‘military standards’.

The last place one should go for training in safety is, anywhere that uses military metaphors and semiotics. 

The last place to seek help for mental health is anyone using the language of ‘elite force’.

People with mental health concerns need expert support, understanding, compassion, empathy and professionalism, not some marketing about ‘passion’ and military veterans.

When people are in the depths of mental health and psychosocial stress, the last thing they want to hear is goop about ‘military standards’.

I have written about this before (https://safetyrisk.net/safety-doesnt-need-military-language/; https://safetyrisk.net/military-metaphors-in-safety/) which clearly demonstrates the ignorance of Safety about messaging. All it shows is that Safety doesn’t know what to do. When you have no methodology or methods I guess a few slogans and military metaphors will do.

If you want to be different in safety beyond the 3 favourites of: hazards, substitution and engineering then you won’t find any ‘difference’ in military metaphors and symbols.

If you want to understand how to develop skills in helping, caring and listening then perhaps you could start with the free introductory course in SPoR (https://vimeo.com/showcase/4233556). This is a positive, practical and constructive approach to helping people tackle risk.

And all of this help is provided free.