By Garry Gob Shite
I’ve been working in the industry for over 25 years and have come across many faces of Safety embodied in actions and behaviours that discredit the industry. (Like most in safety, I can’t post without a pseudonym to this site or I’ll get sacked, says it all). This is what some of the Safety faces (personas) look like:
The Compliance Dude – Thinks all things compliance, you are either right or wrong here, they are totally unforgiving and your screwed. Hand in your badge you’re gone.
The Safety Sniper – This person takes pictures of people working in an unsafe manner, says nothing to the worker(s) and sends emails to all leaders and all and sundry. Worker taken out from the Grassie Knol.
The Safety Barrister – This Safety peep, knows everything about OHS legislation (after a day’s course in OHS law) will constantly tell workers how they will be prosecuted for their safety infractions and end up in jail, if they don’t listen to the Safety barrister.
The Safety Know it all – This Safety peep is as wise as Gandalf, reads something or does a half-day course and suddenly they are experts and have a PhD in “I told you so”
The Safety Secretary – This safety administrator manages and talks to the files, more so than the people on the ground, if you’re not in a file you don’t matter.
The Safety False Faker – After picking up on a safety issue, tells everyone they are stupid and will not come up with a solution or a way forward, normally comes out with “Sort it out yourselves and get back to me”
The Safety Crusader – Starts an argument on site and legs it, once a proper argument ensues, to the safety of their office. I’m behind you guys, way behind you!!!
The Safety Crawler – This safety will align with the person who has power on a project or in an organisation, you will be brutalised if you mess with this power arrangement. The Safety Crawler will do anything to be relevant.
The Safety Consigliere – This safety magician will manage any safety issue the organisation has, using the dark arts and great at making safety things disappear. The safety issue(s) will be swimming with the fishes.
The Safety Saviour – This Safety manages all things from an accident perspective, the TFRIR will be managed to ZERO, taxi’s sent to get people into work so that ZERO is maintained and bonuses are paid at the end of the year.
The Safety Talker – Reads off a safety hymn sheet and believes all of the gobbledygook that they spew out, our procedure is the gospel you need to listen to the safety hymn and follow our tune.
The Safety Statistician – This peep has a number for everything and thinks they have everyone’s number, my numbers can figure anything or everything out, our data has you figured out….
The Safety Psychologist – Read a book on psychology and has everyone figured out … I know you better than you know you … I know the bad apples a mile off !! and, I can name them.
The Safety Meeter – This safety fixer, loves having safety meetings about everything and anything, believes meetings solve problems and people through their pontification.
The Safety Signer – The safety paper-pusher, that has to have every document signed by someone as a means of culpability, there always a head to roll.
The Safety Innovator – The Safety peep that thinks, ‘innovation’ is drafting up new systems to cover over already used systems and feel they are adding value to the system.
The Safety Conduit – The Safety flumer thinks to improve safety and anything else on site, you only need to go through safety. Your one ‘Stop shop’ for all things new and beautiful in the safety sphere.
The Safety Dramatist – This safety actor thinks that performance is an act completed by slogans and cult membership. Irrelevant on site but guru in the safety club.
brhttps://safetyrisk.net/the-many-faces-of-safety/
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