Several readers have expressed a desire to meet me.

Understandable. It’s rare to encounter someone with my combination of confidence, availability and limited curiosity.

But I have wonderful news.

You already have. Many times.

Perhaps I had a different name. A different employer. A slightly larger collection of postnominals.

The vest was familiar.

I was on that major construction project, correcting the colour of your signature while your request to repair the access stairs remained unanswered.

I was at the shutdown, explaining that production pressure was no excuse for taking shortcuts, immediately before asking why you were behind schedule.

I delivered the induction that began, “We encourage questions,” and ended with, “We haven’t got time for that.”

You remember me now.

Kevin explained that I represent an archetype of traditional Safety. Rob Long discusses how archetypes operate through shared beliefs, symbols and cultural patterns with momentum beyond individual people.

I was delighted.

Finally, recognition that my influence extends beyond my actual contribution.

You can recognise my approach through the familiar Rules of Safety Spudology: certainty about other people’s shortcomings, enthusiasm for control and an extensive collection of checklists.

I don’t need to understand your job immediately.

First, I need you to understand my authority.

Sadie says she gets recognised everywhere too.

“People change direction when they see me.”

An excellent measure of influence.

Of course, my natural habitat is LinkedIn.

I am a LinkedIn beast.

Give me one photograph of an unfamiliar workplace and I can produce a definitive assessment before learning which country it’s in.

Someone asks about the task, the circumstances or what happened before the photograph.

I remind them that safety is everyone’s responsibility.

This normally avoids having to answer.

My most successful post featured a worker with his gloves off.

Eight hundred comments.

Nobody knew what he was doing, but we agreed he needed retraining.

I finish every post with “Thoughts?”

This means agreement expressed in your own words.

Anyone offering different thoughts receives a reminder to keep the discussion constructive.

Further questions may require removal.

Some people complain about the quality of LinkedIn safety discussions. Personally, I find it an excellent place to reinforce conclusions I brought with me.

My profile says People First.

My content consists of hard hats, clipboards, warning signs and photographs of me standing in front of machinery.

Kevin suggested examining what our safety symbols communicate.

I explained that the photograph communicated leadership.

“Where are the workers?”

“They’re holding the camera.”

He then asked whether replacing one Barry would change anything if the same incentives, assumptions and expectations remained.

A thoughtful question.

I referred it to our Behavioural Compliance Committee.

So, please don’t worry about arranging an introduction.

At your next project, meeting or online discussion, simply ask:

“Is this actually helping people?”

Watch for the person who looks offended.

We can take it from there.