Is Conventional Thinking Limiting?

The traditional Hierarchy of Controls (HoC) can be misleading for safety practitioners. Many find it challenging to implement higher-order controls, such as engineering solutions, and instead default to administrative measures. This often happens for several reasons: higher-level controls may not be obvious, the person managing risk mitigation may lack engineering expertise, or there is simply … Read more

Rules and More Rules are Killing Safety

In a recent major speech on growth strategies, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon pointed to overzealous health and safety regulations as a driver of costs and reduced productivity. He cited the overuse of traffic cones as an example—though he could have chosen many others. This is a worrying reality: safety management in New Zealand … Read more