The book “Zero, The Big Safety Delusion” by Dr. Robert Lange critically examines the concept of “zero accidents” in organizational safety cultures and explores the challenges and risks associated with striving for zero accidents. Dr. Lange argues that aiming for such an unrealistic numerical goal like “zero accidents” may not only fail to improve safety but could actually reduce real safety and increase risks.
تهیه کننده: #محمدصادق احمدی – #کارشناس ایمنی صنعتی
#Mohammadsadegh Ahmadi
#safety #Industrialsafety #ایمنی صنعتی #ایمنی #حریق #آتش نشانی
Key Points from the Book:
1. The Zero Accident Delusion:
Dr. Lange explains that targeting “zero accidents” can unintentionally create an environment where people focus more on hiding incidents, manipulating data, or avoiding reporting accidents rather than addressing the underlying safety issues. As a result, real risks remain hidden, and opportunities for accident prevention are minimized.
Dr. Lange states:
“We should not aim for zero accidents, but instead, we should aim to create a system that can effectively identify and manage risks.”
2. Safety Culture:
One of the key concepts in the book is safety culture. Lange argues that safety is not just a technical or statistical issue but should become a fundamental part of an organization’s culture. In organizations that focus solely on “zero accidents,” safety culture is weak, and attention is often given to superficial numbers and metrics. A true safety culture, on the other hand, must emphasize education, transparency, and accountability at all levels of the organization.
3. Prevention and Training:
Another main theme is the importance of prevention. Lange suggests that instead of striving for zero accidents, organizations should focus on strengthening preventive processes and providing continuous, effective training for employees. This means identifying and assessing risks before accidents occur.
Scientific techniques such as risk analysis and hazard assessment should be continuously updated, and employees should be given the opportunity to continually enhance their safety skills.
4. Systematic Approach to Safety:
Lange emphasizes the need for a comprehensive, systematic approach to safety management. This approach should include all sections and levels of the organization. Specifically, everyone from senior management to employees should actively participate in this process.
He stresses that instead of focusing on specific numbers, safety systems should be designed to continuously identify, analyze, and solve problems.
5. Real vs. Illusory Safety:
A key discussion in the book is the difference between real safety and illusory safety. Dr. Lange believes that safety should be managed deeply and effectively to identify and mitigate real risks. Illusory safety appears to exist, but it mainly focuses on statistical goals or short-term objectives.
Real safety, on the other hand, involves continuous improvement in processes, training, and risk assessment. He points out that in organizations focusing solely on numbers like “zero accidents,” employees may withhold reporting accidents due to fear of punishment, which leads to hidden risks and increasing future incidents.
6. The Risks of Hiding Behind Numbers and Metrics:
Throughout the book, Dr. Lange highlights the risks of hiding behind numerical goals. For instance, in organizations where the goal is zero accidents, employees may avoid reporting incidents or underreport them due to the emphasis on the target. This not only fails to improve transparency but actively undermines safety.
7. Suggestions for Changing Approach:
Ultimately, Dr. Lange suggests that organizations should shift their approach from aiming for “zero accidents” to one focused on continuous improvement in safety and risk management. This involves creating flexible, sustainable systems for identifying and managing risks, providing training, and improving communication within the organization.
Overall Conclusion:
Dr. Robert Lange strongly argues that the goal of zero accidents should be abandoned as a target. The real goal should be to improve safety through scientific processes, a stronger safety culture, and effective prevention and training methods. True safety can only be achieved through changing mindsets, strengthening systems, and building a safety culture at all levels of the organization.
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