Safety should not be like trying to figure out how to get out of a panic room! Those who have played the group game “panic room” where you try to figure out clues to eventually unlock the door to win, can maybe relate. When we put safety goals in place and do not provide the resources, training/skills, and support to achieve those goals we will get the “panic room” approach to safety. Trying everything within our reach in the sheer hopes it works, hence “panic sets in”.
Too many organizations are in a panic over safety performance and that drives very poor decision-making at the management level regarding the approach to safety management. It becomes a management of numbers rather than a safety management system. And that does not lead to world-class safety for anyone.
