Author:andrew-sharman

It’s all about you 27th Feb 2023 Many years ago, one of your ancestors announced: “Hey, there’s not enough food to go around – why don’t we climb that mountain range and see what’s on the other side?” They did this with the full knowledge that the answer might be “nothing”, and that everyone would die from hunger and exhaustion. People are hotwired to take risks for only the potential of reward … and they always have been. Risk taking […]

Speak up 13th Jan 2023 The previous piece* dove into various reasons why people behave unsafely, from both an individual and organisational perspective. This follow-up feature will focus on some other ways that the safety message can easily become diluted. Have you ever been sitting opposite a partner in the pub and watched them look at you meaningfully, only to hear the words: “You’re a really nice person, and I really like you, but …”? Do they need to finish […]

Why people behave unsafely 15th Oct 2022 We aim to keep this book* light and useful, so we’re trying to avoid going down the mine on the psychology of risk-taking here. And we’re not even going to try to explain why Andrew freedives with Great White Sharks and leaps off the top of huge mountains. For now, let’s concentrate on two things: what we do individually and what we do as a result of what an organisation does. A man […]

The everyday Holocaust 16th Aug 2022 Around seven million people were murdered by the Nazis during the six years of World War II. It’s commonly agreed to be the worst atrocity in the history of our planet, but nearly the same number of men, women, and children will die in road traffic accidents over the next six years! We’re certainly not trivialising one of the most tragic social events in world history in any way. We are simply trying to […]

Do you feel lucky? 27th Jun 2022 Part one in this series – extracts from the five chapters in Prof Andrew Sharman’s and Dr Tim Marsh’s book, Safety Savvy – tells the truth about luck and why you shouldn’t gamble on it. You look around and it seems clear that nobody ever seems to get the luck they deserve. We can agree that some horrible monkeys get more than their fair share and some deserving people don’t seem to get anything […]

Burning questions 13th Dec 2021 For my final article in 2021, I’d like to share some of the most thought-provoking questions I’ve been asked throughout the year. May they stimulate further critical thinking as you reflect on this year and plan the next one. This year I’ve noticed an uptick in the interest of senior operational leaders in occupational safety and health (OH&S), perhaps with the destabilising effect of Covid, leaders and organisations around the world have come to understand […]

A bright future awaits? 18th Oct 2021 Dr Andrew Sharman explored the evolving role of the occupational safety and health (OSH) professional, the global changes that affect it and the ways to revitalise your approach. Now it’s time to look to the future. In this final article, I examine how, as an OSH professional, you can envision success and then set out a clear path for engaging and empowering people and creating positive, sustainable change in your organisation. I have a […]

Stirring the OSH embers 20th Aug 2021 In this article we’ll explore how the Monk, Mercenary, and Missionary styles have evolved, examine the global changes that affect the occupational safety and health (OSH) professional, and reveal how to revitalise your approach and deliver real value to your organisation. The first part in a trio of articles reflecting the role of the OSH practitioner appeared in issue 3 of 2021. There I suggested that many practitioners operate in the style of […]

More of the same? 16th Jun 2021 Occupational safety and health (OSH) practitioners today are operating in a young profession that has witnessed significant and fast-paced change. In this, the first of a three-part series, Professor ANDREW SHARMAN discusses the evolution of the role from safety officer to safety practitioner, and explores what the changing world of work means for those in the profession today. Back to the future It’s 1975, a time of high political pressure, and workplace democracy […]

Andrew tells all 6th May 2021 Professor Andrew Sharman replies to some tough and important questions from Neels Nortjé, CEO of Saiosh. The questions have been segmented into the various categories that are often discussed within this column. Changing perspectivesQ: The Covid-19 pandemic has shed light on our reliance on essential workers in the healthcare, food and beverage and transportation sectors. How do you think the experiences of these workers during the pandemic will influence how organisations approach safety culture […]