Ending on a positive: Examining the role of safety leadership decisions, behaviours and actions in a safety critical situation

Sarah-Louise Donovan; Paul M Salmon; Timothy Horberry; Michael G Lenne

doi:10.1016/j.apergo.2017.08.006

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Ending on a positive: Examining the role of safety leadership decisions, behaviours and actions in a safety critical situation

Journal article

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Ending on a positive: Examining the role of safety leadership decisions, behaviours and actions in a safety critical situation

Sarah-Louise Donovan, Paul M Salmon, Timothy Horberry and Michael G Lenne

Applied Ergonomics, Vol.66, pp.139-150

2018

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2017.08.006

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Abstract

safety leadership

decisions

behaviours

actions

systems-thinking

mining

Safety leadership is an important factor in supporting safe performance in the workplace. The present case study examined the role of safety leadership during the Bingham Canyon Mine high-wall failure, a significant mining incident in which no fatalities or injuries were incurred. The Critical Decision Method (CDM) was used in conjunction with a self-reporting approach to examine safety leadership in terms of decisions, behaviours and actions that contributed to the incidents' safe outcome. Mapping the analysis onto Rasmussen's Risk Management Framework (Rasmussen, 1997), the findings demonstrate clear links between safety leadership decisions, and emergent behaviours and actions across the work system. Communication and engagement based decisions featured most prominently, and were linked to different leadership practices across the work system. Further, a core sub-set of CDM decision elements were linked to the open flow and exchange of information across the work system, which was critical to supporting the safe outcome. The findings provide practical implications for the development of safety leadership capability to support safety within the mining industry.

Details

Title: Ending on a positive: Examining the role of safety leadership decisions, behaviours and actions in a safety critical situation
Authors: Sarah-Louise Donovan (Author) - Monash University
Paul M Salmon (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Arts, Business and Law
Timothy Horberry (Author) - Monash University
Michael G Lenne (Author) - Monash University
Publication details: Applied Ergonomics, Vol.66, pp.139-150
Publisher: Pergamon
Date published: 2018
DOI: 10.1016/j.apergo.2017.08.006
ISSN: 0003-6870
Grants: A new complex systems approach to road trauma: Applying systems thinking to the fatal five, FT140100681, Australian Research Council (Australia, Canberra) - ARC
Organisation Unit: Centre for Human Factors and Systems Science; School of Law and Society
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99451040502621
Output Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration
Web Of Science research areas: Engineering, Industrial; Ergonomics; Psychology, Applied

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