The Safety of Work

Feb 23 2025 130 ep. 45 mins 356
The Safety of Work Podcast artwork

Do you know the science behind what works and doesn’t work when it comes to keeping people safe in your organisation? Each week join Dr Drew Rae and Dr David Provan from the Safety Science Innovation Lab at Griffith University as they break down the latest safety research and provide you with practical management tips.

  Business  Science  Education
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Ep. 129: How can we use swapping as a strategy for decluttering?

Feb 23 2025 39 mins  
In today’s episode, David and Drew explore the concept of behavioral substitution as a strategy for decluttering safety practices, examining a 2023 paper from the JBI Evidence Implementation journal titled "The Big Six Key Principles for Effective Use of Behaviour Substitution." The discussion centers on how healthcare's approach to de-implementing low-value practices can inform

Ep. 128: What are the attributes of an effective supervisor?

Feb 16 2025 56 mins  
In today’s episode of the Safety of Work podcast, hosts Drew Rae and David Provan examine the attributes of effective supervision through analysis of McPherson, L., Federico, M., & McNamara, P. (2016). "Safety as a Fifth Dimension in Supervision: Stories from the Frontline" published in Australian Social Work. The study, focused on child and family practice supervision, provides

Ep. 127: Should safety education focus on hard skills

Feb 09 2025 44 mins  
In this episode, we examine the role of narrative skills in safety education through Robson, Holgate, and Randhawa's 2021 Oxford study "Storycraft: The Importance of Narrative and Narrative Skills in Business." Based on interviews with FTSE 100 business leaders, the research challenges traditional distinctions between 'hard' and 'soft' skills in professional education. We explore a

Ep. 126: Is it time to stop talking about safety culture?

Jan 26 2025 45 mins  
Welcome to our first episode for 2025. Is it time to rethink the traditional notion of "safety culture" in today's organizations? Join us as we explore this provocative question, inspired by the article, “Seeking a scientific and pragmatic approach to safety culture in the North American construction industry” by Fred Sherratt, Emi Szabo, and Matthew R. Hallowell in Safety Scie

Ep. 125: Does ChatGPT provide good safety advice?

Nov 10 2024 59 mins  
Today Drew and David scrutinize ChatGPT's ability to deliver safety recommendations, questioning the fairness of expectations placed on the AI and considering appropriate benchmarks for its performance. Their analysis is shaped by the framework of the article, “The Risks Of Using ChatGPT To Obtain Common Safety-Related Information And Advice” from the Journal of Safety Science

Ep. 124 Is safety a key value driver for business?

Sep 01 2024 44 mins  
In this episode, we dig into conflicting research, question the role of data, and offer practical insights on transforming safety from a compliance burden to a strategic asset. Instead of a research paper, we look into an upcoming Sept/Oct 2024 Harvard Business Review Workplace Health and Safety Magazine Article called "Safety Should Be a Performance Driver - It’s more than just

Ep. 123: Is risk a science or a feeling?

Aug 03 2024 59 mins  
Join us for an insightful exploration of the complex world of risk perception and decision-making, by examining the foundational work of Paul Slovic, whose groundbreaking research has significantly shaped our understanding of how humans evaluate risk. Through the lens of Slovic's influential 2004 paper "Risk as Analysis and Risk as Feelings," we uncover the intricate interplay betw

Ep. 122: What makes a good presentation?

Jul 21 2024 42 mins  
In this episode, David and Drew delve into what makes a good PowerPoint presentation. They explore the evolution of PowerPoint and its importance in modern business communication, referencing Associate Professor Mitch Ricketts' 2018 paper, "No More Bullet Points: Research-Based Tips for Better Presentations."

Ep. 121 Is safety good for business?

Jul 07 2024 45 mins  
Safety might not be the ‘golden goose’ for business success. We unpack the complexities of workplace safety and its true impact on business performance. In a thought-provoking 2020 paper by Mark Pagell and colleagues, the delicate balance between worker safety and organizational survival is investigated. Drew voices his skepticism about the assumed benefits of safety investment

Ep. 120: What does the literature say about safety professionals?

May 26 2024 60 mins  
Join us for a special episode where we navigate the intriguing world of safety professionals viewed through the lens of literature. Today, we celebrate Dr. David Provan’s first published paper, “Bureaucracy, influence and beliefs: A literature review of the factors shaping the role of a safety professional” by David J. Provan along with Sidney W.A. Dekker and Andrew J. Rae.