It’s Always a Number I was on a conference today and the first question set to the panel was about a number. I didn’t respond to the question but rather asked the conference, why is safety so good at asking dumb questions? It doesn’t matter whether its injury rates, percentages, zero or TRIFR etc, its always a number. It took 50 minutes for the conference of safety people to ask the panel session a question about care, humanising and helping people tackle risk. I saw some safety propaganda recently about some big safety innovation, the next thing, the global way forward, a global collaboration, the number one idea and one would think with such language there would be some sense of vision attached to the announcement. Nup, the way forward was yet again another number. What is this industry that doesn’t know how to talk about people, personhood and helping? What is it about this industry that so lacks trust in others it multiplies systems and bureaucracy every t...