My articles on leaders’ choices and their consequences for safety at work.
Few models have influenced occupational safety as much as Heinrich’s famous Pyramid. It has appeared in training programs, procedures, audits, corporate presentations, and performance indicators for nearly a century. Yet there is one question we rarely ask.…
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Leadership communication is often full of subtle traps. Among the most dangerous is the paradoxical message, the kind that conveys two conflicting instructions at the same time. In Brazil, we have a perfect colloquial expression to illustrate this phenomenon…
There are leaders who manage the accident after it happens. And there are leaders who manage risks before they find a way to become a tragedy. This may be one of the most important questions for any leader, whether on the frontline or in senior management. Am…
We are beginning April, a month that cannot go unnoticed by those who live safety in a deep and meaningful way. On April 28, the world observes the World Day for Safety and Health at Work, a date that the International Labour Organization (ILO) has…
More metrics, more reports, more tools, more jargon and at the same time, more difficulty in getting the basics done in everyday work. The foundation of the organization the people who operate, execute, and make decisions in the field wants clarity…
This is not just a story about a ship. It is a story about the way the human mind deals with risk and about what happens when perception drifts away from reality. The Titanic’s crew was not incompetent. The officers were experienced, procedures existed, and…
Every organization says it wants to be safe. But few take the time to honestly reflect on what that statement truly demands in daily practice. Between targets, audits, indicators, and recurring incidents, there is a simple yet decisive question that can…
Today I was at Barnes & Noble, one of my favorite bookstores to visit here in the United States. I picked up a magazine and started reading an interview with Warren Buffett. At one point, he said something that stopped me in my tracks: "Someone is sitting in…
Throughout my career, I have observed a recurring pattern: introducing a new tool, proposing a new process, sharing a tested and validated practice, only to watch waves of criticism follow. People pointed out what was "wrong," what "could be better," what "…
Each year, nearly three million people die worldwide as a result of occupational accidents and work-related illnesses. This alarming statistic from the International Labour Organization (ILO), published in 2024, represents a 12 % increase since 2000. It shows…
In workplace environments, particularly those with high operational risks, errors and failures are often viewed as something to be avoided at all costs. However, a new perspective is emerging that views these incidents not as unforgivable failures, but as…
In a solid safety culture, it's essential to recognize that people are not just employees fulfilling professional routines, but citizens who carry values, experiences, and responsibilities beyond company walls. The impact of a safe environment transcends…
Optimism is often celebrated as a virtue in organizations. "Think positive," they say. "Believe it will work out." However, there is a dangerous type of optimism that I call "the ignorance of optimism": the unfounded belief that complex activities will be…
I'm here to denounce something that needs to be addressed. When we look at accident data in Latin America and other developing countries, we notice a worrying trend: the numbers are high, significant, and, above all, revealing. These numbers aren't just…
The Importance of Self-Responsibility for Security Professionals in the Face of Different Levels of Safety Culture Maturity Workplace safety is a fundamental pillar for the success and sustainability of organizations. However, the effectiveness of safety…
Tell us which issue caught your attention and how it appears at work.
