Can CASA help, not hinder?

In my last column I wrote on some of the principal findings of the Queensland State Coroner in relation to the Lockhart River accident, and how they related to our industry.

I quoted a definition of safety culture which I believe originated with James Reason, and which is worth repeating: “The safety culture of an organisation is the product of individual and group values, attitudes, competencies, and patterns of behaviour that determine the commitment to, and the style and proficiency of, an organisation’s health and safety programs. Organisations with a positive safety culture are characterized by communications founded on mutual trust, by shared perceptions of the importance of safety, and by confidence in the efficacy of preventive measures. ” The definition begs the question: how does the industry stack up? At the individual company level, I believe that most if not all of our members demonstrate a positive safety culture. Their membership of a professional association, and their support of its technical programs tends to indicate high professional standards, and this is further demonstrated by the high quality of the services they provide to the public.