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The drugs don't work
July/August 2022 issue

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IOSH Magazine September 2019

IOSH Magazine cover - September 2019
Issue date: September 2019

What can OSH practitioners learn from magicians? As our cover feature reveals, a surprising amount, and it's fascinating stuff.

Rubens Filho, director of magic at Abracademy, and one of the magicians interviewed for the article, suggests that magic opens minds and shifts perspectives. 'If OSH professionals can be more curious, innovative and confident – therefore more magical – they are likely to have a much a greater impact in the businesses where they work,' he says.

Another magician, Dr Gustav Kuhn, adds that magic exploits cognitive loopholes, and this has an important cross-over into health and safety.

As Kuhn explains: 'If you’re not aware of those loopholes, it’s very easy to blame people for mistakes. Awareness of the loopholes might help in designing systems that are more resilient to error.' 

Readers only have to thumb through the prosecutions we have covered over the years to see how important it is for companies to put sufficient safeguards in place as a vital measure to prevent accidents.

But raising awareness of the 'blame culture' that can be prevalent in some businesses is only one of the 'tricks' that magicians can demonstrate to the OSH audience.

Employees are not always comfortable challenging colleagues’ unsafe behaviour, particularly if that person happens to be their boss. There is a tendency to put unquestionable trust in people we see as being experts.

Fortunately, there are many examples of businesses that do actively encourage employees to speak up if they feel something is not right. Take ITV and its Leading Risk programme (see our case study, Programme notes), which encourages junior staff on productions to raise concerns when they have them.

Browse this issue

Articles in this issue

Photo Credit | Alamy

Learning from: magicians

Monday 2nd September 2019
The principles behind illusion can help to inspire a safer, healthier working culture so it is worth OSH practitioners knowing some tricks of the trade
Open-access content

Leader Interview: Lawrence Webb, Costain

Monday 2nd September 2019
The infrastructure group’s strategy director is tasked with the “forward-looking stuff”
Open-access content

Fit for the future

Monday 2nd September 2019
The Building a Safer Future report proposes reforming the building and fire safety regulatory framework to prevent tragedies like Grenfell Tower occurring again, but what do the changes mean in practice?  
Open-access content

All fired up

Monday 2nd September 2019
Virtual reality technology can be used as a tool to enhance employees’ fire safety awareness
Open-access content

On the front burner

Thursday 29th August 2019
The creation of a fire-safe working culture should be a priority for construction firms to prevent life-threatening incidents on sites.
Open-access content

Out of sight is not out of mind

Wednesday 28th August 2019
Organisations that do not educate managers on the potential hazards, legal responsibilities and business benefits of effectively managing the safety and health of lone workers can leave these employees vulnerable to harm, isolation and potential violence
Open-access content
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