This episodes features Ron Gantt, HSE Director at Yondr and cohost of the Punk Rock Safety podcast. I and Ron explore how mundane work often masks complex systems with hidden risks. Ron shares his experience with a Midwestern utility company where trash collectors faced unrealistic safety policies, conflicting pressures like speed and customer service, and inadequate training, leading to an unstable and potentially dangerous work environment.  

Ron highlights the importance of understanding worker adaptations as indicators of systemic issues and emphasises the need for deep, vertical audits that focus on understanding work as done rather than relying solely on broad compliance-based systems.

Links and downloads

"The Tragedy of Adaptability" and "Resilience and Precarious Success" both by Robert Wears

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