The 4 Principles of Safety Differently
Written by Eric Petersen, CIC
At a recent TCIA Winter Management conference, Tim Walsh gave an excellent presentation to challenge us to think differently about safety. He built his presentation off of ideas that Todd Conklin wrote about in his book Pre-Accident Investigations: An Introduction to Safety Differently. The main concept is that safety isn’t just about following rules, it’s about creating an environment where your team can succeed every day, even when things don’t go perfectly.
Instead of relying on blame or rigid compliance, Safety Differently challenges us to rethink how we approach risk and build safer, stronger companies. Here are the four key principles:
- Error is Normal
Your crews are human. No matter how well-trained, they’re going to make mistakes. The goal shouldn’t be to eliminate errors, it should be to build systems and processes that anticipate them. When you expect mistakes and plan for them, you prevent small missteps from turning into big problems.
Don’t expect perfection. Build resilience into your operations.
- Blame Fixes Nothing
Pointing fingers after an incident might feel like action, but it doesn’t solve the real issue. Blame shuts down learning and discourages open conversations about what actually happened. If your team fears punishment, they won’t share the insights you need to improve.
Replace blame with curiosity. Focus on fixing the system, not punishing the individual.
- Learning is Vital
Every close call, every mishap, every “near miss” is an opportunity to learn. Your team knows where the risks really are, because they live it every day. If you create space to listen and learn from their experiences, you’ll uncover hidden dangers and find smarter, safer ways to work.
Your employees are the experts. Use their perspective to drive safety forward.
- Context Drives Behavior
No one makes decisions in a vacuum. Production pressures, unclear expectations, limited resources, all of these factors influence behavior. If we only look at “what someone did wrong” without examining the conditions that led to that choice, we’ll miss the real opportunity to improve.
To change behavior, adjust the environment your team works in.
Safety Differently helps shift your mindset from control and compliance to trust and continuous improvement. It allows you to build a culture where your team feels supported, learns from mistakes, and contributes to lasting change.
If you are struggling to strengthen your safety culture within your company, reach out to an ArboRisk team member or get started with our Thrive Safety Package today!
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