“Learning from Normal Work” or the science behind creating meaningful, tangible change in the safety space

In this episode, we are speaking with Dr Marcin Nazaruk, an expert in human and organisational performance;

Marcin takes us through his journey, starting from his psychology background to becoming a leader in the field of safety and human factors.

He emphasises the significance of mindset, skillset, and toolset in transforming safety practices and highlights the need for a proactive mindset that goes beyond blaming individuals for unsafe behaviour; and instead focuses on learning from mistakes.

The mindset is the way we see our world, our beliefs and assumptions, and in our context is about the reasons behind rule breaking or unsafe behaviours.

He also talks about the importance of developing the necessary skills, such as active listening and effective questioning, to foster a culture of continuous improvement.

Additionally, Marcin discusses the role of tools and frameworks in systematising the application of these principles.

One key aspect that we touched on too is psychological first aid, which Marcin believes is essential in response to incidents. By looking beyond simple cause and effect, and instead exploring the context and underlying challenges, organisations can take proactive measures to prevent accidents before they happen.

A very different conversation with learnings that are applicable and useful way beyond the realm of the safety space.