ABSTRACT

Professional safety is in danger of extinction. Safety professionals have become complacent and unfocused, ignorantly relying on an 80-year-old paradigm. Lazy gimmicks are substituted for the hierarchy of controls meant to be the foundation of the profession. A $10,000 investment in posters makes zero improvement in safety; a $10,000 investment in machine guarding upgrades can save lives.

By blending philosophy, history, and psychology, The Fearless World of Professional Safety in the 21st Century is revolutionary, offering an innovative approach with creative solutions to move a safety program past the malarkey that has devalued professional safety for decades. Using humor and professional experience within a discussion of historical events and published scientific findings, Scott Gesinger explores the history of how current safety practices developed and why these must change if the profession is to survive the 21st century. He discusses new professional philosophies based on best practices in industry, historical examples, scientific research outside of safety, and proven approaches from other disciplines which can successfully guide safety professionals into the future.

Gesinger provides a book for every safety professional that is candid, plain-speaking, and eminently approachable, while at the same time provides information that is new, challenging, and engaging.

chapter |3 pages

Introduction

It’s the end of the world as we know it (and I feel fine)

chapter 1|6 pages

Watch <italic>Jaws</italic>

chapter 2|4 pages

Something has to change

chapter 3|3 pages

Written in blood

The death of General Patton

chapter 4|5 pages

Ergonomics

Welcome to the jungle

chapter 7|6 pages

Common sense skills / common sense kills

chapter 9|10 pages

Gemba walk this way

chapter 10|9 pages

Safety management system title match

Deming versus Heinrich

chapter 11|4 pages

Written in blood

Bhopal India

chapter 14|4 pages

The genus python of the safety world

chapter 15|3 pages

That funny little scar on my lip

chapter 17|3 pages

Brett

chapter 18|4 pages

$12 million says a lot

chapter 19|7 pages

Does this make me flotsam, or jetsam?

chapter 20|10 pages

Safety discipline needs a spanking

chapter 21|7 pages

Here I am, stuck in the middle with you

chapter 22|4 pages

Lift with your head

chapter 23|2 pages

Written in blood

The Cocoanut Grove fire

chapter 24|4 pages

DAF

chapter 25|5 pages

<italic>To serve man</italic>

chapter 26|4 pages

Snickergate

chapter 27|2 pages

Winston Churchill said it best