Navigating H&S in Complex Times
- 1. Greencap is proudly part of WSP Greencap acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognises their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. Navigating H&S in Complex Times 17 November 2022
- 2. Greencap acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognises their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.
- 3. Your Presenters Dr Michael Taylor Practice Manager – Occupational Hygiene / IEQ Renee Dawson Practice Manager – Health & Safety Phoebe Gane National Practice Lead – Health & Safety
- 4. Session Overview • Navigating H&S Complexity • A reflective overview • Cynefin Framework • Applicability to health & safety context? • Case Study Analysis • Questions / Close
- 5. Navigating H&S in Complex Times A personal reflection
- 6. Navigating Complexity - Cynefin Framework (pronounced Ku-nev-in) A decision-making tool, consisting of 5 domains Seeks to assist leaders and decision makers make better decisions in summary, by: • Seeing the situation or event(s) from a new perspective • Rapidly understanding the context at hand • Adjusting decision making approach, based on the needs of the situation • Responding in a contextually appropriate way It can also enhance: • The communication process • Others in the team or organisation, understand the climate and navigate associated challenges and opportunities presented.
- 7. Cynefin (ku-nev-in) Framework Domains Predictable (Ordered): 1. Simple 2. Complicated Unpredictable (Unordered): 3. Complex 4. Chaotic When unclear which of the other 4 predominates: 5. Disorder
- 8. Navigating H&S in Complex Times Ordered & Predictable World Context Characteristics Approach Simple • Domain of known knowns • Context is stable • Cause and effect relationship – generally clear to everyone • Patterns tend to repeat • Events are constant • Apply best practice • Leaders / decision makers need to assess the facts of the situation (sense it) then categorise and respond to it
- 9. Case Study 1 – Simple Domain OHS Inspections of 80 sites Conduct 80 onsite OHS inspections • Defined locations & timeframes • Time sensitive / hard deadline How we approached • PM Team Formed • Clear Audit Process & Schedule Established • Audit Tool & Training of OHS Team • Clear, Repeatable Outputs • Oversight & Quality Control • Communication Cadence Feedback Loop Established Client PM Team • Until there wasn’t….
- 10. We were humming along until threat of ‘chaos’ Sense • Requirements were clear Categorise • Formulated tried and tested auditing approach Respond • Executed based on best practice Change to client PM team – risked a collapse into ‘chaos’ domain. Worked to bring back to the simple, based on needs of situation Case Study 1 – Simple Domain OHS Inspections of 80 sites Simple Sense Categorise Respond Chaotic Act Sense Respond
- 11. Navigating H&S in Complex Times Ordered & Predictable World Context Characteristics Approach Complicated • Domain of unknown knowns • Cause and effects are knowable – however, not everyone can see it • May need to engage experts, gather data / information and analyse to identify available solutions or options • Often multiple correct solutions and answers • Apply good practice • Leaders / decision makers need to sense, analyse and respond
- 12. Complicated sites but likely restricted range of hazards • Prescriptive guidelines exist • Primarily complicated by human factors • Relatively controlled sites which are unlikely to change Case Study 2 – Complicated Domain Clandestine drug lab investigation
- 13. Site previously confirmed to contain a clandestine drug lab • Domestic residence – occupied • Public health notice on property • Police, locksmith & council in attendance Greencap knew: • What we were there to confirm • Where the problem was • The likely hazards Case Study 2 – Complicated Domain Clandestine drug lab investigation
- 14. Additional hidden lab discovered (as well as a sword in the couch)! Sense • Samples collected from range of structural material Analyse • Testing confirmed high level of methamphetamine ~500 times great than guideline levels Respond • Ultimately structure was deemed to be condemnable Case Study 2 – Complicated Domain Clandestine drug lab investigation
- 15. Navigating H&S in Complex Times Unordered & Unpredictable Context Characteristics Approach Complex • Domain of unknown unknowns and emergence. Where much of contemporary business operate • Past events do not predict the future (cause and effect cannot be known in advance) • Patterns can emerge yet individual events are not predictable • Experiment (safe-to-fail safe experimentation) and monitor as outcomes emerge • Leaders / decision makers need to first probe, then sense and respond
- 16. Case Study 3 – Complex Domain Post flooding mould & disaster assistance 2022 Flooding affected large parts of Queensland, NSW & Victoria and was anything but routine • Many varied sites impacted • Hazards ranged from environmental to chemical Over 234,000 claims for flood related damage have been made since April Approximate cost of $5.45 Billion ~$2.81 Billion have been settled Bureau of Meterology Data Visualisation overlay 2022 1mm rain = 1L water per square meter
- 17. Case Study 3 – Complex Domain Post flooding mould & disaster assistance Typical mould and moisture investigations are often routine • Flood impacts exponentially greater Impacts rapidly worsen due to trapped moisture • Rapid attendance is key Many impacted sites were fast moving goods • Required immediate advice to restore business continuity Unknown unknowns: • How big were the impacts? • What still remained on site? • Could we even get there?
- 18. Probe • Determine if site was accessible • Identify potential hazards • Electrical, structural, chemical, wildlife? • Gather insight from local facility managers Sense • Attend site • Make observations and categorise damage • Collect moisture, mould and contamination data Respond • Identify high value items for initial action • Provide make safe advice • Provide remedial advice • Arrange for further attendance if needed ABC News: Megan Hendry Case Study 3 – Complex Domain Post flooding mould & disaster assistance
- 19. Navigating H&S in Complex Times Unordered & Unpredictable Context Characteristics Approach Chaotic • Domain of the unknowables • Relationship between cause and effect is impossible and shift constantly • No manageable pattern • Novel practice • Leader and decision makers must: • Act to establish order • Sense where stability is present • Work to transform from chaos to complexity
- 20. March 2020 – Outset of COVID-19 pandemic: • Little known about true infectious potential • Scant data on mortality and morbidity • Identified infections rapidly increasing • Conflicting or contentious government advice Scientific observations social effects Heightened state of fear YOU ARE HERE Case Study 4 – Chaotic Domain COVID-19 Infection prevention & control assistance to essential services
- 21. Greencap was approached by a major supplier of medical gas to hospitals • Cylinders needed to be collected, refilled and returned • Oxygen supply was critical to hospital function and patient outcomes – the work couldn’t stop • Workers needed to be protected from a rapidly changing, frightening infectious threat • Just to make it more complicated…. “You can’t use disinfectants” Medical Oxygen Cylinders is a photograph by Mark Thomas Case Study 4 – Chaotic Domain COVID-19 Infection prevention & control assistance to essential services
- 22. Act • Categorized activities and proposed controls • Proposed a non-residue forming chemical treatment of all cylinders • Workforce trained on infectious disease principals and controls • Hospital, Vehicle, Depot Sense • Workforce health monitored • Feedback process implemented from worker to manager Respond • Process open to redesign based on feedback, limitations and changing Case Study 4 – Chaotic Domain COVID-19 Infection prevention & control assistance to essential services
- 23. Any Questions?
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