Extreme Conditions: Universal Lessons about Workplace Safety Learned in an Arctic Environment

When organizations devise management strategies to address workplace safety, all too often their failure to achieve a zero incident workplace results in a form of managerial oppression, that borders on tyranny.   

The purpose of this paper is to assist organizations in creating and re-creating workplace safety programs, especially behavior-based programs, that enable all employees to support the agenda both emotionally and intellectually. Workplace safety is of vital importance, especially in industries that are unsafe by nature of circumstance--circumstances that can't be reengineered or changed sufficiently to eliminate all risks. Over the years, thousands of people have seen family members seriously injured on the job or worse. Having spent a major portion of my career working in Alaska's oil fields, I've had the opportunity to observe and gather insights about industrialized safety issues. I trust the perspective I've gained will help others to achieve a safer workplace, one that fully respects the rights and dignity of the persons involved. (5976 words)