Episode Details

There's a question that sits right at the heart of safety performance, and it's one that frustrates a lot of us. Why do well-designed, technically sound safety systems still fail to change behaviour in the real world? I sat down with Eduardo Blanco-Muñoz to unpack this properly, and what followed was a fascinating exploration into perception, bias, culture, and the uncomfortable truth that people don't behave the way our systems expect them to. This is a conversation that challenges the traditional, rule-based mindset and opens the door to a more human, more realistic way of thinking about safety.

Highlights:

• Why systems fail: Humans don't behave as rational models expect 
• Perception limits: We miss more risk than we realise 
• Overconfidence bias: People overestimate their ability to stay safe 
• Culture link: Values and beliefs drive behaviour at every level 
• Leadership impact: Behaviour matters more than policies or posters 
• Measurement traps: Focusing on KPIs can distort real safety progress 
• From control to influence: Move beyond command and control approaches 
• Practical tools: Turning theory into actionable safety strategies

Resources and actions:

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