Yesterday ClaireL and I made observations on a thread that approached the subject from different ends. Inevitably subsequent observations included some polarisation around those views. Nothing wrong with that because it provides the best response for readers. But it did put some, what I found amusing, pictures of stereotypes in my mind.
Being that it is Friday I thought I might share them with you. Perhaps you might have some to add. Disclaimer, all characters are fictional and do not represent any individual living or dead. (do you remember when that appeared at the end of every movie?)
The two tribes of safety.
The Petes. Standing in the high place with a tablet in their hands. A tablet given by those who teach. Note though that the tablet is no longer hewn from stone; this practice was banned by the Petes because it was just too risky for the stonemasons. These tablets hold the wisdom of law, regulation, codes and best practices. Petes cast these tablets into the real world in the unshakeable belief that they their contents must be followed everywhere all the time. Failure to do so will always brings retribution in the form of the FFI, a new and terrifying creature in the real world. Petes don’t like risk and try to eliminate it from everywhere. Petes are rarely seen in that place called the real world and therefore have no understanding of it or its inhabitants.
The Claires. They love the risks. They are found walking across the swamp that is the real world. Wearing the boots of pragmatism and carrying the trumpet of forthright speech. They feel that they can protect themselves and others from the bitter wind of righteousness that blows constantly from the high place. They wear a cloak of practicality to keepout the wind and in which there are many pockets that hold things called solutions. Practical solutions for practical problems and some also have strategic solutions for strategic problems. Claires live in the real world and therefore understand it better than Petes.
Of course in the real world there is only one tribe, not two. We are all an amalgam of the various stereotypes. Yesterday I was in the high place, tablets in hand, leading the seekers of wisdom to best practice. Today I am wearing my boots of pragmatism as I visit a half dozen businesses where I know I will face less than perfect situations. I will probably have nothing in my pocket of solutions for some and no need of moving towards better practice in others even though they have not read all the tablets from the high place.

Enjoy it wherever you are today

Clairel, you disappoint. Seeing you online I was eagerly awaiting a response. Pete48 - great posting.

If we are all standing in the playground and you guys are the team captains I know who's team I want play for!

Have agood weekend all.

I belong to the Claire tribe.

Working in a research environment, when people are boldly going where no person has gone before, you have to be able to predict and decide what you should do. Pragmatism laced with a good dose of science and having regard to what is written on Pete's tablets.

And another thing - when the members of the Claire tribe tell you to run for the hills, you had best do so!

Think I'm only allowed to be a Claire on the weekend but perhaps that's a post for a different forum!

Not impervious no.

But my trumpet of forthright speech shines brightly against the evils of FFI and LAL, showing it for what it is and rallying the downtrodden to march against injustice with the knowledge that truth and pragmatism must ultimately win the day.

(.....hey I'm quite liking this persona!!)

I'm with Clairel & Jane

Pragmatic, dosed with understanding of science/technology.

I struggle with overboard risk assessment for trivial/minor issues.

Interesting topic! My own view is that Judith would be very much in the pragmatic real world. In fact I know that she is. Then again, most of you would consider me (and Judith) to be the terrifying, cruel manifestation of FFI and LAL as I am an Inspector with HSE. Interestingly, those of you who may have met me (and I know some of you are out there) have never seen me that way as I have come from the real world (military and commercial industry) as has Judith and everyone else in HSE. I have a question which is ,perhaps only slightly, related to this topic. Do you see HSE as a part of the Health and Safety function in your business or as 100% Regulator and what do you think they should be? I will give my own views on this question at a later date and I woulkd thank you foir your views in advance!

Regards,

David

When two tribes go to war, A point is all you can score...have this stuck in my head now!

Now now guys. Can we stop degenerating this into a serious thread. It started so well!!! ;-)

I'm with Claire. As someone who has worked in an wide variety of engineering companies, I learned early on that what mattered was whether it worked. My employers were not interested in whether there was a tome of scientific studies or regulations to support what I was doing, just whether it was ensuring that the system produced what it was supposed to produce, in the right amount and quality, at the right cost and at the right time.

This message was reinforced when I spent several years working in Libya building oil pipelines and tanker loading terminals (I was actually there the night Gaddaffi came to power - interesting to say the least - and that must date me!!!). The location and logistics precluded anything other than the pragmatic approach, i.e. the 'can we cobble something together that will solve our problem?' I think we actually called it improvisation, something I feel many in this modern world don't know about.

Chris

Tut tut. I'm a modern girl and those moors require something more practical. Gore tex it is!

Hi everyone, just back home. Boots of pragmatism off, cloak hung up and kettle on the stove. Sorry I haven't been able to contribute further today; the real world intervened;-)

Thanks for the responses, glad you enjoyed the topic. The weekend, well then I turn into a Jezzer! Nuff said?

p48

Spent 20 years inviting you guys in for a tea and a relaxed introduction as the new bloke looking after Company x on your patch.
I would genuinely never consider this anymore - absolutely when I start my new role, this is not on my agenda anymore.
(Never had an IN or PN or FFI btw anywhere I have worked)

Cannot take the calculated risk anymore of letting you into my real world ;-)

You post made me smile Pete.
I always read with enjoyment,but rarely post.

#4 where do I fit in? Sometimes a Pete sometimes a Clairel (but that is for another Arena).

Cheers Tigers.