Have you ever witnessed a workplace accident?
I have.
Many years ago, as a builder, I watched a rigger fall from the roof of a commercial building I was overseeing.
On the way down, he struck a pallet of blocks.
It was surreal. And it’s an image I still see, even now.
That moment changes how you think about safety.
Not paperwork, not procedures, but people.
Over the years, I became deeply involved in workplace safety – as a Health and Safety Representative, in senior safety roles, and later investigating incidents & accidents.
Even then, one thing was clear: What we were doing 40 years ago wasn’t working.
We often discuss psychological safety.
It’s often described as feeling safe to speak up.
Psychological safety is about trust under pressure. It’s what happens when:
👉 Someone raises a concern
👉 A mistake is exposed
👉 A decision is challenged
👉 The stakes are high
And most importantly, how we respond in those moments.
Genuine psychological safety means you can speak honestly without fear of retribution.
Mistakes shouldn’t be met with humiliation; disagreement shouldn’t cost you a sense of belonging.
Many workplaces claim psychological safety, right up until someone says, 'This isn’t working, this is wrong.'
That’s when genuine psychological safety is tested. Not in policies, in behaviour.
Psychological safety matters, and in some circumstances, more than physical safety.
Let’s talk!
Have You Ever Witnessed A Workplace Accident?