All Episodes
Episodes
Ep.12 - James Newman. You aren't supposed to put the o-rings on all the connectors
In this episode, I chat to Human Organizational Performance Manager James Newman. James dives into a memorable story from his days in the nuclear industry, where a seemingly simple task—replacing O-rings during a...
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Ep.11 – Becky Ray. You put your body under a suspended vehicle to change a tyre
In this episode, I am joined by Becky Ray, founder of Culture Kick, to explore how context, culture, and unseen dynamics lead to decisions that might, on the surface, seem irrational.
Becky shares a gripping story of...
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Ep.10 - Andy Barker. You believe you can explain why this guy lost his fingers?
In this episode, I explore a striking story with Andy Barker, a strategic leader with decades of global experience. Together, they examine a workplace incident where quick judgments labelled an action as “stupid”—a...
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Ep.9 - David Wollage. Fired! Rules say you must wear fall protection near active edge
In this episode of How Did It Make Sense?, we explore the deeper story behind a scaffolder’s dismissal for violating fall protection rules near an active edge. While the surface narrative suggests a simple case of...
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Ep.8 - Ben Cattaneo. Why go into that market when it was obvious it would fail?
Today I am joined by Ben Cattaneo, founder of The Decision-Making Studio, to explore the fascinating world of decision-making under uncertainty. Ben shares a compelling first story about an organization entering the...
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Ep.7 - Mike Mason. The pilot failed to spot the reducing power
In this episode, I'm joined by Mike Mason, an experienced fast-jet pilot, flight instructor and The Human Diver trainer, to explore the often-overlooked complexity of human factors in high-risk environments. Mike...
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Ep.6 - Ben Goodheart. Sliding down that chute - what could possibly go wrong?
Today, I’m joined by Ben Goodhart, founder of Magpie Human Systems, a consultancy working in high-stakes industries like aviation, energy, and healthcare. Ben’s background as a pilot, accident investigator, and...
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Ep.5 - Ken Wylie. Why did you go onto that avalanche-prone slope?
In this episode, I had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with Ken Wylie, an incredible adventure educator and risk management expert from Vancouver Island. Ken’s story is one of transformation, resilience, and...
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Ep.4 - Abhijith Balakrishnan. Crimes of Obedience: Well-meaning auditors in dysfunctional systems
In today’s episode Gareth and Abhijith delve into the complexities of maritime safety, focusing on the audit process and its implications. They discuss the dichotomy between first and second stories in safety...
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Ep.3 - Josh Bryant. “You shouldn't have put your hands in there!”
Gareth and Josh Bryant talk through a hand-crush injury. The incident serves as a case study for exploring deeper causes of workplace events and shifting the focus from blaming individuals to understanding systemic...
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Ep.2 - Ron Gantt. “Why did you hit the post box with the garbage truck?”
This episodes features Ron Gantt, HSE Director at Yondr and cohost of the Punk Rock Safety podcast. I and Ron explore how mundane work often masks complex systems with hidden risks. Ron shares his experience with a...
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Ep.1 - Jayson Coil. Wildland Firefighting: Don't the contractors understand?!
This episode features a conversation with Jayson Coil, an Assistant Fire Chief and incident commander. Coil discusses the importance of understanding the “local rationality” or how seemingly irrational decisions made...
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