When the Safety System Increased the Danger At 1:23 a.m. on April 26, 1986, operators at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant began a test intended to determine whether a slowing turbine could briefly power essential equipment after a loss of electricity. Within seconds, Reactor 4 surged out of control. Explosions destroyed the reactor and released […]
Preparedness Has to Work Under Pressure On January 7, 2025, extreme winds and dry conditions drove multiple wildfires across the Los Angeles region. The Palisades and Eaton fires became the most destructive. Together, they burned more than 37,000 acres, destroyed more than 16,000 structures, and claimed 31 lives. Entire neighborhoods were devastated, businesses were displaced, […]
The Useful Challenge Behind a Provocative Phrase “Safety First” may be the most familiar slogan in the workplace. Mike Rowe, host of Dirty Jobs, has spent years challenging it with a deliberately uncomfortable alternative: “Safety Third.” The phrase is not a recommendation to accept preventable injuries or move safety behind production. Its value is that […]
