This document discusses navigating health and safety in complex times using the Cynefin framework. It provides an overview of the Cynefin framework and its five domains: simple, complicated, complex, chaotic, and disorder. It then analyzes four case studies using the Cynefin lens, examining situations that fell into the simple, complicated, complex, and chaotic domains. The case studies demonstrate how understanding the domain can help effectively sense, categorize, and respond to health and safety challenges. The document aims to help leaders and decision-makers navigate complexity through this framework.
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Greencap acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognises their continuing
connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.
Navigating H&S
in Complex Times
17 November
2022
2. Greencap acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country
throughout Australia and recognises their continuing
connection to land, waters and culture.
We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.
3. Your Presenters
Dr Michael Taylor
Practice Manager –
Occupational Hygiene / IEQ
Renee Dawson
Practice Manager –
Health & Safety
Phoebe Gane
National Practice Lead –
Health & Safety
4. Session Overview
• Navigating H&S Complexity
• A reflective overview
• Cynefin Framework
• Applicability to health & safety context?
• Case Study Analysis
• Questions / Close
6. Navigating Complexity - Cynefin Framework (pronounced Ku-nev-in)
A decision-making tool, consisting of 5 domains
Seeks to assist leaders and decision makers make
better decisions in summary, by:
• Seeing the situation or event(s) from a new
perspective
• Rapidly understanding the context at hand
• Adjusting decision making approach, based on
the needs of the situation
• Responding in a contextually appropriate way
It can also enhance:
• The communication process
• Others in the team or organisation, understand the climate and navigate associated
challenges and opportunities presented.
7. Cynefin (ku-nev-in) Framework Domains
Predictable (Ordered):
1. Simple
2. Complicated
Unpredictable (Unordered):
3. Complex
4. Chaotic
When unclear which of the other
4 predominates:
5. Disorder
8. Navigating H&S in Complex Times
Ordered & Predictable World
Context Characteristics Approach
Simple • Domain of known knowns
• Context is stable
• Cause and effect relationship –
generally clear to everyone
• Patterns tend to repeat
• Events are constant
• Apply best practice
• Leaders / decision makers need to assess
the facts of the situation (sense it) then
categorise and respond to it
9. Case Study 1 – Simple Domain
OHS Inspections of 80 sites
Conduct 80 onsite OHS inspections
• Defined locations & timeframes
• Time sensitive / hard deadline
How we approached
• PM Team Formed
• Clear Audit Process & Schedule Established
• Audit Tool & Training of OHS Team
• Clear, Repeatable Outputs
• Oversight & Quality Control
• Communication Cadence
Feedback Loop
Established Client PM Team
• Until there wasn’t….
10. We were humming along until threat of ‘chaos’
Sense
• Requirements were clear
Categorise
• Formulated tried and tested auditing approach
Respond
• Executed based on best practice
Change to client PM team – risked a collapse into
‘chaos’ domain.
Worked to bring back to the simple, based on needs of
situation
Case Study 1 – Simple Domain
OHS Inspections of 80 sites
Simple
Sense
Categorise
Respond
Chaotic
Act
Sense
Respond
11. Navigating H&S in Complex Times
Ordered & Predictable World
Context Characteristics Approach
Complicated • Domain of unknown knowns
• Cause and effects are knowable
– however, not everyone can see
it
• May need to engage experts,
gather data / information and
analyse to identify available
solutions or options
• Often multiple correct solutions
and answers
• Apply good practice
• Leaders / decision makers need to sense,
analyse and respond
12. Complicated sites but likely restricted range of
hazards
• Prescriptive guidelines exist
• Primarily complicated by human factors
• Relatively controlled sites which are unlikely
to change
Case Study 2 – Complicated Domain
Clandestine drug lab investigation
13. Site previously confirmed to contain a
clandestine drug lab
• Domestic residence – occupied
• Public health notice on property
• Police, locksmith & council in attendance
Greencap knew:
• What we were there to confirm
• Where the problem was
• The likely hazards
Case Study 2 – Complicated Domain
Clandestine drug lab investigation
14. Additional hidden lab discovered
(as well as a sword in the couch)!
Sense
• Samples collected from range of
structural material
Analyse
• Testing confirmed high level of
methamphetamine
~500 times great than guideline levels
Respond
• Ultimately structure was deemed to be
condemnable
Case Study 2 – Complicated Domain
Clandestine drug lab investigation
15. Navigating H&S in Complex Times
Unordered & Unpredictable
Context Characteristics Approach
Complex • Domain of unknown unknowns
and emergence. Where much of
contemporary business operate
• Past events do not predict the
future (cause and effect cannot
be known in advance)
• Patterns can emerge yet
individual events are not
predictable
• Experiment (safe-to-fail safe
experimentation) and monitor as outcomes
emerge
• Leaders / decision makers need to first
probe, then sense and respond
16. Case Study 3 – Complex Domain
Post flooding mould & disaster assistance
2022 Flooding affected large parts of
Queensland, NSW & Victoria and was
anything but routine
• Many varied sites impacted
• Hazards ranged from environmental to
chemical
Over 234,000 claims for flood related
damage have been made since April
Approximate cost of $5.45 Billion
~$2.81 Billion have been settled
Bureau of Meterology Data Visualisation overlay 2022
1mm rain = 1L water per square meter
17. Case Study 3 – Complex Domain
Post flooding mould & disaster assistance
Typical mould and moisture investigations
are often routine
• Flood impacts exponentially greater
Impacts rapidly worsen due to trapped
moisture
• Rapid attendance is key
Many impacted sites were fast moving
goods
• Required immediate advice to
restore business continuity
Unknown unknowns:
• How big were the impacts?
• What still remained on site?
• Could we even get there?
18. Probe
• Determine if site was accessible
• Identify potential hazards
• Electrical, structural, chemical, wildlife?
• Gather insight from local facility managers
Sense
• Attend site
• Make observations and categorise damage
• Collect moisture, mould and contamination data
Respond
• Identify high value items for initial action
• Provide make safe advice
• Provide remedial advice
• Arrange for further attendance if needed
ABC News: Megan Hendry
Case Study 3 – Complex Domain
Post flooding mould & disaster assistance
19. Navigating H&S in Complex Times
Unordered & Unpredictable
Context Characteristics Approach
Chaotic • Domain of the unknowables
• Relationship between cause and
effect is impossible and shift
constantly
• No manageable pattern
• Novel practice
• Leader and decision makers must:
• Act to establish order
• Sense where stability is present
• Work to
transform
from chaos to
complexity
20. March 2020 –
Outset of COVID-19 pandemic:
• Little known about true infectious
potential
• Scant data on mortality and morbidity
• Identified infections rapidly
increasing
• Conflicting or contentious
government advice
Scientific observations
social effects
Heightened state of fear
YOU ARE
HERE
Case Study 4 – Chaotic Domain
COVID-19 Infection prevention & control assistance to essential services
21. Greencap was approached by a major
supplier of medical gas to hospitals
• Cylinders needed to be collected, refilled
and returned
• Oxygen supply was critical to hospital
function and patient outcomes – the
work couldn’t stop
• Workers needed to be protected from a
rapidly changing, frightening infectious
threat
• Just to make it more complicated….
“You can’t use disinfectants”
Medical Oxygen Cylinders is a photograph by Mark Thomas
Case Study 4 – Chaotic Domain
COVID-19 Infection prevention & control assistance to essential services
22. Act
• Categorized activities and proposed controls
• Proposed a non-residue forming chemical
treatment of all cylinders
• Workforce trained on infectious disease
principals and controls
• Hospital, Vehicle, Depot
Sense
• Workforce health monitored
• Feedback process implemented from
worker to manager
Respond
• Process open to redesign based on
feedback, limitations and changing
Case Study 4 – Chaotic Domain
COVID-19 Infection prevention & control assistance to essential services