I have seen considerable resistance, even from safety professionals, when it comes to trying to instill an “all accidents are preventable” culture. In spite of the resistance, I believe: 1) all accidents are preventable, indeed; and 2) it is the only right culture to instill in a professional organization. Any other culture invites compromise and equivocation. When we think about any other critical rule we have in place, we set forth the expectation of 100-percent compliance; safety should be no different—all accidents are preventable.
I do realize there are some compelling arguments against this philosophy which must be considered. Here are five examples: