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Change is in the a i r ...
Safety Culture (n) : The product of individual and group values,
attitudes, perceptions, competencies, and patterns of behaviour that
determine the commitment to, and the style and proficiency of, an orga-
nization’s health and safety management.
ESA’s core mission is to support a positive safety culture in the live event industry. We
do that by developing guidance and training programs, and by advocating for im-
proved safety knowledge and awareness among workers and the public. We’re tool-
makers, and we work hard to ensure these tools meet the demands of the job and are
of the highest quality.
As challenging of task as this is, the ESA has it comparatively easy. The difficult work rests
on the shoulders of those who commit themselves to changing their own organization’s
safety culture. They are the ones who must confront entrenched beliefs, processes, and
habits. They are the ones who must ask for more resources in the face of ever-tighten-
ing budgets. They are the ones who must steel themselves against the initial wave of
rejection and ridicule. For those who take up the challenge, one question remains:
How?
In this issue, Production Manager and ESA Board member Steve Lemon tackles the
question of “how” head on. His piece, “Changing the Safety Culture of an Industry”
outlines many of the challenges one faces when attempting to change an organiza-
tion’s culture, and proposes a number of ideas to overcome resistance from both man-
agement and individuals. Most importantly, he discusses how to sustain that positive
culture once it’s achieved (spoiler: your work is never done).
Change is a running theme throughout this issue. Rachel Pfennig Hales looks at how
Rock Lititz is changing the idea of what industry community looks like (shared mission,
shared resources). Janine Jordan provides a snapshot of the Electronic Music Alliance
and how they are changing many of the misconceptions people have about the elec-
tronic music scene. And Steven Adelman argues that we should change our approach
to planning for “Black Swan” events, those rare and severe incidents that seem entirely
predictable in retrospect.
Welcome to the latest edition of Event Safety Insights. We hope you find it helpful as
you work to change YOUR safety culture.
- Jacob Worek
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