Andrew Hopkins’ background in sociology has lead him to consider the more unique perspective of how organisational structures and social factors contribute to the safety – or lack of safety – of any operation.
Professor Hopkins says “There is a massive disconnection between what companies say they’re doing at the top of an organisation, or what they believe they’re doing, and what in fact is happening at the grassroots.”
He has now been engaged to head the public safety division of the newly formed Energy Pipelines Co-operative Research Centre.
“Most of (the research will be) technical, but I’m responsible for one of the four research programs which is called Public Safety and the security of supply of energy pipelines,” says Professor Hopkins.
Article continues below…
He explains that an assessment of organisational design will address questions such as:
- How senior are the safety and technical professionals in the organisation?
- What sort of incentives systems operate in the corporation?
- How is the company focusing its attentions on safety or away from safety?
- How does the senior management maintain contact with what’s going on at the grassroots of the organisation?
Basket is empty.
