Mark MacLellan

If information alone prevented injuries, safety would already be solved—yet incidents still happen. So, what are we missing? This engaging and interactive session will challenge the common assumption that people make mistakes simply because they “don’t know better.” Instead, it will explore how the brain is actually wired to rely on habits, shortcuts, and emotional responses—especially under pressure, fatigue, or distraction. Participants can expect to engage in some “brain exercises” as they explore the basic concepts of neuroscience and human factors and how they shape everyday decisions. More importantly, this session will reframe feedback—not as correction or criticism—but as a powerful tool that works with the brain, not against it. Participants will leave with practical, easy-to-use strategies to deliver feedback that sticks, influence behavior in the moment, and strengthen safety conversations across their teams. Expect to tap into your brain to reflect, participate, and walk away thinking differently about why people do what they do—and what can help them to do it better.

Building on the Reducing Injury Risk by Noticing Change flex unit, this session looks at a simple idea with big implications: change increases risk, not because change itself is dangerous, but because it’s easy to miss and humans are surprisingly good at missing things that are right in front of them. When people are operating on autopilot, small changes in the environment, the task, or the people around them often go unnoticed until something goes sideways. This session explores how routine can help us, but also how it can work against us when familiarity leads to assumptions, reduced awareness, and mind not on task. Using real examples, recent work with management teams, and interactive demonstrations, participants will explore why change often increases injury risk, how the automatic mindset makes it harder to notice, and practical ways to get better at recognizing and responding to change before it creates a problem.