It is interesting how AJ is distancing himself from safety by introducing a couple of management tiers. A sure sign that he is more concerned than he lets on !!!
It seems that way. It is Normal for management to build in some 'fall guys' into the structure. Executive Management surround themselves with senior managers who get promoted when things go well, or who get punted and take the fall for the boss when things turn sour. It is not a new concept but the catch is this - under a Safety Management System the CEO remains the accountable person. No layers of protection exist in this regard anymore. It doesn't matter how a CEO structures the organisation or how much he/she try to distant themselves from accountability, they cannot do it.
Now they can appoint other managers as the 'responsible' person for whatever role, inlcuding a 'head of' safety and the associated responsibilities, however they cannot palm off 'accountability', things have changed.
So you will definitely see CEO's start going to jail in the future for the failings of their company, e.g when accidents occur and deaths are involved etc. And it is about time too. No more gravy train for these people where they can do what they want when they want without getting their a#s in the sling.
I honestly doubt that he is even slightly concerned with saftey. what he is doing is put more layers between him and the eventual outcomes of his policies. It is those people that will take the blame, not him, you watch and see if I'm not right.
Perhaps, but again times have changed. Any decision the CEO makes that impacts safety put's he/she in the firing line. I hope they are thinking twice about these issues now.
Jail terms for CEO's, ya dreamin' mate. We're talking Australia, do a bargain with the prosecutors and you can do 18 months on a manslaughter charge for murdering your wife.
The accountable person rule is not immune from Australia. It is global, but it is also new, so many still do not understand how it works. You only have to look at the Concord saga to see how accountabilty has changed in its strength.
genex,
He's the controller of the Matrix, this appointment is for one of the new silos within the Matrix...
but will he be able to keep it together when it counts?
Silo it may well be, plus an attempt to shift responsibility. Smart move in it would seem especially the way things are currently going but it won't work, if they put one into the side of a hill and negligence is involved then it will be the CEO who see's the inside of the 'big house' !!