#22 | It Happened There. Could It Happen Here? Lessons from the Rust Tragedy

What can New Zealand workplaces learn from the fatal shooting on the set of the film Rust? Kevin Chambers talks with health and safety professional Brent Sutton about why serious incidents are often the result of system failures rather than individual mistakes. Drawing on Human and Organisational Performance (HOP) principles, Brent explains why human error is inevitable, why organisations need to plan for failure, and how strong systems can ensure mistakes don't lead to tragedy. Brent is a facilitator of the EMA’s NZ Diploma in Workplace Health and Safety Management (Level 6), the country’s only face‑to‑face NZQA Level 6 programme for health and safety professionals. More information on the EMA’s health and safety training courses can be found here. This podcast series is proudly produced in partnership with nib. 00:00 Could the Rust Tragedy Happen in New Zealand? 01:50 A Similar Incident Has Already Happened Here 02:45 Why We Blame People Instead of Systems 04:05 Human Error Is Normal: The HOP Perspective 05:05 Multiple Safety Checks and Layers of Control 07:15 Muscle Memory, Routine and Hidden Risk 10:15 Building Systems That Catch Human Error 13:05 Realistic Props vs Safe Props in Productions 16:55 Failing Safely: The Airbag & Crumple Zone Analogy 20:25 Focus on What Failed, Not Who Failed