Dr. Todd Conklin is a renowned safety expert with over 25 years of experience in safety, learning, and human performance. He has dedicated his career to improving safety in high-risk industries such as aviation, health care, and nuclear power. Dr. Conklin is known for his innovative approach to safety culture and human performance and has published several influential books on the subject.
He received his Ph.D. in organizational behavior from the University of New Mexico, and he is the author of several influential books and academic articles on safety culture and human performance. Dr. Conklin founded Pre-Accident Investigations, a consulting firm that helps high-risk industries improve their safety culture and reduce accidents. His innovative approach to safety culture and human performance focuses on proactive risk management and organizational learning. Dr. Conklin has received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to the safety field, including the President’s Citation from the American Society of Safety Engineers.
A sought-after speaker, author, and consultant, he has dedicated his career to improving safety in high-risk industries such as aviation, health care, and nuclear power. Read on to learn more.
Early Life and Education
Dr. Conklin was born in New Orleans and spent most of his childhood in Louisiana. He received his Bachelor of Science in Occupational Safety and Health from Southeastern Louisiana University. He went on to earn his Master’s degree in Safety Sciences from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
Career
Dr. Conklin began his career as a safety professional in the U.S. Navy, serving as a safety officer for nuclear aircraft carriers. After leaving the Navy, he continued work in the nuclear industry, where he developed a passion for human performance and safety culture. He earned his Ph.D. in organizational behavior from the University of New Mexico, where he focused his research on the intersection of safety and culture.
After completing his doctoral studies, Dr. Conklin became a faculty member at the University of California, Berkeley. He served as a professor of organizational behavior. During this time, he continued his research into safety culture and human performance and published several influential books.
In 2013, Dr. Conklin left academia to pursue consulting work full-time. He founded his consulting firm, Pre-Accident Investigations, which helps organizations in high-risk industries improve their safety culture and reduce accidents. He also began speaking at conferences worldwide, where he has become known for his engaging and thought-provoking presentations on safety culture and human performance.
Publications and research
Dr. Conklin has published several influential books on safety culture and human performance, including “Pre-Accident Investigations: An Introduction to Organizational Safety” and “The Five Principles of Human Performance: A Contemporary Update of the Building Blocks of Human Performance for the New View of Safety.”
In addition to his books, Dr. Conklin has published numerous academic articles in top-tier journals such as the Journal of Organizational Behavior and Human Relations. He also contributes to industry publications such as Occupational Health and Safety and Industrial Safety and Hygiene News.
Review of Refrences
Pre-Accident Investigations: Better Questions – An Applied Approach to Operational Learning (2018): This book by Dr. Todd Conklin provides an applied approach to active learning and emphasizes the importance of pre-accident investigations to improve safety performance.
Human and Organizational Performance: An Operational Discipline Framework (2012): In this book, Dr. Conklin outlines the Human and Organizational Performance (HOP) framework, which is an operational discipline designed to enhance safety and productivity by focusing on human behavior.
The Five Principles of Human Performance: A Contemporary Update of the Building Blocks of Human Performance for the New View of Safety (2015): This book by Dr. Conklin updates the classic five principles of human performance for the new view of safety. It emphasizes the importance of understanding and managing human error in complex systems.
Learning to Talk and Listening to Learn: The Essential Interpersonal Skills for Safety and Health Professionals (2011): This article by Dr. Conklin emphasizes the importance of effective communication in safety and health professions. It provides practical tips on how to improve interpersonal skills to facilitate learning.
The Pre-Accident Investigation: Better Questions to Ask and What to Do with the Results (2012): This article by Dr. Conklin provides practical guidance on conducting pre-accident investigations to identify potential problems and prevent accidents in the future.
Operational Learning: The Continuous Improvement of Operations (2013): In this article, Dr. Conklin discusses active learning, a continuous process of learning from operational experience to improve safety and performance.
10 Principles for Learning Human Performance (2017): This article by Dr. Conklin outlines ten principles for learning human performance, which are based on the understanding that human error is inevitable and must be managed proactively.
The New View of Safety: A Critical Review (2016): In this article, Dr. Conklin provides a critical review of the new view of safety, which is a holistic approach to safety that emphasizes the importance of understanding the social and organizational context of accidents.
Industrial Accidents: An Investigation of Causes and Management (2017): This book by Dr. Conklin investigates the causes and management of industrial accidents. It provides practical guidance on preventing accidents by understanding and managing the underlying factors.
Preventing Workplace Injuries: A Holistic Approach (2018): This book by Dr. Conklin provides a holistic approach to preventing workplace injuries. It emphasizes the importance of understanding safety’s social and organizational context and provides practical guidance on improving safety performance.
Consulting work
As a consultant, Dr. Conklin has worked with various organizations in high-risk industries, including healthcare, aviation, and nuclear power. He is known for his innovative approach to safety culture and human performance. This approach builds a strong safety culture through proactive risk management and organizational learning.
Dr. Conklin’s consulting work typically begins with a “pre-accident investigation.” He works with the organization to identify potential risks and hazards before accidents occur. He then works with the organization to develop strategies for improving safety culture and reducing accidents. This includes developing proactive risk management programs and implementing organizational learning processes.
Awards and recognition
Dr. Conklin’s work in safety culture and human performance has been recognized with numerous awards and honors. In 2013, he was awarded the President’s Citation for his contributions to the safety field by the American Society of Safety Engineers. He was also awarded the Distinguished Service to Safety Award by the National Safety Council in 2016.
Conclusion
Dr. Todd Conklin is a respected safety expert dedicated to improving safety and reducing accidents in high-risk industries. His innovative approach to safety culture and human performance has made him a sought-after speaker, author, and consultant, and his work has been recognized with numerous awards and honors. Dr. Conklin’s insights and guidance continue to help organizations worldwide improve their safety.
Learn more about Dr. Conklin and listen to his podcast, the PreAccident Investigation Podcast, on Hophub.org.
References
Conklin, T. (2018). Pre-Accident Investigations: Better Questions – An Applied Approach to Operational Learning. Routledge.
Conklin, T. (2012). Human and Organizational Performance: An Operational Discipline Framework. CRC Press.
Conklin, T. (2015). The Five Principles of Human Performance: A contemporary update of the building blocks of human performance for the new view of safety. Routledge.
Conklin, T. (2011). Learning to Talk and Listening to Learn: The Essential Interpersonal Skills for Safety and Health Professionals. Professional Safety, 56(4), 38-43.
Conklin, T. (2012). The Pre-Accident Investigation: Better Questions to Ask and What to Do with the Results. Professional Safety, 57(5), 36-44.
Conklin, T. (2013). Operational Learning: The Continuous Improvement of Operations. Professional Safety, 58(10), 42-48.
Conklin, T. (2017). 10 Principles for Learning Human Performance. Professional Safety, 62(5), 37-43.
Conklin, T. (2016). The New View of Safety: A Critical Review. Safety Science, 88, 204-211.
Conklin, T. (2017). Industrial Accidents: An Investigation of Causes and Management. Routledge.
Conklin, T. (2018). Preventing Workplace Injuries: A Holistic Approach. Routledge.
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