Loftwork Training Systems
to Safety-Critical Tasks
Our Mission Statement (1) The Loftwork Mission Statement is represented by the classical Chinese ideogram MYO. Originally written in Sanskrit, for over 2000 years it has had three meanings:
We believe that these perfectly represent the task of developing solutions for human error hazars in safety-critical operations everywhere, from the flight deck to railway signalling centres, from systems design to power stations.
- Becoming aware of underlying principles: opening or awakening
- Learning how to apply and adapt these to daily life: wisdom, learning
- The energy and creativity to implement solutions: responsibility, enlightened action, determination
The Interdependence of Life - and Safety Culture
The Lotus Flower In Buddhist philosophy the Lotus flower represents the interdependence of all life. It can only grow in muddy water - no mud, no Lotus.
In the corporate environment, a company can only achieve a safe operating culture with the active support of employees at all levels, from shop floor to boardroom. And as with the Lotus, a worthwhile safety policy must have the honesty to admit and learn from incidents and problems it might prefer to sweep under the carpet: lapses, violations and deficiencies wherever they exist.
Cause and Effect - "Nam MyoHo Renge Kyo"
The Lotus also represents the Buddhist law of cause and effect, shown above in the Chinese characters used in the 7th Centurey Kumarajiva translation. Every action has an immediate effect whether it is obvious or not, just as the Lotus both flowers and seeds at the same time. This "latent" effect can be either positive or negative. Negative latent effects can take the form of a "disaster waiting to happen," what Psychologist Prof. Jim Reason described as "organisational pathogens" waiting to strike. Extensive research at NASA and elsewhere shows that the same cause and effect relationship anticipated by the Lotus Sutra underlies most organisational human error accidents today. By looking for latent hazards, operational deficiencies, procedural deviations and inadequate working practices in safety-critical processes we can almost always isolate and define the primary risks and recommend policies and programmes to address them.
For this reason and others, Loftwork has adopted the threefold meaning of the ancient character MYO as its mission statement, and MYO as its logo. More generally, Loftwork is based on Buddhist principle and seeks to add value to society by applying those principles transportation safety to make the world a safer, happier place. (1)
(1) This page does not represent the views of any one Buddhist School. Loftwork practices religious tolerance and equal opportunity for all.
To learn more about the Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin:
Nichiren Daishonin Buddhism in Surrey and West Sussex.
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