"Chess Thinking for Accident Prevention"
In The Safety Variation, safety expert, psychologist, and human factors specialist Dr Linda Bellamy draws a bold metaphor between chess and accident prevention.
Informed by insights from chess masters, the book treats Safety versus the Hazard as a cognitive chess match. Using real games, positions, and engine evaluations, it explores how expert thinking under pressure reveals the cognitive elements that shape accidents in complex technological systems.
Each chapter begins with key messages and inspirational takeaways, making the ideas accessible and actionable. You don’t need to be a chess player to follow the argument — though it may deepen your appreciation.
This book is written for safety professionals, leaders in hazardous industries, and anyone curious about how expert minds manage risk — whether at the chessboard or in the real world.
