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Ben Robbins | WHS Show
When people think about safety, performance psychology usually isn’t part of the conversation. But Dr Ben Robbins, clinical psychologist, former AFL player, and speaker at the Workplace Health and Safety Show, believes that needs to change.
Drawing on lessons from elite sport, Robbins shared how mental fitness training is starting to reshape the way high-risk industries think about human performance, safety, and error prevention.
“We prepare our athletes for high-pressure moments,” Robbins said. “But in most workplaces, we expect people to figure it out on their own.”
And that gap can have serious consequences from inconsistent performance and poor decision-making to safety incidents caused not by lack of training, but by stress, distraction, or emotional overload.
What is mental fitness – and why does it matter?
Mental fitness, as Robbins defines it, is the ability to stay present and choose the right action in the moment, even when emotions run high. It’s the same ability that helps a player stay composed in front of a roaring crowd, or a machine operator stay focused after a near miss.
“It’s not just talent or toughness,” Robbins said. “It’s coachable. Trainable. It just hasn’t been prioritised in many workplaces until now.”
In elite sport, this mindset is built over time through deliberate training. In most workplaces, it’s expected without support.
Human error, not system failure
Robbins was brought into construction and logistics company Abergeldie Complex Infrastructure (APol) after several safety incidents raised concern. The workers involved were experienced. The procedures were followed. The systems were sound. But something still went wrong.
The common thread is human factors such as a momentary lapse in attention, a spike in stress, or a reaction instead of a response.
These weren’t failures of knowledge. They were failures of focus, something Robbins believes can be prevented through performance psychology.
Red brain vs blue brain
To help workers understand what’s happening in the mind during high-stress moments, Robbins introduced a simple, memorable model:
- Red brain = reactive, scattered, stressed
- Blue brain = calm, focused, present
“It’s about being aware of where your focus is and choosing where to put it,” he said. “That’s what helps you stay in control when it matters.”
Many safety incidents, Robbins explained, happen in red brain mode — when emotions take over and the ability to assess risk drops. Mental fitness training is about recognising when you’re in the red and knowing how to get back to blue.
Grounded in reality, not jargon
While mindfulness and meditation can feel abstract or off-limits in industrial settings, Robbins took a different approach. The training ditched jargon, used plain language, and focused on real-world scenarios.
Workers were introduced to simple, tangible tools, like taking three deep breaths or feeling the weight of their boots on the ground, to reset their focus during stressful moments.
Behind the simplicity was robust psychological science: attention control, emotional regulation, and proactive stress recognition, all geared to help people slow down and choose wisely in high-stakes moments.
The results: performance, clarity, and calm
The impact of the training was felt both on and off the job. Evaluations showed improvements in focus, self-awareness, and emotional control. But the most meaningful outcomes came from the workers themselves.
One participant shared how the training helped them stay more present with their kids. Another said they were no longer “snapping” under pressure.
“It’s not just about performance,” Robbins said. “It’s about being the person you want to be – at work, and at home.”
Robbins closed with a challenge to the room:
What if we gave as much attention to building mental fitness as we do to technical training? What if soft skills were treated as foundational to hard safety outcomes?
“Mental fitness isn’t a silver bullet,” he said, “but it is part of the answer. If we want high-performing, high-safety cultures, we’ve got to help our people build these skills. Otherwise, we’re just hoping for the best.”
About Ben Robbins
Dr. Ben Robbins is a clinical psychologist and former AFL player who specializes in applying performance psychology to workplace safety. He helps high-risk industries build mental fitness to improve focus, decision-making, and wellbeing under pressure. Ben currently works with organisations across Australia to embed these skills into their safety cultures. Connect with Ben on LinkedIn
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