In this episode of the Pre-Accident Investigation Podcast, host Todd Conklin delves into a vital conversation about mental health and worker engagement within the construction industry. As the world navigates through increasingly stressful times, Todd emphasizes the importance of addressing mental well-being in the workplace. Joining Todd is Alan Palmer from JMJ, who shares insights on innovative programs like the "Village Heroes," designed to listen and support workers on major projects....

In this episode of Pre-Accident Investigation Safety Moment, Todd Conklin delves into the intriguing concept of happiness as a pivotal element in facilitating organizational change. Despite the challenges and resistance that often accompany change, Todd argues that happiness should not be seen as oppositional but rather as an integral part of the process. Exploring the idea that happiness is a choice, Todd emphasizes the importance of fostering a positive environment during times of...

Welcome to an exciting episode of the Pre-Accident Podcast with Todd Conklin, where we dive into a thought-provoking conversation with the remarkable Eric Hollenagle. Known for his pioneering work on the Efficiency-Thoroughness Trade-Off (ETTO) principle and the Functional Resonance Analysis Method (FRAM), Eric shares insights into the evolving landscape of safety and resilience. In this episode, Todd and Eric explore the future of system performance, questioning traditional safety paradigms...

In this episode of "Pre-Accident Investigation Safety Moment," Todd Conklin challenges the common pursuit of leading data, questioning its existence and value. He argues that the time spent trying to predict outcomes is time not spent on actively addressing and improving real-world issues. Through a thought-provoking discussion, Todd emphasizes the importance of engaging with people, identifying risks, and implementing solutions to make a tangible difference. He encourages listeners to...

Join Todd Conklin in this engaging episode of Pre-Accident Investigation as he reflects on an unexpected experience at a bluegrass festival that was interrupted by lightning. Through this anecdote, Todd explores the intriguing concepts of risk, chance, and control, delving into the differences between them and their implications in the world of safety.Discover how the inability to predict the future emphasizes the need for systems that are not only robust but also resilient, capable of...

In this episode of Pre-Accident Investigation Safety Moment, Todd Conklin introduces an ancient metaphor that highlights the significance of positivity in challenging times. This metaphor illustrates how even in complete darkness, a single point of light remains visible, signifying the impact of small improvements in a struggling organization. Conversely, when an organization is thriving, a minor negative aspect is barely noticeable, emphasizing the strength of a high-performing team. Todd...

Welcome to the Pre-Accident Investigation Podcast, where we delve into the nuances of leadership and team dynamics. In this episode, host Todd Conklin engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Mark Homeyer, a seasoned professional from the maritime industry. Mark shares his insights from years of experience as a vessel master and leader, focusing on building dependable systems and understanding variability in operations. Mark discusses the shift from traditional accountability to...

Welcome to the Pre-Accident Investigation Safety Moment with Todd Conklin. This episode delves into the significance of starting a job effectively and how it can impact the overall outcome. Contrary to the common belief that planning cannot foresee unexpected events, Todd emphasizes the importance of preparation and understanding the controls at the beginning of a task.Discover the value of revitalizing initial job processes like tailboard meetings and toolbox talks, transforming them from...

Join Todd Conklin in this episode of the Pre-Accident Investigation Podcast as he reflects on last week's enlightening discussion with Doug, the OSHA administrator, about the evolving landscape of occupational safety and health in the United States. Todd shares his insights on the positive feedback received and emphasizes the importance of being open to change and dialogue. The episode delves into the concept that "good gets better and bad gets worse," exploring how organizations can improve...

In this episode of Pre-Accident Investigation, Todd Conklin shares an insightful safety moment, encouraging listeners to shift their focus from opposing disliked ideas to championing the concepts they truly believe in. Drawing inspiration from Stephen Covey's concept of "sharpening the saw," Todd emphasizes the importance of February as a time to reflect on and enhance operational excellence.Through a compelling narrative, Todd urges safety professionals to embrace a mindset that promotes...

Join host Todd Conklin on this special episode of the Pre-Accident Investigation Podcast as he sits down with Douglas L. Parker, the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health. Dive into an enlightening discussion about the evolving landscape of workplace safety, the role of OSHA, and the balance between enforcement and innovation.In this in-depth conversation, Parker shares insights on advancing values-driven approaches to health and safety, emphasizing the importance of...

Welcome to this special Thanksgiving episode of Pre-Accident Investigation Safety Moment for 2021. In this episode, we delve into the transformative power of gratitude, especially during challenging times. Host Todd Conklin shares personal insights on how to cope when the world seems filled with uncertainty, from global pandemics to everyday struggles. Instead of meeting pain with pain or anger with anger, he encourages us to step back and appreciate the good things in our lives. Discover...

Welcome to a special episode of the Pre-Accident Podcast, hosted temporarily by Jeff Lith. Join Jeff as he interviews Todd Conklin, the most special guest of the pod, and delves into Todd's fascinating journey from a small town in Kansas to becoming a leading voice in human performance and organizational change. In this episode, Todd shares his experiences growing up in Kansas and Colorado, his educational journey, and his early career, including his significant work at Los Alamos National...

In this episode of Pre-Accident Investigation Safety Moment, Todd Conklin explores the fundamental difference between successful and failing organizations: learning. He emphasizes that the ability to learn from within is crucial for organizational resilience and operational excellence. Conklin explains that organizations slow to learn are prone to failure and brittleness, regardless of having similar components like people, work environment, and tasks. He argues that learning should not be...

In this episode of the Pre-Accident Investigation Podcast, host Todd Conklin shares his recent experiences at the Winfield Bluegrass Festival, discussing the highs and lows of the event and an insightful conversation on risk and chance. Conklin then dives into an exciting new topic: his latest book, "New Ideas for Old Problems: A Human Performance Approach to Sustainable Change." He outlines the book's unique format, focusing on practical lists and insights from experts like Edgar Schein and...

Hi, everybody, and welcome to the Pre-Accident Podcast Safety Moment with your host, Todd Conklin. In this episode, Todd delves into the crucial difference between investigations and corrective actions in safety management. Investigations are meant to learn from incidents, while corrective actions are the steps taken to fix the identified problems. Todd emphasizes the importance of understanding this distinction to ensure deeper systemic issues are addressed, rather than just surface-level...

Welcome to part two of the Pre-Accident Investigation Podcast hosted by Todd Conklin. This episode features an engaging open question and answer session from the 2024 Santa Fe Workshop.Listen in as Todd, along with industry experts Mike Peters, Martha Acosta, Jennifer Long, Bob Edwards, and Andrea Baker, delve into insightful discussions on improving workplace safety, the importance of trust within teams, and how to effectively manage and predict organizational risks.Throughout the episode,...

Hi everybody and welcome to the Pre-Accident Investigation Safety Moment. I'm your host, Todd Conklin. Have you ever crossed a street and pushed the crosswalk button, only to find the signal changes too quickly for you to safely cross? This common issue is an example of poor signal strength. In today's episode, we delve into the concept of signal strength in human factors and its importance in workplace safety. We'll explore how identifying weak signals—like unclear instructions or...

In this episode of the Pre-Accident Investigation Podcast, host Todd Conklin shares the vibrant discussions and insightful Q&A sessions from a recent conference held in Santa Fe. This three-day event brought together a diverse group of experts and professionals to explore the fundamentals of human performance, leadership impact, and practical applications in safety practices. The first day delved into the evolution of human performance over the past 25 years, featuring voices like Tony...

Hi, everybody, and welcome to the Pre-Accident Investigation Safety Moment, Operational Excellence Moment. I'm your host, Todd Conklin. How are you today? I hope you're good. Today's episode focuses on a simple yet powerful message about safety and storytelling. Todd discusses how the way we collect and distribute data can sometimes lead us to focus too much on negative safety stories. These stories often highlight what went wrong, with the hope that others will learn from these mistakes and...

Welcome to the Pre-Accident Investigation Podcast with your host, Todd Conklin. In this episode, Todd dives into the ongoing discussion about the potential addition of a sixth principle to the long-standing five principles of Human and Organizational Performance (HOP). The conversation explores whether "Control Saves Lives" should be considered a new principle or if it remains a practice, and how this impacts organizational safety strategies. Joined by Brent Sutton and Jeff Lyth, Todd...

Hey, everybody! In this eye-opening episode of the Pre-Accident Podcast Safety Moment, we delve into a profound concept: "The map is not the territory." This idea, originating from Alfred Korzybski, highlights the crucial difference between models of reality and reality itself.We explore how procedures, like maps, serve as important guides but cannot fully encompass the dynamic nature of actual work. Workers must adapt in real-time, using procedures as stabilizing documents while making...

Hey everyone, Todd Conklin here from the Pre-Accident Investigation Podcast. As we transition into the beautiful autumn season in New Mexico, where the air is filled with the delightful scents of roasting chilies and pinon pine, I've been reflecting on the concept of super high risk with super low reward. In this episode, we delve into the intriguing idea of "picking up pennies in front of a steamroller," a metaphor often used in investments to describe gathering low value in front of...

In this episode of "Pre-Accident Investigation Safety Moment," Todd Conklin delves into the intricate and often debated concept of truth. He explores how different perspectives can lead to varying interpretations of what is considered true, using a relatable anecdote about airport security lines to illustrate his point.Through this thought-provoking discussion, Todd challenges listeners to reflect on how personal experiences shape our understanding of truth. He emphasizes that multiple truths...