In this episode, we’re conducting a thorough investigation of the different theories and frameworks Safety professionals can adopt to keep their co-workers safe. There’s been a palpable shift in attitudes towards workplace safety over recent years, with multiple more-human-centred approaches emerging. But their key differences and relative effectiveness often polarize the safety profession. We’ve compiled a collection of clips from 16 of our previous guests to help define the the different...

In this episode, Mary Conquest speaks with Greg Smith, an international award-winning author and qualified lawyer who has spent more than two decades specializing in Safety and Health management. Greg is also regarded as a leading provider of Safety training, particularly in the areas of management responsibilities and contractor safety management. Describing himself as ‘Safety agnostic’, Greg doesn’t care how HSE professionals approach Workplace Safety - he just wants to help you be...

In this episode, we’re conducting a thorough investigation of Safety metrics to help HSE practitioners measure (and manage) the factors that most accurately reflect Safety performance. We’ve compiled a collection of thoughts, opinions and ideas about safety data, analysis and reporting from 19 of our previous guests discussing various aspects of this diverse and divisive subject. Many question the existing reliance on lagging indicators and proxy KPIs, while the value of Zero Harm initiatives...

In this episode, Mary Conquest speaks with Christian Harris, the founder of Slips Safety Services, who also hosts the Safety Roundtable and the Safety and Risk Success podcast. Christian, a social media communications expert, joins us today to offer EHS professionals practical guidance to strengthen your online presence. Christian begins this insightful conversation by sharing his life-changing personal journey into Safety before explaining the concept of personal branding and why it’s so...

In this episode, we’re conducting a thorough investigation of a EHS practitioner’s job description to help you focus on the areas of workplace safety that matter most. We've compiled a collection of thoughts, opinions and ideas about Safety professional’s key responsibilities from 20 of our previous guests. All agree that practitioners are no longer “Safety Cops” but what should they be instead: facilitators, conduits, coaches? Are they best placed to write policies, implement procedures or...

In this episode, Mary Conquest speaks with Carsten Busch - the "Indiana Jones of Safety", who has over 25 years of experience in HSEQ Management. and is a tutor in the Lund University human factors and system safety program. Carsten is also a Safety historian and has extensively researched and written about the work of Herbert William Heinrich - and shares his finding with us in this fascinating interview. Heinrich is considered by many to be the founder of modern Safety practice, but has...

In this episode, Mary Conquest speaks with Joelle Mitchell, an organizational psychologist and human factors specialist, who translates academic research findings from psychology, OHS and human factors into actionable risk management insights. Joelle tells the story of her journey to specializing in psychosocial health, and helps simplify psychological safety for EHS practitioners. She explores key hot topics, such as who should be responsible for psychosocial safety, and explains how...

In this episode, Mary Conquest speaks with Dr Todd Loushine, a former OSHA compliance officer and EHS practitioner who now teaches the next generation of Safety professionals as an Associate Professor at the University of Wisconsin. Todd uses his wide-ranging experience to improve worker success, satisfaction and safety - and in this highly-engaging discussion, he focuses his wisdom on the importance of learning and practicing civil discourse. Many guests on our show believe Safety education...

In this episode, Mary Conquest speaks with Dr Peter Brace, a psychological safety consultant who helps organizations link respect and accountability through psychological safety to improve team performance. He begins this engaging conversation by clarifying how much influence Safety professionals can have on psychological safety. Perhaps surprisingly for a consultant, Peter explains that you can’t create psychologically safe workplaces. Instead he describes the conditions required for this...

In this episode, Mary Conquest speaks with Murray Ritchie, an experienced OHS practitioner, researcher, educator, and speaker who’s worked with various industries, governments, and NGOs. He joins us to discuss the content of his new book: ‘Seven Bad Habits of Safety Management - Examining Systemic Failure’ (published September 2023). Murray gives EHS professionals an honest, open and comprehensive appraisal of current approaches to Safety Management, covering education, regulations, Plan Do...

In this episode, we’re conducting a thorough investigation of ‘safety culture’ to help HSE practitioners bring some clarity to this controversial term. We've compiled a collection of thoughts, opinions and ideas about safety culture from 15 of our previous guests discussing various aspects of this nebulous subject. The main dispute is whether safety culture actually exists, but even when we get past this, people rarely agree on its definition, measurement and implementation. This safety...

In this episode, Mary Conquest speaks with Tony Muschara, a Human and Organizational Performance (HOP) specialist and owner of Mushara Error Management Consulting. He’s also the author of several Safety books, including ‘Risk-based Thinking’, and its follow-up ‘Critical Steps’ -  which is the main focus of this fascinating interview. Tony begins by exploring the role of an EHS professional and reveals his strongly-held views on where responsibility for workplace Safety lies within an...

In this episode, Mary Conquest speaks with Stephan Wiedner, an entrepreneur on a mission to abolish apathy in the workplace. He’s the cofounder of Noomii.com, the web’s largest network of independent life coaches and Skillsetter.com, a platform similar to a flight simulator for practicing interpersonal skills. Safety management relies on trust, persuasion, and approachability, yet EHS professionals may not have been taught these skills during their training. In fact, there’s a common...

In this episode, Mary Conquest speaks with Christian Hunt, author of 'Humanizing Rules' and founder of Human Risk, a consultancy and training firm that brings behavioral science to ethics & compliance. Christian helps Safety practitioners understand and minimize their exposure to human risk, and he begins by explaining why he wrote his latest book. Packed with entertaining anecdotes, this lively conversation explores the 3 key drivers of human behavior and introduces a simple framework...

In this episode, Mary Conquest speaks with Jodi Goodall, a High-Reliability Organization (HRO) expert who’s been in the safety profession for 20 years. Her operational experience spans mining, defense, explosives, heavy maintenance and logistics, and she’s currently head of organizational reliability at Brady Haywood, a consultancy in Brisbane. Jody’s approach to Safety is based on systems thinking and the practices of HROs - and she begins this enlightening interview by explaining what...

In this episode, Mary Conquest speaks with Pam Walaski, Senior Vice President of the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP), who uses her considerable experience to teach the next generation of HSE practitioners. Pam shares her insightful views on the current state of safety education. She highlights the key gaps, limitations and challenges and explains which elements need to evolve. Safety professionals will also learn about Pam’s personal journey from “safety cop” mentality to...

In this episode, Mary Conquest speaks with Dr L. Casey Chosewood, Director of Total Worker Health (TWH) at the American National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), which is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Dr Chosewood provides a comprehensive overview of the origins and purpose of the TWH initiative - an emerging discipline that he hopes will change the way Safety professionals practice. In this uplifting interview, he discusses his role in...

In this episode, Mary Conquest speaks with James MacPherson, the straight-talking host of the influential podcast and YouTube channel, ‘Rebranding Safety’, who also recently founded his own consultancy, ‘Risk Fluent’ (with his wife). In this unrestrained interview (with some colorful language), James leaves Safety professionals with no doubt about how the profession can improve itself. After describing his journey, he dives straight into his forthright views about Safety’s image problem and...

In this episode, Mary Conquest speaks with Nicolai Massyn, a corporate compliance and risk management expert who’s founded several companies focused on EHS compliance tech, regulatory tech, and consulting services. Nicola is also a successful writer and has recently co-authored: ‘The Safety Professional’s Role in Environmental, Social & Governance Initiatives’ (with Linda Martin). Nicolai opens this fascinating conversation with a comprehensive overview and brief history of all the...

In this episode, Mary Conquest speaks with Cameron Stevens, a technologist and a Chartered Health and Safety professional who’s worked in the OHS profession for over 15 years developing expertise in transforming organizations with his unique approach. Cameron works at the intersection of technology and safety, and in this fascinating discussion, he helps EHS professionals understand how safety tech will impact their roles. After reflecting on current perceptions about technology, Cameron...

In this episode, Mary Conquest speaks with Tim D'Ath, an experienced Head of Safety & cultural transformation leader of high-performing teams in both corporate and high-risk environments. He specializes in the psychology of safety and explains to HSE professionals how they can bring a more human-centric approach to safety management. Regulations and humanity often seem at odds, and this friction is probably most apparent in high-compliance industries - where Tim has had great success...

In this episode, Mary Conquest speaks with Brent Sutton, safety author, consultant and podcaster. Well regarded as a safety coach, he takes organizations on a learning journey to understand how people are seen as the solution so everybody benefits without replacing your existing health and safety system. Brent actively advocates for doing safety when both workers and the organisation learn and improve, and he begins by explaining why HSE professionals need to shift from learning through...

In this episode, Mary Conquest speaks with Dr. Liz Wilson, a behavioral scientist, organizational transformation expert, podcast host, and founder of Include Inc - a consultancy focused on improving workplace inclusion. Safety professionals are naturally inclusive in their pursuit of creating safety for everyone, but exclusion can unintentionally occur even when we're doing our best to include. Dr. Liz has extensively researched inclusion and shares her practical findings to help make...

In this episode, Mary Conquest speaks with Dr David Provan, an award-winning safety researcher who investigated the role of safety professionals. David is also the CEO of Forge Works, founder of Safety Futures, and host of ‘The Safety of Work’ podcast. David begins by explaining why it’s important to define the role of the HSE professional and what role scientific research plays in the safety profession. He then shares the main factors that shape the role of a safety professional, which...