In this podcast episode, safety professional Heather Chapman, MS, CSP, CHMM, CEAS, shares her thoughts on the current state of the safety industry and where she thinks it is heading this year.

Money is behind the hollowness of many companies’ stop work policies. Sure, if you see something, say something. A change in weather conditions. An emergency situation. A near-miss incident. A lack of knowledge as to how to proceed. Unsafe conditions. Equipment used improperly. All legitimate risks. All often ignored by the workers who have the authority to halt work. Why? 

How to use psychological and behavioral knowledge to improve workplace safety. As a safety leader, it’s important to recognize moments when people are looking to you as an example and ensure that your behavior aligns with the values you’re working to instill in others.

How many safety pros give CEOs a pass when it comes to safety? How many lower their expectations of what CEOs should do for safety? As a rule, the majority of CEOs have no schooling in occupational safety and health. They distance themselves from it, consciously or unconsciously.

According to the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), “If you focus on achieving goals, monitoring performance, and evaluating outcomes, your workplace can progress along the path to higher levels of safety and health achievement.”

When you have a complex supply chain, issues may occur with oversight responsibility for various operations. Fundamentally some of this emanates from the industry’s reaction and response to the promulgation of the Occupational Safety and Health Act.

The online event on Jan. 26 is open to workplace safety and health professionals across all industries. Virtual seats are limited and are available on a first come, first served basis.

Call it the law of unintended consequences: the pandemic — which pros will tell you is still ongoing — has challenged EHS pros to use their people skills perhaps like never before, reaching out, working together, and getting unprecedented national exposure.

Engaged employees not only have fewer incidents but those that do occur are significantly less costly and more than likely allows workers to get back to work far more quickly.

Most construction leaders recognize the dangers of their profession – and how inadequate safety training contributes to that danger. But establishing a comprehensive training program isn’t easy, especially with a cross-generational workforce.