In this episode, Mary Conquest speaks with Ron Gantt, Vice President of EHS at Beal Infrastructure and a leading voice in safety management. Ron helps safety professionals navigate the challenges of working with contractors, where hidden coordination costs and fragile common ground often undermine safety.
He explains why contractors add complexity, how authority differentials distort information flow and risk, and why coordination needs to be treated as real work. Ron introduces practical approaches to build stronger relationships, from co-locating teams and aligning work hours to asking the unexpected question: “How do we want to argue together?”
Ron also shares his views on who should be responsible for overseeing coordination, and offers a more collaborative alternative to punitive contractual agreements.
Beyond contractors, he also shares valuable advice to help EHS professionals move away from regulations or best practices and thoughtful guidance on truly understanding how people work.
Packed with insights and real-world advice, this conversation shows how better collaboration and evidence-based practice can transform safety outcomes.
Recommended coordination research:
Dr Laura McGuire:
Dr Laura McGuire - Edge Hill University
Sarah Butt
Sarah BUTT | Research profile
Safety podcast co-hosted by Ron:
Punk Rock Safety
Ron Gantt on LinkedIn:
Ron Gantt | LinkedIn
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