The Safety Guru

How can we make today better than yesterday? Join us for a compelling conversation with Becky Ray, an expert who empowers leaders to create high-performance cultures in high-risk industries. Becky introduces her unique framework, the 5-Layer Culture Cake—a proven recipe for achieving tangible safety outcomes. She walks us through each “slice” of the framework, offering bite-sized strategies to build a high-performing culture and drive continuous improvement. Don’t miss this lively and insightful episode packed with practical, simplified insights to guide you and your team toward long-term safety success.About the Guest: Becky Ray is the passion and driving force behind Culture Kick, which partners with Leaders to empower them to create High-Performance Cultures through an operational-focused approach. The unique framework, the Culture Kick Culture Cake, is designed to make this transformation impactful and empower more people to Be Better. She began her career as an Engineer, experiencing firsthand the fast-paced dynamics of operations. After a decade on the tools, she transitioned into Health and Safety Leadership in High-Risk industries such as Rail, Construction, Manufacturing, and Military Aviation. Her hands-on experience in these fields has given her a deep understanding of the important role Leaders have in achieving High Performance and an environment where people thrive. For more information: www.culturekick.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Start the year with our New Year special episode of The Safety Guru featuring returning guests Theo Venter and Ken Roberts. With a combined 70 years of industrial work experience, this dynamic duo brings powerful insights and perspectives to help unlock your emotional connection to safety and implement strategies that truly stick. Tune in for practical tips, compelling stories, and actionable strategies to elevate your safety culture and set the stage for a more successful year ahead. Don't miss this inspiring and engaging episode!About the Guests: Theo Venter: Theo Venter is the only known survivor of a 22,000-volt electrical shock through the heart and shares his amazing story with audiences across the globe. When he removed his insulated gloves while working on a damaged transmission pole, he made a decision that would impact himself and his family in ways he couldn't have imagined. Although taking risks is normal and inherent in every human being, you could potentially be the next fatality at your workplace. That's why it's important to talk about it and bring it out in the open. By allowing Theo to share his story, people are impacted in a way that they are reminded of what can go horribly wrong when they take a shortcut. For more information: https://www.theoventer.com/Ken Roberts: With over forty years of rich experience in mining, heavy industry, and construction, Ken Roberts is a pioneer in transforming workplace cultures. He is the creator of the ground-breaking 'Convenience Kills' program, designed to move cultures from being convenience-driven to being consequence-driven through his innovative "Agreements Culture" formula, which promotes voluntary accountability and ownership. Ken's dedicated efforts significantly boost safety, productivity, and leadership effectiveness, leading to profound improvements in organizational dynamics and outcomes. For more information: https://transfoorm.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As we wrap up another impactful year, we’re reflecting on an incredible journey filled with powerful insights from global experts, transformative ideas from thought leaders, and voices committed to meaningful change—all dedicated to making a difference. Take a moment to reminisce with your host, Eric Michrowski, as he highlights the podcast’s most inspirational moments and top themes of 2024, celebrating the lessons learned that shaped this podcast season. Here’s to a wonderful time of joy, a year of growth ahead, and making every day safer for everyone! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us for an engaging episode with Christian Harris, a leading expert in slip safety, as he shares his transformative journey into Slipology, resulting from a life-changing incident in London in 2012. With a contagious passion for creating safer workplaces, Christian details actionable strategies grounded in a scientific and holistic approach to preventing slips, trips, and falls. Discover the six key drivers for mitigating risks and learn the critical role of connecting with the C-Suite to drive business success and safety excellence. Packed with powerful insights and practical takeaways, this episode is a must-listen for anyone committed to fostering a safer workplace!About the Guest: Christian Harris is a renowned expert in slip safety, known for his innovative, data-driven approach to reducing slip accidents, injuries, and claims. As the founder of Slip Safety Services, Christian has spent over 12 years helping thousands of clients achieve a 57%+ reduction in slip-related incidents through a practical, end-to-end implementation service of the Slipology principles and CHIMES. Christian’s mission is to reduce slip accidents worldwide through Slipology, a scientific method to reduce slip risk. He aims to empower businesses to protect people while enhancing operational efficiency and profits. For more information: https://slipsafety.co.uk/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are honored to feature a sobering and impactful conversation with Mark Stanway, a seasoned professional in the construction industry, as he recounts the three life-altering seconds in 2015 when he fell from a ten-meter height. Mark reflects on the five missed opportunities that could have prevented his incident and emphasizes the importance of identifying and understanding hazards in work areas and ensuring control measures are in place. He also shares the devastating ripple effects it had on his family. Tune in now as Mark introduces practical risk-assessment tools that empower site supervisors to efficiently evaluate work hazards, promoting safer workplaces. Don’t miss this compelling episode that will leave you rethinking safety on every level.About the Guest: Mark Stanway is a seasoned professional in the construction industry, with over 45 years of experience as a director, builder, and freelance site manager. A life-changing accident in 2015 profoundly reshaped his perspective on workplace safety, igniting a passion for health and safety advocacy. As a keynote speaker, he shares his insights and experiences, educating construction workers on the importance of safety measures and accident prevention. Mark’s dedication to enhancing workplace safety continues to inspire change and foster a culture of vigilance in the construction sector. For more information: https://www.shakositemanagementservicesltd.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us for a captivating episode with Dr. Dan Radecki, a leading expert in neuroscience and brain-based leadership. In this discussion, Dr. Radecki details the differences between acute and chronic stress in the workplace and highlights the critical link between psychological and physical safety. Discover effective strategies to build brain resilience, foster better decision-making, and manage stress in high-risk roles to create safer environments. Don't miss this insightful opportunity to dive into the neuroscience of safety leadership!About the Guest: Dr. Dan Radecki is Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer at The Academy of Brain-based Leadership (ABL). He also serves as Vice President and Head of Global Clinical Research at Object Pharma and holds a Bachelor's in Psychology, a Master's in Biopsychology, and a PhD in Neuroscience. Dan delivered a TEDx keynote and co-authored the book “Psychological Safety: The key to happy, high-performing people and teams.” He has been guest editor on a special issue for the Journal of Consulting Psychology, written numerous peer-reviewed scientific articles, and been published in the Harvard Business Review. For more information: https://brainleadership.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Don't miss our latest episode of The Safety Guru! Join us as Linda Ray, a seasoned expert in applied organizational neuroscience, shares her insights on the neuroscience of psychological safety. Linda delves into the 5 Social Brain Needs that are crucial for fostering a sense of belonging, connection, and engagement within teams. She provides actionable strategies for leaders to enhance psychosocial safety in the workplace, leading to improved performance and building a stronger safety culture. Tune in to gain valuable insights that can make a powerful impact on your organization!About the Guest: Linda Ray is the founder and Executive Director of NeuroCapability. Her mission is to change the world one brain at a time. With a career spanning over 25 years in applied organizational neuroscience, leadership development, and executive and team coaching, Linda is widely recognized for her pivotal contributions to the advancement of knowledge in cultivating high-performing teams across the globe, including in Australia, Asia, the United Kingdom, Greece, Dubai, and New Zealand. For more information: https://neurocapability.com.au/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We all make errors all the time. Join us for a fascinating conversation on looking beyond human error to improve safety, featuring special guest Dr. Mark Young. With profound insights into human factors and backed by solid research, Dr. Young shares the psychological mechanisms behind errors and emphasizes the importance of fostering a learning culture to enhance safety. The conversation also covers the impact of vehicle automation on safety and the critical role of fatigue risk management in safety-critical industries. Don’t miss this engaging episode!About the Guest: Professor Mark Young is a professor of human factors in transport within the Transportation Research Group at the University of Southampton and is currently the president of the Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors (CIEHF). Mark has nearly 30 years of experience working in human factors across transport modes in both academia and industry. Before joining the University of Southampton in June 2023, Mark spent 11 years working as an Inspector at the Rail Accident Investigation Branch, applying his human factors expertise to investigate railway incidents and accidents. For more information: https://www.southampton.ac.uk/people/62gmgv/professor-mark-young Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Drawing from her extensive experience as an airline captain, Emma Henderson joins the show to share her pivotal insights from "Above the Wings to Ground Safety," illustrating how other industries can effectively apply key aviation safety elements. She recounts the inspiring story behind Project Wingman Foundation, highlighting its profound impact and lessons learned. Emma emphasizes the importance of peer support, civility, and an organizational culture of learning in fostering a safe culture. Join us for this engaging episode to discover how you can elevate safety in your industry. About the Guest: Emma Henderson is a multi-award-winning professional speaker, author, airline captain, and founder and CEO of Project Wingman Foundation Ltd. Until September 2020, she was one of fewer than 500 female airline captains globally, flying thousands of passengers across Europe. Emma is well versed in the transferable skills practiced daily by all pilots - teamwork, inspirational leadership, decision-making, workload management, and communication, skills honed over a decade. She delivers inspirational talks to organizations like RBS, NatWest, CAE, the MOD, the NHS, the London Insurance market, and EDF, captivating audiences with her story, compassion, and humor, motivating them to improve themselves. For more information: https://www.emma-henderson.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We invite you to join us for this compelling episode as we explore the incredible journey of Mercedes Ramirez Johnson, a miracle survivor of the 1995 airplane crash that tragically took 160 lives, including those of her parents. Tune in as Mercedes recounts her miraculous story, the critical safety issues uncovered in the aftermath, and the lessons learned from this tragedy. Listen in as she transforms her personal tribulation into a mission for change, striving to prevent future aviation disasters and ensuring no one else endures what she has been through.About the Guest: In 1995, Mercedes Ramirez Johnson narrowly survived a commercial airplane crash that killed 160 people, including her parents. She presents her proprietary Second Chance Living concept, an innovative mindset and approach with a proven track record, to organizations such as General Electric, ExxonMobil, Microsoft, NASA, Chevron, and the various branches of the US Armed Forces. Her extensive media experience includes appearances on The BBC, National Geographic Channel, Discovery Health Channel, and as a recurring guest on numerous nationally syndicated daytime talk shows on NBC and ABC. For more information: https://www.mercedesramirezjohnson.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices