The Occupational Safety Leadership Podcast

In this episode, Dr. Ayers challenges safety professionals to examine whether they’re truly being productive or simply busy. According to the episode description, safety work is full of competing demands, and it’s easy to hide behind activity instead of addressing the real issues that matter. The episode pushes listeners to reflect on whether their daily tasks are actually moving the safety program forward—or just filling time.   🔑 Key Points 🔍 1. Busyness Can Be a Distraction Being constantly in motion doesn’t mean you’re accomplishing meaningful safety work. Sometimes “busy” is a way to avoid difficult conversations or unresolved hazards. 🎯 2. Productivity Requires Intentionality Productive safety work focuses on actions that reduce risk, build relationships, and solve real problems—not just checking boxes. 🧭 3. Safety Professionals Must Prioritize With so many responsibilities, it’s essential to identify what truly matters and allocate time accordingly. 🛠️ 4. Ask Yourself the Hard Question Dr. Ayers encourages listeners to regularly reflect: “Am I avoiding issues by staying busy?”   🎙️ Central Message Don’t confuse activity with progress. Real safety leadership requires focusing on what actually improves safety—not just what fills your schedule.

In this episode, Dr. Ayers talks about the often‑overlooked but essential task of maintaining the lists that track new‑hire orientation and training. These lists are the backbone of a functioning safety program, yet many organizations struggle to keep them updated or rely on outdated manual methods. According to the episode description, the focus is on how safety professionals manage these lists and whether they’re using software tools to save time and reduce effort.   🔑 Key Points 🗂️ 1. Training Lists Are Foundational Tracking who has completed orientation, who needs refresher training, and who is overdue is critical for compliance and safety performance. 💻 2. Software Can Save Time and Reduce Errors Dr. Ayers highlights that many companies still track training manually. He challenges listeners to consider whether digital tools could streamline the process. 🔄 3. Consistency Matters More Than Complexity A simple, well‑maintained list is more effective than a complicated system that no one updates. 🧭 4. List Maintenance Reflects Program Health If your training lists are a mess, it’s usually a sign that other parts of the safety program may also be slipping.   🎙️ Central Message Your training lists are only as good as your maintenance habits. Clean, accurate lists make your entire safety program stronger and more reliable.

Dr. Ayers uses a conversation between “older Dr. Ayers” and “younger Dr. Ayers” to drive home a simple but powerful truth: Growth never happens in the comfort zone. Safety leaders must continually push themselves into new challenges, new learning, and new levels of accountability.   🧠 Key Themes 1. The Comfort Zone Is the Enemy of Progress Staying comfortable leads to stagnation. Safety professionals who avoid discomfort also avoid growth. The field evolves constantly — leaders must evolve with it. 2. Advice From “Older Dr. Ayers” Seek out challenges instead of avoiding them. Don’t settle for what feels easy or familiar. Lean into situations that stretch your skills, confidence, and leadership capacity. 3. Why This Matters in Safety Complacency is dangerous — for leaders and for workers. When leaders stop growing, safety programs plateau. Pushing beyond comfort creates better communication, better decision‑making, and stronger relationships with employees.   🚀 Leadership Takeaways Discomfort = Growth. If a task feels challenging, it’s probably the right direction. Model the behavior. When employees see you stretch yourself, they’re more willing to stretch too. Audit your habits. Ask yourself: “Where am I staying comfortable instead of improving?” Stay curious. Keep learning, asking questions, and seeking new experiences.

Dr. Ayers tackles Imposter Syndrome — the feeling many safety professionals experience when they doubt their own competence, question whether they belong in the role, or fear being “found out.” The episode emphasizes that these feelings are common, normal, and often experienced by high performers, not by people who are actually unqualified.   🧠 Key Themes 1. Imposter Syndrome Is Widespread in Safety Safety roles require broad knowledge: regulations, human behavior, communication, leadership, technical systems. Because the field is so wide, no one knows everything, which makes self‑doubt easy to slip into. Even experienced professionals feel this at times. 2. The Internal Voice Is Often Wrong The episode highlights how the “you’re not good enough” voice is usually fear, not fact. Leaders must learn to recognize when their inner critic is lying to them. 3. Growth Requires Discomfort Feeling unsure doesn’t mean you’re failing — it often means you’re growing. Safety leaders who push into new responsibilities naturally feel stretched. 4. You Belong in the Room Dr. Ayers reinforces: You earned your role. You bring value through your experience, your perspective, and your commitment to protecting people. The goal is not perfection — it’s progress and impact.   🚀 Leadership Takeaways Acknowledge the feeling, but don’t let it drive your decisions. Ask questions openly. It builds trust and strengthens relationships. Document your wins. Evidence helps counter self‑doubt. Seek mentors and peers. Imposter Syndrome shrinks when shared. Remember your mission:

Dr. Ayers uses a gardening analogy to explain a fundamental truth of safety leadership: You cannot grow a strong safety program from a distance. You must get involved, stay engaged, and do the unglamorous work. Just like a garden needs consistent care, attention, and protection, a safety program only thrives when leaders are willing to “get their hands dirty.”   🧠 Key Themes 1. Safety Programs Are Like Vegetable Gardens Gardens need light, water, protection, and weeding. Safety programs need training, resources, hazard control, and constant cleanup of small issues. Neglect in either one leads to predictable failure. 2. Leadership Requires Active Participation You can’t delegate everything and expect excellence. Leaders must be present in the field, talking to workers, removing obstacles, and reinforcing expectations. Real improvement comes from hands‑on engagement, not paperwork or dashboards alone. 3. Problems Don’t Fix Themselves Weeds grow if you don’t pull them. Small hazards grow into big incidents if you don’t address them. Consistency beats intensity — small daily actions matter more than occasional big pushes.   🚀 Leadership Takeaways Show up. Your presence is a safety control. Do the unglamorous work. Hazard correction, coaching, and follow‑up are where results come from. Protect your “garden.” Remove obstacles, shield your team from distractions, and nurture the environment. Stay patient. Growth takes time, but neglect shows quickly.

Episode 238 features Dr. Megan Tranter, a well‑known safety career coach, who joins Dr. Ayers to talk about building a purpose‑driven, fulfilling career in occupational safety. The conversation focuses on how safety professionals can intentionally shape their career path instead of simply “falling into” roles or drifting between jobs.   🧠 Key Themes 1. Purpose‑Driven Career Development Dr. Tranter emphasizes that safety professionals thrive when they understand: Their personal mission Their strengths and values The type of impact they want to make She encourages listeners to align their career choices with their deeper purpose. 2. Navigating the Safety Profession The episode explores: How to move from compliance‑focused roles to strategic leadership How to identify the right opportunities How to avoid stagnation in the field The importance of continuous learning and networking 3. Coaching for Career Growth Dr. Tranter shares insights from her work as a safety career coach: Many professionals feel stuck or unsure how to advance Coaching helps clarify goals and build confidence Intentional planning leads to better job satisfaction and long‑term success 4. Empowerment Through Self‑Awareness A major theme is helping safety professionals: Recognize their unique value Build a career that fits their strengths Develop leadership presence Take ownership of their professional journey   🚀 Leadership Takeaways Your career should be designed, not defaulted. Purpose drives performance — know why you do what you do. Invest in yourself through coaching, mentorship, and continuous learning. Strategic career moves lead to greater impact and fulfillment.

In this short but pointed episode, Dr. Ayers warns safety professionals against becoming what he calls a “Seagull Safety Professional.” The metaphor is simple and memorable: A seagull swoops into a workplace, squawks loudly about everything that’s wrong, steals a good idea, and then flies away — leaving frustration behind and no real improvement.   🧠 Key Themes 1. The “Seagull” Behavior Dr. Ayers describes seagull‑style safety professionals as those who: Drop into a facility only long enough to criticize Point out problems without offering solutions Fail to build relationships or understand context Take credit for others’ ideas or work This behavior damages trust and undermines the credibility of the safety function.   2. What Effective Safety Leaders Do Instead The episode emphasizes that real safety leadership requires: Listening before speaking Understanding the work and the people doing it Collaborating on solutions rather than dictating them Giving credit where it’s due Being present consistently, not just during audits or crises   3. Why This Matters Seagull behavior creates resentment and resistance. Supportive, engaged safety leadership creates partnership, ownership, and long‑term improvement.   🚀 Leadership Takeaways Don’t swoop in — show up consistently. Don’t criticize — coach and collaborate. Don’t steal ideas — celebrate them. Don’t fly away — follow up and support.

Dr. Ayers challenges safety leaders to think seriously about lone worker policies — especially for employees who are the first to arrive or the last to leave. The episode asks a simple but often overlooked question: What tasks should employees be allowed to perform when they are completely alone in the workplace?   🧠 Key Themes 1. Someone Is Always Alone at Some Point Early arrivals, late closers, weekend staff, and remote workers all face periods of working alone. Many organizations overlook these moments when assessing risk. 2. Define What’s Allowed — and What’s Not Dr. Ayers encourages leaders to clearly outline: Which tasks are safe for lone workers Which tasks require a second person What equipment or areas are off‑limits when alone This prevents employees from making risky judgment calls. 3. Risk Changes When No One Else Is Around The episode highlights hazards that become more dangerous when working alone: Medical emergencies Slips, trips, and falls Equipment malfunctions Security threats Chemical or mechanical exposures Without another person present, response time increases dramatically. 4. Policy Is Only Half the Battle A good lone worker policy must also include: Training Communication expectations Check‑in procedures Emergency response plans Clear accountability   🚀 Leadership Takeaways Don’t assume “normal tasks” are safe when done alone. Define boundaries clearly so employees aren’t forced to guess. Build check‑in systems that are simple and reliable. Review lone worker scenarios regularly

Dr. Ayers sits down with Tim Pottoroff (“Ergo Tim”) to discuss the dangerous intersection between musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and opioid use in the workplace. The episode highlights how untreated or poorly managed MSDs often lead workers into opioid prescriptions — and how that pathway can escalate into addiction, disability, or even death. This is framed as both a safety issue and a public health crisis.   🧠 Key Themes 1. MSDs Are a Leading Driver of Workplace Pain Strains, sprains, repetitive motion injuries, and poor ergonomics are among the most common workplace injuries. When early intervention is missing, pain becomes chronic — and workers seek relief wherever they can. 2. Opioids Often Enter the Picture Too Easily Many opioid addictions begin with a legitimate prescription for workplace‑related pain. Over 100,000 overdose deaths occur annually in the U.S., and a significant portion trace back to pain that started on the job. 3. Prevention Through Design (PtD) Tim emphasizes Prevention through Design as a core strategy: Engineer out ergonomic hazards Reduce force, repetition, and awkward postures Design tasks, tools, and workstations to fit the worker Address MSD risks before injuries occur 4. Early Intervention Is Critical The episode stresses: Rapid reporting Immediate ergonomic assessment Stretching, micro‑breaks, and job rotation Coaching workers on body mechanics Avoiding the “tough it out” culture that leads to chronic pain   🚀 Leadership Takeaways MSDs aren’t just injuries — they’re a gateway to opioid risk. Fix the work, not the worker. Engineering controls beat Band‑Aid solutions. Early intervention saves careers, lives, and families.  

In this episode, Dr. Ayers introduces a term he created: “Hazard Correction Fixation Syndrome.” It describes what happens when safety professionals become so focused on fixing one specific hazard that they fail to notice other hazards in the area — sometimes even more serious ones.   🧠 Key Themes 1. Over‑Fixation Creates Blind Spots Safety pros often zero in on a single issue (e.g., a missing guard, a spill, a blocked exit). While locked onto that one hazard, they unintentionally ignore surrounding risks. This narrow focus can lead to incomplete assessments and missed opportunities for prevention. 2. Step Back and See the Whole Picture Dr. Ayers emphasizes the importance of: Pausing before jumping into correction mode Scanning the entire work area Asking: “What else is happening here?” Avoiding tunnel vision that limits situational awareness 3. Engage Employees in Hazard Identification The episode encourages leaders to: Get input from workers who know the job intimately Ask what hazards they see Collaborate on solutions rather than dictating fixes Build a more complete understanding of the environment   🚀 Leadership Takeaways Don’t get tunnel vision. Fix the hazard, but don’t miss the others. Use a wide‑angle lens. Assess the entire environment before acting. Partner with employees. Their perspective fills in your blind spots. Think systemically. Hazards rarely exist in isolation.