Safety Labs by Safety Products Global

In this episode, Mary Conquest speaks with Scott Gesinger, an experienced safety director and author of The Fearless World of Professional Safety in the 21st Century.Scott guides safety professionals on a high-level tour of the past, present and future of workplace safety. He begins with the origins of modern safety practices, which emerged after a high-profile disaster in 1911 that was widely publicized across new media channels.We discover the impact of pioneers such as Heinrich and Deming on safety management, but Scott also explains how fundamental biases and complacency have harmed the profession. It became far too easy to blame individuals and ignore wider systemic safety issues, and EHS professionals became too focused on near misses that could never cause serious harm.Scott encourages current HSE professionals to remove subjectivity from accident causation, adopt a sandwich approach to safety management with equal emphasis on co-workers and management, and focus on designing processes for humans.Looking forward, he believes technology, diversity and empathy are key to ensuring that safety remains a relevant scientific and engineering profession that doesn’t get overtaken by other disciplines.Scott’s book - The Fearless World of Professional Safety in the 21st Century:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fearless-World-Professional-Safety-Century/dp/1138036560Scott Gesinger on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-gesinger-a6666713/Jaws - the film Scott recommends all safety professionals should watch:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaws_(film)Safety Labs is created by Slice, the only safety knife on the market with a finger-friendly® blade. Find us at www.sliceproducts.comIf you have any questions, please email us at safetylabs@sliceproducts.com

In this episode, Mary Conquest speaks with Rey Gonzalez, a consultant and coach who provides expertise on sustainable performance improvement and human error reduction. He's worked in high-risk industries for over 40 years and has spent most his professional life working to improve safety through ehancing human performance.Rey explains why empowering co-workers to stop work when they sense risk is such a powerful tool to create a positive safety culture. However, he shares the key reasons why this option is often under-utilized and helps safety professionals ensure this initiative is successfully adopted.Additionally, he has identified the key role triggers play in predicting safety incidents and explains how you can educate your co-workers to spot these warning signs and reduce risk.Rey strongly advocates empowering people to proactively contribute to safety management and outlines (with practical tips) the key role HSE professionals play in fostering a psychologically safe workplace.To find out more about Rey’s work, consultancy (Human and Organizational Performance Enhancement), and online training programs (High Reliability Training) visit:https://hopeconsultingllc.com/and https://www.trainhro.com/Rey Gonzalez on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachreygonzalez/The books recommended by Rey:Managing the Unexpected: Resilient Performance in an Age of Uncertaintyby Karl E. Weick and, Kathleen M. Sutcliffehttps://www.amazon.co.uk/Managing-Unexpected-Resilient-Performance-Uncertainty/dp/0787996491Still Not Safe: Patient Safety and the Middle-Managing of American Medicineby Robert L. Wears and Kathleen M. Sutcliffehttps://www.amazon.co.uk/Still-Not-Safe-Middle-Managing-American/dp/B088C3QGHCRisk-Based Thinking: Managing the Uncertainty of Human Error in Operationsby Tony Muscharahttps://www.amazon.co.uk/Risk-Based-Thinking-Tony-Muschara/dp/113830249XCritical Steps: Managing What Must Go Right in High-Risk Operationsby Tony Muschara, Ron Farris and Jim Marinushttps://www.amazon.co.uk/Critical-Steps-Managing-High-Risk-Operations/dp/1032115076

In this episode, Mary Conquest speaks with Dr Linda Martin. Linda has over 30 years of experience in occupational safety management across multiple industries and holds a Doctorate in Occupational Health and Safety. Additionally, she owns a successful consulting business, hosts a regular podcast, and is a sought-after speaker at safety industry events.Dr Martin combines her extensive practical experience and academic knowledge to unpick the great safety theory debate. She’s not interested in which academic approach is right or wrong. Linda just wants safety professionals to focus on saving lives.She believes that safety management has been overcomplicated by discussions about theory, with the subsequent rift between pseudo academics and boots-on-the-ground practitioners causing serious harm.Linda urges HSE professionals from all sides of the debate to meet in the middle and take the practice of safety to a more effective level.To find out more about Linda’s work and consultancy, visit:https://www.lindamartin.io/You can listen to all episodes of Linda’s “The Safety Struggle” podcast here:The Safety Struggle Podcast — Dr. Linda F. Martin (lindamartin.io)Dr Linda Martin on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindafmartinphd/

In this episode, Mary Conquest speaks with Deborah Barrett, an Ethics, Compliance & Operations Executive who holds a Master's Degree of Science in Business Ethics and Compliance.Deborah uses her extensive experience working in corporate settings to help EHS professionals avoid getting lost in complex enterprises. It can be easy to become just another number in large organizations, especially if you are a new starter or remote working is widespread.She shares extensive practical guidance on how to increase the visibility of safety across your organization. Securing executive support, strategic networking, committee participation, and effective presentations are just some of her recommendation she explores.Deborah encourages HSE professionals to focus on promoting the benefits of safety and finding natural allies within your company to help achieve your objectives. Not only will this raise the profile of safety management - it will also enhance your career development.Deborah Barrett on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborah-barrett-9552888/Safety Labs is created by Slice, the only safety knife on the market with a finger-friendly® blade. Find us at www.sliceproducts.comIf you have any questions, please email us at safetylabs@sliceproducts.com

In this episode, Mary Conquest speaks with Dr. Susanne Bahn, co-founder of Tap into Safety - a safety training consultancy. Susanne’s PhD specialized in Health and Safety Management, and she worked as a safety consultant for 15 years.Dr. Bahn combines her practical experience and academic knowledge to explore a key activity for EHS professionals - safety training. Her mission is to make training more palpable for the end-user while helping organizations deliver more efficient, effective and compliant safety information.Susanne wants HSE professionals to move away from “death by PowerPoint” and adopt flexible approaches to safety training based on the specific scenario, the audience’s needs, and available technology opportunities.She provides practical advice on how to choose appropriate learning approaches for specific safety training situations and emphasizes the importance of micro-learning, consistency, simplicity and regularity.Dr. Bahn discusses the multiple benefits (and common pitfalls) of online learning and explains why using the right language and tone of voice is crucial to ensure your messages are delivered effectively to lay the foundations for a strong safety culture.You can find out more about Susanne’s work and her company, Tap into Safety by visting:https://tapintosafety.com.au/about-us/Dr. Susanne Bahn on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-susanne-bahn-13383318The podcasts - Safety on Tap and Safeopedia - recommended by Susanne:https://www.safetyontap.com/episodes/https://feeds.captivate.fm/safetywithpurposepodcast/Safety Labs is created by Slice, the only safety knife on the market with a finger-friendly® blade. Find us at www.sliceproducts.comIf you have any questions, please email us at safetylabs@sliceproducts.com

In this episode, Mary Conquest speaks with Bridget Leathley, a freelance health and safety adviser, writer, instructional designer, trainer and auditor. She's also a Chartered Fellow with the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health and an Associate Fellow with the British Psychological Society.Bridget highlights the importance of well-written and clearly communicated safety procedures - and how they represent “quick wins” for HSE professionals.Major safety initiatives are often unrealistic for EHS professionals due to budget restraints. However,  simply assessing and improving your safety procedures can significantly improve your organization’s safety performance.Bridget offers many practical tips (with real-life examples) on how you can write better procedures, including: starting with the safety objectives, involving co-workers, using simple language, avoiding ambiguity, and including imagery.She shares guidance on how often EHS professionals should revisit procedures and considers the role of multi-media in current and future safety management.Bridget is passionate about getting organizations to adopt technology to keep people safe and healthy - but explains that the needs of the audience and the task should always drive how safety procedures are presented to co-workers.You can find out more about Bridget’s work and her company, The Safer Choice by visting:https://thesaferchoice.co.uk/Bridget Leathley on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/bridgetleathleyThe book recommended by Bridget:A Guide To Task Analysis by Barry KirwanSafety Labs is created by Slice, the only safety knife on the market with a finger-friendly® blade. Find us at www.sliceproducts.comIf you have any questions, please email us at safetylabs@sliceproducts.com

In this engaging discussion, Mary Stine, an EHS director and storytelling expert, illuminates how narratives can enhance workplace safety. She delves into the neuroscience of storytelling, emphasizing its power to foster emotional connections and engagement. Mary shares vital storytelling techniques tailored for safety professionals, underlining self-awareness and authenticity. Listeners learn how to adapt narratives based on audience feedback, utilize storytelling to build trust, and enhance communication within teams, ultimately promoting a culture of safety and accountability.

In this episode, Mary Conquest speaks with Dr. Bettina Palazzo, a business ethics expert who is the founder of the consultancy: Palazzo Ethics Advisory.Bettina applies her extensive academic and practical knowledge of ethics to workplace safety.She helps EHS professionals unpick the psychological dynamics that lead to unethical behavior and explains why workplace safety decision-making is not always black and white.Her inclusive approach to safety management contains great advice on communicating with co-workers, including starting with the “why”, focusing on individual needs, using jargon-free narrative, and avoiding parent mode.Bettina also highlights the importance of ensuring your leaders role model good safety practice and create speak-up safety cultures.To find out more about Bettina’s consultancy, visit:https://bettinapalazzo.com/Bettina Palazzo on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/bettina-palazzoThe Leadership Embodiment book recommended by Bettina:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Leadership-Embodiment-Stand-Change-Think/dp/1492946699Safety Labs is created by Slice, the only safety knife on the market with a finger-friendly® blade. Find us at www.sliceproducts.comIf you have any questions, please email us at safetylabs@sliceproducts.com

In this episode, Mary Conquest speaks with Mark Alston, a risk management and safety expert who is the founder of Investigations Differently consultancy.Mark helps HSE professionals understand why safety investigations can be too narrowly focused and only result in blame rather than benefits.Fortunately, he shares helpful advice on how you can implement better investigations in your workplace. Mark encourages EHS professionals to move away from a top-down approach and instead harness co-workers as part of the solution to deliver systemic risk reduction.He argues that safety investigations are great opportunities to enable organizations to learn critical information from their people about how work is actually completed. Furthermore, Marks shows you how this can be used positively to improve overall safety performance.To find out more about Mark’s consultancy, visit:https://investigationsdifferently.com.au/Mark Alston on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/alstonmark/The three books recommended by Mark:Pre-accident investigations by Todd Conklinhttps://www.amazon.co.uk/Pre-Accident-Investigations-Todd-Conklin/dp/1409447820The Field Guide to Understanding 'Human Error' by Sidney Dekker:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Field-Guide-Understanding-Human-Error/dp/1472439058Paper Safe by Greg Smith:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Paper-Safe-triumph-bureaucracy-management-ebook/dp/B07HVRZY8CSafety Labs is created by Slice, the only safety knife on the market with a finger-friendly® blade. Find us at www.sliceproducts.comIf you have any questions, please email us at safetylabs@sliceproducts.com

Chris Clearfield, co-author of “Meltdown: Why our systems fail and what we can do about it”, discusses how understanding system complexity and coupling can prevent accidents. He emphasizes the importance of improving system feedback and shares practical advice on implementing HSE change and creating inclusive safety cultures. The podcast also explores strategies to reduce risk and improve system design, as well as techniques like premortem and collaborative learning for preventing failure.