The Accidental Safety Pro: Recent Episodes
HSI
HSI's Chief Safety Officer, Jill James, chats with other safety professionals about how they came into their role as a safety professional, what they've learned along the way, as well as some of the highs and lows that come with job.
This week, Jill sits down with a truly accidental safety professional. Catherine West now serves as senior director of global health and safety for a business consulting company, but she never intended to get into this industry. After deciding to leave her sales role, she quickly discovered an unexpected love for safety, where she gets to work closely with employees to better their experience and the workplace. Tune in to hear her discuss the four key pillars of employee wellbeing, learn about some of the programs she has implemented to support those needs, and find out why she thinks a “culture of caring” is crucial to workplace safety. Also discover some advice she has for safety professionals on tying personal factors into employee health and safety!
It's back! Jill sat down with EHS professionals who were attending this year's ASSP’s Safety Conference and Expo in Denver, Colorado. She talked with people from many different industries and asked what their favorite part of being a safety professional, advice for other professionals, favorite success stories, and what the future of EHS looks like to them. thank you to those EHS pros who stopped by the HSI booth and contributed to this podcast. See you again next year!
Jill had the pleasure of speaking with ASSP's 2024 Outstanding Safety Educator, Dr. Leslie Stockel! Leslie is an associate professor of professional practice at Oklahoma State University, and teaches in the Fire Protection and Safety Engineering Technology program. She shares how her father helped her find her passion through firefighting, which lead to her experiences as a safety professional in various industries. Leslie also talks about her journey to becoming an educator and the importance of teaching safety management and prevention activities. She highlights her recent research on significant incident and fatality (SIF) precursors in incident investigation reports, revealing the lack of consistent identification and addressing of these precursors. Leslie emphasizes the need for better investigations and communication of findings in the field of safety, and also mentions her upcoming research on virtual reality scenarios related to hazard events.
Monique Parker, senior vice president of EHS at Piedmont Lithium, hesitantly accepted a job early in her career that moved her across the country to Salt Lake City, Utah. Little did she know, that move would open her eyes to a career-defining passion: Diversity, equity, and inclusion. In this episode, Monique chats with Jill about her accidental journey into EHS, starting with her passion for chemical engineering and environmental science. They discuss the importance of building relationships, adapting to different cultures, and the role of DEI in the safety profession. Monique concludes by encouraging women in EHS to be authentic, confident, and find advocates and allies for growth and support.
On episode 207 of EHS On Tap, Jill James, Chief Safety Officer at HSI, talks about common misconceptions regarding safety training. This episode is sponsored by HSI.
OSHA Safety Training Needs Assessment
To celebrate the Accidental Safety Pro's 6th birthday, Jill sat down with HSI CEO Chad Birckelbaw to discuss the importance of the podcast in supporting the EHS profession and how it aligns with HSI's mission of making the workplace safer and smarter. They talk about the challenges and responsibilities of EHS professionals, the importance of aligning with leaders, and the need for continuous learning and personal development. Chad gives insights on decision-making, the value of having mentors, and shares three key takeaways for EHS professionals: be proud of the profession, stay curious, and manage the three E's as a leader.
Don't let her city roots fool you. Lisa Blotsky, a casualty risk consultant with AXA XL, got her start in safety by putting on her boots (PPE-approved, of course) and working at a large-scale poultry processing facility. In this episode, listen as Jill chats with Lisa about her childhood dream of becoming a veterinarian, her 24 years spent working in the poultry industry, and how she transitioned into insurance. Lisa also talks about her involvement with the American Society of Safety Professionals, her passion for advocating for agriculture, and the importance of safety in caring for human life.
Which came first, the chicken or the egg?
ASSP WISE (Women in Safety Excellence)
NSC Safety Congress and Expo 2024
Did you know you can utilize your insurance broker for risk assessment on your jobsites? And that PPE for males and females should be designed differently? Or that workplace violence is one of the top three reasons women die in the workplace every year? In this episode, Jill runs the gamut of safety with Christina Roll, casualty risk consultant with AXA XL. Christina is passionate about diversity, equity, and inclusion within the safety profession, and chats with Jill about the importance of PPE created - and fitted - specifically for women. She emphasizes the need to address workplace violence and bridge the gap for women in executive leadership roles. Christina also encourages all safety professionals to be their authentic selves, work on soft skills, and mentor others to ensure the growth and success of the safety profession.
Join Elizabeth Johnson, Senior Director of EHS at Mitsubishi Power Americas, as she discusses what the next generation of EHS professionals will need, in addition to technical expertise, to be successful. We cover the importance of soft skills, such as communication and leadership, the significance of clear and concise writing, and the value of pursuing education. Overall, Elizabeth highlights the importance of supporting and mentoring the next generation of safety professionals and leaving a positive impact on the profession. Elizabeth shares her into the safety profession, starting with her time in the United States Army and her transition into the field of safety.
Meet Rob Fisher, President of Fisher Improvement Technologies. Rob spent almost 10 years in the U.S. Navy before working at the South Texas Nuclear Project for 12 years in various safety and human development roles. Listen along as Rob talks with Jill about how his diverse experiences led to being an expert in human performance and leadership. They discuss the importance of intentional leadership and understanding mental models, the benefits of values-based engagements, and the importance of continuous learning and development in the field of safety.
Rob also shares his story of investigating the 1999 Texas A&M Aggie Bonfire Collapse and how lessons from that investigation still impact his work today.
Fisher Improvement Technologies
Essential Leadership Podcast episode with Jill James
The Aggie Bonfire Tragedy
The Field Guide to Understanding 'Human Error' by Sidney Dekker
Understanding Mental Models by Rob Fisher
In this episode Jill is joined by three guests to discuss the findings of a survey conducted on the challenges and experiences of women working in safety. The survey received almost 900 responses and revealed both positive and negative experiences. The guests discuss topics such as the impact of parenthood on careers, harassment and discrimination in the workplace, and the motivations behind obtaining professional certifications. They also emphasize the importance of allyship and advocacy in supporting and promoting the success of women in the safety profession. The full survey report and additional resources can be found in the show notes or at www.hsi.com.
2023 Women in Safety Survey
A few months ago, we launched a podcast episode that featured some of our favorite people — you! We loved hearing your personal stories, ideas, and tips so we wanted to do it again. For this episode, Jill and our podcast producer, Emily, sat down with NSC Safety Congress and Expo attendees from all types of industries: oil and gas, environmental remediation, mining, engineering consulting, pet care, government agencies, and more. They chatted about success stories, advice for safety professionals, what the future of safety looks like, and their favorite parts of the job.
And we’re excited to announce we’ll be doing this again at ASSP’s Safety 2024 in Denver! If you plan on attending, stop by our booth — we’d love to chat with you!
Like many of our guests, Guillermo Sabatier didn’t have safety in mind when he started his career. While studying electrical engineering in college, he got a meter reading job with a local utility company, which resulted in a post-college job in the industry. Now, after 30 years working in support of the utility industry, and becoming a North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) Reliability Coordinator and a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, he finds himself as HSI’s Director of International Services. Listen as he sits down with Jill to discuss his unconventional, but understandable, path into safety and hear about some of the interesting situations he has found himself in over the years in the utility industry.
In this episode, Jill gets to discuss a seriously hot topic! Dr. Todd Loushine, associate professor in the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater’s Occupational Safety program, ASSP Region Five vice president, and returning podcast guest, sat down to discuss workplace heat. In 2022, Dr. Todd lucked into a temporary position outside of the university, helping with heat-related problems when a company’s safety director took a leave of absence. Tune in to hear how a certified industrial hygienist, who also happens to be a professional engineer, came up with unique — but replicable — solutions for heat safety issues, learn a little about the science behind heat-related illness, and find out how you can give your input on a proposed OSHA regulation.
Sometimes not being an expert has its benefits. Rusti Dyals, Certified Safety Professional and national director of EHS at ESFM, chats with Jill about getting her degree in public relations, stumbling into a safety coordinator position at a sawmill, and immediately learning the site would be undergoing an OSHA inspection. Listen to this week’s episode to learn how she approaches getting leadership on board with safety-based decisions, why continuing education is so important in this field, and find out Rusti’s biggest piece of advice for anyone in the safety industry.
This month’s podcast looks a little different, as Jill was able to sit down with 20 EHS professionals who were attending ASSP’s Annual Safety Conference and Expo. She met with people from many different industries, including construction, pharmaceuticals, and aerospace, as well as an assistant professor, a Ph.D. student, and even the editor in chief of a safety publication. Tune in to discover their favorite part of being a safety professional, advice for other professionals, their EHS heroes, and what the future of EHS looks like to them. Plus, find out how you could have a chance to contribute your own EHS story during an upcoming live podcast recording!
As is the case with many things in life, sometimes the most obvious advice truly is the best advice. In this episode, Jill chats with Jane Davies, Senior Risk Analyst and Loss Prevention Consultant at the Arizona Department of Administration and OSHA 10/30 trainer, to discuss her unexpected EHS career (that started with a visit to a dog park!) and dole out her best professional advice. Tune in to learn how there is always something you can bring to the table, why building your network is so important, and how simply listening to those more experienced than you can help in many ways.
Like many of our guests, Dr. Amber Mitchell didn’t start out with the goal of becoming a safety professional. But chance encounters and unique opportunities that presented themselves throughout her career seemed to be pushing her toward that end.
Felix Nater, president and owner of workplace security consulting firm Nater Associates, joins Jill to discuss why preventing workplace violence — not reacting to it — should be our focus.
Safety professionals have done a good job of mitigating physical hazards for as long as occupational safety has been an area of focus. But how do employers go about creating a work environment that is free from psychosocial hazards? Dr. David Daniels joins us in this episode to discuss what, in his view, is the most significant hazard people are exposed to in the workplace.
Safety professionals have done a good job of mitigating physical hazards for as long as occupational safety has been an area of focus. But how do employers go about creating a work environment that is free from psychosocial hazards? Dr. David Daniels joins us in this episode to discuss what, in his view, is the most significant hazard people are exposed to in the workplace.
Even though everyone understands that safety in the workplace is important, it can still be tough for decision-makers to get on board with making necessary, and lasting, changes. It’s easy to conduct an incident investigation and put a fix in place, but what about working to prevent incidents instead of just responding to them? Join Jill as she chats with Carla Davis-Madgett, who stumbled into a 38-year-long career as an EHS professional after recognizing her strengths and personal values; capturing the hearts and minds of leadership in order to create a continuous dialogue.
Fighting the “safety cop” stereotype can be a difficult task. This is especially true if you are trying to build your new career in safety. Nadia uses her natural leadership and relationship-building skills to unite her coworkers for the common good. Nadia Ullah Morin is a QHSE Lead at a water technology manufacturing company, with a background in biology, chemistry, and crude oil quality control testing. Although she may be new to the profession, Nadia shares the skills she learned from day-to-day team building, pushing back on the safety cop mentality, and paving her way to being a true leader in the EHS world. Learn how you can use your soft skills to bring people together and make safety everyone’s job.
Chris Garza walks us through his inspirational story that starts with a very early passion for helping others and the world with his work. He started his career in the lab working on stem cell therapy and moved on to overseeing hazardous material disposal from electrical transformers. Chris is now the EHS Manager for Benuvia Manufacturing with over 13 years of experience, and Principal Consultant for Feather and Mane EHS Consultants.
There are many hats to be worn as a safety professional, and data collector/analyzer is often one of them. Jill sits down with Arianna Howard to better understand how safety data analytics and software systems play a role in the EHS environment. Arianna is a Manager of EHS IT Data Platforms and Digital Software Systems in the electric vehicle manufacturing industry. She has over 8 years of environmental, health, and safety consulting and industry experience focused on data management and information systems. Learn how you can better use data analysis and EHS software to create a safer and smarter workplace.
Alan Davis, CSP sits down with us to share his story of how he "accidentally wound up in a profession to prevent accidents". His story starts with a farm injury that ruled out a military career before it began, but gave him an opportunity to explore a career in safety. He eventually ended up overseeing safety at sea as the Director of Safety and Compliance at American Seafoods Company. With years of experience in Conducting In-Port and At-Sea Vessel Safety Inspections, including Machine Guarding, Work Practices, OSHA Compliance, Life Safety, and more.
Many EHS professionals are trying to understand what it means to implement Environmental, Social, and Governance factors into their programs. Join us as Dolores Salman, CSP, walks us through her accidental safety journey and shares many key points in implementing ESG initiatives as an EHS professional and takes us past the basics of ESG. Dolores is the Global Head of Corporate & Studio EHS at a tech media and entertainment company and past President of the ASSP Los Angeles Chapter.
Want to learn more about ESG? Check out episode #95 as our host, Jill James, explains the basics of ESG.
Environmental, Social, and Governance has been a growing topic over the last couple of years. Never heard of it before? Well, you're not alone. Jill James takes the mic to explain ESG, why your company should care about it, and how you can prepare for ESG factors as a safety professional.
Learn how you can be a better teacher, educator, and leader in the safety classroom. Our guest is John Mahoney, EH&S Training and Public Education manager at Avangrid. He is also a civil engineer, Certified Safety Professional (CSP), and has been a volunteer firefighter for 48 years. Through many years of training and teaching across the country, John has gathered many foundational tips and tricks for effective training that he's graciously shared in this episode.
Have you been looking for ways to advance your safety management systems? Jon Liesmaki shares his 8-step guide to effective management systems and his 5 pillars in tackling leading and lagging indicators that you can use today. Jon has years of safety leadership and management experience, currently as Director of Environmental, Health, and Safety at Harmon Construction. Learn from someone who has been there how you can not only advance your company's safety systems but also how you can advance your career as a safety professional.
This week's guest is Rebecca Reindel, the Safety and Health Director at the AFL-CIO (American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations). The AFL-CIO is the largest labor federation in the United States, representing 57 national and international labor unions with 12.5 million union members nationwide. Like many of our listeners, Rebecca's story didn't start out with a passion for safety, although her passion for people and worker's rights landed her a role as a Safety Pro. Learn how the AFL-CIO's Death on the Job report is raising awareness and keeping workers safe today.
Back when there were little to no podcasts for EHS professionals, HSI’s own Jill James started this one to celebrate and explore the journey and experiences of safety professionals. In this special anniversary episode, the tables turn as our host is in the hot seat. Our guest host is long-time friend Dr. Todd Loushine, who digs deeper into where it all started, some of Jill's favorite episodes, and the future of safety. Make sure to leave your feedback/suggestions on the survey below to help us improve in years to come!
Do you struggle with burnout at work? If the answer is yes, you’re not alone, studies show that up to 77% of the working population experience burnout at their job. This episode shines a light on this problem and the dangers of it in the safety industry. We discuss boundaries, burnout, and strategies to both prevent and cope with burnout. Our guest is Subena Colligan, a Certified Industrial Hygienist, Certified Safety Professional, and a health and safety coach and consultant at S. Colligan Coaching.
Scott DeBow is a highly collaborative, strategic thinker with 19 years of progressive leadership in the realm of Risk/Occupational Safety. Jill digs into the passion behind Scott’s goal of developing Safety Leadership across organizations with a targeted emphasis on system improvements, as well as understanding the unique risks and vulnerability of temporary workers. Learn how Scott turned an early career in the Navy into years of occupational health and safety innovation. Be ready to take notes, this episode is full of key takeaways!
Do you work closely with your Human Resource professional? We sit down with Tiffany Castagno to talk about the benefits of safety and HR professionals collaborating in an effort to improve physical and psychological health and safety. Tiffany is the CEO and Founder of CEPHR, an HR Consulting firm based out of Pittsburgh, PA with the goal of helping clients build out their teams, programs, and cultures. With over 14 years of experience, Tiffany knows what it takes to make a change. Learn how you can work with your HR professional to provide your employees with a better, safer human experience.
A diversity certification might have just saved Clayton Sinclair’s marriage and life. Clayton shares his inspiring experiences, stories, and knowledge from his journey working in financial services to becoming the Director of DE&I at Blue Ocean Brain, an HSI company. Connecting the dots between inclusion and diversity with health and safety is easier than you might think. Learn how you can create a culture that is welcoming to all and sustainable for years to come.
With a need for safer and healthier workplaces at the forefront of everyone's mind, you don't want to miss this conversation about psychological safety and how it's improving work culture across the country. Host Jill James talks to Claire Herring, CEO of Blue Ocean Brain, an HSI company and leading provider of workplace learning and professional development content. Learn how you can identify and implement psychological safety within your organization today.
Receiving the title of “Chief” in a Northern Nigerian village isn’t very common, especially for an outsider from Tanzania. Neither is it common for tribal leaders to let an outsider help with the health and safety of their community. Both happened to Industrial Hygienist Manti Michael Nota. He has dedicated his career to improving occupational health in Africa. Currently, Manti is the Industrial Hygiene Project Coordinator & Nigeria Safer Mining Project Coordinator with Occupational Knowledge International (OKI)--- he is also a doctoral candidate. Our host Jill learns how Manti spent months building trust with tribal leaders to save the lives of hundreds through his work in preventing lead poisoning- and how his love for people continues to motivate him to do more.
Receiving the title of “Chief” in a Northern Nigerian village isn’t very common, especially for an outsider from Tanzania. Neither is it common for tribal leaders to let an outsider help with the health and safety of their community. Both happened to Industrial Hygienist Manti Michael Nota. He has dedicated his career to improving occupational health in Africa. Currently, Manti is the Industrial Hygiene Project Coordinator & Nigeria Safer Mining Project Coordinator with Occupational Knowledge International (OKI)--- he is also a doctoral candidate. Our host Jill learns how Manti spent months building trust with tribal leaders to save the lives of hundreds through his work in preventing lead poisoning- and how his love for people continues to motivate him to do more.
Part 1 of 2.
Like many of you, John Morawetz’s safety journey was a twisted one; full of priceless experiences, opportunities, and knowledge. His childhood was a little different than most. As a middle-class kid of two professors, John knew more about graphs than most kids knew about sports. He turned his early passion for justice and people into a career in health and safety, becoming Director of ICWUC Center for Workers Health and Safety and recently winning APHA’s Eula Bingham Award for Excellence in OHS Education and Training.
From L'Oréal makeup to missile head manufacturing, 2020 NSC Rising Star Award recipient Laynnea Myles has seen it all when it comes to Environmental Health & Safety. Join Jill James as she unravels Laynnea's first steps in safety that turned into 17 years of networking, mentoring, and building others up. Learn how better networking can create a better community and keep more employees safe.
The President of SafetyFUNdamentals, Linda Tapp, joins us to talk about her unique journey in safety. What started as a mysterious loss control job opportunity turned into years of safety experience and consulting. Linda explains how she and her organization are putting the fun back into fundamentals, how accelerated learning techniques in safety are taking off, and how a cheesecake landed her an important job.
The National Safety Council announced its 12th class of Rising Stars in Safety, and we're not shocked that Carter's name was on the list! Through a high school project his junior year, Carter learned he might excel in the safety world. Like always, Jill asks about Carter's twisting path in safety which led him to be a safety manager within the Navy, overseeing projects across the U.S. Hear about Carter's exciting story that connects him even more with his dad.
Jill James talks with Dr. Marnie Dobson about work stress and how it relates to workplace health and safety. She is the Director of the Healthy Work Campaign as well as the Associate Director of the Center for Social Epidemiology. Through her years of research and analyzing results of work stress, we learn if it is, in fact, an epidemic. Although it can seem impossible to get rid of stress altogether, Dr. Dobson leaves us with solutions and resources to lower work stress in any industry.
Jill James is joined by Jessica Toliver, who works as the Director of Technical Assistance at an independent research organization that focuses on critical issues in policing. Jessica explains her role in researching issues and providing best practice policies to agencies that need technical assistance. Police funding and resource management are hot topics in today's world. Jill uncovers the daily challenges that officers face when it comes to available resources, receiving help, and finding an outlet. Officer wellness and safety is an ongoing project, but Jess and her team continue working to improve how police services reach the public.
Psychology, sociology, and safety; Erin joins us to share her unique perspective on safety. With 19 years of experience developing/managing EH&S programs, Erin has taken a step back to reflect on how safety really fits into her life. Learn how to reevaluate with our host Jill James and guest Erin Behlen.
Jennifer Reilly talks about her journey in becoming the President and COO of the women-owned and founded Safety Partners, Inc. Jill and Jennifer discuss the not-so-linear path to becoming a safety professional and how it differs for everyone. Jennifer shares her early passion for science, the importance of managerial support, and her choice to pick safety over all other opportunities. Settled into her role, she is proud to share Safety Partner's focus on encouraging women to look into the career paths of science and technology. We are left with the idea that safety is a career that should be considered by more.
Jill is joined by Kristina, who is a safety manager with a shipping company in sunny Florida. Kristina explains how unexpected early experiences sparked her passion for safety. Through the conversation we learn more about Maritime safety, executive buy in, and how the sausage is made. Kristina also shares her safety experiences as she travels to the Caribbean Islands, where OSHA is not so prevalent.
In this episode of The Accidental Safety Pro, series host Jill James interviews Dr. Rachael Jones, who is an associate professor in the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine at the University of Utah School of Medicine, as well as the Director of the Industrial Hygiene Program. Rachael is also Chief Editor of the Annals of Work Exposures and Health, the Journal of British Occupational Hygiene Society. Come listen to them discuss the creation of standards, Covid-19, and much more.
In this special episode of the podcast, we recognize Worker Memorial Day and remember those that have lost their lives while at work. Listen to a keynote speech given by our series host Jill James, about a tragic workplace fatality and the fallout from it.
In this episode of the podcast, series host Jill James interviews Ryan Quiring. Ryan is a 14 year veteran of functional safety engineering and process safety - and he’s been applying those principles to safety for the past six years. Ryan is also a Canadian native as well as the founder of his own company.
In this episode of The Accidental Safety Pro Podcast, series host Jill James interviews Eric Persaud. Eric is a doctoral candidate in public health at the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, at the State University of New York, Downstate Health Sciences University, and Eric will soon be defending his dissertation. Eric has a lot of insight on ways the pandemic has affected us in ways that might otherwise go unseen to the general public, like the rise in opiate overdose deaths.
In this special episode of the podcast, series host Jill James interviews Mark Catlin. We have Mark in the studio today because OSHA is talking about issuing an emergency temporary standard (ETS) in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
In this episode of The Accidental Safety Pro Podcast, our guest is Gary Smith, President and CEO of the Ammonia Safety Training Institute. Gary has a remarkably storied career and a fascinating rise to where he is today. This is our longest episode ever because we couldn't pack Gary's story into just an hour. You won't want to miss this one!
In this episode of The Accidental Safety Pro Podcast, Series host Jill James interviews Paul Penn. Paul is a Swiss Army Knife of emergency management, environmental management, and health & safety management. His safety and advocacy work has been making waves in the safety world for decades. Listen to all the great stories, advice, and more!
In this week's episode, series host Jill James speaks with Lindsay and Darcy, subject matter experts in Active Violence Emergency Response Training. Together, they're the founders and directors of AVERT.
In this unique episode of The Accidental Safety Pro Podcast, series host Jill James reaches out to everyone affected by the pandemic.
In this episode of The Accidental Safety Pro, series host Jill James interviews Sheldon Primus. Sheldon is a safety consultant and trainer with a Master's Degree in Public Administration with an emphasis in environmental policy. He's also a trainer for the Certificate of Occupational Safety Managers and Certified Occupational Safety Specialist programs of the Alliance of Safety Council, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Also, Sheldon is the author of "7 Steps to Starting a Profitable Safety Consulting Business" and the host of the weekly podcast, "Safety Consultant with Sheldon Primus." This is an episode you won't want to miss!
Series host Jill James sits down with Ashlee in this episode of The Accidental Safety Pro. Ashlee is a safety professional from Pennsylvania with the United Steelworkers. She has seen many generations in her family become union workers, including herself. Listen now!
In this episode of The Accidental Safety Pro Podcast, Series host Jill James interviews Yodit. Yodit was born and raised in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and is a 35-year-old educator in sustainability practices. She is also currently the coordinator of the environmental career worker training program at UCLA's Labor Occupational Safety and Health Division. Come listen to them talk about safety, unions, and sustainability.
In this episode of the podcast, series host Jill James interviews Dr. Esteban Tristan. Dr. Tristan holds a PhD in industrial and organizational psychology and is a member of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology and the American Society of Safety Professionals. He's actively involved in applied research and has published articles in professional journals such as the International Journal of selection Assessment, the Journal of Organizational Psychology, the Journal of Safety Research, and EHS today. Come listen to Jill and Dr. Tristan talk about safety DNA and much more!
In this episode of The Accidental Safety Pro, series host Jill James interviews Jonathan Rosen. Jonathan is a certified industrial hygienist and is a principal consultant for AJ Rosen and Associates, LLC providing occupational safety and industrial hygiene services to labor unions, government agencies, and organizations throughout the United States.
In this episode of the podcast, series host Jill James speaks with Mark Catlin. Like many, Mark has been on the front lines throughout this pandemic, utilizing his talent, training and expertise to protect essential workers.
In this episode, podcast series host Jill James is joined by Mark Catlin, an industrial hygienist from Maryland. This episode is a memorial dedicated to health and safety professionals—and workers—whose lives and professions were impacted by the work, research, and advocacy of Dr. Eula Bingham.
In this episode, podcast series host Jill James interviews husband and wife team Jacy Good and Steve Johnson. Come and listen to their perspective on the effects COVID-19 has had on distracted driving.
In this episode, podcast series host Jill James is joined by Lorraine Martin, president and CEO of the National Safety Council. Lorraine returns with an update on the SAFER task force.
In this star-studded episode of the Accidental Safety Pro, series host Jill James gets the opportunity to interview Scott and Krista Geller, who have been teaching and inspiring generations of safety and health professionals. Together, Scott and Krista founded the education and training organization, Actively Caring For People or AC4P. Come along for the ride as they discuss their areas of expertise and COVID-19
In this episode of The Accidental Safety Pro, podcast series host Jill James is joined by Jeff, a seasoned safety & health professional with over 20 years in the industry. Jeff currently works as an environmental health and safety pro in a manufacturing setting in Wisconsin.
In this special COVID-19 episode, podcast series host Jill James speaks with Lorraine Martin, President & CEO of the National Safety Council. The National Safety Council is the nation's leading safety advocate; last week NSC announced an effort to help employers create safe workplaces in a post Coronavirus world. The effort is called SAFER: Safe Actions for Employee Returns. Jill & Lorraine discuss the effort.
Podcast series host Jill James interviews Chip Hughes, award-winning Director with the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). Chip runs an innovative program securing cooperative agreements for rapid deployment of new safety and health training programs for workers involved in hazardous substance response.
In this episode, podcast series host Jill James interviews Katica Roy, a gender economist and CEO of Pipeline Equity. Katica shares gender and pay equity facts and how they influence STEM.
In this special COVID-19 episode of the Accidental Safety Pro, Series host Jill James interviews two nurses to get their perspective on the Coronavirus situation. Everything from explaining proper hand washing techniques to talking about the individual social responsibility we all have to practice social distancing.
In this special COVID-19 episode, series host Jill James speaks with Corey Martin, the founder and CEO of spotlight safety. Jill and Corey discuss how to use chemicals for cleaning in the safest, healthiest way possible.
In this episode, podcast series host Jill James is joined by Deborah Roy, President-Elect of the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP). They discuss how employers can prepare for the Coronavirus in affected and not-yet-affected areas, where to get accurate, current information, and how to prepare for pandemics.
In this episode, Series host Jill James talks with an old friend, Dr. Todd Loushine - a returning veteran of the podcast. Todd is a professor at the University of Whitewater Wisconsin in the Occupational Safety degree program and is also the vice president of the Council for Professional Development for the ASSP.
Podcast series host Jill James interviews Iowa farm girl turned safety pro, Nicole. Her path to safety began in early childhood, when a life-changing incident resulted in the loss of multiple fingers.
Podcast series host Jill James speaks with Jim Allyn, MarTech Media’s resident subject matter expert for reliability training. Jim is one of the most experienced training instructors to ever grace the podcast, with too many stories from the field to pack into one episode.
In this episode of the Accidental Safety Pro, series host Jill James is joined by Corey Martin, a safety professional and founder and CEO of Spotlight Safety.
In a series first, podcast host Jill James talks with a reigning American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) Women in Safety Excellence Safety Professional of the Year, Crystal!
On the eve of Thanksgiving, podcast series host Jill James catches up with Jason Maldonado. Jason’s start in safety began in the Air Force, where he revived training efforts for Hazard Communication, HAZWOPER, and Lockout/Tagout (LOTO). He transitioned to the private sector, and, with the help of a great mentor, developed his characteristic style of employee safety engagement.
Podcast series host Jill James speaks with Jason Lucas, creator on #SocialMediaSafetyMinute.
Podcast series host Jill James speaks with two safety birds of a different feather, Jana and John. Each are Master’s-level educators, with decades of experience developing training right on the evolving technology curve.
Series host Jill James interviews Jordan, a safety pro working with his faith community. Jill takes us through Jordan's fascinating path to safety professionalism. You'll learn about the unexpected safety considerations unique to faith-based congregations.
Podcast series host Jill James talks with American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) Fellow Cindy, whose career in industrial hygiene spans an amazing 38 years.
Chief Safety Officer and podcast host Jill James, sits down with Tom Andrzejewski, Safety Director at Hunt Electric to talk about Tom's path into safety, how their paths unknowingly crossed years ago, and the importance of networking and associations.
Jill and Christine take some to talk about BCSP Foundation and three main initiatives they're working on at the Foundation.
New President and CEO of the National Safety Council talks with podcast host and Vivid Learning Systems Chief Safety Officer, Jill James live from the floor of the 2019 NSC Expo.
Krista Geller talks with Jill James about the importance of pets in our lives, growing up in safety and research, and Actively Caring for People.
Jill James, Chief Safety Officer and podcast host, talks with Jacy Good and Steve Johnson about their story, Hang Up and Drive, as well as what it's like to be married public speakers on the road together.
Vivid Learning Systems Chief Safety Officer and podcast host sits down with Dr. Scott Geller live on the expo floor from the 2019 NSC Expo.
Podcast series host Jill James talks with Mark Hernandez, Navy man, construction veteran, EMT, OSHA compliance officer, speaker, coach, author, and safety professional.
Jill James speaks with special guest Abby Ferri about her storied career path, how to avoid being the safety cop by earning the trust of your workers, and utilizing social media as a safety pro.
Podcast series host Jill James speaks with former professional boxer, firefighter, and elephant stampede survivor, Tony Taylor.
Live from the University of Notre Dame! Jill connects with the trailblazing Eric Kloss, Director of Risk Management and Safety. They talk about ND’s Safety Summit, a campus-wide kick-off event related to the VPP pursuit, the magnetism and impact of event speaker Charlie Morecraft, and Eric’s professional journey.
30 years. 1 story. Hundreds of thousands of lives touched. That’s the Charlie Morecraft experience. Charlie shares the unforgettable story of how he got into safety the old fashioned way—after a serious injury at work.
Podcast series host Jill James connects with Debra, a lecturer at her alma mater, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in the Occupational & Environmental Safety and Health Department. You’ll learn—through Debra’s example—why learning continuously is so critical to success in the safety profession.
Today, Jill James talks with Andrew, JB Hunt’s Regional Safety Manager. Andrew helps keep those 80,000 pound big rigs rolling safely down the highway. In fact, Andrew can maneuver a semi truck like a pro.
Live meditation practice? On a podcast? Yep! Podcast series host Jill James brings in two incredible guest-experts on the subject of mindfulness in safety.
Podcast series host Jill James welcomes Josh to the show. Now practicing safety on behalf of a large civil constructor, Josh’s unlikely path started as a teenage tagalong on his father’s construction sites, a go-fer. When his college pursuit of music scholarship was sidetracked by romance and relocation to the West Coast, he found familiar work back in the construction industry.
In this episode, Chief Safety Officer and host of the show, Jill James, talks with Cassandra, a workers compensation claims consultant. They discuss workers compensation in some detail, including experience modifiers, how to deal with the sometimes dishonest "11%", and how different state laws affect working in this field.
Jill James, our series host, talks with Jay Allen from SafetyFM. They cover topics including his broadcasting background, trying to settle on a major, and Jay explains how a vehicle fatality gave him a push to get into safety.
These stories from safety professionals across the country will make you laugh, make you wince, and leave you with the sense that you’re not alone.
In a podcast first, series host Jill James sits down with three emerging professionals affiliated with American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP). With pathways to safety as unique as their backgrounds, our guests on the 21st episode share important commonalities: formal education in occupational safety and internships.
Robert came to safety through a popular pathway—the trades, skilled labor. As a teenage apprentice electrician, Robert was struck by an arc flash. Then, as a carpenter, he slid off of a roof without any fall protection gear.
Contrary to the theme of the show, Chevon was seemingly born to the safety occupation. That’s what happens when your mother is a professor of occupational health and safety.
Podcast series host Jill James connects with Certified Safety Professional Rick, a home grown pro with over 30 years of experience.
Series host Jill James connects with Katie, one of the few who began higher education with a focus on occupational safety, earning a Bachelor of Arts and Masters in health and safety.
From starting his career as a chemist at a nuclear facility to becoming an operations manager at a hydro plant and on through his recent retirement, our guest Harold talks with series host Jill James about his path towards becoming a safety pro.
Our host, Jill James, sits down to have a conversation with Linda Martin, 2018 President of the Board of Certified Safety Processionals, chair of the Board of Certified Safety Professionals Foundation Board, and recipient of the 2018 Marion Martin Award recognizing influential women in safety.
In this episode of the podcast, series host Jill James reconnects with Dr. Amy Orders, Managing Director of Emergency Management Mission Continuity, with North Carolina State University. You’ll also explore two paradigms of adult education: Problem-Based Learning and Authentic Learning. Also, there’s a great story involving fall protection harnesses and a literal leap of faith off of a 2-story building.
Podcast series host Jill James connects with filmmaker Dave DeSario, an unlikely workplace safety champion and outspoken reform advocate. Learn about the safety nuances and pitfalls of non-traditional employee-employer relationships, the correlation between workers’ compensation systems and increase in temp staffing nationwide.
This episode features John Dony, Director of the Campbell Institute and Director of EH&S at the National Safety Council. He sits down to talk with host and Vivid's Chief Safety Officer Jill James, live on the Expo floor of the NSC Congress, about the work and research taking place at the Campbell Institute.
Jill James, Chief Safety Officer and show host, talks with Justin, a VP of Safety, with an oil and gas company in Texas–live from the Expo floor of the NSC Congress.
Series host Jill James sits down with the President and CEO of the National Safety Council, Debbie Hersman. Together they discuss safety legislation, being a "worst case scenario mom", and the new mission of the NSC - eliminating preventable deaths in our lifetime.
Russell, a electrical safety pro from Texas, joins us live on the floor of the NSC to talk with our Chief Safety Officer and host Jill James.
Our host Jill James sits down with the Safety Training Ninja, Regina McMichael from the Learning Factory, live from the floor of the NSC Expo.
Learn about the life of a young safety professional on the road, covering 400K miles from plant to plant in America’s heartland. Paul’s also got a bunch of near-miss stories any safety pro will connect with, along with advice for building safety “street cred”, and having rewarding experiences working with Millennials.
You’ll learn how Mark’s blue-collar upbringing influenced his perspectives on occupational safety, and how a 7-year adventure in Alaska working as one of about 15 industrial hygienists in the entire state, solidified his professional interest (along with some measure of local celebrity) by offering the truly unique experience of working with under-served native American communities.
Podcast series host Jill James speaks with Scott, a safety engineer in the telecomm industry, and published author. An 18-year professional safety veteran, Scott started his journey as an undergraduate psych major when a summer job at the local factory gave him his first taste of occupational safety.
Ever wonder what occupational safety looks like for a Hollywood studio? This episode of the podcast finds series host Jill James talking with Carolina, a safety leader at Pixar. You’ll learn about building trust with regulatory bodies, how occupational safety is managed for Pixar’s 1400 employee, multi-building campus, and, once more, that hazards are present in all working environments.
This discussion covers Cheryl’s 10-year journey of safety leadership in the pipeline industry, where she’s writing confined-space entry programs, and is responsible for the wellbeing of thousands of employees across 12 states. Also, she talks about what it’s like to work along with 100 other safety professionals in thesame organization. And if you’re interested in high-level incident investigation and accidents with Serious Injury and Fatality (SIF) potential, this episode is a goldmine.
Todd explains the moment that moved him away from the academic pursuit of chemical engineering, which led him to interviewing with OSHA and a career that involved working some of the same investigations as our own Jill James. Bonus? Dr. Todd talks about OSHA’s “$1000 poster”, OSHA’s Field Operations Manual, and other secrets known to OSHA investigators (the “drive-by”).
Over the course of this conversation between two of Minnesota’s finest, Michelle shares her experiences managing safety across multiple facilities, talks about the importance of building relationships with the workforce to resolve real safety issues, starting over in the wake of the recession and working her way back to the top of the profession.
Series host Jill James caught up with EHS Specialist Brandy while she was in the midst of studying for the Associate Safety Professional (ASP) exam, and just before attending ASSE’s SAFETY 2018 conference in San Antonio.
This episode we sit down with Jeremiah, a safety professional in the zoo and aquarium industry. We touch on topics from how to train seasonal workers, management buy-in, the importance of networking and mentoring, and the ever-changing role technology plays in safety. And the importance of the phrase "teach me".
We talk about making the leap from 12-hour shifts in refinery production to the safety and occupational health role, how a father's severe occupational injury impacted his son's childhood, ultimately shaping his approach to the safety job, and more.
This episode shares tips for earning credibility with employees, the challenge of proving yourself to management in new environments, and how good it feels to finally get the win that helps.
True to the show, podcast host and Chief Safety Officer Jill James retraces her career-long journey in safety. Jill tells the story of how her professional aspirations changed in college, the internship that landed her a job as an OSHA investigator, and describes her mentors along the way.
A quick look at what to expect from this podcast hosted by Vivid Learning Systems Chief Safety Officer, Jill James. What is an accidental safety professional?