The Safety Guru

One decision can have lasting consequences. Don't miss this sobering and deeply personal conversation with Paul Blanchard from Proud2BSafe, as he recounts a life-changing accident in which he fell 12 feet while repairing the roof of a farm building. Paul candidly describes the harrowing events of that day, the physical and emotional aftermath, the profound ripple effects on his family and communit...

What does it take to make safety a true business advantage? We’re excited to welcome back Brian Fielkow, business leader, board director, advisor, and author, for another insightful conversation on The Safety Guru to explore safety as a compelling business proposition and a strategic priority. Drawing on insights from his latest book, Making Safety Happen: The Roadmap to a Safe, Productive & Profi...

We are excited to welcome Guy Onley, founder of The Onsite Coach, for a lively and informative conversation exploring how weightlifting principles can be applied to workplace safety to help people lift smarter, move safer, recover better, and ultimately stay safer at work. Drawing on his extensive gym coaching experience, Guy brings a fresh perspective on how proven weightlifting techniques can su...

Join us for another insightful episode with returning guest Dr. Lianne Lefsrud, a seasoned risk management expert and Risk, Innovation & Sustainability Chair (RISC) in the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Alberta. Following her previous episode on “Safety Through Design,” Dr. Lefsrud dives deeper into a systems approach to risk management, highlighting the importance of building safety...

What can we learn from servant leadership in safety? “Servant leadership has such great breadth and depth in terms of establishing a great philosophical and applied foundation for greater learning and performance in safety.” In this energetic and engaging episode, we welcome David Sarkus, Chief Servant Leader and Founder of David Sarkus International Inc., who explores what servant leadership trul...

In this compelling episode, Dr Mark Taylor, a leading industrial psychologist and founder of Behavico Ltd, joins us to explore the board’s role in safety leadership and how proactive risk management can help transform safety culture into a strategic organizational advantage. Dr Taylor explains the complex relationship between safety culture, human behavior, and the systemic conditions that shape s...

Don’t miss the latest episode of The Safety Guru! Join us as Kylie Long, a seasoned expert in workplace health and safety, explores the critical role of managing psychosocial risks to build safer workplaces. She provides a practical guide for leaders to better understand psychosocial risks, their business impacts, and how they can be effectively managed across organizations. Kylie explores the psy...

In this week’s episode of The Safety Guru, we’re joined by Dr. Era Poddar, who shares her extensive expertise in ergonomics and human factors to explore what these principles are, why they matter, and how organizations can proactively integrate them into workplace design to transform safety outcomes, boost productivity, and build safer, smarter workplaces. She discusses the wide-ranging benefits o...

Join us for a compelling conversation with Dr. Nicholas Weatherly, CEO of Deliberate Coaching International and a seasoned expert in applying the science of behavior to safety, leadership, and performance systems. In this episode, Dr. Nic explores the power of coaching, how to bring it into your organization, and how leaders can use it to drive meaningful and lasting change. He explains how small,...

Join us for this thought-provoking conversation with Craig Clapper, a seasoned systems engineer and founder of Reliability 4 Life, as he explores what it truly means to make systems more resilient. Craig explains why human error is an inevitable part of complex work and shares how organizations can strengthen situational awareness by helping people recognize where to focus their attention, identif...

This week on The Safety Guru, we welcome back returning guest Cristian Sylvestre as he takes a deeper dive into the neuroscience of safety and shares how applying neuroscience insights to daily operations can help build safer, more mindful workplaces. He introduces the concept of the second line of defense and explains why building attentive habits and learning to better manage subconscious brain...

We are excited to welcome Dr. Lianne Lefsrud, seasoned expert in risk management and Risk, Innovation & Sustainability Chair (RISC) in the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Alberta, to The Safety Guru for a fascinating and in-depth discussion on safety through design. Backed by solid research and related industry examples, Dr. Lianne explores a proactive approach to safety by sharing the...

Join us on The Safety Guru for an informative conversation with Paul Davison, former Royal Air Force helicopter pilot and Founder & CEO of PPWD, as he shares what it truly means to drive safety transformation through human-centered design. In this episode, Paul explores the essence of coaching, raising awareness, and improving decision-making at every level. He discusses how psychologically safe l...

In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re proud to feature an inspiring conversation with our returning guest, Dr. Keita Franklin. Drawing from fascinating research in her latest book, The Humanity Cure: How Small Acts Can Change the World, we explore how small, intentional acts of care can make a significant impact on workplace safety and mental health. Dr. Franklin discusses how bei...

In this powerful episode of The Safety Guru, Lee Ellis from Proud2BSafe shares his firsthand experience of a catastrophic offshore explosion in 2020, involving a commercial fishing vessel off the UK coast, and the critical leadership and safety lessons that emerged from it. Through vivid storytelling, he takes us into the heart of the crisis, revealing what it truly means to prepare for the unexpe...

We’re thrilled to welcome back Dr. E. Kevin Kelloway, Professor of Psychology and Management at Saint Mary’s University, to The Safety Guru for a powerful conversation on the critical role of work readiness and the simple yet impactful REDI framework for creating safer workplaces. In this insightful episode, Dr. Kelloway introduces the REDI model, a practical, human-centered approach to assessing...

In this thought-provoking episode of The Safety Guru, Cristian Sylvestre unpacks the importance of neuroscience and behavior in improving safety performance. Cristian breaks down four key brain modes that drive nearly everything we do, offering a powerful lens for understanding how attention and awareness influence our actions and how subconscious states like complacency, impatience, and fatigue q...

In this informative and enlightening episode, Dr. Jared Dempsey, a seasoned industrial psychologist, explores the powerful psychological factors that influence human behavior in safety-critical environments. Dr. Dempsey unpacks why understanding error-producing conditions is essential, takes a deeper look into human performance, and explains how cognitive and social psychology influence safety pra...

Join us for a powerful episode exploring mental health in the workplace and practical support strategies with crisis mental health expert Jessi Beyer. In this compelling conversation, Jessi unpacks the realities of mental health challenges, particularly in high-risk and safety-critical environments. Backed by eye-opening statistics and real-world stories, she explains how these challenges directly...

In this episode of The Safety Guru, we’re joined by certified aviation psychologist Aleksandra Kapela for a deep dive into aviation psychology and human factors, exploring what other safety-critical industries can learn from aviation. Aleksandra shares how modern thinking on human factors has evolved, emphasizing the importance of understanding the environment in which we operate, as well as the c...

Tune in for a fascinating and thought-provoking conversation with Dave Whitefield, a seasoned safety and risk professional with more than 30 years of industry experience. Dave joins The Safety Guru to discuss the challenges facing the safety industry and why meaningful safety improvement depends less on metrics and more on people and culture. In this episode, Dave explains why embracing risk, rath...

Start our new season with a powerful episode featuring Dr Tony Power, a leading expert in justice and safety management. In this insightful conversation, Dr Power explains what Just Culture truly means and emphasizes its critical role in improving safety management and driving organizational learning. Through real-world examples, he shares why a meaningful Just Culture must be grounded in values,...

As we approach the end of another year, we’re celebrating the incredible journey we’ve shared, filled with powerful insights from inspiring global experts, transformative perspectives from thought leaders, and voices on a mission for change, all dedicated to making a difference. Take a moment to revisit these unforgettable stories and safety lessons with your host, Eric Michrowski, as he reflects...

Join us for a deeply moving and powerful episode featuring Patrizia Cassaniti, a passionate safety advocate who transformed unimaginable tragedy into a mission for change. Patrizia recounts the heartbreaking loss of her son, Christopher, in a preventable construction incident caused by complacency and poor safety decisions. Through her story, she underscores the critical importance of putting work...

What is safety voice, and why is it important? Don’t miss this exclusive conversation with our returning guest, Dr. Archana Tedone, Assistant Professor of Management in the Dolan School of Business at Fairfield University. Drawing on her latest research, Dr. Tedone shares expert insights on safety voice and the pivotal role leaders play in fostering open safety communication to create safer workpl...