Chasing Zero: An Ozinga Safety Podcast

After a near-death experience while surfing Lake Michigan in 2010, Dave Benjamin made it his mission to save lives and fight the staggering statistics of drownings (over 1,400 in the last 15 years) across all five Great Lakes. Dave joins us this week as the co-founder the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project — a non-profit advocating for legislation and water safety education — to discuss his own harro...

Fist fights. Car chases. Walking through fire. — It's all in a day's work for the LeFevours at Midwest Stunts Chicago. As stunt coordinators on the NBC dramas Chicago Fire and Chicago Med respectively, the father-son duo of Rick Sr. and Rick Jr. have done it all in film and television (whether hanging from buildings or flipping semi-trucks), while ensuring the safety of the cast, crew and their fe...

Imagine 20,000 calls per day. On average, that's what Chicago's Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC) is handling, from minor disturbances to life-and-death situations. And as a decorated 911 dispatcher with nearly 30 years experience, Amy Lovell's insight and contributions have helped shape the way police and fire teams respond. A go-to dispatcher for any major event where the...

Having been in construction since his teens, Hank Botterman has seen every angle of the industry and has remained a leader in safety culture for decades. As former Health & Safety Director/VP of Walsh Construction — a consistent recipient of major industry safety awards and named by Forbes this year as one of America's best large-scale employers — Hank has been central to the company's ongoing str...

In the second half of a two-part discussion, Ozinga co-workers Mick Jansey (ready mix driver), Caleb Callaway (safety trainer) and Bill Cheeks (safety manager) speak with Ozinga Health & Safety VP Adam Pummer about how safety culture has improved over the years, the tech upgrades that have assisted that process and what exactly makes a top driver. Plus, obstacles and near-misses they've encountere...

With over two decades of experience providing medical care to athletes of all stripes, Dr. Sargon Benjamin Odisho founded The Chicago Fix in 2016, combining chiropractic care, physical therapy, sports rehab and other services. But what sets Dr. Odisho's company apart is its mobile unit, which allows him to provide worksite wellness and on-the-job care in industries like construction, which is how...

In the first half of a two-part discussion, Ozinga co-workers Mick Jansey (ready mix driver), Caleb Callaway (safety trainer) and Bill Cheeks (safety manager) speak with Ozinga Health & Safety VP Adam Pummer about creating stability in an unstable environment, with a day-to-day schedule that's constantly changing. With 65+ years combined industry experience between them as drivers, they'll also ed...

As the world's leading manufacturer of construction equipment, Caterpillar knows a thing or two about safety, which led to the eventual creation of Caterpillar Safety Services, helping companies — especially those in heavy industry — reduce serious injuries and fatalities through intentional, top-to-bottom cooperation amongst departments. Shae Birkey, the company's Safety Culture and Leadership Ad...

Since 2004, BIOKINETIX has been using their expertise in kinesiology, sports medicine and occupational health to develop preventative programs and create better work environments for risk-prone industries like manufacturing, utilities and construction. Joined today by Ozinga Health & Safety VP Adam Pummer, BIOKINETIX founder and president Jon Kabance and prevention project manager Farence Rogers b...

In 1992, working as an industrial electrician, Gary Norland came in contact with a live power line, sending 12,000+ volts through him instantly. Sustaining electrical burns over more than a third of his body, and undergoing 60+ surgeries, Gary now tours the country presenting safety workshops and inspiring a new generation of tradespeople to always be aware of what cutting corners can cost. Gary's...

Thanks both to improvements in technology and sustained, intentional safety protocols, the railroad industry has lowered employee fatalities by 94% in the last four decades. But, what had to happen for these changes come to fruition? In conversation this week with Ozinga Health & Safety VP Adam Pummer, James Kornas — Executive VP of Ozinga Rail — walks us through the lingo and logistics of railroa...

Ozinga's Monday morning safety call — attended by hundreds of co-workers, from owners to the frontlines — has led to a nearly 40% reduction in incident claims this year alone. Today, Ozinga Health & Safety VP Adam Pummer -- along with Chad Herst, Executive Vice President of Ozinga Chicago, and Director of Safety and Compliance at Ozinga, Jeff Emrick -- discuss implementing this approach, and how s...

Because communication is a vital component to safety, Ozinga comms and public affairs director Jim Sibley and his team are a key part in helping deliver pertinent information to job sites — and the company at large — clearly and concisely. With over 35 years experience in his field, Jim brings to the table a strategic approach to messaging, whether through media relations, crisis management or any...

Over 50,000 people trained. That's the incredible reach of John Newquist, former assistant regional administrator for OSHA. With over 30 years experience as a certified safety professional, he continues to help the industry by offering study guides and daily quizzes online at no cost. These efforts, as we'll learn today, have literally changed lives — for example, when a student halfway around the...

With a combined 28 years at Ozinga, Barry Luchene and Ritchie Dembinsky lead the charge for Ozinga's driver apprenticeship program. Today, in conversation with Ozinga Health and Safety VP Adam Pummer, they'll share what it takes to break down silos through this structured, intentional approach, while providing leadership opportunities, as well as camaraderie and relationship-building, for the next...

Even if you're not in the construction world, safety in your line of work should be of key importance to your employer for a variety of reasons. Operations and Compliance EVP Kevin Walgenbach of the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association joins Ozinga Health & Safety VP Adam Pummer this week to delve into ten worthwhile safety pathways, derived from NRMCA's Think First initiative. They'll discus...

On our debut episode, Ozinga Health & Safety VP Adam Pummer and Safety Trainer Steve Lindley are joined by Teri McKean, Director of Crisis and Support Operations at NAMI Chicago.  Founded in 1979, the National Alliance on Mental Illness is dedicated to providing mutual support, education and advocacy for those affected by mental illness, as well as their friends and families. With suicides in the...