NSSGA Podcast

Katie Woodhall, Director of Safety with Stone Products and the Beaver Companies, joins Emily to discuss sun protection and heat safety for the aggregates workforce. With summer heat in full swing, Katie shares her personal experiences and professional insights on how miners, quarry workers, and equipment operators can protect themselves from the overlooked hazards of the sun.   This vital conversa...

Dr. Hunter Clymore, Director of Safety with Vista Minerals, joins Emily to discuss proactive safety through the lens of workplace examinations. As part of NSSGA's recognition of National Safety Month, Hunter shares his expertise on how companies can move beyond the "check the box" mentality to develop a culture that identifies and addresses hazards before they lead to injuries, accidents, or citat...

Chris Kearnes, Vice President of Human Resources at Sunrock Industries, joins Emily to discuss the unique intersection between the aggregate industry and National Bike Safety Month. Drawing on his 26 years in the heavy construction industry and over 30 years as a competitive cyclist, Chris shares his perspective on how the materials we produce shape the roads, greenways, and paths used by millions...

Cyrus Kezar, Safety Manager for L. G. Everist, joins Emily to tackle one of the most persistent challenges in safety and health: keeping training fresh and engaging. Cyrus shares his innovative approach to annual refresher training, designed to resonate with a multi-generational workforce, moving beyond passive presentations to dynamic, hands-on learning experiences. This crucial discussion highli...

Mike Bush, President of Linwood Mining, joins Emily for a sobering conversation about a tragic loss of life. Sharing the heartbreaking story of a 2017 fatality at Linwood's underground mine, Mike details the search for an employee who never returned home. This crucial discussion demonstrates how the incident forever altered Mike's approach to safety and leadership. Noting that this tragedy was cau...

NSSGA's new Director of Membership Growth & Engagement, Kelly Kanaras, joins Emily to humanize the critical issue of work zone safety. Drawing on her infrastructure background, Kelly discusses the "Watch for Us" campaign and the urgent need to address distracted and aggressive driving.  Together, they explore how personal experiences transform safety from a professional obligation to a deeply huma...

Ross Boeker, Manager of Safety Services at Vulcan Materials, joins Emily to discuss shifting safety leadership from "command and control" to a growth mindset. Exploring how "humble inquiry" and experimentation bridge the gap between corporate policy and field reality, Ross shares how a failed PPE mandate and a successful road project demonstrated that involving workers builds the trust and ownersh...

Emily is joined by Robin Markussen, Director of Occupational Health and Systems at Heidelberg Materials, to explore the shift from reactive to proactive safety. Drawing on her oil and gas experience, Robin explains how tragedies inspired the "safety case," a proactive risk assessment method. They discuss how this comprehensive tool can be used in any industry to prevent incidents before they happe...

Emily welcomes Rachel Proper from Caterpillar Safety Services, for a special episode in recognition of National Diabetes Month. Rachel shares a deeply personal and powerful story about her 13-year-old daughter's recent diagnosis with Type 1 diabetes. She explains how her own family history with the disease allowed her to recognize the subtle but serious symptoms, leading to an early diagnosis that...

With World Mental Health Day approaching next week, today's episode features host Emily Hargrove, NSSGA's Director of Occupational Safety and Health, as she explores the critical link between mental health and workplace safety in the aggregates and mining industry. Highlighting how an individual's mental well-being directly impacts their ability to work safely, she reveals the ways in which stress...

Emily welcomes colleague Kyle Brashear, NSSGA's Director of Sustainability, to explore the crucial link between sustainability and workplace safety. Kyle explains that sustainability is about much more than just the environment; it rests on three pillars: environmental, economic, and social. He identifies workplace safety as the most critical component of social sustainability within the aggregate...

Emily welcomes a familiar voice back to the podcast, Libby Pritchard, who is now the Senior Director of Sales and Business Development with Specialty Granules. Libby, formerly in a safety and health role with NSSGA, discusses her transition into a sales and business development position and how her perspective on being a safety leader has evolved. She shares powerful insights on how every employee...

Emily welcomes NSSGA's Senior Manager of Communications, Madalynn Habron to the podcast today for a discussion regarding critical water safety. Madalynn, a former lifeguard and swim instructor, shares insights on drowning prevention, the importance of swim lessons, recognizing distress signs, and how safety training principles extend from recreational activities to the aggregate industry workplace...

With June being National Safety Month, a time dedicated to focusing on safety as a core value, and the first week holding special significance as National CPR and AED Awareness Week, Emily is joined today by Brian Goepfert, a former MSHA Administrator for Enforcement and volunteer firefighter. Together, they discuss just how vital CPR and AED training can be in saving a life, and Brian shares a ve...

In this episode of Safety Shorts, host Emily Hargrove, NSSGA's Director of Occupational Safety and Health, welcomes Shea Davis, Regional Operations Manager for CDE USA, to discuss the evolution of safety training in the aggregates industry, particularly over NSSGA's 25-year history. Together, they explore the shift from passive, compliance-focused methods to today's interactive, real-world learnin...

Welcome back to Safety Shorts, your quick dose of safety wisdom! I'm your new host, Emily Hargrove, and I'm thrilled to welcome Troy Austin, Value Safety Manager at Luck Companies, back to the podcast today. As the days get longer and temperatures rise, many in the mining and aggregates industry are gearing up to restart seasonal operationshis, and this episode is all about ensuring a safe and eff...

Robert "Cujo" Teschner, former U.S. Air Force fighter pilot, husband, father, author, and advocate for lifelong learning, returns to the podcast today to share a deeply personal and cautionary tale about his "cancer stupidity"—ignoring early warning signs of illness due to pride, fear, and a misplaced sense of invincibility.  Reflecting on how this experience reshaped his life and perspective, Cuj...

Safety Shorts welcomes Robert "Cujo" Teschner to the podcast today to recount a harrowing "near miss" over the Atlantic that reshaped his view on risk and responsibility. A former U.S. Air Force fighter pilot, Cujo offers powerful insights into the dangers of prioritizing performance over safety, underscoring the importance of keeping safety as the ultimate measure of success in any high-stakes en...

This week, Libby Pritchard welcomes industry veteran Rob Lanham back to the podcast to share his personal health journey following over 42 years in Virginia's transportation construction sector. Rob recounts how a routine medical check-up uncovered a life-threatening condition, highlighting the importance of early detection and regular screenings. After recovering from a heart attack in 2021, a pr...

In this episode of Safety Shorts, host Libby Pritchard welcomes back safety consultant Ronn Lehmann, who delves into the critical relationship between safety and quality. Through a personal story about tree trimming near power lines, Ron illustrates the importance of maintaining rigorous safety standards in all aspects of life, not just the workplace. He emphasizes that consumer decisions play a s...

Libby is excited to welcome Jay Collup, the founder of Collup Enterprises, to the show for this important episode. Boasting an extensive career in the industry and a passion for training, particularly in mobile equipment operator safety, Jay proves an invaluable guest. In this episode, he shares a compelling story that underscores the importance of maintaining three points of contact—a critical sa...

Safety Shorts tackles the topic of concussion safety with Luck Stone's Regional Sales and Operations Manager, Dan Babish, a seasoned industry professional with close to 20 years experience in the business. Dan's harrowing story about a concussion from a post-driver incident underscores the importance of safety precautions, especially for those new to farm work. The episode emphasizes the often-und...

In this episode of Safety Shorts, Libby welcomes Sarah D'Amico, Marketing Manager of Turner Mining Group and Turner Staffing Group, to discuss the deeply personal importance of safety in such industries as mining. Sarah shares how her perspective on safety evolved from a set of rules to an emotional priority, particularly with her fiancé being a project superintendent in mining. Coinciding with Sa...

Bill Duguay brings his vast amount of industry experience back to the podcast today to  discuss the importance of workplace safety, accident prevention, and the implementation of stringent safety protocols. Bill, who now advises leadership teams on running safety-oriented businesses, shares a personal and poignant story about a lockout/tagout procedure gone wrong, an incident that nearly cost his...

In a key Safety Shorts episode, Aaron Witt, CEO of Build Witt, shares crucial safety insights from his early construction days. Starting at 18 with no prior experience, Witt learned the hard way that following experienced workers without question doesn't guarantee safety. His narrative highlights the danger of neglecting safety protocols, especially around trenches, and the life-saving importance...