Psychosocial Safety USA Podcast

A significant portion of the U.S. population lives in areas lacking mental-health workers. Residents of underserved areas have roughly a quarter of the providers they need, in aggregate, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation says. Additionally, more than 150 million people live in federally designated mental health professional shortage areas. The global pandemic has exacerbated this shortage...

Jaimie Feinberg is not only a safety professional; with nearly 20 years in safety, she is a millennial who has a lived experience in several organizations of not feeling safe herself. While her experience is not unique, her courage and ability to share it are unique, especially for younger workers. Jaime shares what she has seen in the past and what she is currently experiencing in a start-up comp...

This episode features a conversation with one of the co-founders of Hummingly whose vision is “Everyone has access to the world's best advice in the toughest of times.” Jolie Wills is a cognitive scientist who utilizes her lived experience as a survivor of a major disaster, as well as a body of research conducted across the globe, to help individuals, teams, and organizations focus on the psycholo...

In the aftermath of the suicide of a 31-year-old firefighter in 2016, family and colleagues suggested that one contributing factor was lewd and harassing comments that had been made about the firefighter in a popular online forum. In response to this and other incidents, the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) established a Task Force to help identify and prevent bullying, harassment,...

For over 20 years, Antoinette Tull has been a professional facilitator and an accomplished Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO). With her assistance, the Richmond (VA) Police department became the most inclusive law enforcement agency serving a mid-sized city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As the Founder and CEO of Antionette Tull of Hurtle, LLC, which focuses on facilitation, HR business, and c...

With a vast number of people leaving the workforce, employers have been left wondering how they've failed to retain talent. A recent report points to managers as a key factor. In a recent survey, 82% indicated they would consider quitting their job because of a bad manager. There is little doubt that leadership in an organization has a tremendous impact on how safe and comfortable they feel in tha...

Much of the focus regarding safety in the United States is on private sector organizations, given that the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 exempts state and local governments that do not have state plans. This fact, combined with the complex and often highly political nature of public services, often creates significant risk for government and public sector employees based on the divers...

EMS practitioners face challenging and traumatic events that can impact their daily mental well-being. The mounting effect of patient needs, family, long workdays, nutrition, physical health, and sleep deprivation all contribute to an individual’s sense of wellness. Paramedics and EMTs responding to the COVID-19 pandemic have also experienced increased stress levels over concerns about exposure to...

While the U. S. may lack a specific set of laws that address psychosocial hazards in the workplace, some have a depth of understanding of the intersection between safety and the law. Adele Abrams is not only a safety professional but a licensed attorney with a law practice in three states. Attorney Abrams has expertise in both general industry and mining, including involvement in over 400 fatality...

“Labor Day” is celebrated on the first Monday in September. However, in the workplace, there is often an imbalance of power between management and labor that creates a hazard for both. The COVID 19 pandemic, compounded by the rise of concerns about diversity and the Great Resignation, has helped workers recognize their power to influence how they are treated has changed. One way of balancing the s...

While a psychosocial hazard is unique to the experience or perception of an individual, a culture of psychological health and safety is an organizational issue that requires organizational attention. This episode will focus on the role that an organizational psychologist can play in workers' emotional and mental health.

International standards identify “Inadequate equipment availability, suitability, (and) reliability” as a psychosocial hazard. OSHA requires personal protective equipment to be “provided, used and maintained in a sanitary and reliable condition.” The word reliable means “suitable or fit to be relied on.” However, it’s difficult to feel safe, rely upon, or trust PPE that doesn’t fit. The guest for...

In addition to focusing on physical health, the mind, will, and emotions can also play a role in one’s psychological health and safety. For the past two decades, Pastor Warren Henry has been helping public sector employees in his community, primarily in the public safety space, through his involvement in and leadership of a local government-supported chaplaincy. This episode will highlight how he...

A veteran of the U. S. Air Force, Subena Colligan started her safety journey as an Industrial Hygienist prior to moving into a corporate HSE position. Following a psychosocial hazard exposure, she began to focus on several mindfulness-focused strategies. She also focuses her management consulting practice on not only organizational development but on assisting safety professionals to deal with the...

Christin Peeples shares the story of her exposure to 10 years of workplace bullying and abuse, and how it affected her both emotionally and physically, as well as how this experience led her to form a non-profit that focuses on assisting others that are facing similar circumstances. Her perspective is that often, abusive behavior is directed not at those who are weak and incompetent, but at those...

Dr. Namie will discuss his journey as a workplace bullying researcher and advocate over the past 25 years and his efforts to change the nature of work through the adoption of the Healthy Workplace Bill. From his experience of vicarious exposure to his wife’s experience of bullying, through their formation of an organization to train and develop anti-bullying advocates across the United States, sup...

In this episode, we’ll be talking about discussing ISO 45003;2021, the international standard on psychological health and safety at work from an American perspective. The guest is Kahlilah Guyah, a Certified Environmental, Health & Safety Consultant, Speaker, and CEO of EHS Compliance Services, Incorporated in Austin, Texas. Kahlilah discusses the use of international standards such as 45003 and 4...

In this episode, we’ll speak with one of the top safety professionals and academics in America about the state of safety and the fact that Sometimes Safe, Is Not Safe Enough. We’ll talk about some of the reasons why this is the case and what needs to be done to make the workplace safer, including the importance of recognizing the impact that psychosocial hazards have on work in the United States.

In the first episode of Psych Health and Safety USA, we’ll be talking to a group of global psych health and safety podcast hosts about the world of work and what it looks like in their respective countries. We’ll discuss their experiences and their perspective on how the U. S. compares and what can be done to bridge any gaps. We’ll talk about the various standards and policies that have been imple...

The goal of the Psych Health and Safety USA podcast is to increase awareness of the importance of psychological health and safety, grow the community of psych health and safety advocates, and help reduce exposure to psychosocial hazards in workplaces in the United States. Each episode will feature not only guests with expertise in health and safety, psychology, academia, policymaking, and thought...