The Interesting Health & Safety Podcast

This week, Colin talks to Stephen Harvey, Principal Safety Business Partner at Moreton Bay Regional Council in Brisbane, about some of the practical ways in which he is applying his learnings over recent years into the workplace. KEY TAKEAWAYS We must endeavour to make documentation and instructional materials accessible not for the professionals who write them, but for the users at the end of the...

This time, Colin talks about pre-start briefings and meetings, a tool being sorely under-utilised in the business sector, and how they can positively impact the tasks ahead. KEY TAKEAWAYS Many misunderstand the effectiveness of pre-start briefings, or handle them in an entirely misjudged way. They are very important in establishing the narrative of the jobs ahead. Rather than delivering dry, monot...

This week, Colin talks about the value in building communities, and the importance of contributing our gifts for a collective good. KEY TAKEAWAYS As a solo entity we are strong and creative, but we are more empowered by being part of a team. By linking our own gifts with those of others, we create real value. Communities aren't built overnight. The time we take and the efforts we put in are all wo...

This week, Colin shares a small set of case studies in which things may have not worked out as planned, and the importance of testing and trialling the emergency plans we put into place in our organisations. KEY TAKEAWAYS Sometimes we put measures into place in order to deal with emergencies that arise, not taking into account that in the real world, these solutions may not actually work. Testing...

It's a small episode of reflection today, as Colin looks back over the preceding months and its effects, and also to the future and the importance of taking time for ourselves. KEY TAKEAWAYS It's worth taking time away from the routine and the work, in order to remember what's important and realign with what makes life enjoyable. We have to give ourselves the time away from the pressures of "doing...

Colin talks to Clive Lloyd, a psychologist specialising in Safety Leadership and Culture development, about his new book, Next Generation Safety Leadership, which seeks to illustrate practical applications that bring theory to life through case studies and stories from his years of experience in high-risk industries., and to provide safety leaders and their organisations with a compelling case for...

Today Colin talks about documents - who they're for, why they're produced - and why they matter to some and not to others. KEY TAKEAWAYS A document is a single use message that might mean something to someone and something completely different to others. This means that it is only valuable to that one person. If we want to make a document more valuable, then we need to involve the recipients in it...

In this very special show, Colin shares a live LinkedIn discussion he took part in, alongside Christian Harris of Slip Safety, and Jonathan Dempsey of Red Laces, surrounding the topic of effective communication in health and safety, and why it matters. KEY TAKEAWAYS Risk and safety have a bad image in some quarters. We can solve this by making sure that when we communicate, we're not only talking,...

This week, Colin talks to Teresa Swinton, founder of Paradigm Human Performance, about the importance of long-term thinking, how to better approach the practice of risk profiling, and why collaboration between departments should be normalised in order to better effect safety for all.  KEY TAKEAWAYS It's vital that businesses play the long game, instead of only focussing upon short term gains. Long...

This week, Colin talks to Nippin Anand, the founder of Novellus Solutions, dedicated to facilitating learning events with the view to promote innovation across safety-critical industries. Nippin talks to Colin about the importance of finding the best solutions in the world of safety, as well as why perspective and inclusivity are driving safety forward.  KEY TAKEAWAYS It is vital to give our worke...

In this week's show, Colin talks about the value of authenticity, and discusses why perfection might not be the right thing to aim for in life.  KEY TAKEAWAYS People are far too focussed on perfection in business, but human beings were never meant to be flawless, therefore perfection is a tough thing to attain. If you get something wrong, the best way to deal with it is to take accountability and...

This week, Colin talks to James and Phil, two members of Future Leaders, a group established by IOSH in order to help people starting out in their health and safety careers, through advice, guidance and information.  KEY TAKEAWAYS Through combined wisdom, guidance, advice and access, IOSH's Future Leaders seeks to enable those new to the safety world, in becoming the best professional they can be....

This time, Colin talks about why you should always remain agile and adaptable in business, and in life, and how swiftly acclimatising to new circumstances can put you ahead.  KEY TAKEAWAYS Listen to your customers. Make sure you're spending time hearing and understanding the people who make your business work. Health and safety professionals thrive upon providing value. It is how we find success....

This week, Colin talks about the importance of understanding int he workplace, and how we can better communicate with empathy to help us to build better relationships.  KEY TAKEAWAYS When we engage in a conversation, we must remember that it is a two-way street. Remember that the person may have things they wish to talk about, or points to get across. Communication ids also the art of making the o...

One of the most important things in safety, is that we do not spend time apportioning blame, or pushing away accountability. Instead we must seek to take ownership of issues whenever possible, as it is through this that we can more swiftly rectify and move on. KEY TAKEAWAYS If an issue arises, we should be looking at ourselves, the part we played in why, and how we can make things better from now...

This week, Colin talks to Craig Mathie, the managing director of Bournemouth 7s, an event that combines sports and music, about the approach he takes in ensuring large-scale public events like this take place smoothly and safely. KEY TAKEAWAYS COVID is a challenge we must all face, but it also risky to centre our entire business operation around it. Assess the risks, look for the challenges, and o...

In this week's show, Colin asks you to think about the ways in which technology is changing us as a society, and how we can use it to its best advantage. KEY TAKEAWAYS There is so much information and content out there , which is forcing us to make decisions far more quickly than we're used to. We must seek to discover ways to make people engage and embrace our messages of safety in the same, attr...

In this week's show, Colin talks to Steven Shorrock, editor of the Hindsight Magazine and the senior specialist of safety and human factors for Eurocontrol, supporting Air Navigation Service Providers throughout Europe with human factors, safety investigation, systems thinking and practice. Steven and Colin discuss learning from Work As Done, and how analysing work in high pressure areas of the bu...

In this episode, Colin discusses the importance of caring passionately about what we do, and how by doing so, we can gain knowledge along the way and make the world a safer place for all. KEY TAKEAWAYS Every time we try to create something beautiful, we have a chance to make it more magical by pouring our passion and our care into the project. If we come from a place of love, caring and attention...

Colin talks to Paul Clark, CEO of HSE Global Series, a global events series in North America, Middle East, United Kingdom, Europe & Africa, providing physical-based events that supply the world’s leading content and senior leadership engagement. Paul discusses the ways in which we can empower ourselves on a daily basis, and by doing so, ensure that the world is a little bit better each day. KEY TA...

In all walks of life, and in most sectors of business, we sometimes find ourselves presented with gatekeepers - those who are reluctant to move with the times and grow through development. In this episode, Colin talks you through the dangers of being a gatekeeper, and why progress is always a positive thing. KEY TAKEAWAYS Many people in safety a gatekeepers in terms of preferring traditional metho...

This week, Colin is in conversation with Garry Crosby, ex-Royal Air Force operative and business growth specialist, about the ways in which organisations can engender honesty, openness and trust among their workforce, and how this can benefit productivity and safety in the long run. KEY TAKEAWAYS Everyone has a different viewpoint and perspective about what success looks like. Finding that perspec...

It's a new year, and it's great to be back with you all! In this short, sharp welcome to the new year, Colin looks with hope towards the challenges and opportunities ahead. KEY TAKEAWAYS Success for this year will require a positive outlook and an ability to spot the opportunities when they arrive. Consistency and doing the right thing will be the best tools to get us through the challenges we may...

How's your head...? Colin welcomes you to a new year, and an exciting outlook for the Interesting Health And Safety podcast, as we begin the year anew, with fresh challenges and hopes for 2021! KEY TAKEAWAYS When returning to the workplace, try to hold some kind of session in order to welcome your people back, and get them thinking about their welfare, and that of the people around them. Think abo...

Colin reflects upon the tumultuous year gone by, but also looks with positivity and confidence towards the opportunities that lie in the year ahead. KEY TAKEAWAYS There have certainly been darker moments, but there are always positives and benefits in their wake. It's up to us to focus on the things that matter. 2020 has shown us what the worst-case scenario looks like for our businesses. It's als...