Rethinking Workplace Safety Through Policy and Power

In episode 107 we unpack the global and domestic landscape of workplace safety regulation. Drawing from a recent paper by Maureen Dollard and Rachael Potter, we explore how psychosocial risks (e.g., job stress, job insecurity, and AI disruption) are increasingly recognized as legitimate safety concerns. The conversation dives into:* How Australia enforces psychosocial safety standards* Why OSHA’s limited scope and resources hinder worker protection in the U.S.* The role of unions and the NLRB in safeguarding employee well-being* How collective action and expanded definitions of safety can reshape the future of workThis episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in occupational health psychology, labor policy, and the evolving definition of workplace safety.Read the paper here (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41542-025-00236-z)Find OSHA’s proposed regulation rollbacks, and leave public comments on them, here (https://www.osha.gov/deregulatory-rulemaking). Reminder, public comments are due November 1, 2025. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit healthywork.substack.com