Fatality Free Future® Podcast

In this episode of the Fatality Free Future podcast, John Barclay and Holly Ferguson speak with Mark Armstrong, founder of the Fit4Work screening tool and a specialist in physical performance and ergonomics. Mark shares how a client’s frustration with traditional pre-employment medicals being too costly, too slow, and too complex led him to completely rethink recruitment health screening.They explore the history of pre-employment medicals and the role of insurers, research showing that smart questionnaires can rival traditional medicals, and how Fit For Work delivers fast, role-specific, and geographically flexible screening using tailored job profiles, biometric data, and AI-driven movement analysis. Mark also explains how the system reduces candidate drop-off, manages sensitive health data securely, and uses targeted GP letters instead of unnecessary full medicals—offering a disruptive, preventative approach to workforce health and safety.To learn more and to access the materials referenced in this episode visit: https://barclayss.com/fatality-free-future-podcast/?season=1&episode=1

Survivor and safety speaker Theo Venter joins John Barclay and Holly Ferguson to share how a routine job and a split-second decision led to a 22,000-volt electrocution that should have killed him. Theo talks through the moment he ignored his gut feeling, the devastating aftermath for him and his family, and the long road of surgeries, recovery, and mental health battles.He explains how this experience evolved into a powerful safety message built around 6 agreements. Theo also offers practical insights for both frontline teams and leaders on building genuine safety culture and emotional buy-in, not just ticking boxes.

In this Season 3 opener of the Fatality Free Future podcast, Holly Ferguson speaks with John Barclay as he revisits the workplace fatality that reshaped his life and career. John shares his experience as a young emergency responder, the impact of losing a colleague in a “routine” job, and what the investigation revealed about overconfidence, normalised deviation, and organisational behaviours. They explore why experienced workers remain at high risk, how leaders can move beyond “it won’t happen here,” and why sharing real stories is essential to keeping risk perception sharp and working towards a truly fatality free future.To learn more and to access the materials referenced in this episode visit: https://barclayss.com/fatality-free-future-podcast/?season=1&episode=1

In the Season 2 finale, we explore the growing noise in the safety space as different principles such as HOP, New View, Safety Differently, and many others continue to emerge. This conversation unpacks the confusion that can arise when multiple principles coexist and examines the benefits and challenges each one brings. We look at the underlying ideas that connect these principles and ask the key question: do you really need to choose a single principle to follow?To learn more and to access the materials referenced in this episode visit: https://barclayss.com/fatality-free-future/

In this episode of the Fatality Free Future® podcast, we unpack how TRIFR is calculated, why decades of research show it has little relationship to fatalities, and how bonus structures and reporting rules can unintentionally drive under‑reporting and data manipulation. With Alan Stevenson joining us again, we explore how organisations can build safety dashboards that reflect real SIF exposure and workplace dynamics, rather than a single headline number.To learn more and to access the materials referenced in this episode visit: https://barclayss.com/fatality-free-future/

Ken Wilber’s Integral Model is used to describe “the theory of everything.” In this episode of The Fatality Free Future® podcast we unpack how this model can be used as a practical safety tool. John Barclay uses his real field examples to reveal how behaviour, systems, culture and beliefs interact. Using this tool leaders will learn how to move beyond checklist safety to intentionally shaping an integral safety culture that prevents serious injuries and fatalities.To learn more and to access the materials referenced in this episode visit: https://barclayss.com/fatality-free-future/

The Human Resources and safety worlds have a tendency to steer well clear of each other. Renowned HR professional James Cooper is working to change that. He believes strongly in the importance of HR and Safety departments collaborating toward a shared outcome and common purpose: improving and protecting the wellbeing of people at work.With new safety legislation now implemented Australia-wide and an increased focus on psychosocial hazards, it is more important than ever for safety and HR professionals to draw on each other’s strengths and expertise. In this episode, we also discuss the risks of siloing these two areas and share practical tips for strengthening partnerships across all areas of an organisation.To learn more and to access the materials referenced in this episode visit: https://barclayss.com/fatality-free-future/

When we look at performance in safety, leadership consistently emerges as a key element for success — relying on systems alone is not enough. This success comes from a set of core leadership capabilities, which we explore in this week’s episode of the Fatality Free Future podcast.Our guest, Jeff Dean, has delivered safety leadership transformation programs across the globe and has identified several key capabilities that create caring and effective leaders. He reflects on how leaders can embrace continuous improvement and the questions they can ask themselves to support their ongoing skill development.To learn more and to access the materials referenced in this episode visit: https://barclayss.com/fatality-free-future/

Incident investigations are often conducted under time pressure, removed from the people involved, and influenced by the unconscious biases of the investigator. James Sullivan is a facilitator and coach who delivers HSE investigation training to organisations, guiding safety professionals to keep investigations simple by listening to the lived experiences of those on the ground and prioritising care throughout the process. We learn about his approach to adapting investigations to reduce complexity and genuinely demonstrate care for people.To learn more and to access the materials referenced in this episode visit: https://barclayss.com/fatality-free-future/

Prestarts, they’re an essential meeting held daily before shifts in high risk work but how often are these meeting engaging and actually achieving what they set out to achieve? Alan Stevenson has been in plenty of prestarts over the years, he now coaches leaders on how to make their prestarts efficient and impactful. This extends beyond the prestart and how leaders can touch base with their teams throughout the day, based on conversations they had in their prestart. To learn more and to access the materials referenced in this episode visit: https://barclayss.com/fatality-free-future/

It’s a model that anyone in the safety space would know, the Hierarchy of Controls. In this episode we look at how the HoC model helps us understand critical controls and how they’re working within the critical risk management framework. How can we embed HoC thinking into culture and what role does consultation play in ensuring controls are practical and actually followed? To learn more and to access the materials referenced in this episode visit: https://barclayss.com/fatality-free-future/

We’re back with Ellen Downs to discuss her involvement in a research study that looked at the causes and correlations of serious injury and fatality events and how these differ from events resulting in lesser injuries. In this episode she discusses the findings of the research and what organisations are doing differently now versus before the study and where potential gaps still remain.To learn more and to access the materials referenced in this episode visit: https://barclayss.com/fatality-free-future/

On this podcast you often hear us discussing research in the space of serious injuries and fatalities. We go through what the research found and how the outcomes reflect our workplaces. But we were curious about what it would be like to conduct the research, so we asked Ellen Downs to join us to give us a peek behind the data. She was involved in research study in 2015, which brought together several high profile mining organisations to understand why total recordable injury rates were decreasing while SIF statistics weren’t. Ellen talks us through how the research study was born, the logistics of research at that scale and what challenges they faced. This is a two part episode, come back next week to hear what the research found. To learn more and to access the materials referenced in this episode visit: https://barclayss.com/fatality-free-future/

Complex and complicated, they’re words that are used interchangeably but it’s important we get that distinction right; especially in relation to serious injuries and fatalities. In this episode of the Fatality Free Future podcast safety leader and consultant Alan Stevenson breaks down the difference between these two terms. He explores the complexity within SIF and discusses how leaders can embrace curiosity to better understand these situations. To learn more and to access the materials referenced in this episode visit: https://barclayss.com/fatality-free-future/

Welcome back to the Fatality Free Future podcast for season 2. Our mission with this podcast is to increase the conversation around serious injuries and fatalities in the workplace. In this episode we’re looking at leadership routines and how we can integrate SIF conversations and awareness into our daily practices. Hosts John Barclay and Holly Ferguson discuss ways to engage with frontline workers that move beyond surface level conversations and checklists. To learn more and to access the materials referenced in this episode visit: https://barclayss.com/fatality-free-future/

In the final episode of Fatality Free Future, John Barclay and Holly Ferguson unpack the role of behavioural science in preventing workplace fatalities. They explore the environmental and systemic factors influencing behaviour, clarify common misconceptions, and introduce models like Decisions–Actions–Outcomes and the Exposure Quadrant to better understand and manage risk. This final episode urges leaders to go beyond blame and engage meaningfully with behaviour.To learn more and to access the materials referenced in this episode visit https://barclayss.com/fatality-free-future/

John Barclay and Holly Ferguson are joined by safety innovation consultant Dorit Ozchakir to explore how storytelling can drive a fatality-free future. Drawing on her background in business psychology, Dorit shares insights from research and explains why stories, when vivid, relatable, and emotionally resonant, stick. The trio discuss practical techniques like using rhetorical questions, visual aids, and emotional cues to make safety messages memorable. To learn more and to access the materials referenced in this episode visit https://barclayss.com/fatality-free-future/

In this episode, John Barclay and Holly Ferguson explore the critical role of leadership in shaping a Fatality Free Future®. They unpack how leaders can model and communicate core values, especially around safety and planning, and why two-way communication is essential. John and Holly also discuss adapting to dynamic risks, encouraging a growth mindset, and the lasting “shadow” leaders cast through their actions. To learn more and to access the materials referenced in this episode visit https://barclayss.com/fatality-free-future/

Let’s unpack the critical role culture plays in preventing fatalities. In this episode John explores the difference between fixed and growth mindsets and defines culture as “the way we do things around here when no one’s looking.” John challenges the reliability of culture surveys, pointing instead to trust and honest conversations as better indicators of cultural health. With insights and examples, like everyday driving habits, he explains how leaders shape culture through their actions, assumptions, and the values they promote.To learn more and to access the materials referenced in this episode visit https://barclayss.com/fatality-free-future/

In this episode of the Fatality Free Future® podcast, John Barclay and Holly Ferguson chat with Lean Management expert John Sibbon about the role of governance and measurement in safety.John explains why frontline engagement, collaboration, and bottom-up ideas are key to effective governance, and how accurate data starts with those directly involved in safety events.They also explore the difference between lagging and leading indicators, and what it takes for leaders to drive meaningful, lasting improvement.To learn more and to access the materials referenced in this episode visit https://barclayss.com/fatality-free-future/

In this episode of the Fatality Free Future® John Barclay and Holly Ferguson discuss precursors and amplifiers. Precursors are events that precede an incident, often involving high-risk activities and ineffective controls. Amplifiers are changes in context or people that increase the severity of risk. John emphasises the importance of active risk management, understanding critical controls, and ensuring tools and equipment are accessible to prevent workarounds that compromise safety.To learn more and to access the materials referenced in this episode visit https://barclayss.com/fatality-free-future/

On episode 6 of the FFF podcast John Barclay and Holly Ferguson bring back Alan Stevenson to discuss critical controls. Alan explains the distinction between controls and critical controls using the ICMM's guidelines. He highlights the importance of diverse perspectives in identifying critical controls and shares some of his own examples from the mining and chemical industries. The team discusses the impact of biases and experiences on risk perception and the need for consistent decision-making processes. Alan provides a quick exercise for managers to rank controls to analyse their effectiveness.To learn more and to access the materials referenced in this episode visit https://barclayss.com/fatality-free-future/

John Barclay and Holly Ferguson welcome back Ricky Galloway for a discussion on Critical Risk Management (CRM). They break down the core components of CRM, including risk identification, severity analysis, and the application of the hierarchy of controls. Ricky explains the difference between hard controls (physical measures) and soft controls (administrative or behavioural), and why both are needed to manage risk effectively.Beyond ticking compliance boxes, the episode emphasises the importance of monitoring and measuring whether controls are actually working and adjusting when they’re not.To learn more and to access the materials referenced in this episode visit https://barclayss.com/fatality-free-future/

In this episode of the Fatality Free Future podcast, Holly and John bring back Alan Stevenson to discuss the importance of identifying and classifying serious injury and fatality (SIF) events. Alan emphasises the need to consider both the actual and potential severity of incidents, using real-world examples to illustrate the potential for serious harm. This episode highlights the challenges of managing complex systems involving multiple stakeholders, such as contractors and clients, and the importance of focusing on learning and prevention rather than just classification. Alan also introduces the concept of the energy wheel, a tool for identifying and managing hazardous energies that could lead to SIF events.To learn more and to access the materials referenced in this episode visit https://barclayss.com/fatality-free-future/

In this episode of the Fatality Free Future podcast John and Holly explore the landscape of Serious Injury and Fatality (SIF) research with Ricky Galloway, a senior health and safety consultant at Barclayss®. Drawing on his background in psychology and occupational health and safety, Ricky unpacks three key studies on SIF differentiators, precursors, and predictors.While non-fatal recordable injuries have declined by 51% over the past 15 years, SIFs have only reduced by 12.5% in the last decade, highlighting a critical gap in current safety strategies. They discuss the implications for organisations, the importance of evidence-based approaches, and why understanding the difference between routine and non-routine work is vital to preventing fatalities.To learn more and to access the materials referenced in this episode visit https://barclayss.com/fatality-free-future/

Let’s delve into the concept of “Work as Imagined” vs. “Work as Done,” and explore how assumptions and oversimplifications in safety systems can lead to blind spots around serious risks. In this episode Holly and John are joined by Barclayss® principal consultant Alan Stevenson to discuss how systems are often designed with ideal scenarios in mind, rather than the real-world complexity that workers actually face. They hear about how Alan started his journey in the SIF space and how his learning has evolved over time and what he imparts to leaders he coaches.To learn more and to access the materials referenced in this episode visit https://barclayss.com/fatality-free-future/

In this premiere episode of the Fatality Free Future® podcast, Safety Leadership Coach John Barclay and Content Developer Holly Ferguson aim to create a space where critical conversations around workplace safety can happen. John shares how he started his safety journey over 20 years ago, as a first responder to a fatality. It was an experience that changed his life and spurred his purpose to eliminate fatalities in the workplace. The team also discuss what SIF means, why traditional metrics often fail to capture the full picture, and how shifting from lagging indicators to leading ones can transform how organisations approach risk.