All Things Safety

The manufacturing industry has long struggled with musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). As safety professionals look for better ways to reduce risk, motion capture combined with AI has become an option. Kristianne Egbert, B.S., HFE, CPE, is a Senior Corporate Ergonomist at Briotix Health (link to www.briotix.com). She explains this emerging tech and talks about how it’s being used. For the past 25 years, Kristianne has delivered ergonomic solutions across various industries, championing initiatives to enhance workplace conditions. Her passion lies in tackling ergonomic challenges within manufacturing settings.

ISHN editors Benita Mehta and Dave Johnson talk about the recent news out of Washington, including the resignation of the labor secretary and proposed budget cuts to OSHA and NIOSH. They also discuss the increasing use of AI in manufacturing. Links to articles discussed: Motion Capture and AI are Revolutionizing Ergonomics in ManufacturingLabor Secretary Chavez-DeRemer Resigns Amid Misconduct Investigation

Matt Matsui of EcoOnline talks about how automating the creation of safety checklists and investigative drafts has improved efficiency. The goal is to use technology as a tool to move beyond simple compliance into visibility and predictability.

Phil Molé, an EHS and Sustainability Expert at VelocityEHS, delves into the pitfalls of injury and illness recordkeeping and how organizations can shift from a "compliance checkbox" mentality to a proactive, risk-focused strategy.

Shawn Galloway of ProAct Safety talks about "The Engagement Spectrum." He says that moving the needle on safety isn't about more rules; it’s about adaptive leadership and removing the demotivators that stall discretionary effort.

In a casual conversation, ISHN Editors Benita Mehta and Dave Johnson talk about recently published articles about the top challenges facing EHS pros today, as well as recent BLS fatal injury statistics. 

How does a manufacturing and service powerhouse maintain a decades-long safety streak? Canton Larson, EHS Specialist at Sentry Equipment, talks about the transition to a dedicated EHS role to the unique accountability of an employee-owned (ESOP) culture, Larson shares how to combat complacency and why your biggest safety risks deserve your most aggressive focus.

Duane Duhamel, HSE Director at ISN, talks about winter weather safety, and dismantling the dangerous myth that safety and productivity are at odds during a crisis. As winter storms become more volatile, he says that traditional safety manuals are often too static for rapidly shifting environments.

In this monthly podcast, ISHN's editors Benita Mehta and Dave Johnson talk about Dave's recent article on his top EHS predictions for 2026 and Benita's year-long LinkedIn project challenging safety professionals and open AI to identify safety hazards.

Drawing on 25 years of experience, Justin Dugas, CSP, Senior Director of Safety and Corporate Services at USG. discusses the shift from "dull and dangerous" manufacturing to a high-tech industry driven by AI, data-led insights, and holistic employee wellness. Discover how modern leadership is moving beyond lagging indicators to build a culture of "knowledge and courage."

Mark Harris, CEO of HeroWear, dismantles the myths surrounding exoskeletons and discusses their practical application in today’s workforce. Far from the bulky, motorized suits seen in Hollywood, modern exosuits are lightweight, breathable, and designed to function as artificial back muscles.

In a casual chat, ISHN editors Benita Mehta and Dave Johnson discuss recent articles they have written on mental health topics and careers in skilled trades. 

In this podcast episode, Dave Tibbetts, CSP, Chief Safety Officer of Highwire, discusses the need for the construction industry to focus on Serious Injury and Fatality Potential (SIF-P) events. He says that while the industry has reduced its total recordable incident rate (TRIR) over the last 30 years, fatality rates have remained flat for the past 15-20 years.

Chet Brandon, CSP, is thought leader and senior director of global EHS, operations for Hexion, Inc., a chemical manufacturer of adhesives, coatings and resins. This summer, Chet developed an artificial intelligence digital twin to expand his influence and leadership at Hexion. In effect, he cloned himself. In this podcast we talk with Chet about how he did it, how other EHS pros can do the same, and what AI digital twins mean to the EHS profession.

Peter Vassalo is a nationally recognized authority on OSHA enforcement. Peter recently joined an employment and labor law practice after decades of experience at the U.S. Department of Labor. Peter shares his thoughts on federal safety regulations and the shift to private practice.

Discover how remote monitoring, program visibility, and virtual training are transforming AED readiness and reshaping the future of emergency response.Sponsored by:

Former Amazon Safety VP Heather MacDougall, JD, CSP, talks about executive safety leadership, moving from a reactive to a proactive stance on safety, fostering a shared safety culture, and how to best leverage technology.

The Trump Administration has said the Chemical Safety Board will be shut down at the end of this year. Kristi Hames, a chemical safety expert at Velocity EHS, breaks down what that might mean and the impact it will have on workplace safety.

Tom Goodmanson, EcoOnline's CEO, talks about predictive safety and technological advancements in the industry Learn what's new and what to expect when it comes to safety tech. 

On this episode, we will highlight the most effective forms of fall protection and what companies can do today to better protect their workers.Sponsored By:

What’s next in arc flash protection? Hear how innovation, regulation, and worker feedback are shaping the future of electrical PPE from Enespro.Sponsored By:

Two former OSHA officials discuss how the agency will operate in the second Trump administration. Both have years of frontline experience watching the political pendulum swing, creating the climate for OSHA leadership, policies, enforcement and standards-setting. Jim Frederick was Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health during the Biden years, and Jordan Barab spent almost eight years at OSHA during the Obama administration.

Chris Nickels, an expert on workplace safety and OSHA matters, talks about why OSHA isn’t going anywhere, what we might and might not expect, how employers should deal with possible changes and why some things won’t change. Nickels is partner at Quarles & Brady and helps employers understand and navigate the technical and sometimes nuanced confines of labor and employment law and litigation.

Dan Hobbs, CEO of ProtexAI, a startup that uses artificial intelligence to monitor worker safety at warehouses, talks about how AI applications have changed, how gathering predictive data can improve worksite safety and what that means for safety professionals.

Heather Chapman wrote an article for ISHN recently called Navigating Workplace Safety in the Wake of a Republican Administration. She has over 20 years’ experience in the safety industry and is giving us some deeper insights into what we can expect now that President Trump is in office regarding OSHA and safety regulations. Heather is principal at safety consulting company Paradigm Safety.

In this podcast, we talk with the co-founders of The What Works Institute, a new research-to-practice think tank and learning community in partnership with the Phylmar Group®. John Dony, CEO, and Michelle Garner-Janna, chief experience officer, discuss the research and tools available and how EHS pros can grow professionally.

In this discussion with AIHA President Nicole Greeson, MS, CIH, Occupational Hygiene and Safety Division Director at Duke University Health System, we talk about the state of industrial hygienists today and how the career has evolved over the years. Greeson also brings up job consolidation, consultancy work and exciting avenues for growth in the industry.

Emily Soloby, founder and CEO of Juno Jones, a women’s industrial footwear brand, talks to us about giving women working in hazardous environments a better shoe option, both in terms of fit and style, and why this is so important to her. She discusses the challenges women face in male-dominated industries as well goals for her brand.

Discover how safety management tech has helped reduce incidents and improved compliance, and learn about the challenges of integrating new tech in this interview with Taylor Thorn, Senior Director of Product at KPA. Thorn has worked hand-in-hand with contractors across the country to digitize their safety programs.

Doug Backinger, Senior VP at Caster Concepts, talks to ISHN about the materials handling industry shifting to automated processes and what that means for the industry’s future.

How did a company achieve 12 straight years without a work-related injury or illness? Our friends at Assembly Magazine interviewed Carter Roth, plant manager at the Trane Technologies HVAC equipment assembly plant in Fort Smith, Arkansas to find out. The factory is on track to reach 6 million hours without a lost-time safety incident by October 2025. 

What is it like to be a senior EHS officer at the remote Los Alamos National Laboratory in the New Mexico desert? Los Alamos is home of the atomic bomb and the Oscar-winning film, Oppenheimer. In this episode, we find out.

Shawn Galloway is CEO of ProAct Safety, and an author of several books. In this episode, Shawn talks about the six relationships that are vital to foster at work for safety excellence. He has helped hundreds of organizations within various industries to improve safety strategy, culture, leadership and engagement.

In this episode, Vi Kellersohn, chief marketing officer of Oberon Technologies, discusses what virtual reality can do for workplace training, how it could improve employee engagement and increase compliance.

Clare Epstein of Vector Solutions discusses the importance of planning for extreme weather and the steps employers can take to train their workers before the summer heat comes out in full force.

In this episode of ISHN’s podcast, we talk to Kyle Hubregtse, CEO of wearable tech company Kenzen, about the most dangerous jobs and how standards have evolved and will change to protect these workers.

Fall protection specialist Andrew Scott talks about facility safety and under-the-radar hazards that can be corrected to reduce workplace injuries.

Duane Duhamel, HSE Director at ISN, talks about serious injuries and fatalities (SIF) data in their most recent report. The data covers 2017-2021. We discuss why the SIF rate saw a sharp decline in 2021 as well as what the leading cause of SIFs has been over the past five years.

Dr. Geller discusses the uses and misuses of behavior-based safety and why the psychology of safety is more important today than ever.

In this episode, editor Benita Mehta talks to two experts with Honeywell, Manas Dutta and Mukesh Kumar, about connected worker technology and intelligent wearables and how they are being used to improve operations and increase efficiency.

Ethics and safety professionals: What makes for professional competency; and how do you communicate the potential consequences if professional decisions or judgments are overruled or disregarded? A conversation with Mark Katchen, CIH, and Alan Leibowitz, CIH and CSP

With heat stress risk at the forefront of the wide world of safety this summer, we talk to athletic trainer Dr. David Berry, who teaches university courses related to injury assessments and emergency response management.

The controversial subject of employee surveillance and monitoring using modern technology is discussed by Dave Roskelley of R&R Consulting and Mark Katchen, managing principal of The Phylmar Group.

Dr. Brian Taylor, Doctor of Audiology, talks about some of the health issues related to occupational hearing loss and offers his advice on how to prevent loss and reduce risk when working in industrial settings. 

Alex Hogan, the Global Product Line Manager for Keen Utility, a family-owned hybrid footwear company, discusses the latest trends in safety footwear. She also talks about her job working with product and the changes she's seen in recent years to fit workers' needs.

Lars Wismer, director of A+A, International Trade Fair for Safety, Security and Health at Work, talks to us about the world’s leading trade show for the occupational health and safety industry and what makes it stand apart from other events. 

Gavin Coyle, CEO and founder of The Coyle Group, a safety consultancy, discusses issues currently facing safety professionals, including budget cuts. He has more than 25 years of experience in the safety field, and is the author of ''Workplace Safety on a Budget,” which is aimed at anyone with an interest in health and safety.

We navigate the ethical minefield of industrial hygiene with The Phylmar Group’s Mark Katchen. This episode focuses on the impact of ChatGPT on the EHS profession and also discusses an interesting ethics case study.

In this podcast episode, safety professional Heather Chapman, MS, CSP, CHMM, CEAS, shares her thoughts on the current state of the safety industry and where she thinks it is heading this year. 

Chris Moore of GPRS talks about utility safety. He has worked in the utility locating and concrete scanning industry for more than 16 years. In this episode, he discusses the importance of scanning and why ground penetrating radar is beneficial in locating subsurface utilities, as well as worker safety and injury prevention.