We're chatting about construction safety on this episode! Unfortunately, we're not experts in this field, which is why we welcome the amazing Taylor Pedmo, CSP, CHST to the podcast to talk about her experience in the construction field and why it's such a great place to work! Taylor shares how construction has definitely progressed, especially as a place where more women are going to work. Taylor also shares with us the different ways that safety has been even more integrated in the construction process, especially in the planning stages at the beginning of a project. Interested in learning more about the construction field, or for resources to support women in construction? Check out the following that Taylor shared with us!

National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC): https://nawic.org/

Architecture/Construction/Engineering (ACE) Mentor Program: https://www.acementor.org/

Being in a job search can feel like a job in and of itself...and an especially stressful one at that! And the job hunt has gotten that much more complicated with new technology that can be helpful in some cases, and damaging in others. That's why we had Terra Carbert on this episode to help us navigate the wild and wacky world of job hunting and how to do it SAFELY! Terra is a recruiting manager and personal development coach who has some stories to tell and in many ways has lived through the challenges faced by many others who are going through the job search. Listen in for some fun, encouragement, and even some tips on how to best take care of yourself during the job search. And, in an Illusion of Safety Podcast first, our guest actually has something for our wonderful listeners! Take a look at Terra's "7 Days of Career Reflection" HERE and begin that journey of discovery about yourself, your work, and your career.

Also, we definitely appreciate a good Homestar Runner reference

Imagine a workplace danger that you can’t see, hear, taste or touch but it can definitely hurt you. On top of that, it’s nebulous and some people will even ignore it exists. That’s what a psychosocial hazard is like and why Dr. David Daniels wrote his book “Psychosocial Hazards are Real”. He set out to clarify the definition of this hazard and used many of his own experiences to guide him as he explored this topic. This is definitely a much bigger topic than we can cover in an episode, but the important part is that we’re beginning the conversation. We hope you’ll join us in exploring it, too. If you want to learn more or pick up Dr. Daniels’ book for yourself, go to his website at https://id2-solutions.com/my-book/

It's been a hot minute since we've checked in to say hey and have a gentle reminder for us as to why we do this (gestures at everything). And by "this" we mean the Illusion of Safety Podcast and the safety profession that we know and love! Our goal from the beginning is to create a global collective of professionals dedicated to bringing passion, community and fun to the safety industry.  If that sound like something you want to be part of, we'd love to have you! Join Allison, Josh, and Gabe on this fun ride as we explore themes related to the safety profession, both directly and tangentially, and have some fun along the way. Have a listen, follow us on LinkedIn (click here), visit our website at iosafetypodcast.com, or email us at [email protected]!

You think you’ve seen it all before when it comes to safety topics. Maybe you’ve even tried a few of them at your company. Then a “new” safety concept comes out reaching buzzword status but it’s just a rehash of something you’ve already heard a thousand times. How do you stay motivated and keep things fresh when it comes to safety? For the Illusion of Safety gang, turns out with a little bit of curiosity, humility, and openness you can find new angles even in safety topics that have been discussed on podcasts and conferences over and over.

Since June is Men's Mental Health Awareness month, we're putting the "men" in "mental health" (see what we did there?) on this mini-episode! Josh and Gabe talk about the challenge of even starting a conversation about mental health when talking with other men, and how important it is to do so. Holding it all in doesn't work well, which is why it's so important to have honest, open conversations with others who are close to you. Whether it's a simple "you good?" check in, a listening ear, or even a hug, we all need others who care for us and we can be that caring person to others. Enjoy!

Let's face it: we can be fans of the safety profession to the point of being absolute nerds about it. But is it possible to take it overboard? That's what we wanted to talk about with Sam Goodman, host of "The HOP Nerd" Podcast! We talk about terminology, safety debates (and beefs) and what's the best way to stay grounded to make sure safety is still applicable for everyone. Especially those who have a full time job other than safety!

Let our powers combine…on this crossover episode between The Case for Safety Podcast from the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) and the Illusion of Safety! The gang chats with Scott Fowler on how they’ve been impacted personally and professionally through collaboration with others in safety. Whether it’s through local connections or through big conferences like ASSP’s annual professional development conference (PDC) there are so many ways people can gain insight from others and give to others who need help. Who knows…those people may become great friends too!

The safety profession can be a demanding one, so why give even more? Turns out it’s beneficial for everyone! Generosity is a two-way street, benefitting both the person giving and the person receiving. Safety is a very people-oriented field where there’s a lot learned on the job. That kind of knowledge can best be passed down from one professional to another through different means. The gang talks about how there can be different ways to give–from mentoring to sharing your knowledge on a topic in a presentation. The best part is that you can give in a way that’s best for YOU! The important thing is to actually get past that hesitation and fear and take those first steps to invest in the lives of others in the safety profession.

You don't have to be in the working world long to realize that peoples' minds work differently, from how we process information and work on tasks to how we interact with others. This neurodiversity can be challenging in the workplace but there are also ways it can be an asset as long as we understand one another and how we work. This is a big part of the research done by Tim Vogus, which he shares with us on this episode. Tim shares how teams can benefit from understanding and embracing different ways of thinking and the challenges that lie ahead for organizations. For safety professionals, understanding neurodiversity and its effect on worker and organizational safety is important since safety professionals often find themselves working with all levels in the organization. They function as translators and intermediaries, so learning the mental language "spoken" by different people in their workplace is critical. For more information, check out the resources that Tim references in this episode: