Would a workplace tragedy fundamentally alter your perspective on your career? For Sandra Merritt, CSP, ASP, a workplace fatality became a pivotal moment that redefined her career—and her purpose.

In this episode of My Big Safety Challenge, Sandra recounts how the loss of a colleague, which left a four-year-old child fatherless, stirred her to shift her career from environmental management and compliance to the world of safety. Now the Global Health & Safety Manager at Moog, Sandra—known affectionally as Safety Sandy—shares how experiencing a workplace fatality shaped her hands-on approach to safety.

Join us as Sandra expounds upon the power of building personal relationships, breaking down the “we’ve always done it this way” mindset, and navigating the emotional rollercoaster that is the safety profession.

For most people, witnessing a chemical spill would be a harrowing experience—but for others, it ignites a passion. We tend to call those people safety professionals. Autumn Crum is one such person who, after witnessing a lab spill while shadowing a safety professional at West Virginia University, instantly knew she had found her calling. The intricacies of managing risk and protecting people captivated her, setting her on a career she never knew she wanted.

Today, as the Director of Global EHS at Xylem, Autumn is in the business of preventing those types of accidents. A self-described “continual learner,” she views every experience as a stepping stone toward becoming the safety professional she aspires to be.

In this episode of My Big Safety Challenge, Autumn shares how that desire to continually learn led her to the oil and gas industry—one she admits she knew nothing about—but became a formative learning experience. You’ll also hear why she believes influence begins with trust, why strong relationships are key, and how clear communication can transform safety practices.

Communication. Its importance is a common theme in the safety industry, but how to properly communicate eludes so many of us—on and off the job. Michelle Gladieux is here to fix that. Founder of Gladieux Consulting and author of Communicate with Courage, Michelle is the go-to communication expert for everyone from NFL players to C-suite executives who want to improve how they communicate.

In this episode of My Big Safety Challenge, Michelle shares her insightful journey toward recognizing the critical role of communication—starting in elementary school when she corrected her teachers on how to properly engage with a spirited student to commanding the attention of packed auditoriums. You’ll learn why Michelle thinks we all need a “spice file” (while also learning what that is), plus discover how the thousands of decisions you make each day shape the way you send and receive messages.

Tune into this episode for practical advice and a fresh perspective on the art of communication.

What does it take to thrive across industries as diverse as healthcare, automotive, and food service? For Andrew Wehr, CSP, it’s all about building—whether it’s safety departments, cultures, or relationships. In this episode of My Big Safety Challenge, Andrew shares the twists and turns of a career he never planned for but has come to love.

Starting with his pivot in college from a medical path to environmental sciences, Andrew takes us on a journey through his roles at a refinery, in retail safety, healthcare, and beyond—all the way to his current position as Corporate Stewardship and Employee Safety Leader at the T. Marzetti Company. Through it all, one theme remains constant: the power of saying “yes” and building something better wherever you go.

Tune in to hear Andrew’s advice on moving up in your safety career, finding the right mentor, and mastering the art of working through others to make an impact. Whether you’re new to EHS or a seasoned pro, Andrew has a nugget of wisdom that is sure to inspire you.

On this episode of My Big Safety Challenge, we are thrilled to welcome our first international guest—Becky Hickman. Becky serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA)—one of the United Kingdom’s oldest charity organizations dedicated to safeguarding lives and preventing serious injuries both on and off the job.

With over 20 years of experience in occupational health and safety, Becky is a champion of the idea that good work is good for people. She’s passionate about shining light on the unsung heroes of the safety profession—those performing good work who don’t receive enough recognition. For Becky and RoSPA, bringing safety professionals together to celebrate their achievements isn’t just important—it’s a reinvigorating force that can propel safety professionals through tough stretches.

Tune in to discover how Becky and our safety friends across the pond approach safety and offer a fresh perspective on fostering meaningful work—reminding us that one of the worst parts of an accident is the realization that it could have been avoided.

Like many safety professionals, John Fischer, CSP, sort of fell into the field. When first approached about a safety role and asked about lockout/tagout (LOTO), he wondered what the lottery had to do with safety.

Now, 25 years later, John is the Director of Environmental Strategy and Corporate EHS at the Duke Energy Corporation. John has spent those 25 years between consulting and the energy sectors, gaining valuable experience and insights into the safety profession and the proper ways to get buy-in from the front-line to the C-suite.

In this episode, John explains the three components you must have in order to learn, how relationship-based acquisition is the secret sauce of safety, and why he says safety is as much sales as it is technical.

Season 4 of My Big Safety Challenge is here! Joining host Merle Heckman this season is Jay Harf, Vice President of EHS&S at Xylem. Listen to the trailer and get a sneak peek of what to expect from season 4.

Join Merle Heckman, Master Trainer at Dale Carnegie, and all three guest hosts from seasons one, two, and three of the “My Big Safety Challenge” podcast. The team will talk through some of the inspiring guests and stories covered through the podcast. You'll walk away from this episode with valuable leadership and influence lessons that you can implement in your daily work.

Have you ever thought about how well you listen to others?

Keith Mercurio is back for the second part of episode eight of My Big Safety Challenge, where he reveals how something as simple as being a generous listener can have a profound effect on how we perceive and how we are perceived.

Keith illustrates this through his father, an English teacher of 35 years, detailing how in all those years, he never once complained about a student. His father saw what his students were capable of, saw them as big, saw the best in them, and by being a generous listener, he sent them home better than when he found them.

Sound familiar?

Join us for Part II of Keith’s episode where he explores how a day at work sends ripples through the rest of our day, and how by shifting how we listen, we can elevate conversations, honor the speaker, and create a profound impact.

Have you ever purchased a new car, only to suddenly notice the same make and model is everywhere on the road? There hasn’t been a sudden influx in the number of people driving the same car—it’s a natural cognitive response resulting from how we focus. In this episode of My Big Safety Challenge, Keith Mercurio, CEO & Founder of Ethical Influence Global, delves into the science behind how what we focus on grows bigger, and eventually, we become what we focus on.

Keith’s expertise spans speaking, coaching, training, and consulting, with a focus on helping leaders transform their identities to better influence their organization's culture and performance. He advocates for the power of asking open-ended, novel questions instead of relying on conventional phrases like "accountability" or repeatedly asking "why." By fostering original thought through new kinds of inquiry, Keith asserts that we unlock unique insights.

Join us for Part I of Keith Mercurio’s episode, where we explore the cognitive science behind why the safety profession should stop focusing on zero and how today’s groove can be tomorrow’s rut.