Safety Heroes Podcast With Mousa Yassin

In this interview, Don Blumenthal, a district HSE manager at PCL, a global construction company, shares his journey and insights into the safety aspect of the construction industry. 

Don shares about his experiences, including a life-altering incident that marked a significant turning point in his perspective on safety. 

He also talks about his role in mentoring and developing his team, the importance of empathy and personal leadership in safety management, and the challenges of enforcing safety initiatives across regions and segments.

He underscores the importance of seeing every aspect of safety as critical, maintaining an impeccable safety record for construction companies, and striving for continuous improvement and growth with no place left for complacency.

And he also shares the emotional impact of incidents on workers and their families, reinforcing the importance of empathetic safety approaches as much as aiming to keep everyone safe at all cost.

Follow his journey on Linkedin.

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If you like this podcast episode, subscribe here and follow us on LinkedIn for the latest from our HSE community and guests. Connect with our CEO and host, Mousa, today to stay updated on Safety Heroes, Pixaera, and more. 

Do you want to be a guest on Safety Heroes, or know someone who would be a great fit? We’d love to hear from you. Send us a message on LinkedIn or email [email protected]. 

This episode is going to hit quite differently!

Britt Howard is a gifted leader, mentor, and passionate advocate for safety and is journey is inspiring.

His path from aspiring law enforcement officer to the Group Director Assurance at Worley is a testament to his dedication and resilience.

Not just about safety procedures and regulations, it is about the human connection and the deep-rooted belief in safety serving a purpose larger than just rules.

Britt's journey into safety is unique and personal; he defines it as 'divine intervention'.

In this episode, Britt shares insights on fostering a 'Work Family' culture, his philosophy of 'serving others is serving thyself', and his unwavering commitment to safety and service.

“safety does not happen by accident. It happens on purpose” - Britt Howard.

So many nuggets are weaved into this conversation, touching on the essence of safety, empathy & sympathy, leadership, resilience, and serving others.

It is a captivating episode that bridges the gap between safety protocols and our shared human experience.

Follow Britt Howard on LinkedIn!

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If you like this podcast episode, subscribe here and follow us on LinkedIn for the latest from our HSE community and guests. Connect with our CEO and host, Mousa, today to stay updated on Safety Heroes, Pixaera, and more. 

Do you want to be a guest on Safety Heroes, or know someone who would be a great fit? We’d love to hear from you. Send us a message on LinkedIn or email [email protected]. 

We have Chet Brandon on the podcast today. Chet is an experienced sustainability and EHS executive known for his exemplary work across different industries 

The conversation covers Chet's personal journey, exploring his inspirations that led him to working in Safety, his work ethics, and his approach to ensuring sustainability and safety within organisations. 

He emphasises the importance of assembling excellent sustainability teams, engaging employees, and the significance of these aspects in business success. This sets the stage for an insightful discussion, hinting at the key role of safety measures in maintaining industrial success. 

Amidst all the jargon related to safety procedures and standards as most would know it, Chet highlights a crucial element often overlooked—human nature. He navigates the complexities of creating systems that align with human nature while ensuring occupational safety. This part is a subtle prelude to the significance of understanding the workforce in achieving a safe workspace, a concept which is later expanded in greater detail.

The concluding part of the conversation goes into Chet's personal experiences with safety, and includes a powerful story of a severe occupational accident that greatly impacted him. He discusses the life-altering impact of such incidents, emphasising how they serve as stark reminders of the crucial role safety measures play in workplace; foreshadowing the learning and transformation such incidents can spark among safety professionals, driving them towards a more conscientious application of their role.

With an emphasis on personal responsibility and empowerment, the discussion provides valuable insights into the journey of implementing safety standards, facing challenges, and inspiring a culture of safety within organisations.

Follow Chet's journey on LinkedIn and X.

Send us a message!

If you like this podcast episode, subscribe here and follow us on LinkedIn for the latest from our HSE community and guests. Connect with our CEO and host, Mousa, today to stay updated on Safety Heroes, Pixaera, and more. 

Do you want to be a guest on Safety Heroes, or know someone who would be a great fit? We’d love to hear from you. Send us a message on LinkedIn or email [email protected]. 

Carole Smets, a strong advocate for sustainable and safety practices in businesses, shares her career journey deeply aligned with a strong set of values and her firm belief that sustainability, safety and business success go hand in hand.

From the very first strong statement to the last emotional story, we are treated with a series of invaluable insights, nuggets, and clear passion for the safety and sustainability space.

As the Health and Safety Director at Pernod Ricard, Carole champions safer, healthier and more environmentally conscious corporate landscapes. 

From the need for holistic leadership in sustainability, where leaders embody these values and thus, create safer environments for their teams to thrive to encouraging organisations to move from a reactive to a proactive stance, enhancing their overall safety performance, but also embracing diversity within all safety leaders for better collaboration and ideas development, Carole also encourages everyone, regardless of their role, to 'Be the One' - a Pernod Ricard initiative that fosters a sense of individual empowerment in implementing health and safety actions. 

This mindset, she believes, will drive a shift towards greener operational practices and a safer working environment where profit and growth can also directly benefit from this.

Follow Carole's journey over on LinkedIn.

Send us a message!

If you like this podcast episode, subscribe here and follow us on LinkedIn for the latest from our HSE community and guests. Connect with our CEO and host, Mousa, today to stay updated on Safety Heroes, Pixaera, and more. 

Do you want to be a guest on Safety Heroes, or know someone who would be a great fit? We’d love to hear from you. Send us a message on LinkedIn or email [email protected]. 

In this episode, Matt Cox, the deputy QHSC director for Veolia in the UAE, discusses his inspiring journey in the safety industry and the factors that motivated him to pursue a career in safety. 

Matt emphasizes the importance of considering the human condition in safety, treating everyone as human beings regardless of their position or hierarchy. He highlights that the primary goal of health, safety, and environmental protection is to preserve life and prevent injuries and illnesses.

We then hear about major challenges faced in implementing safety measures, particularly in regions with a multicultural workforce. Matt shares stories that highlight the cultural differences, language barriers, and varying risk perceptions that can affect safety practices in the workplace.

Matt also discusses the evolution of safety professionalism in the region, from a lack of inbuilt competence to the standardization of qualifications and the focus on overall competence. 

He emphasizes the need for open reporting, treating failures as learning opportunities, and the importance of management credibility in promoting a strong safety culture.

The conversation touches on best practices in the field, including adopting a competency-based recruitment model, leveraging tools and technologies like virtual reality for upskilling, and promoting collaborative communication and teamwork. 

In conclusion, Matt expresses his desire to see honesty and transparency become the norm in safety practices, and emphasizes the importance of never stopping learning and asking questions in the pursuit of safety excellence.

Send us a message!

If you like this podcast episode, subscribe here and follow us on LinkedIn for the latest from our HSE community and guests. Connect with our CEO and host, Mousa, today to stay updated on Safety Heroes, Pixaera, and more. 

Do you want to be a guest on Safety Heroes, or know someone who would be a great fit? We’d love to hear from you. Send us a message on LinkedIn or email [email protected]. 

Becky Peavler's journey from the military to her current role as global chief health and safety assurance at ConocoPhillips has shaped her leadership and emphasizes the importance of safety in companies.

Safety is foundational for business efficiency and directly impacts the company's bottomline.

Incidents can have serious consequences, from shutting down jobs to emotional impacts on the workforce.

Safety leaders play a crucial role in understanding the gaps between the plan and actual work conditions, designing effective controls, and prioritizing the safety of the workforce.

A commitment to a learning organization, curiosity, and continuous improvement are essential for enhancing safety culture.

Becky highlights the importance of listening to the workforce and creating a supportive environment where they feel comfortable sharing concerns and ideas.

She also mentions the adoption of technology, such as drones, to improve safety measures.

Ultimately, the focus should be on identifying hazards, implementing appropriate controls, and promoting a culture of safety where everyone looks out for each other.

If you want to follow more of Becky's journey, connect on LinkedIn.

Send us a message!

If you like this podcast episode, subscribe here and follow us on LinkedIn for the latest from our HSE community and guests. Connect with our CEO and host, Mousa, today to stay updated on Safety Heroes, Pixaera, and more. 

Do you want to be a guest on Safety Heroes, or know someone who would be a great fit? We’d love to hear from you. Send us a message on LinkedIn or email [email protected]. 

In this episode, our guest Islam Adra shares his journey into the safety industry, 

From the significance of health and safety regulations in protecting workers and reducing injuries and deaths, to the growing issue of mental health and the potential costs companies face due to work-related accidents, diseases, or inadequate mental health support, Islam offers insights into the challenges involved in managing safety across various organizational levels, stressing the critical role of leadership and commitment from every team member. 

He discusses the concept of psychological safety and trust in the workplace, delves into topics of active listening, empathic leadership, vulnerability, and care for employee wellbeing. 
Until a penultimate and daring statement about envisaging a future where workplaces would not need safety professionals - but how?

To hear all about this and more, listen to episode four of the Safety Heroes podcast.

To connect with Islam Adra and for his journey, find him on LinkedIn.

Send us a message!

If you like this podcast episode, subscribe here and follow us on LinkedIn for the latest from our HSE community and guests. Connect with our CEO and host, Mousa, today to stay updated on Safety Heroes, Pixaera, and more. 

Do you want to be a guest on Safety Heroes, or know someone who would be a great fit? We’d love to hear from you. Send us a message on LinkedIn or email [email protected]. 

From growing up in the north of Spain in a mining town and seeing first hand the devastating impact of poor safety measures, Alicia shares her personal journey in the safety space, challenges faced in implementing safety measures, best practices for enhancing safety culture, the use of tools and technologies, and the importance of people-centricity in safety.

The conversation highlights the need for adaptability, education, and embracing digitalization and diversity in the safety field.

The key takeaway is to prioritize people's safety, adapt to all the different cultures/languages, look for diversity in ideas and never forget the importance of people.

 Follow Alicia's journey over on LinkedIn.

Send us a message!

If you like this podcast episode, subscribe here and follow us on LinkedIn for the latest from our HSE community and guests. Connect with our CEO and host, Mousa, today to stay updated on Safety Heroes, Pixaera, and more. 

Do you want to be a guest on Safety Heroes, or know someone who would be a great fit? We’d love to hear from you. Send us a message on LinkedIn or email [email protected]. 

Sebastien Chaigneau, a renowned HSE professional, shares his very personal journey and insights on pursuing a career in safety.

The conversation explores his motivation, challenges he faced in implementing safety measures, best practices in the field, and the importance of building networks as well as measuring impact of your plans.

Sebastien also discusses the use of technology in enhancing safety standards and emphasizes the need for safety to be a priority for all managers and supervisors across all industries.

Connect Sebastien and follow his journey on LinkedIn.

Send us a message!

If you like this podcast episode, subscribe here and follow us on LinkedIn for the latest from our HSE community and guests. Connect with our CEO and host, Mousa, today to stay updated on Safety Heroes, Pixaera, and more. 

Do you want to be a guest on Safety Heroes, or know someone who would be a great fit? We’d love to hear from you. Send us a message on LinkedIn or email [email protected]. 

In our first episode of the Safety Heroes podcast, we have the pleasure of talking to Malcolm Staves, Global VP Health and Safety at L’Oréal, a luminary in the health and safety space, a TEDx speaker, and a recipient of the prestigious RoSPA Guardian Angel Award.

A fellow of the Institute of Chemical Engineers, he “fell” into safety as he started from an engineering background.

Malcolm shares his insights on the importance of prioritising safety in workplaces, the impact of safety incidents, and reveals how his superpower - networking - has been instrumental in his success.

Malcolm also discusses the design and implementation of effective safety protocols, the importance of visible leadership, and the role of technology in maintaining safety standards.

The first episode serves as a valuable guide for understanding the landscape of occupational health and safety, making workplaces safer, and crucial insights into the realm of safety management.

Follow Malcolm Staves' journey on his LinkedIn

Send us a message!

If you like this podcast episode, subscribe here and follow us on LinkedIn for the latest from our HSE community and guests. Connect with our CEO and host, Mousa, today to stay updated on Safety Heroes, Pixaera, and more. 

Do you want to be a guest on Safety Heroes, or know someone who would be a great fit? We’d love to hear from you. Send us a message on LinkedIn or email [email protected].