The Accidental Safety Pro

Meet Dr. Jan Handwerk, Associate Professor of Occupational Safety at the University of Central Oklahoma. Dr. Handwerk discusses the challenges she faced throughout her diverse career in male-dominated industries, from teaching physical education to working as a utility substation mechanic, including issues with properly fitting PPE. She emphasizes the importance of effective communication skills for safety professionals and shares insights on the evolving safety landscape, noting the shift from reactive to more preventive approaches. Dr. Handwerk also discusses the "Safety Olympics" she helped establish, which allows safety students from various universities to compete and network. Listen now to hear about the experiences and perspectives of a seasoned safety professional dedicated to educating the next generation of EHS leaders.

University of Central Oklahoma Bachelor of Science in Occupational Safety

NSC Student Membership

Improve your communication skills with the HSI Communications Cafe

This week, Jill sits down with a truly accidental safety professional. Catherine West now serves as senior director of global health and safety for a business consulting company, but she never intended to get into this industry. After deciding to leave her sales role, she quickly discovered an unexpected love for safety, where she gets to work closely with employees to better their experience and the workplace. Tune in to hear her discuss the four key pillars of employee wellbeing, learn about some of the programs she has implemented to support those needs, and find out why she thinks a “culture of caring” is crucial to workplace safety. Also discover some advice she has for safety professionals on tying personal factors into employee health and safety!

It's back! Jill sat down with EHS professionals who were attending this year's ASSP’s Safety Conference and Expo in Denver, Colorado. She talked with people from many different industries and asked what their favorite part of being a safety professional, advice for other professionals, favorite success stories, and what the future of EHS looks like to them. thank you to those EHS pros who stopped by the HSI booth and contributed to this podcast. See you again next year!

Jill had the pleasure of speaking with ASSP's 2024 Outstanding Safety Educator, Dr. Leslie Stockel! Leslie is an associate professor of professional practice at Oklahoma State University, and teaches in the Fire Protection and Safety Engineering Technology program. She shares how her father helped her find her passion through firefighting, which lead to her experiences as a safety professional in various industries. Leslie also talks about her journey to becoming an educator and the importance of teaching safety management and prevention activities. She highlights her recent research on significant incident and fatality (SIF) precursors in incident investigation reports, revealing the lack of consistent identification and addressing of these precursors. Leslie emphasizes the need for better investigations and communication of findings in the field of safety, and also mentions her upcoming research on virtual reality scenarios related to hazard events. 

Monique Parker, senior vice president of EHS at Piedmont Lithium, hesitantly accepted a job early in her career that moved her across the country to Salt Lake City, Utah. Little did she know, that move would open her eyes to a career-defining passion: Diversity, equity, and inclusion. In this episode, Monique chats with Jill about her accidental journey into EHS, starting with her passion for chemical engineering and environmental science. They discuss the importance of building relationships, adapting to different cultures, and the role of DEI in the safety profession. Monique concludes by encouraging women in EHS to be authentic, confident, and find advocates and allies for growth and support.

On episode 207 of EHS On Tap, Jill James, Chief Safety Officer at HSI, talks about common misconceptions regarding safety training. This episode is sponsored by HSI.

OSHA Safety Training Needs Assessment

To celebrate the Accidental Safety Pro's 6th birthday, Jill sat down with HSI CEO Chad Birckelbaw to discuss the importance of the podcast in supporting the EHS profession and how it aligns with HSI's mission of making the workplace safer and smarter. They talk about the challenges and responsibilities of EHS professionals, the importance of aligning with leaders, and the need for continuous learning and personal development. Chad gives insights on decision-making, the value of having mentors, and shares three key takeaways for EHS professionals: be proud of the profession, stay curious, and manage the three E's as a leader.

Don't let her city roots fool you. Lisa Blotsky, a casualty risk consultant with AXA XL, got her start in safety by putting on her boots (PPE-approved, of course) and working at a large-scale poultry processing facility. In this episode, listen as Jill chats with Lisa about her childhood dream of becoming a veterinarian, her 24 years spent working in the poultry industry, and how she transitioned into insurance. Lisa also talks about her involvement with the American Society of Safety Professionals, her passion for advocating for agriculture, and the importance of safety in caring for human life.

Which came first, the chicken or the egg?

ASSP WISE (Women in Safety Excellence)

NSC Safety Congress and Expo 2024

Did you know you can utilize your insurance broker for risk assessment on your jobsites? And that PPE for males and females should be designed differently? Or that workplace violence is one of the top three reasons women die in the workplace every year? In this episode, Jill runs the gamut of safety with Christina Roll, casualty risk consultant with AXA XL. Christina is passionate about diversity, equity, and inclusion within the safety profession, and chats with Jill about the importance of PPE created - and fitted - specifically for women. She emphasizes the need to address workplace violence and bridge the gap for women in executive leadership roles. Christina also encourages all safety professionals to be their authentic selves, work on soft skills, and mentor others to ensure the growth and success of the safety profession.

Join Elizabeth Johnson, Senior Director of EHS at Mitsubishi Power Americas, as she discusses what the next generation of EHS professionals will need, in addition to technical expertise, to be successful. We cover the importance of soft skills, such as communication and leadership, the significance of clear and concise writing, and the value of pursuing education. Overall, Elizabeth highlights the importance of supporting and mentoring the next generation of safety professionals and leaving a positive impact on the profession. Elizabeth shares her into the safety profession, starting with her time in the United States Army and her transition into the field of safety.