One of the things I always say to my team is, how can we move from firefighters to proactive fire marshals?” Jesse Marano, Director of Global EHS at EVAPCO. 
Safety leadership isn’t about responding faster when something goes wrong; it’s about preventing the fire before it starts. Jesse Marano, Director of Global EHS at EVAPCO, explains how to shift safety teams from reactive firefighters into proactive fire marshals while building programs that can scale across global operations.


In this episode of The Canary Report, host Michael Zalle sits down with Jesse to explore managing EHS across 28 facilities in 13 countries, balancing corporate standards with local autonomy, and getting real stakeholder buy-in. Jesse also shares why safety professionals need to speak the language of operations, demonstrate business value, and package their initiatives effectively. Because safety isn’t about citing regulations or creating more rules. It’s about building practical systems that prevent risk, strengthen operations, and help people work safely.



Here are some key discussion points from the episode:

• How to transition from reactive to proactive safety leadership
• Why "stra-tactical" leadership balances tactical execution with strategic vision
• Why the real barrier to safety adoption is competing operational priorities 
• How to manage global EHS programs without drowning in compliance 
• The power of packaging and positioning your safety initiatives
• Build a lean, distributed EHS structure that scales
  
  

Jesse Marano is Director of Global EHS at EVAPCO, bringing nearly 20 years of experience in Environmental, Health, Safety & Sustainability across manufacturing industries, including biotech, aerospace, electrical distribution, construction materials, and industrial cooling. He has supported mission-critical markets spanning aerospace, defense, healthcare, and data centers. Jesse is a “stra-tactical” EHSS business partner who combines strategic thinking with hands-on execution, using risk-based decision-making, cross-functional collaboration, and servant leadership to build stronger safety and sustainability programs across complex global operations.

Episode Resources

• Jesse Marano on LinkedIn
• EVAPCO Website
• Michael Zalle on LinkedIn
• Yellow Bird Website
• The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management on Apple Podcasts 
• The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management on Spotify
• The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management on YouTube
  
  

The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

"A strong safety culture lives at the intersection of psychological safety, lived experience, and consistency across people, backgrounds, and shifts." - Jeffrey Bowers, Owner/Consultant of Dream Bay Services LLC.
Safety culture doesn’t start with more rules; it starts with trust. Jeffrey Bowers, Owner/Consultant of Dream Bay Services LLC, explains how to transform safety in a high-risk, heavy-industrial environment by asking the right questions and building psychological safety within teams, rather than playing the role of "safety cop.”


In this episode of The Canary Report, host Michael Zalle sits down with Jeffrey to explore what it takes to build genuine safety in one of manufacturing’s most hazardous environments. Drawing on his military background and experience in heavy industrial safety, Jeffrey shares why asking “Why do you do it this way?” can reveal more than another compliance audit ever will. We also explore how to break complex risks into manageable processes, build psychological safety in union and multi-generational workplaces, and use external perspectives to uncover blind spots.


Jeffrey also explains why a strong safety culture lives at the intersection of psychological safety, lived experience, and consistency, and why safety leadership is ultimately about people, not paperwork or another box on a checklist.


Here are some key discussion points from the episode:

• How to recognize narrow-scope safety problems within the bigger picture
• Why psychological safety is non-negotiable in high-risk manufacturing 
• The framework for navigating extreme hazard environments 
• How to leverage industry networks and peer learning when your specialty is rare 
• Why your personal resilience directly impacts how you lead others 
• The power of asking "what are they surviving with?" rather than just counting survivors

Episode Resources

• Jeffrey Bowers on LinkedIn
• Dream Bay Services LLC Website
• Michael Zalle on LinkedIn
• Yellow Bird Website
• The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management on Apple Podcasts 
• The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management on Spotify
• The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management on YouTube
  
  

The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

"If the system really works, the employees are doing the right thing. Their leaders are doing the right thing and are committed to health and safety as well." - Jeff Schmitt, Director of Corporate Safety and Health at Kyndryl

Scaling safety across 60 countries is not about piling on bureaucracy or inflating central headcount. It is about creating operational systems that frontline workers can rely on when unexpected risks emerge. In this episode of The Canary Report, host Michael Zalle sits down with Jeff Schmitt, CSP, to examine what it takes to build a scalable EHS management system.

From his roots in a single-stoplight town in Fowler, Michigan, to overseeing global safety strategy, Schmitt brings a grounded perspective to enterprise risk. He shares hard-earned insights from leading EHS programs across semiconductor manufacturing, cleanrooms, and global IT infrastructure.

We explore why an EHS management system must serve as an active playbook rather than static compliance paperwork. Schmitt details how Kyndryl rebuilt its ISO 45001 safety framework from scratch following its spinoff from IBM, and why 100 EHS professionals can never protect 300,000 workers without enterprise-wide accountability.

Key discussion points include:

• How to transition safety management systems during major corporate spinoffs
• Why a 100-person EHS team cannot manage risk for 300,000 employees without frontline ownership
• Frameworks for managing occupational risk in remote work, client facilities, and high-consequence data centers
• Navigating data collection challenges across fragmented global contractor networks
• The playbook approach that turns an ISO framework into a tool for continuous improvement
• Applying management system principles to daily leadership and personal life

Episode Resources

• Jeff Schmitt on LinkedIn
• Kyndryl Website
• Michael Zalle on LinkedIn
• Yellow Bird Website
• The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management on Apple Podcasts 
• The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management on Spotify
• The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management on YouTube
  
  

The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

My conversation with Joseph Klinzing highlights how safety training programs and risk management thrive on transparency. As a veteran and Project Management Rigging Operations Manager for GE Healthcare, Joe brings a unique view to construction safety programs and on-site safety. 


He shares his experience with crane operations and the importance of fall protection in high-risk settings. Joe explains why a safety professional should prioritize learning from the field over focusing only on OSHA compliance. He uses the "Undercover Boss" analogy to show how safety leadership creates a better safety champion mindset. It also provides a look at hazard assessment through a human lens. 


What You’ll Learn:

• How the military mindset improves safety leadership in construction safety programs.
• The difference between being a safety professional who audits and one who advocates.
• Why rigging operations for MRI machines require specialized crane operations knowledge.
• How the Gemba walk philosophy supports incident prevention and workplace safety culture.
• The role of fall protection and hazard assessment in home and work settings.
  
  

About the Guest: 


Joseph Klinzing is a veteran with twenty-five years of service in the US Army, having served in the armor and ordnance corps with multiple deployments to Bosnia and Iraq. He currently serves as the Project Management Rigging Operations Manager for GE Healthcare, overseeing specialized crane operations across the United States and Canada. Joe holds a master’s degree in crisis and emergency management, bringing a wealth of knowledge to the safety professional field.



Episode Resources: 

• Joseph Klinzing on LinkedIn 
• Michael Zalle on LinkedIn
• YellowBird Website
• The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management on Apple Podcasts 
• The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management on Spotify
• The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management on YouTube
  
  

The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

In this episode, my conversation with Christopher Diaz, Balfour Beatty Vice President of Safety, Health, and Environment for the Southeast, focused on safety leadership and the Zero Harm philosophy at Balfour Beatty. Chris shared how his deep roots in the construction industry shaped his approach to workplace safety and risk management. We discussed the reality of managing safety for a global contractor across diverse and high stakes environments. I loved hearing his perspective on why the industry has plateaued and why we need to embrace the "Fatal Five" to include live traffic.


Chris argued that safety is a human business and a universal language that connects us all. We also touched on the importance of overcoming language barriers through initiatives like Spanish safety committees. I left our talk feeling inspired by his vision for a safety culture that protects workers, the public, and the environment. This episode is full of practical wisdom for anyone responsible for operational excellence in complex industries.


What You’ll Learn

• How the Zero Harm philosophy integrates people, the public, and the environment.
• The reason why live traffic is now considered the fifth fatal risk in construction.
• Methods for managing workplace safety across diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds.
• Why safety acts as a universal language in international development projects.
• The benefits of a multi-generational perspective on safety innovation and industry change.
  
  

About the Guest


Christopher Diaz serves as the Vice President of Safety, Health, and Environment for the Southeast at Balfour Beatty. He leads safety efforts for a global contractor with a focus on high-stakes environments like high-rise construction and hospitality. Before his current leadership role, Chris spent forty years in the construction industry, starting from the ground up as a builder and superintendent. His extensive experience informs his commitment to the Zero Harm philosophy and his drive to address emerging risks like live traffic in the construction sector.



The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Safety leadership and construction safety programs become critical business functions when your team manages massive demolition projects globally. My guest today is Robert Poole, the Corporate Director of Safety and Risk Management at D. H. Griffin Companies. Robert shares how his background as a helicopter pilot and safety professional informs his approach to high-stakes risk management. 


He even tells the incredible story of a twelve day demolition at Cape Canaveral. This episode is packed with technical insights on how to handle massive exposures through expertise and a human-first approach to safety training programs.


What You’ll Learn:

• How technical precision allows for the demolition of massive structures with minimal explosives.
• The impact of being self-insured on an organization's risk management strategy.
• Why specialized heavy equipment requires internal maintenance and expert inspections.
• The process of coordinating with local and federal authorities for high-risk demolitions.
• How microlearning and electronic media can scale safety training programs across global locations.
• The importance of understanding logistics when working in remote regions like Mongolia.
  
  

About the Guest: 


Robert Poole serves as the Corporate Director of Safety and Risk Management at D. H. Griffin Companies, which is one of the largest demolition firms in the world. He brings a wealth of cross-disciplinary expertise to the table, having spent much of his career in insurance, risk control, and aviation as a helicopter pilot. Robert is currently completing his PhD and oversees the safety of a massive fleet of specialized equipment and a workforce that operates across the United States and internationally.


Episode Resources: 

• Robert Poole on LinkedIn 
• Michael Zalle on LinkedIn
• Yellow Bird Website
• The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management on Apple Podcasts 
• The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management on Spotify
• The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management on YouTube

The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

A true safety champion mindset starts with the realization that culture is what you tolerate. My guest Jim Wathen has spent thirty years perfecting construction safety programs and he shows us that safety leadership is a daily commitment to taking care of your people. 


When lives are on the line, on-site training for fall protection and scaffolding beats digital modules any day. We also discuss why distributing safety responsibility across your entire leadership team is the only way to scale elite performance. This conversation is for anyone who wants to move past simple OSHA compliance and build a legacy of genuine care and risk management that actually sticks on the job site.


What You’ll Learn:

• Why your safety culture is defined by what you allow to happen.
• The strategy for making every project manager a safety champion.
• Why hands on training for high risk hazards beats online learning.
• How to use observation data to stop incidents before they happen.
• The importance of praising field teams to build long term loyalty.
• Ways to prioritize safety resources based on project schedules.

Episode Resources:

• Jim Wathen on LinkedIn
• Michael Zalle on LinkedIn
• Yellow Bird Website
• The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management on Apple Podcasts 
• The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management on Spotify
• The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management on YouTube
  
  

The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Nathan Haynes, who standardized a safety culture across forty infrastructure projects joins me in this episode. Nathan shares anecdotes from his career that led him from Alaska to the highway patrol and how it shaped his views on risk management. Workplace safety and construction safety management thrive on incident prevention and risk management strategies. I listen as Nathan describes his transformation of an operation that previously carried a five plus OSHA rate by eliminating the "wild west" of fragmented project sites. 


Nathan explains the necessity of finding the true cause of an accident while avoiding the common mistake of only replacing equipment and moving on to the next task. I also learn why he believes life maturity and personal longevity contribute to the judgment required for high stakes leadership. 


What You’ll Learn

• Why hiring for character and life experience creates a more resilient safety culture than hiring for degrees alone
• How to build standardized safety protocols across forty projects spanning multiple states and jurisdictions
• The reason online safety training fails to change behavior for workers on high risk roadways
• How to implement root cause analysis that leads to actual learning rather than just replacing equipment
• The way diverse career backgrounds like law enforcement and diving enhance a leader's ability to manage risk

The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

I talk about food safety management and workplace safety leadership with Laura McCready, who manages risk mitigation for Reser's Fine Foods. We examine how regulatory compliance with the FDA and USDA requires a holistic view of the human body, protecting it inside and out. Laura explains why a machine guard meant to prevent an injury might create a hidden biofilm that risks consumer health. 


I find her stories about the agricultural roots of food science and the intricate journey of our meals to be a vital lesson for every leader. This episode illustrates that safety is an integrated mission that requires constant communication between departments to avoid unintended consequences on the production floor.


What You’ll Learn:

• How machine guards can create hidden bacterial traps known as biofilms.
• Why food safety professionals rely on lockout tagout procedures during deep cleaning.
• The staggering complexity of a supply chain for a simple bag of lettuce.
• How to build a culture where employees understand the reason behind every rule.
• The overlap between agencies like the FDA, USDA, and OSHA in food manufacturing.
  
  

About the Guest 


Laura McCready is the Director of Food Safety and Policy at Reser's Fine Foods, a leader in refrigerated deli salads and prepared foods. With over two decades of experience, she has worked for major brands like Foster Farms, ConAgra, and Nestlé. Laura uses her background in food science to navigate the complex world of federal regulations and consumer protection. She is a passionate advocate for food safety culture, drawing on her agricultural upbringing to ensure that every meal reaches the table safely.


Episode Resources:

• Laura McCready on LinkedIn
• Michael Zalle on LinkedIn
• Yellow Bird Website
• The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management on Apple Podcasts 
• The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management on Spotify
• The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management on YouTube

The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

My conversation with James Ferrell in this episode focused on Human and Organizational Performance and Workplace Safety at Perdue Farms. James shared how his background as a military pilot shaped his approach to complex systems and Risk Management. We discussed the reality of managing safety across a massive vertically integrated company with diverse locations. I loved hearing his perspective on why leaders should look at Root Cause Analysis instead of using band-aid programs. 


James argued that you cannot have a safe plant without also having efficient and high quality processes. We also touched on the power of Self-Insurance Safety to motivate better decisions. I left our talk feeling inspired by his vision for a Safety Culture that empowers the frontline. This episode is full of practical wisdom for anyone responsible for keeping people safe while running a complex business.


What You’ll Learn

• How military Aviation Safety principles apply to manufacturing environments.
• The reason traditional safety posters rarely prevent serious injuries.
• Methods for building flexible Workplace Safety standards across different facilities.
• Why quality and efficiency are naturally tied to safety performance.
• The benefits of using a Systems Thinking approach for Root Cause Analysis.
  
  

About the Guest


James Ferrell serves as the Senior Director of Security and Safety at Perdue Farms. He leads safety efforts for an organization with a hundred year history and over twenty thousand associates. Before joining the food industry, James spent over twenty years in the United States Air Force as a pilot. He was one of the first individuals to fly the V-22 Osprey and served in over eighty countries. His extensive experience in high-stakes environments informs his current focus on Human and Organizational Performance (HOP) and systemic safety design.



The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so