The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management

"It's not just about making sure that you're checking boxes and being compliant. It's deeper than that. It's about caring for people and creating that environment where it is safe to speak up." - Joseph Bachi
Safety investigations should help us understand what happened and make it easier to prevent the next incident. But when investigations focus on blame, they can shut down the very conversations that could reveal what really went wrong.


Joseph Bachi, Division Safety & Health Manager of the Gypsum Division at Georgia-Pacific, brings years of experience across manufacturing, automotive, and mining safety, along with a deep understanding of Human and Organizational Performance (HOP) principles.


In this episode of The Canary Report, host Michael Zalle sits down with Joseph to explore how shifting from blame-based interrogations to curiosity-driven conversations can uncover the operational challenges traditional investigations often miss. Joseph shares how asking better questions, listening to frontline employees, and designing systems that make it easier to do things right can transform incident investigations. They also explore near-miss learning, engineering controls, decentralized safety leadership, and the value of independent observation in identifying blind spots.


Here are some key discussion points from the episode:

• How the HOP principle can  "make it easy to do right, hard to do wrong" 
• Why asking "what does a good day vs. a bad day look like?" uncovers more truth 
• The value of redesigning control panels, labels, and engineering controls 
• How safety structures with decentralized reporting drive consistency 
• Why third-party, independent observation can reveal blind spots 
• How removing blame from safety conversations encourages employees to share critical context
  
  

Joseph Bachi is a Certified Safety Professional and Division Safety & Health Manager for the Gypsum Division at Georgia-Pacific, with 12 years of experience leading safety programs across 16 facilities nationwide. His background spans health and beauty care, automotive, corrugated operations, and other manufacturing environments. Joseph is passionate about developing people, building strong teams, and creating safety systems that work in the real world. He applies Principle-Based Management and Human and Organizational Performance (HOP) principles to strengthen safety culture, reduce incidents, and help organizations make it easier to do the right thing.


Episode Resources

• Joseph Bachi on LinkedIn
• Georgia-Pacific 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 that traditional mindset's going to work, then people have to be perfect. And we know, and Safety Differently teaches us, that we all make mistakes. We're all fallible because we're human." - Chris Murphy
Safety culture does not change by adding more rules. It changes when people at every level are given the ownership, context, and confidence to make better decisions. Chris Murphy, Executive Director of Safety at Aldridge Electric, brings a unique perspective shaped by his journey from juvenile probation officer to construction safety leader, as well as his experience applying Safety Differently and Human and Organizational Performance (HOP) principles.


In this episode of The Canary Report, host Michael Zalle sits down with Chris to explore why errors should be treated as opportunities to learn rather than reasons to assign blame, and how moving beyond compliance can strengthen serious injury and fatality (SIF) prevention. Chris shares practical strategies for turning frontline supervisors into safety champions, deciding when training needs to happen in person, navigating multilingual workforces, and protecting company culture during rapid growth. Together, they explore how building capacity and effective controls can create genuine psychological safety and a stronger safety culture.


Here are some key discussion points from the episode:

•       Why the traditional "safety pyramid" mindset fails
• The five core principles of Safety Differently
• How to turn superintendents and general foremen into "safety champions" 
• Why in-person training should be reserved for culture-critical topics
• How to navigate multilingual and dialect challenges in safety training s
• Why preserving company culture and identity during rapid growth is as important as hitting business milestones
• How building "capacity" and effective controls is the realistic goal of a mature safety program
  
  

Chris Murphy is the Executive Director of Safety at Aldridge Electric, bringing a career-long commitment to helping people into the world of construction safety. His path began in criminology and juvenile probation, where he learned the power of connecting with people and helping them find a better path. A move into safety transformed that calling into a career focused on protecting workers and building stronger safety cultures. Today, Chris champions human-centered approaches that move beyond policing behavior to help people make safer decisions and look out for one another.


Episode Resources

• Chris Murphy on LinkedIn
• Aldridge Electric Website
• Chris Murphy Article Featured in Electrical Contractor
• 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

"Safety is a keystone habit. You show me a safe company, I'll show you a well-performing one and vice versa. You cannot separate safety performance from company performance, period." - Paul Espenan
Safety leadership is not about adding more rules or another compliance checklist. It is about helping people understand risk, take ownership, and make safer decisions when it matters. Paul Espenan, Senior Vice President of EHS&R at Diversified Energy Company, brings a practical perspective shaped by his career progression from environmental compliance into safety leadership and his experience of turning underperforming operations into safer, more effective workplaces.


In this episode of The Canary Report, host Michael Zalle sits down with Paul to explore why safety can become a keystone habit that drives both safety performance and overall business performance. Paul shares how asking better questions can coach leaders toward safer operations, why vulnerability and storytelling can accelerate cultural transformation, and how an advice-then-ownership approach can build genuine ownership of safety. He also explains how finding more efficient ways to manage hazards can align operational excellence with incident prevention, rather than treating safety and efficiency as competing priorities. 


Here are some key discussion points from the episode:

• Why safety performance and company performance are inseparable
• How to coach your boss (or your boss's boss) by asking powerful questions 
• The "advice-then-ownership" technique: Moving from compliance to ownership
• Finding efficient solutions: Proving safety and efficiency are aligned 
• How storytelling transforms training from passive listening to behavior change 
• The importance of mentorship and letting others truly influence you
• Why leaving people with their dignity, even during difficult safety conversations, builds lasting trust and organizational transformation
  
  

Paul Espenan is Senior Vice President of EHS&R at Diversified Energy Company, with extensive experience in safety leadership, environmental management, sustainability, and risk reduction across the oil and natural gas industry. He has led challenging culture transformations, including helping move a large group from last to first in safety performance. He is passionate about values-based safety, positive leadership, and helping people thrive in difficult situations. His expertise spans building a safety culture, incident learning, ESG strategy, emissions reduction, process safety, and leadership development, with a focus on getting everyone home safe. 


Episode Resources

• Paul Espenan on LinkedIn
• Diversified Energy Company Website
• A Story of Transformation on LinkedIn
• Book: The Heart and Soul of Safety on Amazon
• 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

In our career field, we can't be in cruise control. Right? Safety matters too darn much to put it in cruise control." - Justin
Safety leadership is not about adding another checklist or sending another reminder. It is about helping people see risk differently and giving them a reason to make safer choices. Justin Hinks, Director of Safety at Furniture Mart USA, brings an unconventional perspective shaped by his journey from farm kid to high school principal to safety leader.


In this episode of The Canary Report, host Michael Zalle sits down with Justin to explore how the “Safe 2 Home” mentality can move safety beyond compliance and connect it to what matters most: getting people home to the people they love. Justin shares why visiting 70 locations in four months can build more trust than generic safety communications, how a simple perspective exercise can help teams spot hazards they have become blind to, and why coaching and relationship-building are critical to changing behaviour. He also explains how innovative waste-reduction initiatives can turn an environmental challenge into a business opportunity.


Here are some key discussion points from the episode:

• How to shift from "compliance theater" to cultural transformation 
• Why the "Safe 2 Home" mentality works where traditional toolbox talks fail
• The perspective-building framework that changes how employees make decisions
• How to conduct meaningful site audits without creating "you vs. them" 
• The business case for innovative environmental solutions
• Why hiring practices and leadership mindset matter as much as compliance checklists

Justin Hinks is Director of Safety at Furniture Mart USA, overseeing safety across 70+ locations and nearly 1,300 employees in six states. With a background in education and school administration, Justin brings a coaching-centered approach to safety culture, grounded in perspective, relationships, and the belief that safety is about getting people home. A NASP-certified safety manager, FEMA-trained emergency responder, and DOT inspector, he is also the author of Safety Mindset: Conversations That Work, a practical guide to building sustainable safety cultures. 


Episode Resources

• Justin Hinks on Facebook
• Furniture Mart USA Website
• Safety Mindset: Conversations That Work Book
• 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 goal is to make our frontline leaders, the foremen, the superintendents, the general foremen, to make those folks professional risk managers.” Devin Woods, Director of Safety at ArchKey Solutions.
Safety leadership is not about chasing perfect outcomes. It is about giving frontline leaders the tools to identify hazards, assess risk, and make better decisions when conditions change. Devin Woods, Director of Environmental Health and Safety at Bruce & Merrilees Electric, an ArchKey Solutions company. Devin brings experience across oil and gas, drilling operations, and electrical construction to a conversation about building practical risk management into everyday work.


In this episode of The Canary Report, host Michael Zalle sits down with Devin to explore how Human and Organizational Performance can strengthen an HSE management system, why TRIR alone may not reveal high-potential risks, and how SIF potential can provide another view of exposure. Devin also shares a powerful lesson from a drilling rig fatality about why a focus on corrective actions must cut across the organization and explains how EHS technology can free safety teams to spend more time where they have the greatest impact.


Here are some key discussion points from the episode:

• How to Turn Frontline Staff into Risk Managers
• Beyond Low TRIR Rates
• Integrating Human and Organizational Performance (HOP)
• Lessons Learned from High-Hazard Operation
• How to Navigate Industry Transitions.
• How to Leverage EHS Technology To Coach and Support Field Crews 
  
  

Devin Woods is Director of Environmental Health and Safety at Bruce & Merrilees Electric, an ArchKey Solutions company. After serving in the U.S. Navy and earning a degree in occupational safety, Devin built his career across high-hazard oil and gas drilling operations in Pennsylvania and West Texas before moving into electrical construction. Today, he oversees EHS strategy across more than 40 active job sites, with experience spanning industrial projects, substations, and data centers. His approach focuses on developing frontline leaders as professional risk managers, applying Human and Organizational Performance principles, and using EHS technology to identify and reduce high-potential risks.


Episode Resources

• Devin Woods on LinkedIn
• ArchKey Solutions 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

"Never be afraid of what the three most terrifying words in our business are: 'I don't know’. Because if you don't know, you can find out." - John Kanyan, Director EHS PepsiCo
Safety leadership is not about adding more rules to the schedule. It is about designing safety into the way work gets done. John Kanyan, Director of EHS at PepsiCo, brings more than 15 years of frontline experience across steel mills, power generation, manufacturing, and large-scale fleet operations to a conversation about making safety stick. 
In this episode of The Canary Report, host Michael Zalle sits down with John to explore how system safety and behavior safety work together to strengthen culture, why safety belongs inside SOPs rather than beside them, and what it takes to manage risk across 19 geographically dispersed facilities. John also shares a practical perspective on using AI in safety, the importance of human oversight, and why being willing to say “I don’t know” can lead to better decisions and stronger safety programs. 
Here are some key discussion points from the episode:

• 
  Why consulting early in your safety career accelerates competency 
• How to design safety into SOPs instead of bolting it on later 
• The system safety + behavior safety framework that builds a culture
• Why AI in safety requires human gatekeeping, not replacement
• How to manage 19 geographically dispersed facilities without losing oversight
• The three most terrifying words in business that actually unlock safety growth
  
  

John Kanyan has worked in Environmental, Health, and Safety since 2010, following his degree in Safety Science from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He began his career in Pittsburgh’s steel mills, building frontline experience in industrial hygiene and high-exposure environments. After a decade in heavy industry, John moved into food and beverage manufacturing. Today, as an EHS Director at PepsiCo, he supports 19 facilities while developing strong safety cultures and the next generation of EHS leaders.

Episode Resources

• PepsiCo  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

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