The Risk Matrix

"509 expired drug and alcohol tests. 91 missing background checks. 52 fake IDs."

This week Dr. Martin and James sit down with Chris Detillier, HSE Manager at Veriforce, to discuss the contractor worker credentialing gap that's costing companies millions and creating serious safety and security risks.

Inside the Episode:

⚠️ Company pre-qualification isn't enough. The real breakdown happens at the worker level. You can pre-qualify a contractor company, but if individual workers show up without proper credentials, you have a compliance and safety gap.

⚠️ Digital credentialing saves time and money. Workers waiting at the gate for missing credentials costs real money. Pre-verifying worker qualifications before they arrive eliminates delays and gets workers to work immediately.

⚠️ Compliance gaps are bigger than you think. The utility case study uncovered 509 expired drug/alcohol tests, 91 missing background checks, and 52 fake IDs that slipped through manual processes.

About Chris Detillier:

Chris Detillier is the HSE Manager at Veriforce in the Expert Services Department. He holds associate degrees in petroleum technology and safety technology from Nicholls State University and is an ASP from BCSP with his Master Safety Professional designation.

ABOUT THE RISK MATRIX PODCAST

Buckle up, safety pros! The Risk Matrix brings you a weekly podcast masterclass in risk management, hosted by two industry titans:

⁠Dr. L.F. Martin⁠: 32-year veteran, Board of Global EHS Credentialing Impact Award winner

⁠James Junkin⁠: Trainer of 40,000+ safety pros, ASSP's 2024 Safety Professional of the Year

They're tackling the topics that keep safety managers up at night featuring guests from regulatory bodies to safety directors and everything in between.

Every Tuesday: The tough conversations safety managers need to have. Critical insights from safety experts. Real-world strategies. Actionable solutions.

The Risk Matrix Podcast is powered by Veriforce: Bringing workers home safe from high-hazard jobs. Learn more at ⁠⁠www.veriforce.com⁠

"Workers will define your risk tolerance if you don't. That's why people crawl out of aerial man lifts and unhook. That's why people don't tie off."

This week Dr. Martin and James discuss how companies need to establish clear risk tolerance collectively instead of letting individual workers decide what's acceptable risk.

Inside the Episode:

⚠️ If you don't define risk tolerance, workers will define it for you. Companies need policies, procedures, training, and consistent messaging to establish guardrails.

⚠️ Get rid of the cowboys. Workers who take unnecessary risks influence the entire team and create a culture where others follow their example.

⚠️ Your messaging matters. Mission statements like "on time every time" tell workers safety rules don't apply when production is at stake.

ABOUT THE RISK MATRIX PODCAST

Buckle up, safety pros! The Risk Matrix brings you a weekly podcast masterclass in risk management, hosted by two industry titans:

⁠⁠Dr. L.F. Martin⁠⁠: 32-year veteran, Board of Global EHS Credentialing Impact Award winner

⁠⁠James Junkin⁠⁠: Trainer of 40,000+ safety pros, ASSP's 2024 Safety Professional of the Year

They're tackling the topics that keep safety managers up at night featuring guests from regulatory bodies to safety directors and everything in between.

Every Tuesday: The tough conversations safety managers need to have. Critical insights from safety experts. Real-world strategies. Actionable solutions.

The Risk Matrix Podcast is powered by Veriforce: Bringing workers home safe from high-hazard jobs. Learn more at ⁠⁠www.veriforce.com⁠

"We've got to be learn-it-alls, not know-it-alls."

This week Justin Barksdale, CSP, joins Dr. Martin and James to discuss professional development for safety professionals. Justin shares insights from his new ebook "The Safety Pro's Edge" on building professional presence, influence, and connection skills that safety leaders need to succeed.

INSIDE THE EPISODE:

⚠️ Safety is a core value, not a priority. Priorities change, but core values don't. Safety professionals must understand their role in supporting business profitability while protecting people.

⚠️ Be a learn-it-all, not a know-it-all. Get your boots dirty, work alongside your team, and ask questions. Trust and credibility come from being willing to do the work.

⚠️ Everyone communicates, few connect. Safety is more about social skills, sociology, and psychology than regulations. Influence comes from connection, not just communication.

ABOUT OUR GUEST:

Justin Barksdale, CSP is the CEO & Founder of Barksdale Safety Solutions, LLC and Barksdale Leadership Solutions. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Occupational Safety, Health, and Environment from Southeastern Louisiana University and works with organizations across chemical manufacturing, electric power, and healthcare to strengthen safety and improve operational performance. Justin helps build leaders people want to follow, and cultures people never want to leave.

As a Certified Safety Professional and executive leadership coach, he partners with business owners, plant managers, and executive teams to align leadership, culture, and safety strategy. Through coaching, keynote speaking, and strategic consulting, Justin empowers leaders to shape culture intentionally rather than leaving it to chance.

RESOURCES:

1. The Safety Pro's Edge

2. Barksdale Safety Solutions

3. Barksdale Leadership Solutions

4. John Maxwell: Everyone Communicates, Few Connect

ABOUT THE RISK MATRIX PODCAST

Buckle up, safety pros! The Risk Matrix brings you a weekly podcast masterclass in risk management, hosted by two industry titans:

⁠Dr. L.F. Martin⁠: 32-year veteran, Board of Global EHS Credentialing Impact Award winner

⁠James Junkin⁠: Trainer of 40,000+ safety pros, ASSP's 2024 Safety Professional of the Year

They're tackling the topics that keep safety managers up at night featuring guests from regulatory bodies to safety directors and everything in between.

Every Tuesday: The tough conversations safety managers need to have. Critical insights from safety experts. Real-world strategies. Actionable solutions.

The Risk Matrix Podcast is powered by Veriforce: Bringing workers home safe from high-hazard jobs. Learn more at ⁠www.veriforce.com⁠

"Your worker may not have been exposed. But if you were involved in the chain of responsibility related to exposure of the hazard, you can be cited."

This week James and Dr. Martin break down OSHA's Multi-Employer Citation Policy, one of the most confusing and misapplied topics in workplace safety.

INSIDE THE EPISODE:

⚠️ The four employer roles: Creating, Exposing, Correcting, Controlling. You can be cited even if your employees weren't exposed.

⚠️ Contracts don't transfer OSHA risk. Indemnification transfers financial risk, but OSHA doesn't recognize that transfer.

⚠️ "Reasonable care" is decided by the general public. James says: "Go to Walmart. Pick the first 12 people. That's your jury."

RESOURCES:

1. James's LinkedIn Article: A Safety Professional's Guide to OSHA's Multi-Employer Citation Policy https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/safety-professionals-guide-oshas-multi-employer-james-l4ade/

2. CPL 02-00-124: OSHA's Multi-Employer Citation Policy https://www.osha.gov/enforcement/directives/cpl-02-00-124

3. OSHA Field Operations Manual (Chapter 3) https://www.osha.gov/enforcement/directives/cpl-02-00-164

ABOUT THE RISK MATRIX PODCAST

Buckle up, safety pros! The Risk Matrix brings you a weekly podcast masterclass in risk management, hosted by two industry titans:

⁠Dr. L.F. Martin⁠: 32-year veteran, Board of Global EHS Credentialing Impact Award winner

⁠James Junkin⁠: Trainer of 40,000+ safety pros, ASSP's 2024 Safety Professional of the Year

They're tackling the topics that keep safety managers up at night featuring guests from regulatory bodies to safety directors and everything in between.

Every Tuesday: The tough conversations safety managers need to have. Critical insights from safety experts. Real-world strategies. Actionable solutions.

The Risk Matrix Podcast is powered by Veriforce: Bringing workers home safe from high-hazard jobs. Learn more at ⁠www.veriforce.com⁠

NIOSH is bringing back 600+ employees. If you use the NIOSH Pocket Guide, rely on chemical exposure data, or need training resources for your safety program, this matters.

This week Dr. Martin and James break down what NIOSH actually does: the difference between NIOSH and OSHA, the Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards, FACE reports on workplace fatalities, and the A-Z training library you're probably not using. Plus, James shares his great-grandfather's black lung story and why NIOSH research creates the evidence base for worker protections.

INSIDE THE EPISODE

⚠️ NIOSH vs OSHA: Know the difference - NIOSH conducts research and provides recommended exposure limits. OSHA handles compliance and enforcement. NIOSH is the scientist of safety.

⚠️ What NIOSH does for you - NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards, A-Z training resources (workplace violence, cold stress, cannabis, hazardous drugs), FACE reports on workplace fatalities, and respirator certification

⚠️ NIOSH research drives worker protections - From black lung pensions to Gulf War syndrome recognition to 9/11 health monitoring, long-term health studies create the evidence for worker compensation and regulatory standards

RESOURCES

1. NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards

2. NIOSH A-Z training resources

3. FACE Reports (Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation)

4. CBRN Respiratory Protection Handbook (September 2025)

ABOUT THE RISK MATRIX PODCAST

Buckle up, safety pros! The Risk Matrix brings you a weekly podcast masterclass in risk management, hosted by two industry titans:

Dr. L.F. Martin: 32-year veteran, Board of Global EHS Credentialing Impact Award winner

James Junkin: Trainer of 40,000+ safety pros, ASSP's 2024 Safety Professional of the Year

They're tackling the topics that keep safety managers up at night featuring guests from regulatory bodies to safety directors and everything in between.

Every Tuesday: The tough conversations safety managers need to have. Critical insights from safety experts. Real-world strategies. Actionable solutions.

The Risk Matrix Podcast is powered by Veriforce: Bringing workers home safe from high-hazard jobs. Learn more at www.veriforce.com

Are you planning your 2026 safety strategy, or is 2026 planning you?

Dr. Martin and James break down the 7 safety trends you need on your radar this year: heat standards moving to states, AI making bad decisions, enhanced OSHA penalties, mental health enforcement gaps, and whistleblower protection. From conference planning strategies to real client AI failures, this episode is your roadmap for 2026.

INSIDE THE EPISODE

• Professional Development Planning: Put 2026 conferences and training on your calendar now (AIHA Connect, ASSP, VPPPA, NSC, BCSP Global Summit) - if it's not scheduled, it won't happen
• AI in Safety: Real client story about pre-qual AI tool that flagged nonexistent gaps. AI is decision support, not a decision maker - don't let it make consequential safety decisions without oversight
• OSHA Enhanced Penalties: Penalties for 2026 correspond with inflation. Review OSHA's Top 10 violations and national emphasis programs now to prepare for enforcement in amputations, falls, and trenching

RESOURCES

• James's LinkedIn article on 2026 Professional Development Planning
• Conference calendar: AIHA Connect (June 1-3, New Orleans), ASSP (June 15-17, California), VPPPA (August), NSC (Sept 11-17, Indianapolis), BCSP Global Summit (online, $25)

ABOUT THE RISK MATRIX PODCAST

Weekly masterclass in risk management from industry titans Dr. L.F. Martin (32-year veteran, Board of Global EHS Credentialing Impact Award winner) and James Junkin (trainer of 40,000+ safety professionals, ASSP's 2024 Safety Professional of the Year).

Every Tuesday: The tough conversations safety managers need to have. Critical insights from safety experts. Real-world strategies. Actionable solutions.

The Risk Matrix Podcast is powered by Veriforce: Bringing workers home safe from high-hazard jobs. Learn more at www.veriforce.com

6,000 workplace deaths annually. That number isn't budging. Dr. Martin and James tackle the hardest question in safety right now: what does "serious" actually mean, and why can't we agree on it?

After Dr. Martin's LinkedIn article "The Safety Triangle is Broken" sparked discussion, they address the uncomfortable truth: total recordable injury rates are trending down, but fatalities aren't. Organizations must develop their own SIF definitions and be disciplined about applying them. You can't wait for the safety profession to reach consensus, and you can't boil the ocean trying to track everything as a potential SIF.

INSIDE THE EPISODE:

• Total recordable injury rates are down, but fatality rates aren't changing. 6,000 annual workplace deaths is unacceptable.
• Organizations must develop their own SIF definitions and be disciplined about applying them. Waiting for profession-wide consensus means waiting forever.
• Energy-based safety approach: hazards above 1500 joules have potential for serious injury or death, giving organizations a scientific threshold to work with.

RESOURCES

• "Energy-Based Safety" by Matthew Hallowell (University of Colorado/Construction Safety Research Alliance)
• ASTM E2920 standard on SIF/PSIF and life-altering injuries

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

Follow us on LinkedIn and share how your organization defines "serious":

⁠The Risk Matrix Podcast⁠⁠Dr. Martin⁠⁠James Junkin⁠⁠Veriforce⁠

ABOUT THE RISK MATRIX PODCAST

Weekly masterclass in risk management from industry titans Dr. L.F. Martin (32-year veteran, Board of Global EHS Credentialing Impact Award winner) and James Junkin (trainer of 40,000+ safety professionals, ASSP's 2024 Safety Professional of the Year).

Every Tuesday: The tough conversations safety managers need to have. Critical insights from safety experts. Real-world strategies. Actionable solutions.

The Risk Matrix Podcast is powered by Veriforce: Bringing workers home safe from high-hazard jobs. Learn more at www.veriforce.com

We're back for Season 3!

Dr. Martin and James kick off 2026 with the topic on every safety pro's mind: OSHA 300 logs are due, and these 5 pitfalls could cost you. From first aid confusion to a $2,500 electronic filing mistake, they break down the recordkeeping traps that catch even experienced safety pros off guard.

INSIDE THE EPISODE:

• First aid confusion - if it's not on OSHA's official list in 1904, it's not first aid (including red light therapy)
• The signature slip-up - company owners must sign OSHA logs, not safety professionals. Know what you're certifying.
• Electronic reporting requirements - companies with 250+ employees must file electronically. Missing the deadline costs $2,500 per violation with no grace period.
• Why good incident records matter - detailed case management makes the difference between accurate logs and over/under-reporting.
• What executives need to know - sit down with leadership and explain what's on the logs, why incidents occurred, and what's being done to prevent them.

RESOURCES:

⁠OSHA 1904 Recordkeeping Guidelines⁠⁠OSHA Electronic Reporting⁠

JOIN THE CONVERSATION:

Follow ⁠The Risk Matrix Podcast⁠ on LinkedInConnect with ⁠Dr. Martin⁠Connect with ⁠James Junkin⁠

ABOUT THE RISK MATRIX PODCAST

Welcome to Season 3! The Risk Matrix brings you weekly masterclass in risk management from industry titans ⁠Dr. L.F. Martin⁠ (32-year veteran, Board of Global EHS Credentialing Impact Award winner) and ⁠James Junkin⁠ (trainer of 40,000+ safety professionals, ASSP's 2024 Safety Professional of the Year).

Every Tuesday: The tough conversations safety managers need to have. Critical insights from safety experts. Real-world strategies. Actionable solutions.

The Risk Matrix Podcast is powered by ⁠Veriforce⁠: Bringing workers home safe from high-hazard jobs. www.veriforce.com

The holidays are here, and Dr. Martin and James are taking a quick break from regular programming to share practical safety tips to help you and your family stay safe this season.

Extension cords. Fire hazards. Winter driving. Ladder safety. Kids with new toys. Carbon monoxide detectors. Five minutes of tips that could make a difference.

INSIDE THE EPISODE:

⚠️ Extension cords matter. Check that they're rated for indoor or outdoor use, and don't daisy chain them unless they're designed for it.

⚠️ Fire kills during the holidays. Extinguish candles before leaving rooms, keep live trees hydrated, and don't leave Christmas lights on overnight.

⚠️ Winter weather is unforgiving. Slow down, leave distance between cars, and plan extra time for travel in bad conditions.

STAY SAFE THIS SEASON

However you celebrate - Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Christmas, or just enjoying time with family - we hope you have a safe and happy holiday season.

The Risk Matrix Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: Weekly masterclass in risk management from industry titans ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dr. L.F. Martin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (32-year veteran, Board of Global EHS Credentialing Impact Award winner) and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠James Junkin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (trainer of 40,000+ safety professionals, ASSP's 2024 Safety Professional of the Year).

Every Tuesday: The tough conversations safety managers need to have. Critical insights from safety experts. Real-world strategies. Actionable solutions.

The Risk Matrix Podcast is powered by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Veriforce⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: Bringing workers home safe from high-hazard jobs.

⁠

"We've identified mental health as a workplace issue. Now what? Most companies stop at awareness."

Pete Smith, Founder & CEO of Confyde, joins Dr. Martin and James to discuss a platform designed to move beyond awareness and into action. From confidential check-ins to real-time data on workforce mental health, this conversation explores what early intervention actually looks like in high-risk industries.

INSIDE THE EPISODE:

• Mental health awareness isn't the same as mental health action. Companies have EAP numbers and training programs, but workers still aren't getting help when they need it most.

• Early intervention beats crisis response. Confidential check-ins catch struggles before they become emergencies, and workers actually use them because the barrier to reaching out is lower.

• Data tells you what's really happening. Anonymous responses show how workers actually feel, not how they think they should respond when their name is attached.

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Pete Smith is a former professional athlete and coach with over a decade of experience in the mental health space. During his coaching career, he saw firsthand the significant mental health challenges faced by many players and recognized the urgent need for better support. Unable to find an existing solution that met the needs of his team, he took matters into his own hands and created one. In 2022, Pete founded Confyde, a platform that has since provided critical support to teams, programs, administrators, coaches, and athletes, helping them engage in conversation and access the mental health support they need when it matters most.

Connect with Pete on LinkedIn.

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• Trade Mutt (Mental health awareness apparel): https://trademutt.com
• Construction Working Minds Summit: https://constructionworkingminds.com/summit

JOIN THE CONVERSATIONHow is your organization addressing mental health beyond awareness training? What's actually working?

The Risk Matrix Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: Weekly masterclass in risk management from industry titans ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dr. L.F. Martin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (32-year veteran, Board of Global EHS Credentialing Impact Award winner) and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠James Junkin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (trainer of 40,000+ safety professionals, ASSP's 2024 Safety Professional of the Year).

Every Tuesday: The tough conversations safety managers need to have. Critical insights from safety experts. Real-world strategies. Actionable solutions.

The Risk Matrix Podcast is powered by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Veriforce⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: Bringing workers home safe from high-hazard jobs.