Author: Nicholas
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Beyond Compliance Part 1: Compliance Isn’t the Goal: Building a Safety Program That Actually Reduces Risk
Compliance matters. Every employer has a responsibility to understand OSHA requirements, follow applicable standards, and provide a workplace free from recognized hazards. Regulations create a necessary foundation for workplace safety, and organizations should never treat compliance as optional or unimportant. However, compliance alone should not be the final measure of a safety program’s success. The… Read more
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Stop Chasing Safety Goals. Start Building Safety Systems.
Every organization wants the same thing when it comes to workplace safety. Leaders want fewer injuries, fewer OSHA recordables, lower workers’ compensation costs, improved productivity, and employees who return home safely at the end of every shift. These are important objectives, and they provide direction for an organization. However, while goals tell us where we… Read more
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Hearing Loss Doesn’t Happen Overnight: Why Hearing Conservation Matters More Than Most Organizations Realize
When discussing workplace safety, most conversations focus on hazards that can cause immediate injury. Falls, machine guarding, forklifts, electrical hazards, and hazardous energy often dominate safety meetings and training programs. These risks deserve attention because their consequences are immediate and visible. Hearing loss, however, is different. It develops gradually, often without pain or warning, making… Read more
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What if the key to better safety isn’t more control, but more learning?
In Episode 316 of The Safety Leadership Collective, Jake Mazulewiz joins hosts Nicholas Coia and Mike Thompson to discuss how organizations can move from a blame focused safety culture to one built on learning, trust, and continuous improvement. Jake shares seven practical steps that leaders can start using today, including:✅ Building psychological safety✅ Leading effective… Read more
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Fatigue: The Workplace Hazard We Often Overlook
When most people think about workplace hazards, they picture moving equipment, hazardous chemicals, energized machinery, fall hazards, or other physical risks that can cause immediate harm. While those hazards deserve attention, there is another risk present in nearly every workplace that often receives far less consideration: fatigue. Unlike a missing machine guard or an unprotected… Read more
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Forklifts Don’t Hurt People. Systems Do.
Forklifts are among the most essential pieces of equipment found in today’s workplaces. From manufacturing facilities and warehouses to distribution centers and construction sites, powered industrial trucks move materials efficiently and support the flow of production. Their value is undeniable. Unfortunately, so is the risk they present when something goes wrong. Every year, forklift-related incidents… Read more
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Every Near Miss Is a Warning
The Most Valuable Safety Information in Your Organization May Be the Incidents That Never Happened Organizations often measure safety performance by looking at injury rates, OSHA recordables, and days away from work. While these metrics provide valuable insight, they only tell part of the story. Some of the most important safety information within an organization… Read more
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Most Incident Investigations Fail Before They Even Start
Most Incident Investigations Fail Before They Even Start When a workplace incident occurs, the first few moments after the event often determine whether the investigation will lead to meaningful improvement or become another missed opportunity. Unfortunately, many investigations begin with the wrong question. Instead of asking:“What allowed this to happen?” Organizations immediately ask:“Who caused this?”… Read more
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𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐨𝐮𝐭/𝐓𝐚𝐠𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐚 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦…𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦.
Every year, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) releases its list of the most cited workplace safety violations across the United States. And every year, one standard consistently remains near the top of that list: Lockout/Tagout (LOTO). Not occasionally. Not every few years. Every single year. For many organizations, this creates an important and… Read more
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Safety Culture Isn’t a Program – It’s a Daily Decision
In many organizations, safety culture is often described in terms of programs, policies, and procedures. Companies invest significant time and resources into developing written programs, conducting training, and performing audits, all with the intention of strengthening their safety performance. While these elements are important, they are frequently misunderstood as the foundation of safety culture. They… Read more