The Occupational Safety Leadership Podcast

Episode 253 - Occupational Safety - Don't be a ticket puncher

In this episode, Dr. Ayers warns safety professionals against becoming “ticket punchers”—people who focus on checking boxes, collecting credentials, or chasing the next promotion instead of genuinely helping employees reduce hazards. The message is a call to return to the mission of safety work rather than the optics of career advancement.

According to the episode description, a ticket puncher is someone who prioritizes their résumé over real-world impact.

 

🔑 Key Points

🎯 1. Safety Is About People, Not Promotions

A ticket puncher is more concerned with climbing the ladder than eliminating hazards. Dr. Ayers emphasizes that this mindset undermines trust and effectiveness.

🛠️ 2. Real Safety Work Requires Engagement

Employees need leaders who show up, listen, and solve problems—not leaders who only appear when it benefits their career.

📉 3. Shortcuts Damage Credibility

When safety becomes a checklist exercise, employees quickly recognize the lack of authenticity. This erodes influence and weakens the safety culture.

🧭 4. Focus on Impact, Not Optics

The best safety professionals measure success by fewer injuries, better communication, and stronger relationships—not by how many “tickets” they’ve punched.

 

🎙️ Central Message

Don’t chase titles—chase hazard reduction. Your credibility comes from helping people, not padding your résumé.

Episode 252 - Occupational Safety - Find Employees who Speak Freely

In this episode, Dr. Ayers explains a practical strategy for identifying the employees who will tell you the truth about hazards, even when you’re new to a facility. He emphasizes that building trust takes time, and the people who speak freely are often the key to uncovering real risks.

According to the episode description, the focus is on patience, observation, and relationship‑building as the foundation for finding honest voices in the workplace.

 

🔑 Key Points

🗣️ 1. Look for the Employees Who Aren’t Afraid to Talk

Some workers naturally speak up about hazards, processes, and frustrations. These are the people who help safety professionals understand what’s really happening on the floor.

⏳ 2. Patience Is Essential When You’re New

If you’re new to a site, employees may not open up immediately. Trust builds slowly as they watch how you respond to concerns.

👀 3. Pay Attention to Who Others Listen To

Informal leaders—those with influence but not necessarily a title—often shape the safety culture more than supervisors.

🤝 4. Reward Honesty With Action

When someone speaks freely, follow up, close the loop, and show that their input leads to real improvements. This reinforces a culture of openness.

 

🎙️ Central Message

To understand the true state of safety in any workplace, find the people who speak freely—and earn their trust.

Episode 251 - Occupational Safety - Stay on the Path

In this episode, Dr. Ayers reflects on a conversation with a safety professional who was feeling discouraged, worried about layoffs, and questioning whether to stay in the safety field. He uses the moment to reinforce why the work matters and why staying committed to the mission is worth it—even when the profession feels thankless or overwhelming.

The episode is a reminder that safety isn’t always glamorous, but it is deeply meaningful.

 

🔑 Key Points

🧭 1. Safety Isn’t Always Easy

The profession can be stressful, politically messy, and emotionally draining. Feeling discouraged is normal.

🎯 2. But the Work Matters

Dr. Ayers emphasizes the satisfaction that comes from solving difficult hazards and preventing injuries—real, tangible impact.

🛠️ 3. Stay Focused on the Mission

When the job feels shaky or frustrating, reconnecting with why you got into safety helps you stay grounded.

🤝 4. You’re Not Alone

Many safety professionals experience doubt. Talking with peers and mentors helps you regain perspective.

 

🎙️ Central Message

Stay on the path. Safety work is challenging, but the impact you make is worth the struggle.

Episode 250 - Universal Waste Management

In this episode, Dr. Ayers brings back Phil from Hazmat Scholars to break down the often‑misunderstood topic of Universal Waste Management. Phil previously appeared in Episodes 222 and 230 to discuss hazardous waste, and this conversation continues that theme with a focus on the simplified regulatory category known as universal waste.

According to the episode description, universal waste rules are frequently misapplied or overlooked, making this a “can’t miss” discussion for safety leaders.

 

🔑 Key Points

♻️ 1. What Counts as Universal Waste

Phil explains the common categories—batteries, lamps, pesticides, mercury‑containing equipment, and certain electronics—and why they’re regulated differently from full hazardous waste.

🧭 2. Why Universal Waste Rules Exist

The EPA created this category to simplify handling, reduce regulatory burden, and encourage proper recycling rather than disposal.

🛠️ 3. Common Mistakes Employers Make

Many organizations either over‑classify or under‑classify waste, leading to unnecessary cost or compliance risk.

📦 4. Storage, Labeling, and Time Limits

Phil walks through the basic requirements: proper containers, clear labeling (“Universal Waste – [type]”), and the one‑year accumulation limit.

🤝 5. Training and Practical Implementation

The episode emphasizes training employees on what universal waste is, how to store it, and how to avoid mixing it with hazardous waste streams.

 

🎙️ Central Message

Universal waste rules are simpler than hazardous waste rules, but they still require clear procedures. Understanding them saves time, reduces cost, and keeps your facility compliant.

Episode 249 - Occupational Safety - Performing Gap Assessments

In this episode, Dr. Ayers explains how safety leaders can use gap assessments to move their programs toward real success. The core message is simple but powerful: you can’t close a gap until you define what success looks like.

According to the episode description, the very first step is to frame success, and only then can you identify what’s missing and build a plan to get there.

 

🔑 Key Points

🎯 1. Start by Defining Success

Before evaluating anything, you must clearly articulate what “good” looks like—whether that’s compliance, hazard reduction, or behavior change.

🧩 2. Identify the Gaps

Once success is defined, compare your current state to that target. The difference between the two is your actionable gap.

🛠️ 3. Build a Plan to Close the Gap

Gap assessments aren’t about criticism—they’re about creating a roadmap. Dr. Ayers emphasizes focusing on steps that move you closer to the defined success.

📈 4. Stay Focused and Intentional

Without a clear definition of success, safety programs drift. With one, every action becomes purposeful.

 

🎙️ Central Message

Frame success first. Only then can you identify gaps and build a meaningful plan to close them.

Episode 248 - Use the Employee's Safety Plan

In this short but powerful episode, Dr. Ayers explains why safety leaders should lean into the employee’s own safety plan rather than imposing their own. When an employee tells you how they intend to perform a task safely, they’ve already bought into that plan — and that buy‑in is far more valuable than anything you could dictate.

According to the episode description, the leader’s role is to review, clarify, and support the employee’s plan, not override it.

 

🔑 Key Points

🧠 1. Employees Already Have a Plan

Workers usually know how they intend to do the job. Starting with their plan builds ownership and trust.

🔍 2. Your Job Is to Review and Clarify

Ask questions, look for gaps, and ensure the plan is safe — but don’t replace it with your own unless necessary.

🤝 3. Buy‑In Beats Compliance

People follow the plans they create. Using their plan increases engagement and reduces resistance.

🛠️ 4. Guide, Don’t Dictate

Safety leadership is about influence, not control. Supporting the employee’s plan strengthens the relationship and improves outcomes.

 

🎙️ Central Message

Start with the employee’s safety plan. They already believe in it — your job is to refine it, not replace it.

Episode 247 - Occupational Safety - Mission, not Company

In this short, reflective episode, Dr. Ayers talks about why he chose a career in Occupational Safety—and why every safety professional needs to answer that question for themselves. He explains that the work is ultimately about helping people and reducing injuries and illnesses, not about loyalty to any particular company.

The episode encourages listeners to reconnect with the mission behind the profession, especially during times when organizational politics, stress, or frustration make the job feel heavy.

 

🔑 Key Points

❤️ 1. Your Purpose Matters More Than Your Employer

Dr. Ayers emphasizes that companies come and go, but the mission of protecting people is constant.

🧭 2. Every Safety Professional Must Define Their “Why”

There’s no single correct answer—each person must understand what drives them.

👷 3. Helping People Is the Core of the Profession

The real reward in safety is preventing harm, not climbing a corporate ladder.

🔄 4. Reconnect With Your Mission When Work Gets Tough

Remembering why you started can help you stay grounded and motivated.

 

🎙️ Central Message

Be loyal to the mission of protecting people—not to a company. Your purpose is what sustains you in this field.

Episode 246 - Occupational Safety - Composure

In this episode, Dr. Ayers focuses on one of the most underrated skills in safety leadership: keeping your composure. When something goes wrong, employees instinctively look to the safety professional to see how they should react. If you stay calm, they stay calm. If you panic, they panic.

The episode emphasizes that composure isn’t about ignoring problems—it’s about being the steady presence people can rely on when things get chaotic.

 

🔑 Key Points

🧊 1. Safety Leaders Must Stay Level‑Headed

Employees watch your reaction before they listen to your words. A calm leader sets the tone for the entire response.

🧭 2. Composure Builds Credibility

When you stay steady under pressure, people trust your judgment more and follow your guidance.

🛠️ 3. Employees Expect You to Have a Plan

Even if you’re still assessing the situation, projecting calm confidence helps the team stay focused and safe.

🔄 4. Composure Is a Skill You Can Practice

Breathing, pausing, and thinking before reacting are habits that make you more effective in the field.

 

🎙️ Central Message

In safety, composure is leadership. Your calm presence helps employees stay safe, focused, and confident during stressful moments.