Podcasts about ASSP

Arianna Howard, Managing Partner and Co-founder of Syncra Group and lead of ASSP’s AI in Safety Standards-Based User Group joins us to share how AI tools can offer solutions for addressing issues in your workplace, but first you have to know which problems you're trying to solve. She discusses the importance of using AI as a learning tool to better understand the conditions the workforce is facing and better address hazards. She also shares how AI can help EHS professionals save time and work more efficiently by improving processes and procedures.

Our 82nd episode features a fantastic conversation with Dr. Sarah Felknor, leader of the University of Texas' School of Public Health's Southwest Center for Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences! Dr. Felknor is a prolific and accomplished professional in the academic, research, and occupational/industrial spaces throughout many industries and programs; we're happy she gave such great insight into their programs and opportunities. Thanks!

On episode 298 of EHS On Tap, Jill James, Chief Safety Officer, HSI; Laynnea Myles, Co-Founder of BOLD; and Monique Parker, Chief Sustainability Officer at Elevra Lithium and incoming president of the ASSP, talk about how female EHS leaders can leverage their superpowers.

Lauren Bauerschmidt, Senior Manager, Standards and Technical Services at ASSP, joins us to help you get up to speed on the latest developments in ANSI/ASSP Standards. She shares recent updates to A10 construction and demolition standards and Z359 fall protection standards, as well as the publication of the Z310 standard for risk management. She also discusses how these standards are developed and how you can get involved to help others improve conditions on their jobsites.

Our 81st episode features Part 2 of our fantastic conversation with Catherine Mattice of Civility Partners on psychological safety and how it relates to healthcare, public service, occupational safety and health, and more. Thanks for hanging out with us again, Catherine!

Welcome to RIMScast. Your host is Justin Smulison, Business Content Manager at RIMS, the Risk and Insurance Management Society.   In this episode, Justin interviews Jennifer McNelly, CEO of the American Society of Safety Professionals, about her wide-ranging safety career, the ASSP publishing the first U.S.-Based standard on risk assessment and management, the ASSP's Standards-Based User Groups, and how safety practices are not about worker behavior but overall organization system safety improvement. Jennifer shares her excitement about National Safety Month and the upcoming Safety Conference + Expo 2026, from June 15th through 17th in Anaheim, California. Listen for inspiration on closing the safety gap in your organization.   Key Takeaways: [:01] About RIMS and RIMScast. [:16] About this episode of RIMScast. We are releasing this episode ahead of National Safety Month in June, and our special guest is Jennifer McNelly, the CEO of the American Society of Safety Professionals, but first… [:43] RIMS Virtual Workshops. The next RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep will be held on June 9th and 10th. The next RIMS-CRMP-FED Exam Prep with AFERM will be held on June 16th and 17th. Links to registration are in this episode's notes. [:58] Webinars. On May 21st, GRC returns to present "Is Your Fire Protection Strategy Outdated? Emerging Risks Are Changing the Rules." [1:10] On May 28th, Zurich returns with "From Underwriting To Risk Management: What To Expect From The Growing Demand For Data Center Construction." Register for webinars at RIMS.org/Webinars or through the links in this episode's show notes. [1:25] Folks, RIMS is back on YouTube. Our handle is @RIMSOfficialChannel. We've got plenty of videos there, including RIMScast, RIMScast Canada video podcasts, and other informative and entertaining content from RIMS. Subscribe to the channel today! [1:43] If you plan to submit a session for the RIMS Canada Conference 2026, today, the air date May 19th, is your last day to do so. Visit RIMS Canada to submit your session. We hope to see you in Quebec City, October 18th through the 21st. [2:02] On with the Show! June is approaching, and that means National Safety Month. That is also observed in several parts of the world. Who better to speak about safety than Jennifer McNelly, the CEO of The American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP)? [2:20] Jennifer is an accomplished executive with more than 35 years of leadership experience in associations, government, and industry. She has been the Society's CEO since 2018, leading the global organization of more than 36,000 occupational, safety, and health professionals.  [2:36] Jennifer has some new risk management standards to discuss, under the safety umbrella. I also thought we would benefit from hearing her philosophies on safety and how the ASSP encourages its members to embed safety into their organization's culture. Let's get to it! [2:55] Interview! ASSP CEO, Jennifer McNelly, Welcome to RIMScast! [3:29] Jennifer McNelly and Gary LaBranche, CEO of RIMS, run into each other often at ASAE. They have talked about connecting. Jennifer is excited to be here on RIMScast to talk about collaboration, partnership, and keeping everybody safe at work. [4:04] Jennifer asks every safety professional she connects with, "Tell me your story." She says she is an amalgamation of many stories that have led her to be the CEO of ASSP. She started in the political world. She says you've got to build strong partnerships to move things forward. [4:26] That is the foundation of the mindset Jennifer brings to the ASSP. After politics, she spent time in the U.D. Department of Labor in the capacity of public-private partnerships. That's how you move things forward. [4:41] This was followed by a deep commitment to the people in this nation who make things through leadership at the Manufacturing Institute and Global Stages. All of Jennifer's career has been at the intersection of people and the world of work, and making the world a better place. [4:58] Jennifer says now she gets to do that with unbelievable honor for those who get up and run the world's economy every day, ensuring they get to go home as they were and better than when they walked in the door. [5:11] Jennifer says that's about economic contribution, keeping everybody safe, and the commitment and heart of every safety professional. Safety brought her in the door, with a very unique lens of how we need to work together to send everybody home. [5:32] Jennifer has been with ASSP for eight years, moving into her ninth year. She brings energy, passion, and connection to what ASSP is doing. She likes to think of herself as the catalyst for impact, to make workers' safety, health, and well-being an inherent right for everybody. [6:11] Jennifer says everyone's got a safety story. Often, the thing that hits the headline is the "Somebody did …" and there was a whole set of events. [6:23] Hence, today's conversation, anchored in the importance of risk identification, risk management, and integration into thinking every day by everyone. [6:33] It's not just one thing that starts it. It can be the mindset of someone who's had a bad morning and lost childcare for their family. It can be about a system in process. It can be about a bad piece of equipment. It can be a bunch of other things, but what we hear is the headline. [6:53] Jennifer says our goal is to unpack the story and get to the root cause and improve it, for everyone. [7:00] Jennifer says the ASSP has over 35,000 members globally. A lot of the membership is in the industrial space. They have partners in insurance, and those who service as well as those who produce. ASSP calls this the Safety Ecosystem. [7:26] Justin says RIMS sees that Enterprise Risk Management is leading the way for the future of the profession. Justin asks how Jennifer sees safety risk integrating more deeply into ERM frameworks. [7:42] Jennifer said in 2019, early in her career at ASSP, her pitch to the Board of Directors was for moving safety professionals and workers from basic compliance to a complete integration of human capital, total worker health, and principles like prevention through design. [8:10] Risk Enterprise Systems are critical to that objective. ASSP just released a new standard, "ANSI/ASSP Z310.1 Risk Management — Guidelines for Assessing and Managing Risk." [8:34] It's about management systems, operating in an organizational context, and creating and documenting a comprehensive approach. It's about stakeholder engagement, culture, and inclusivity. [8:49] It also has an important mindset: Change always happens. Therefore, it's about dynamic operations, not static operations; about how you use clear and available information to lead forward, and consider culture and human factors, always with continuous improvement. [9:11] Jennifer says we can't move forward without all those factors integrated into Enterprise Risk. [9:18] The ASSP's Z310.1 Committee is comprised of 28 organizations. ASSP plays an important role in the marketplace. Its logo is a shield, and its members are guardians of workplace safety. Every one of them is a workplace superhero. [10:05] Jennifer loves all superheroes because she loves the potential of hope that each one of us has that power. [10:12] One of the things that is unique about ASSP's market position is its global-based standards. It brings companies together around the table to flesh it out. It's not a single company. [10:34] Jennifer says injuries, serious incidents, and fatalities happen in an environment that's complex, dynamic, and always changing. By bringing together those who are doing the work, we gain consensus. [10:49] Justin says there is a link to the press release in this episode's show notes. The press release mentions how ANSI/ASSP Z310.0 builds off the ISO 31000 standard. There's a lot of value in it for RIMS members. Please check out the link in this episode's show notes. [11:17] Justin notes that ANSI comes with a lot of heft. The RIMS-CRMP is ANSI-accredited. RIMS is the only globally recognized risk management program through ANSI. [11:37] Jennifer says that early in her career, she sat on ANSI's 17024 PCAC, the group that approved those kinds of standards. She is a firm believer in business driving business outcomes. They know what works. [11:54] The workers doing the work and the business conducting the business know what works. Jennifer talks about cross connections and says we should be talking and doing more together. Each of us has a critical role. [12:42] A Quick Break! There are so many other wonderful RIMS events coming up in 2026. The 2026 Florida RIMS Educational Conference will be held from July 28th through August 1st at the lovely Ritz-Carlton in Naples, Florida. A link to the event is in this episode's show notes. [13:04] Register now for the Second Annual RIMS Texas Regional Conference, to be held from August 10th through 12th at the Grand Hyatt on the San Antonio River Walk. Advance rates are available through June 5th. [13:18] The 11th Annual Chicagoland Risk Forum will return to the Old Post Office on Thursday, September 24th, 2026, in Chicago. Visit ChicagolandRiskForum.org for more information. [13:31] The RIMS Western Regional Conference will be held from October 4th through the 7th in Seattle, Washington. Registration is open, and you can also submit a session. Visit RIMSWesternRegional.com and the link in this episode's show notes for more information. [13:49] Save the dates October 18th through the 21st. We will be in Quebec City to celebrate the 50th Live RIMS Canada Conference. Booth sales are already open. The call for educational sessions has been extended to May 19th, the air date of this episode. [14:06] Submit your session today. Early-bird registration will open in June. [14:12] Visit RIMSCanadaConference.ca for more information. Also, remember to check out RIMS.org/Canada for our spinoff show, RIMScast Canada, hosted by National Conference Committee Chair, Aaron Lukoni. [14:27] The RIMS ERM Conference 2026 will be held on November 18th and 19th in Columbus, Ohio. Details will follow on RIMS.org. [14:37] Let's Return to our Interview with ASSP CEO Jennifer McNelly! [14:44] Jennifer says standards bring consensus together, but members are asking how to use the standards and what to do with them. [15:03] Members want the playbook because they are busy, underresourced, and over-expected. They have a stressful work environment. The ASSP launched Standards-Based User Groups in January of this year. [15:20] The ASSP's partners collaboratively spend close to $7 million a year investing in keeping the standards updated. How do you move the standards to market? What do you do with them? There are hundreds of thousands of companies around the world that use the standards. [15:38] To somebody who is just starting that journey, it's a challenge. The ASSP's Standards-Based User Groups dig into the company's maturity, the maturity of the safety professional, and help them move one step further. [15:59] The point of Standards-Based User Groups (SBUGs) is to make the standards accessible. Jennifer says there are a couple of unique angles to the approach they are taking. [16:29] The ASSP's Standards-Based User Groups approach starts where serious incidents and fatalities happen, fall from heights and energy controls, two things where there is a lot of technical expertise in lock-out, tag-out, and fall prevention standards. [16:51] Jennifer says there is a disruption happening in business and in safety, the impact and influence of Big Data, AI, and analytics. The third SBUG is AI and Safety. Through technology partners, by integrating the Standards, it will level up what people have access to. [17:23] The ASSP's traditional routes are through the safety professionals. By putting Standards-Based User Groups in the hands of the reporting systems they have to use every day, that is scaling in a way that has never been done before. [18:06] The focus of the Standards-Based User Groups is scaling great knowledge in a framework denied by the industry. [18:16] Justin says it becomes a strategic risk management function. Jennifer says it is built into enterprise systems to drive action and make better decisions. [18:30] Another Quick Break! The Spencer Educational Foundation's Risk Manager on Campus application period is now open, and it will close on June 30th. Grant awardees, colleges, and universities are typically notified in September. [18:51] The Course Development Grant application deadline for Interval Number 2 will be on June 15th, 2026. Award notifications will be sent out in late July. [19:06] General Grant applications will open on May 1st, 2026, and the application deadline is July 30th. Internship Grant applications open on August 15th and close on October 15th. [19:18] Links to each of these grants are in this episode's show notes. Visit SpencerEd.org for more information. [19:27] Let's Conclude Our Interview with the American Society of Safety Professionals CEO Jennifer McNelly! [19:47] Justin points out that June is National Safety Month. Jennifer thinks every day is National Safety Day! National Safety Month puts a consistent spotlight on safety. She believes safety professionals need more celebration. [20:34] Jennifer loves to tell their stories. She is grateful to any safety professional and to anybody in the ecosystem listening today. Thank you for everything that you do. [20:48] June is coming, and we are not done. Jennifer often talks about the gap. She uses the roots of ASSP and the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire as a real example that the gap is always going to exist. [21:12] Jennifer speaks of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire. It is the roots of the ASSP. There remains a building on the corner of NYU where about 149 individuals perished jumping out of windows because the doors were locked. It is the foundation and grounding of safety in the U.S. [21:36] Jennifer repeats that it is a real example of the gap. A couple of years ago, the ASSP Board of Directors went to the dedication of the building. Every year, Taps is played, and the ladder goes up, and it stops at the sixth floor. [21:49] You see the bunting and the gap between where we are today and where they were then. Someone next to Jennifer said, "But it needs to go higher!" That's the point. There is always a gap because business is dynamic and ever-changing. [22:06] Our responsibility as safety professionals and associations is to fill the gap and get ahead of it. With serious incidents and fatalities, the data has been flat for 10 years. Let's do something different. [22:23] Let's think about the principles of prevention through design and crack the C-Suite decision-making. Jennifer talks about safety as good governance. How safety succeeds is about the economic decision-making process. [22:44] Jennifer says it's got to be built into business in every way, shape, and form. Safety is never a moment or a one-and-done. It is a part of every part of business decision-making. [23:07] NIOSH does tremendous research on the future of work and how dynamic it is. Every year, Jennifer calls senior executives and talks through critical things. She does that because research says one thing and the ASSP membership says another. There's a gap. [23:28] Often, in that gap, Jennifer hears the term "research to practice." That leads back to the Standards-Based User Groups. What does the research say, what does the data say, and how do you scale it?  [23:42] There are several forces at play when looking at what's shaping the world of work. There's workforce instability; a fluidity that never existed before. It's one of the biggest emerging risks Jennifer sees. [24:02] Next is the fact that safety is not a metric. Then there's the pace of change and technology, and the influence of leadership. Jennifer believes that leadership happens in every role and function. How do we empower individual and corporate leadership? [25:15] If a company is doing minimal compliance with the law, data tells us that's not enough. Jennifer said a volunteer was excited to tell her they had removed cell phones from a site. But cell phones can be used to photograph risks you hadn't seen. [25:54] First, understand what problem you are trying to solve. Is it technology looking for a problem, or a problem looking for a solution that the technology enables? That's the approach ASSP is taking. [26:13] If we continue to have individuals die every year, falling from heights, how do we solve that through technology, because somewhere in that complex system, things are not where they need to be. That's a statement of forward motion. [26:39] Jennifer says she thinks there is a huge opportunity, but it needs to be ethically used, transparent, and clear what problem we are trying to solve. AI in safety isn't new. ASSP worked with MakUSafe AI for three years as they started studying technology advancements in safety. [27:04] Jennifer says wearables have been around "forever." They're a good practice. Someone has seen the problem and identified the solution, and our challenge is replication, application, and scale. ASSP is striving toward that and how technology can enable it. [27:24] Jennifer says guardrails are something we hear from membership all the time. Jennifer wants it to be done in a way that integrates it seamlessly, not a new shiny penny. Jennifer is very careful to make sure changes are made at every level. This isn't a blame-the-worker approach. [27:53] This isn't Big Brother is watching somebody in the workplace. This is about empowerment in an era of action. How does information become a learning opportunity to understand A + B + C + D? [28:18] Jennifer says when she thinks of behaviors and actions, she thinks of the C-Suite decision-making. [28:26] What does the Board of Directors governing an enterprise know and understand about the human capital management and decision-making on the capital investment side of safety in the workplace? [28:39] Justin notes registration is open for Safety 2026, held from June 15th through 17th in Anaheim. It's the 65th Annual Conference and Expo. Jennifer calls it a Safety Revival! For Safety members, coming together to learn, connect, and grow gives a unique sense of belonging. [29:19] Jennifer calls it a battery-filling, energizing, impact like no other. It's a great opportunity to see what is on the leading edge and solve problems. The Expo is not a sales pitch. Everybody on that floor has to have a reason and something to share with safety professionals. [29:45] Jennifer describes the 200 classes. There are over 700 program applicants each year. There's too much content and not enough time. There's top-notch technical content and the opportunity to connect with someone that you know you can call and get an answer from. [30:20] Jennifer's favorite thing is to run around, hear stories, and take selfies. It truly is a welcoming and impactful event. [30:32] Jennifer says she's the reason people stop the second they walk in the door. She reminds them why they're there. Last year, she wore an ASSP pickleball outfit to show it's about not just being together but also having fun. Sometimes we forget that connection and fun. [31:14] People are going to learn, but have a great time while you're doing it! Jennifer says she will see everybody onstage! Anaheim will be the place to be! [31:29] The link to the 65th Annual Conference and Expo for Safety 2026 is in this episode's show notes. Justin says it has been such a pleasure to connect with you, finally, and get the word out for National Safety Month. We're priming for National Safety Month. [32:07] Special thanks to ASSP CEO Jennifer McNelly for joining us here on RIMScast! There are lots of links in this episode's show notes. Visit ASSP.org for more information, as well as the Safety 2026 Conference at Safety.ASSP.org. [32:27] Also in this episode's show notes are the links to RIMS coverage of Worker Safety and prior coverage of National Safety Month. A lot of this information is evergreen, so I hope you'll check it out. [32:39] Plug Time! You can sponsor a RIMScast episode for this, our weekly show, or a dedicated episode. Links to sponsored episodes are in the show notes. [33:08] RIMScast has a global audience of risk and insurance professionals, legal professionals, students, business leaders, C-Suite executives, and more. Let's collaborate and help you reach them! Contact pd@rims.org for more information. [33:25] Become a RIMS member and get access to the tools, thought leadership, and network you need to succeed. Visit RIMS.org/membership or email membershipdept@RIMS.org for more information. [33:43] Risk Knowledge is the RIMS searchable content library that provides relevant information for today's risk professionals. Materials include RIMS executive reports, survey findings, contributed articles, industry research, benchmarking data, and more. [34:00] For the best reporting on the profession of risk management, read Risk Management Magazine at RMMagazine.com. It is written and published by the best minds in risk management. [34:14] Justin Smulison is the Business Content Manager at RIMS. Please remember to subscribe to RIMScast on your favorite podcasting app. You can email us at Content@RIMS.org. [34:26] Practice good risk management, stay safe, and thank you again for your continued support!   Links: RIMS Canada Conference — Oct. 18‒21, 2026 | Quebec City | rimscanadaconference.ca | Submit Your Session by May 19! RIMScast on YouTube! Spencer Educational Foundation — Scholarships and Grants | Open Calls and Timelines. RIMS-CRO Certificate Program In Advanced Enterprise Risk Management | July‒Sept. 2026 Cohort | Led by James Lam 2026 Florida RIMS Educational Conference | July 28‒Aug. 1 | Register Now RIMS Texas Regional Conference 2026 | Aug. 10‒12 in San Antonio | Register Now! ChicagoLand Risk Forum | Sept. 24, 2026 RIMS Western Regional Conference — Oct. 4‒7, 2026 | Seattle, WA | Register Today and Submit an Educational Session! RIMS Risk Management Magazine | Contribute RIMS Now RIMS-Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP) | Insights Video Series Featuring Joe Milan! The Strategic and Enterprise Risk Center RIMS Diversity Equity Inclusion Council RIMS-CRMP Stories RIMScast Canada – Episodes Now Live RISK PAC | RIMS Advocacy www.assp.org | safety.assp.org | June 15‒17 "ASSP Publishes First U.S.-Based Standard on Risk Assessment and Management" Jennifer McNelly — ASSP Bio Upcoming RIMS-CRMP Prep Virtual Workshops: RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep | June 9‒10 RIMS-CRMP-FED Exam Prep with AFERM | June 16‒17, 2026 Full RIMS-CRMP Prep Course Schedule See the full calendar of RIMS Virtual Workshops Upcoming RIMS Webinars: "Is Your Fire Protection Strategy Outdated? Emerging Risks Are Changing the Rules" | May 21 | Presented by Global Risk Consultants "From Underwriting To Risk Management: What To Expect From The Growing Demand For Data Center Construction" | May 28 | Presented by Zurich RIMS.org/Webinars   Related RIMScast Episodes: "RIMS Risk Manager of the Year Jeff Bray" "Risk Leadership on the Construction Frontlines with Cynthia Garcia" "Rubber Meets Risk: Lessons from John Baldwin of Discount Tire" "Company Safety and RIMS Chapter Leadership with Tamieka Weeks" "Security Risks with William Sako" "Safety and Preparedness in 2024 with National Safety Council CEO Lorraine Martin" "Opioid Awareness and Workers Comp Risks with Raji Chadarevian of the NCCI"   Sponsored RIMScast Episodes: "AI-Scale, Risk Ready: Engineering Controls for the New Data Center Boom" (New!) | Sponsored by Global Risk Consultants, a TÜV SÜD Company "Facing Into Risk: Navigating the New Risk Landscape" (New!) | Sponsored by AXA XL "Secondary Perils, Major Risks: The New Face of Weather-Related Challenges" | Sponsored by AXA XL "The ART of Risk: Rethinking Risk Through Insight, Design, and Innovation" | Sponsored by Alliant "Mastering ERM: Leveraging Internal and External Risk Factors" | Sponsored by Diligent "Cyberrisk: Preparing Beyond 2025" | Sponsored by Alliant "The New Reality of Risk Engineering: From Code Compliance to Resilience" | Sponsored by AXA XL "Change Management: AI's Role in Loss Control and Property Insurance" | Sponsored by Global Risk Consultants, a TÜV SÜD Company "Demystifying Multinational Fronting Insurance Programs" | Sponsored by Zurich "Understanding Third-Party Litigation Funding" | Sponsored by Zurich "What Risk Managers Can Learn From School Shootings" | Sponsored by Merrill Herzog "Simplifying the Challenges of OSHA Recordkeeping" | Sponsored by Medcor "How Insurance Builds Resilience Against An Active Assailant Attack" | Sponsored by Merrill Herzog "Third-Party and Cyber Risk Management Tips" | Sponsored by Alliant   RIMS Publications, Content, and Links: RIMS Membership — Whether you are a new member or need to transition, be a part of the global risk management community! RIMS Virtual Workshops On-Demand Webinars RIMS-Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP) RISK PAC | RIMS Advocacy RIMS Strategic & Enterprise Risk Center RIMS-CRMP Stories — Featuring RIMS President Manny Padilla!   RIMS Events, Education, and Services: RIMS Risk Maturity Model®   Sponsor RIMScast: Contact sales@rims.org or pd@rims.org for more information.   Want to Learn More? Keep up with the podcast on RIMS.org, and listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.   Have a question or suggestion? Email: Content@rims.org.   Join the Conversation! Follow @RIMSorg on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.   About our guest: Jennifer McNelly, CEO, American Society of Safety Professionals   More from ASSP:   Standards-Based User Groups (SBUGs) News release: ASSP Announces Strategic Framework to Drive Safety Beyond Compliance; Avetta Collaboration Provides First Industry Proof Point Webpage: Standards-Based User Groups   AI white paper News release: ASSP Releases White Paper on AI and the Evolving Role of EHS Professionals White paper: AI and the Evolving Role of EHS Professionals.pdf   2026 Corporate Listening Tour report News release: ASSP Report Identifies Five Critical Themes Shaping the Future of Workplace Environmental Health and Safety Webpage (with 2026 report): ASSP Corporate Listening Tour   Production and engineering provided by Podfly.

Our 80th episode features a fantastic conversation with Sean Small at the City of Houston on the importance of Employee Assistance Programs, how they function, and their connections to Occupational Safety and Health. Thanks, Sean!

Welcome to RIMScast. Your host is Justin Smulison, Business Content Manager at RIMS, the Risk and Insurance Management Society.   In this episode, Justin interviews the RIMS 2026 Risk Manager of the Year, Jeff Bray, about his award and his career at AMB, which merged with Prologis early in his career. Justin and Jeff discuss how risk management earns a strategic seat at the table, how Jeff revived the ERM Program at Prologis, tying it to the business model, and how cross-functional risk management works at Prologis today. Jeff speaks of resilience in the face of polycrisis and climate risk, and working on what he has control over while being aware of the rest. Jeff shares his excitement for developing the next generation of risk professionals and about the amazing opportunity the risk profession holds for them today. Listen for insight on ERM, resilience, and building relationships.   Key Takeaways: [:01] About RIMS and RIMScast. [:14] We hope you are listening to this episode of RIMScast while at RISKWORLD 2026, and we are gently reminding you to download the RIMS Events App to navigate the show successfully! [:29] About this episode of RIMScast. This is our annual Risk Manager of the Year episode. We are delighted to be joined by this year's honoree, Jeff Bray of Prologis. If you are listening to this on its release day of May 4th, you might see him onstage at RISKWORLD. But first… [:59] RIMS Virtual Workshops. The next RIMS-CRMP-FED Exam Prep Course will be on May 13th and 14th. The popular CBCP and RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep Bootcamp will be held from May 18th through the 21st. The next RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep Course will be held on June 9th and 10th. [1:19] Links to registration are in this episode's notes. [1:22] Webinars. On May 14th, Origami Risk will return with a new session, "Future-Proofing Your Risk Program: Keeping Pace with Scale, Complexity, and Visibility." [1:34] On May 21st, GRC returns to present "Is Your Fire Protection Strategy Outdated? Emerging Risks Are Changing the Rules." [1:43] On May 28th, Zurich returns with "From Underwriting To Risk Management: What To Expect From The Growing Demand For Data Center Construction." Register for webinars at RIMS.org/Webinars or through the links in this episode's show notes. [1:58] Folks, RIMS is back on YouTube. Our handle is @RIMSOfficialChannel. We've got plenty of videos there, including RIMScast, RIMScast Canada video podcasts, and other informative and entertaining content from RIMS. Subscribe to the channel today! [2:16] RISKWORLD 2026 is underway in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania! If you are here or on your way, be sure to download the RIMS Events App. It is free and publicly available. This will help you set your agenda and provide ample navigation through the Philadelphia Convention Center. [2:36] RIMS has also released its RISKWORLD Playlist, available through Apple Music and Spotify. Whether you want to get in the zone before RISKWORLD or relive the energy after it, these official RISKWORLD Playlists are available to keep the energy going. [2:53] Links are in this episode's show notes. [2:57] On with the Show! This is our special Risk Manager of the Year episode of RIMScast! This year's honoree is Jeff Bray. [3:08] Jeff is the Senior Vice President and Head of Global Risk Management at Prologis, a global leader in logistics real estate, with 1.3 billion square feet across 20 countries on four continents, and more than 6,500 customers focused on moving goods around the globe. [3:24] That is a lot of responsibility for one person, but don't worry, he's got a mighty team who shoulder it with him. [3:31] We're going to learn all about his work, the leaps and bounds he's made over the last 20 years, his involvement with the Spencer Educational Foundation, and what it takes to succeed in an increasingly uncertain world. We're going to have a lot of fun! Let's get to it! [3:46] Interview! RIMS 2026 Risk Manager of the Year, Jeff Bray, welcome to RIMScast! [4:07] Justin and Jeff met recently for his profile in RIMS Risk Management Magazine. [4:14] This episode is released on Day 1 of RISKWORLD. When people are listening to this, they might be seeing Jeff onstage accepting his award. Jeff says, first and foremost, he is looking forward to RISKWORLD; the award is a nice cherry on top. [4:37] Jeff is 20 years into his career, and he has only missed a few RISKWORLDs. [4:45] Jeff joined AMB Property Corporation in 2005, not knowing anything about risk management and knowing only environmental insurance, a few weeks before Hurricane Katrina. It was trial by fire. Then, Hurricane Rita and Hurricane Wilma hit. It was a transformational year. [5:34] There were two years in a row of serious hurricanes affecting the property insurance market. The challenges AMB had experienced transformed the way the insurance and risk management program has been run ever since. [6:02] AMB merged with Prologis a few years later, following a great financial crisis that occurred in June 2011. [6:32] Jeff says Prologis is an owner of logistics real estate. They don't operate any of the buildings. Jeff's purview is the 1.3 billion square feet of real estate in 20 countries, with around 60,000 assets. [6:47] Prologis has a couple of billion dollars a year of development activity. They have a renewable energy business and a digital infrastructure. [7:32] Jeff says it's critical to see properties first-hand. Warehouses are different in different countries, and seeing them helps solve problems when they arrive. Early on, he attended a captive owners conference in Bermuda, and meeting many peers accelerated his learning. [9:03] Through serving the business, Jeff built trust with senior leaders and the board. Jeff started by figuring out what people wanted or needed and helped them achieve it. He built strong relationships with every group; he's in lockstep with legal, finance, and business teams. [10:33] Jeff's risk team has seven members. He also has two members of the corporate security team. He has worked hard to grow the team as needed. He sees an opportunity with technology to scale the team's capabilities to focus on critical tasks. He's grateful for the team's efforts. [11:49] Risk management is centralized at Prologis. They operate as a consistent global program. Jeff is in San Francisco, with team members in the Bay Area, Denver, and one in Dallas. [12:45] Jeff says he takes advantage of every crisis and pays close attention to every near-miss. It's a reminder that this is why what we do is important. Sometimes it's all hands on deck. What can we do differently next time? [13:35] One big near-miss was a fire that arose from customer operations in a building, which didn't amount to much because the sprinklers operated properly. Jeff participates in Prologis's global safety board. They pay close attention to anything like a contractor injury. [14:06] June is National Safety Month. The Head of Safety of Prologis's Development Team plans Safety Month activities. Every project and team member will be involved. It sends a good message. They make it very clear to every contractor they hire that safety is paramount. [14:49] Justin says the leader of the ASSP will soon be a guest on RIMScast. Safety should be observed every month. Jeff says in the past, safety was something they focused more on when something happened, but now it's ingrained in the way they operate. It's not treated separately. [15:44] Jeff reestablished Prologis's ERM program. His ERM Committee is a sounding board with seven or eight global leads. The members are the Head of Internal Audit, the Head of Info Security, and others, who work closely across the risk register to ask, "What are we missing?" [17:14] The challenge in reactivating the ERM committee was getting the relevance right. For the first meeting or so, they brainstormed. Now it's operating at the right frequency with the right dynamic input. It will continue to evolve in every meeting. [17:55] They meet annually with the Audit Committee, and some years they meet with the Board of Directors. It evolves from the day-to-day Risk Register, working with the business teams. The Audit Committee and the Board are very invested in what the ERM Committee does. [18:34] ERM at Prologis is tied to what's relevant to the CFO, the Chief Legal Officer, and other stakeholders. With the CFO, it's tied to earnings per share and net operating income impact. Jeff is always looking at what the business is looking to accomplish and how ERM can support it. [19:17] A Quick Break! The 2026 Florida RIMS Educational Conference will be held from July 28th through August 1st at the lovely Ritz-Carlton in Naples, Florida. A link to the event is in this episode's show notes. [19:40] Register now for the Second Annual RIMS Texas Regional Conference, to be held from August 10th through 12th at the Grand Hyatt on the San Antonio River Walk. Advance rates are available through June 5th. [19:55] The 11th Annual Chicagoland Risk Forum will return to the Old Post Office on Thursday, September 24th, 2026, in Chicago. Visit ChicagolandRiskForum.org for more information. [20:08] The RIMS Western Regional Conference will be held from October 4th through the 7th in Seattle, Washington. Registration is open, and you can also submit a session. Visit RIMSWesternRegional.com and the link in this episode's show notes for more information. [20:26] Save the dates October 18th through the 21st. That is when the 50th Annual RIMS Canada Conference will be held in Quebec City. Booth sales are already open. The call for educational sessions is open through May 8th. Early-bird registration will open in June. [20:44] Visit RIMSCanadaConference.ca for more information. Also, remember to check out RIMS.org/Canada for our spinoff show, RIMScast Canada, hosted by National Conference Committee Chair, Aaron Lukoni. [20:59] Check RIMS.org for an announcement about the RIMS ERM Conference 2026. It will be up soon! [21:07] Let's Return to Our Interview with RIMS 2026 Risk Manager of the Year, Jeff Bray! [21:24] Justin asks what Jeff loves about RISKWORLD. Jeff loves the people, the interactions in the hallways, even when racing from session to session, and meeting to meeting. There's no better place to meet people and build meaningful relationships over the years. [21:45] Jeff says there's no better place to get apprised of what's coming up in the risk industry and reconnect with our most important relationships. [22:17] Jeff says RISKWORLD is a connection point where a group of risk professionals from around the country can get together. [22:31] Jeff's team members, the Head of Risk and the Head of Claims, have attended RISKWORLD for the last few years. [23:07] Justin asks about cross-functional risk management. Jeff says that he can't imagine a problem crossing their desk that Risk Management can solve solely by themselves, figure out, and move on. Generally, they will engage Legal, HR, and the Business Teams. [23:28] Jeff says that's hugely important to be able to solve problems effectively, and in a way that enables the business. [23:55] Jeff thinks the perspective on risk has changed over time. The needs have changed over time. At the beginning of his time at AMB and Prologis, there was a focus on insurance because they were expanding to new countries and standing up a global program. [24:17] Within 90 days, Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma hit, and Jeff was learning about disaster recovery and response. He saw the teams in action and how it can be a competitive advantage if they can get their properties up and running quicker than someone else. [24:37] That's absolutely a competitive advantage to Prologis, and that's been in their DNA ever since. [24:53] Justin asks about Jeff's dashboard. It's a Claims dashboard, created by the Claims team, so Jeff can look at the Claims activity every day. [25:16] Jeff says Prologis retains a bunch of risk itself. It's Prologis's money. It concerns not only Jeff, but also the Finance Team and others. None of them likes surprises. Jeff manages it like a business, managing actual claims against the forecast. [25:53] Jeff says it's been phenomenal. He's asking for more dashboards! [26:08] Jeff discusses the impacts of technological innovation on his role. One of the biggest pieces was onboarding Archipelago, a tool to intake Statement of Value information and other property characteristics and deliver it to an insurance company in a reliable and verifiable way. [26:33] Jeff says during that period, they went through $40 to $50 billion of acquisitions, so Archipelago was a game-changer in a way that insurance companies couldn't believe. [26:48] Prologis would bring on a portfolio in September and was ready for its December renewals with the full Schedule of Values. Jeff says it was about, "What questions am I asking myself, and how do we solve for that?" [27:03] Jeff was looking beyond the Cap Modeling results to what other information he could get out of the data, from the newness of the assets, different specifications, and different protections in place, and quantifying that in a way that was meaningful for the insurers. [27:25] When Prologis onboarded Archipelago, there weren't any other systems available to do what was needed. They were developing something that hadn't been in place yet. Prologis was part of the development team. [27:43] Jeff says the Claims dashboard is driven by Origami, which has been an important partner of Prologis. [27:55] Prologis has always been focused on the combination of good data and leveraging technologies to interpret that data. That's been very important to Prologis. [28:15] Another Quick Break! The Spencer Educational Foundation's Risk Manager on Campus application period is now open, and it will close on June 30th. Grant awardees, colleges, and universities are typically notified in September. [28:42] The Course Development Grant application deadline for Interval Number 2 will be on June 15th, 2026. Award notifications will be sent out in late July. [28:57] General Grant applications will open on May 1st, 2026, and the application deadline is July 30th. Internship Grant applications open on August 15th and close on October 15th. [20:08] Links to each of these grants are in this episode's show notes. Visit SpencerEd.org for more information. [29:17] Let's Conclude Our Interview with RIMS 2026 Risk Manager of the Year, Jeff Bray! [29:43] Jeff says the younger risk professionals are absolutely more well-versed in technology. The challenge is not to let technology become more important than understanding the basics of the business. [30:00] Jeff says you still need to understand what that policy says and what the submission process looks like, so you can get the right outcomes out of the technology. Most of the folks Jeff works with are younger than he is. [30:21] Jeff says what they're doing with AI, dashboards, and other insights is super impressive. They balance that with learning the fundamentals. [30:47] In a new risk professional, Jeff looks first for curiosity and questions. When Jeff hit stagnant parts of his career, he had stopped asking questions, so today, he asks a lot of questions. Curiosity is key to investigating what's happening in the company to solve problems. [31:18] Jeff says connecting the dots is something he still works on today. We live in a complex world. There's generally not one threat or risk that operates in a silo. Risks are connected. Someone who can understand how different risks might be interconnected will be critical. [31:43] Jeff says that being hungry, learning, and striving to do more than the person who started next to you is more important than ever. [32:06] Jeff says polycrisis is an interesting term, and he fully believes in it. He spends a fair amount of time thinking about what he has control over and what he doesn't have control over. Jeff says Prologis doesn't let the polycrisis drive its strategy on a day-to-day basis. [32:45] Jeff says awareness is key, and knowing how you can respond as an organization. [33:02] On mitigation and navigation, Jeff says, it's like being on defense versus offense. Risk mitigation works if it's a very simple solution. Putting a floodwall in a building to prevent flooding is a great mitigation.  [33:15] Most risks are not that simple, and they require navigation. They require keeping options open and multiple solutions. Navigation lends itself to how risks evolve and how we respond to those risks. [33:40] Jeff says Prologis is an owner of 1.3 billion square feet of real estate, with two to three percent of the world's GDP flowing through its buildings. Supply chain resilience is key. Prologis focuses on climate risk, but Jeff wants to look at it from more of a resilience perspective. [34:04] Jeff's perspective is about what Prologis should be worrying about, and how that affects how they build a building and how they operate an asset. Climate risk is front-of-mind to this day for many of Prologis's investors. [34:17] Investors want to know what Porlogis is doing about things and how they are looking at exposures. So Prologis has always tried to be on the front end of that discussion with investors. The decisions Prologis makes just need to make good business sense. [34:41] As long as Prologis can communicate, this is a concern, and this is how it translates into a business impact or impacts performance. That remains key, and we are in an environment that is evolving in frequency and severity. It's something Prologis pays close attention to. [35:16] Solar panels are part of Prologis's sustainability goals. Thicker rooftops are needed. Solar panels affect how air conditioning is used and the temperature levels within a building. It affects how Prologis might construct the building to have a better working environment. [35:51] Jeff says it all ties together, which comes back to a more resilient and better-performing portfolio. [36:00] Justin asks about earthquake resilience for new construction. Prologis has a lot of property on the California coast and has been focused on earthquake risk for the life of the company, doing voluntary retro-fittings and seismic upgrades. [36:33] That's not to get reduced insurance premiums but to take steps to reduce interruptions that may occur for Prologis's customers' activities when an earthquake does arise. It's about taking Prologis's objectives and aligning them with the business, not to save premiums. [37:16] Jeff is very excited by the level of abilities he sees in college students. He was recently at Old Dominion for Risk Manager on Campus. This industry has an amazing amount of opportunity. Risk is at the crossroads of finance, operations, legal issues, and HR. [38:27] Jeff's words to students and aspiring risk professionals: "There's an incredible amount of opportunity. What risk strategy means today is very different than what it meant 15 years ago. It's a hidden gem of an industry, still today." [38:44] Justin congratulates Jeff on being named RIMS Risk Manager of the Year 2026. Nobody accomplishes anything by themselves. Is there anyone you want to thank? Jeff says thanking a whole host of folks might take its own podcast. [38:59] Jeff thanks his team across Risk, Resilience, and Claims, and the deep bench of external risk advisors, from broker placement to consulting, technology partnerships, and the insurers. He couldn't do this without all of those team members. He's very grateful for it all. [39:49] Justin says, I look forward to meeting you and seeing you up onstage and cheering you on. I hope we can continue to stay in touch because you've got so much knowledge to share with the global risk community, here through RIMScast. Thank you so much for your time! [40:16] Special thanks again to Jeff Bray, the 2026 RIMS Risk Leader of the Year. We are delighted for him and congratulate him once again. Be sure to check out last week's episode, featuring RIMS Rising Risk Professional, Tyler Vaughan. [40:32] In May, we intend to have Honor Roll Awardee, Emily Buckley, back on RIMScast. Check RIMS Risk Management Magazine for the Awards Digital Edition, which also features profiles on the Chapters of the Year and other special awards. More winners will be on RIMScast in 2026. [40:55] I hope everyone who's listening in Philadelphia at RISKWORLD is having a blast! Next week's episode will feature interviews recorded live while in Philadelphia. Let's relive the magic! [41:08] Plug Time! You can sponsor a RIMScast episode for this, our weekly show, or a dedicated episode. Links to sponsored episodes are in the show notes. [41:37] RIMScast has a global audience of risk and insurance professionals, legal professionals, students, business leaders, C-Suite executives, and more. Let's collaborate and help you reach them! Contact pd@rims.org for more information. [41:55] Become a RIMS member and get access to the tools, thought leadership, and network you need to succeed. Visit RIMS.org/membership or email membershipdept@RIMS.org for more information. [42:13] Risk Knowledge is the RIMS searchable content library that provides relevant information for today's risk professionals. Materials include RIMS executive reports, survey findings, contributed articles, industry research, benchmarking data, and more. [42:29] For the best reporting on the profession of risk management, read Risk Management Magazine at RMMagazine.com. It is written and published by the best minds in risk management. [42:43] Justin Smulison is the Business Content Manager at RIMS. Please remember to subscribe to RIMScast on your favorite podcasting app. You can email us at Content@RIMS.org. [42:55] Practice good risk management, stay safe, and thank you again for your continued support!   Links: RISKWORLD Playlists:

Our 79th episode features a great conversation with Catherine Mattice with Civility Partners on Psychological Safety in Healthcare and across all industries. Thanks to Catherine for joining us and the fantastic discussion!

Our 78th episode features a great conversation with Dr. Tran, Director of Public Health for the City of Houston (Houston Health Department), on the importance of Public Health and how Occupational Safety is a crucial part of enabling Public Health operations. Thanks, Dr. Tran!

In our 77th episode, Dr. Jooyeon Hwang with the University of Texas tell us about her ongoing research with the Houston Fire Department on Firefighter neurotoxin and carcinogen exposure prevention. Thanks!

Our 76th episode features a detailed conversation with BK Masada of Masada Tactical on one of our most frequently requested topics, Workplace Violence and Active Shooter Prevention and Response. BK has a prolific career in military operations (including his 20+ year career in the Israeli Defense Force, of which he is still in), law enforcement, security, and consulting/education; we're happy he joined us to share his wealth of knowledge and experience. Thanks!

Our 75th episode features returning guest Victor Lawe and a thorough discussion of military methods such as the Operations Order and how they relate to occupational safety and ICS operations. Thanks, Victor!

Our 74th episode features a detailed and comprehensive discussion with Dr. I David Daniels on the unique risk factors found in Healthcare, Public Sector operations, and more and how these risks include Psychosocial factors and necessary risk controls. Thank you to Dr. Daniels for his return to the show and insights based on his experience, research and publications.

In this episode of the Build Your Success podcast, host Brian invites Ashley Gill, principal safety consultant at ERM and adjunct professor at Charlton State, to share her journey into the safety profession.  Ashley discusses her unexpected path from business graduate to safety expert, sparked by witnessing a serious workplace injury. She emphasizes the importance ofcontinual growth, mentorship, and community involvement, particularly through organizations like ASSP and WISE.  Ashley also highlights her involvement in public speaking, research, and even roller derby, showcasing her multidimensional approach to life and work.Tune in to learn about leadership in safety, the value of continual education, and actionable insights for improving workplace safety. Guest Email: ashley.gill@erm.com Guest Social: Ashley Gill, DBA, CSP |LinkedInGuest Website: http://erm.comHost Email:brianb@buildcs.net Host LinkedIn: Brian Brogen, PMP

In our lighter 73rd episode, Cory and return guest Tim Guerinot test Cory's old hypothesis from him previous published articles that Safety Management for him was actually learned from their punk rock band long before formal education

Our 72nd episode features a great conversation with Wendy Stephenson, our current HCPS Assistant Administrator, on what she would tell her younger self about a career in safety after decades of learning experiences on the job, also known as "Things we wish we knew back then." Thanks, Wendy!

Our 71st episode features a thorough discussion of political violence risks, risk factors, risk control opportunities, and more. We thank Vaughn Baker of Strategos, International for joining me, Dr. Hunter, and Randy Milliron for this relevant and to-date discussion of our changing world.

Our new episode features the second half of our conversation on inspiration with Dr. Pam Hunter and Randy Milliron. Thanks!

For the third year in a row, Jill sat down with EHS professionals who were attending this year's ASSP's Safety Conference and Expo in Orlando, FL. Jill had the pleasure of asking short form questions to EHS professionals who shared their thoughts on the future of EHS, attending conferences and making connections, how they found the profession, their favorite parts of the job, and more! Thank you to all who participated in this year's episode. We'll see you again soon at the NSC Safety Congress & Expo, September 15 - 17 in Denver, Colorado. Be sure to stop by the HSI booth, #3549, and say hi to Jill and others from HSI.

For the third year in a row, Jill sat down with EHS professionals who were attending this year's ASSP's Safety Conference and Expo in Orlando, FL. Jill had the pleasure of asking short form questions to EHS professionals who shared their thoughts on the future of EHS, attending conferences and making connections, how they found the profession, their favorite parts of the job, and more! Thank you to all who participated in this year's episode. We'll see you again soon at the NSC Safety Congress & Expo, September 15 - 17 in Denver, Colorado. Be sure to stop by the HSI booth, #3549, and say hi to Jill and others from HSI.

Our 68th episode features an insightful discussion with Lt. Commander Matthew Krueger of the US Coast Guard on Water Safety. With each summer bringing tragic PICU and ICU visits for drowning and water-related trauma and recent headlines such as the tragic loss of Malcom Jamal-Warner from drowning, Water Safety is an important, relevant topic that needs more awareness and discussion. We're grateful to Lt. Commander Krueger for his willingness to share his vast subject matter expertise and experiences with us.

Our 68th episode features an expert panel discussing the roles and responsibilities of the Occupational Safety and Health Professional and how they relate to accountability and liability for the operation, the organization, and the individual. Huge thanks to our fantastic panel of Jill James, Abby Holovach, and Randy Milliron; the conversation represents the full spectrum of hazards and threats, different industries, and best practices all around. Thanks!

Our 67th episode features a fantastic panel discussing the Safety role during an emergency operation involving the National Incident Management System and the Incident Command System. The panel features Dr. I. David Daniels, Dr. Janeana White, Rod Garrett, and Randy Milliron for great coverage of different industries and operations. Thanks!

Our new episode was recorded live(!) from the ASSP Safety 2025 conference in Orlando, FL! Maralee and Wendy joined Dr. Hunter virtually to talk through the conference, hot topics, speakers, networking, and more. If you made it to the conference, we hope this is a fantastic recap. If you couldn't make it, we hope this is the next-best-thing. :)

Ryan Word's journey began as a firefighter in Georgia, where a fire truck accident prompted his shift to working for his family's construction company. He eventually moved to a major construction corporation in Orlando, climbed the ladder to superintendent, and started taking notice of safety more while working on theme park jobsites. He played a crucial role in developing a safety plan for a BROWZ certification, and decided that would be his next career move. Ryan is now a Safety Manager at FTI and is active in the local ASSP chapter, currently serving as chapter president. He is passionate about discovering individuals' motivations for safety and advocates for human and organizational performance principles. Ryan also contributes to the ASSP Professional Safety Journal, sharing insights on various safety topics.

Ryan Word's journey began as a firefighter in Georgia, where a fire truck accident prompted his shift to working for his family's construction company. He eventually moved to a major construction corporation in Orlando, climbed the ladder to superintendent, and started taking notice of safety more while working on theme park jobsites. He played a crucial role in developing a safety plan for a BROWZ certification, and decided that would be his next career move. Ryan is now a Safety Manager at FTI and is active in the local ASSP chapter, currently serving as chapter president. He is passionate about discovering individuals' motivations for safety and advocates for human and organizational performance principles. Ryan also contributes to the ASSP Professional Safety Journal, sharing insights on various safety topics.

Dive into Episode #146 of the Psych Health and Safety USA Podcast, featuring host Dr. I. David Daniels, PhD, CSD, VPS, and special guest Monique Parker, 2025 Senior Vice President of the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) talks about her career as a safety professional, her ascension to President of the ASSP in 2026 and the future of the safety profession, including her view regarding the importance that psychological health and safety will play. The American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) was founded on March 25, 1911. It was initially established as the United Association of Casualty Inspectors in response to the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, a tragic workplace disaster that killed 146 garment workers. The organization later changed its name to the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) in 1914. Then, it adopted its current name in 2018 to reflect the evolving nature of the safety profession. After over twenty years in the safety profession, Ms. Parker will be become the 11th woman in the history of the ASSP and the first black woman to serve as president of the society.

In this encore episode, Tom Bobick, David May and Cheryl Ambrose share how the ANSI/ASSP A10.50 standard can help prevent heat stress among your workforce. They discuss acclimatizing workers to the heat, the signs and symptoms of heat stress and how to care for workers experiencing heat-related illness. 

Jennifer McNelly, CAE, CEO of the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP), discusses the Intersociety Forum (ISF) and a recent report calling for a shift in how safety is embedded in business strategy. Representing nearly 30 safety and health organizations, the ISF advocates moving beyond legal compliance toward risk-based, proactive safety management systems. Jennifer explores why compliance alone hasn't lowered fatality rates and how industry consensus standards, predictive data insights, and integrated safety strategies can drive better outcomes—not just for workers, but for business performance. She also highlights why now is the time for unity and how safety professionals can become influential change agents within their organizations. This conversation is packed with actionable insights for safety leaders looking to align safety and strategic value—and to help shape the future of workplace protection.

Bruce Main, chair of the ANSI/ASSP Z244 Committee shares how the Z244 standard can help control hazardous energy through lockout/tagout and alternative methods. He discusses steps you can take to ensure your workforce is properly trained on how to properly isolate or control different forms of hazardous energy to reduce risks and prevent incidents. 

Keywords: safety consultant, Sheldon Primus, Chris McGlynn, Roco Rescue, COSS, Certified Occupational Safety Specialist, occupational safety, fall protection, confined space rescue, suspension trauma, ASSP volunteer, safety training, safety education, rescue operations, safety initiatives, fall rescue, confined space standards, workplace safety, safety expertise, occupational health, rescue specialist, COSS program, safety compliance, safety podcast, EHS consulting, safety standards, emergency response, volunteer safety, advanced safety training, industrial rescue, safety industry insights, professional safety In this insightful episode of the Safety Consultant with Sheldon Primus podcast, Sheldon sits down with Chris McGlynn, a seasoned professional at Roco Rescue and a dedicated advocate for safety education. As a former Certified Occupational Safety Specialist (COSS) instructor for Chris and much of his team, Sheldon dives deep into their shared history of fostering high-caliber safety expertise. Chris shares his journey towards a doctorate in occupational safety, his role in specialized rescue for fall protection and confined space operations, and his commitment to demystifying topics like suspension trauma. They discuss the critical importance of ongoing safety training, Chris's volunteer work with the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP), and the safety standards that help ensure effective, life-saving rescue responses.

Welcome to our last Sunday Scary episode of the month! Today, we're hitting some intriguing and spooky trails you might not have heard of, and maybe some you have. We'll wander through the Norton Creek Trail in North Carolina, where stunning views come with ghostly legends, and check out the eerie vibes of the Ghost House Trail in Tennessee, where the past might still linger. Whether you're a seasoned hiker or a curious listener, there's something here for everyone.Support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at offthetrailspodcast@gmail.com  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!  Episode Sources:Only In Your State, AllTrails, Weird NJ, Gatlinburg Go, Park Trust, WV State Parks, NPS, ASSP, Forest Service, Beaumont Enterprise, Hiking Texas, Moon Mausoleum, KFOX95, Little House of Horrors, Ghost Towns of Washington, American Hauntings Ink, History.com, KUOW, That Oregon Life, Seattle Times**We do our own research and try our best to cross reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

It's back! Jill sat down with EHS professionals who were attending this year's ASSP's Safety Conference and Expo in Denver, Colorado. She talked with people from many different industries and asked what their favorite part of being a safety professional, advice for other professionals, favorite success stories, and what the future of EHS looks like to them. thank you to those EHS pros who stopped by the HSI booth and contributed to this podcast. See you again next year!

It's back! Jill sat down with EHS professionals who were attending this year's ASSP's Safety Conference and Expo in Denver, Colorado. She talked with people from many different industries and asked what their favorite part of being a safety professional is, advice for other professionals, favorite success stories, and what the future of EHS looks like to them. thank you to those EHS pros who stopped by the HSI booth and contributed to this podcast. See you again next year!

The American Society of Safety Professionals held its 63rd annual Safety conference and expo August 7-9 in Denver last week, and Occupational Health & Safety's Robert Yaniz, Jr. and David Kopf discuss Safety 2024's highlights, including its record-breaking attendance, the offerings on the expo floor, the conference, and the compelling opening keynote address. For anyone who couldn't make the show, this episode is jam-packed with details on what made Safety 2024 event so compelling. Sponsored by the National Fire Protection Association The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is a global self-funded nonprofit organization, established in 1896, devoted to eliminating death, injury, property and economic loss due to fire, electrical and related hazards. NFPA delivers information and knowledge through more than 300 consensus codes and standards, research, training, education, outreach and advocacy; and by partnering with others who share an interest in furthering their mission. Visit www.nfpa.org to learn more.

On episode 216 of EHS On Tap, Pam Walaski, CSP, FASSP, president of the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP), about her goals for the next year and the challenges facing occupational safety. This conversation was recorded at the ASSP's Safety 2024 conference in Denver.

For the past four years, the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) has conducted an annual Corporate Listening Tour in which it surveys business leaders on their safety concerns. It then releases an annual report based on that tour. The 2024 edition of that report yielded some eye-opening and helpful workplace safety insights. Jennifer McNelly, the Chief Executive Officer of ASSP, joins the podcast to discuss what the association learned from corporate leaders this year, and the trends are thought-provoking, to say the least. They cover workplace safety applications of AI, empowering workplace safety and health leaders in the changing workplace, and much more. This is a conversation you don't want to miss.

Jill had the pleasure of speaking with ASSP's 2024 Outstanding Safety Educator, Dr. Leslie Stockel! Leslie is an associate professor of professional practice at Oklahoma State University, and teaches in the Fire Protection and Safety Engineering Technology program. She shares how her father helped her find her passion through firefighting, which lead to her experiences as a safety professional in various industries. Leslie also talks about her journey to becoming an educator and the importance of teaching safety management and prevention activities. She highlights her recent research on significant incident and fatality (SIF) precursors in incident investigation reports, revealing the lack of consistent identification and addressing of these precursors. Leslie emphasizes the need for better investigations and communication of findings in the field of safety, and also mentions her upcoming research on virtual reality scenarios related to hazard events. Catch Leslie at the upcoming ASSP Safety 2024 conference as a speaker: "What Every Body Says About Safety: Harnessing the Power of Nonverbal Communication" on Friday, August 9th at 8:45 - 9:45 a.m.

Jill had the pleasure of speaking with ASSP's 2024 Outstanding Safety Educator, Dr. Leslie Stockel! Leslie is an associate professor of professional practice at Oklahoma State University, and teaches in the Fire Protection and Safety Engineering Technology program. She shares how her father helped her find her passion through firefighting, which lead to her experiences as a safety professional in various industries. Leslie also talks about her journey to becoming an educator and the importance of teaching safety management and prevention activities. She highlights her recent research on significant incident and fatality (SIF) precursors in incident investigation reports, revealing the lack of consistent identification and addressing of these precursors. Leslie emphasizes the need for better investigations and communication of findings in the field of safety, and also mentions her upcoming research on virtual reality scenarios related to hazard events.

In "The Evolution of a Safety Professional: Engaging Lessons and Perspectives," Todd Conklin hosts an enlightening conversation with returning guest, Nick Peasley. Two years after his initial appearance, Peasley comes back to the podcast, seasoned by experiences in the safety field, offering invaluable insights for new and veteran safety professionals. Their conversation revolves around the invaluable practice of expanding one's professional safety network. Peasley emphasizes the importance of attending safety organization events, such as those held by the NSC and ASSP, stepping out of one's comfort zone, and engaging with other professionals. Building relationships, exchanging ideas, and sharing experiences are noted as foundations of a strong network - a crucial asset in the safety profession. Peasley and Conklin highlight the benefits of introducing oneself to local colleagues and peers. Expanding the network can open doors to opportunities, mentorship, and friendships which prove pivotal in career advancement. Mixing exploration of local and global professional networks, the seasoned professionals recommend a balanced approach to networking in the safety sphere. Further, the duo dives into the integral role of failure in professional growth. Peasley introduces the concept of "psychological safety zones" that welcome learning and constructive acknowledgement of mistakes. He underscores the significance of self-reflection in identifying failures and the need for effective leadership that guides through the failure navigation. The conversation culminates in a visionary outlook for the future of the safety profession. This engaging episode serves as an excellent resource for those in the safety field, spotlighting the roles of professional relationships, ongoing learning, self-reflection, and immersive experiences in propelling career growth.

Matthew Herron, MS, PE, CSP, CPE joins us for a conversation on engineering and safety. Matt is currently the Lead Safety Engineer at Southwest Research Institute, a BCSP Ambassador, and the ASSP Region III Vice President. We discuss how an engineering mindset emphasizes prevention through design. Matt also gives advice on how to communicate with all levels of an organization and how to find mentorship for new safety professionals. February 18-24, 2024 is Engineers Week, with this year's theme being, "Welcome to the Future" - we think this episode is a perfect introduction to kick off Engineers Week and to encourage others to consider STEM fields! Engineers Week | National Society of Professional Engineers (nspe.org) To celebrate Engineer's Week (EWeek) the ASSP Engineering Practice Specialty is offering a special promo code to join the Engineering Practice Specialty for FREE!!! Promo Code: 242ENGPS Offer: 1 Free Engineering Practice Specialty ($20 value) and for those new to ASSP, the $25 App Fee is waived ($45 total value). Dates Valid: February 1, 2024 – March 31, 2024 Article that Matt mentions during the episode: "Keeping Employees Alive and Well" by Farman A. Moayed

A few months ago, we launched a podcast episode that featured some of our favorite people — you! We loved hearing your personal stories, ideas, and tips so we wanted to do it again. For this episode, Jill and our podcast producer, Emily, sat down with NSC Safety Congress and Expo attendees from all types of industries: oil and gas, environmental remediation, mining, engineering consulting, pet care, government agencies, and more. They chatted about success stories, advice for safety professionals, what the future of safety looks like, and their favorite parts of the job. And we're excited to announce we'll be doing this again at ASSP's Safety 2024 in Denver! If you plan on attending, stop by our booth — we'd love to chat with you!

A few months ago, we launched a podcast episode that featured some of our favorite people — you! We loved hearing your personal stories, ideas, and tips so we wanted to do it again. For this episode, Jill and our podcast producer, Emily, sat down with NSC Safety Congress and Expo attendees from all types of industries: oil and gas, environmental remediation, mining, engineering consulting, pet care, government agencies, and more. They chatted about success stories, advice for safety professionals, what the future of safety looks like, and their favorite parts of the job.And we're excited to announce we'll be doing this again at ASSP's Safety 2024 in Denver! If you plan on attending, stop by our booth — we'd love to chat with you!

Doug meets a new friend today, please welcome, ASSP Region 5 VP and former OSHA inspector turned professor, Todd Loushine to the program. Safety matters, and according to Todd, the best way to teach safety is by talking to the workers affected by safety concerns right away.Todd Loushine can be reached on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/twloushine/Doug Fletcher can be reached at doug@fletchersafety.comIf you have any topics you'd like Doug to address, feel free to reach out via email or shoot him a message on LinkedI__________________________________Much gratitude to our Sponsors and Supporters!CCS Group - Cheyenne Wohlford https://ccsgrouponline.comPMLConstructionSRP Environmental NDOL – Onsite Consultation - Jim Cover Jim.Cover@nebraska.govMak-U-Safe - https://makusafe.com/Liquid TruckingMid America Martial Arts: https://midamericamartialarts.com/Supporters:Ayars & Ayars: https://www.ayarsayars.com/Ben WittlerDale KuglerMark Damon________________________________This is another Hurrdat Media Production. Hurrdat Media is a podcast network and digital media production company based in Omaha, NE. Find more podcasts on the Hurrdat Media Network by going to HurrdatMedia.com or Hurrdat Media YouTube channel!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mr. Sams joined SBA Communications Corporation in September of 2000. He currently has over thirty years of experience as a Safety and Health Professional in the recognition, evaluation and control of workplace risks and hazards, both domestically and internationally. He is a graduate of the University of Tennessee with a BS in Public Health and MS in Safety Education. His qualifications include a thorough knowledge of industry (both domestic and international) regulations, consensus safety and health standards as well as risk management and insurance best practices and guidance.David has spent the last 23 years in the tower industry where he developed and implemented a complete risk assessment and a safety policy and procedure program, specifically designed for the telecommunications industry. He has had the privilege of speaking at many conferences, participating in round table discussions with industry leaders, setting on the boards of several different industry organizations, and serving as co-founder and Chairperson of the Telecommunications Industry Registered Apprenticeship (TIRAP) program. In addition, he is a member of many other organizations, NATE, NWSA, WIA, TIA, and ASSP.

OSHA's new proposed clarification for PPE in the Construction standard reinforces that PPE MUST FIT. Failure to follow this simple statement is one the reasons why workers are injured when they believe they are protected. PPE shouldn't just be provided, it MUST fit the worker properly to function as it was designed! Joining me on the podcast to reveal the problems with poor fitting PPE and what can be done about it is Allison Short, Safety Management Consultant with MEMIC.  Episode Resources: DOL Proposal for Clarification of the Construction PPE Standard, 1926.95 : https://www.osha.gov/news/newsreleases/national/07192023 OSHA's page on Women in Construction: https://www.osha.gov/women-in-construction/ppe NIOSH article on PPE Fit in the Construction Sector: https://blogs.cdc.gov/niosh-science-blog/2023/03/06/ppe-fit-construction/ ASSP's 2019 article on Fixing the Fit of PPE: https://www.assp.org/news-and-articles/how-can-we-fix-the-fit-of-personal-protective-equipment European Trade Union Institute article: https://www.etui.org/sites/default/files/ez_import/Hesamag_12_EN-34-37.pdf Business Insider article on Ukrainian uniforms: https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-rushing-women-uniforms-after-sizing-infection-complaints-military-war-2023-7 Neurosurgeon Dr. Grunch's tik tok video on radiation protection: https://www.tiktok.com/@ladyspinedoc/video/7246906972279377198 The Center for Construction Research and Training – great list of vendors, by clothing type, for construction PPE: https://www.cpwr.com/research/research-to-practice-r2p/r2p-library/resources-for-stakeholders-and-researchers/construction-personal-protective-equipment-for-the-female-workforce/  

Doug is joined by Kelvin Thurman of Great Plains ASSP and Andy Wetjen from Protective Industrial Products (PIP) to talk all the new updates in PPE including hard hats, protective gloves, and more!Find more info on ASSP at greatplainsassp.org and more from PIP at pipusa.comDoug Fletcher can be reached at doug@fletchersafety.comIf you have any topics you'd like Doug to address, feel free to reach out via email or shoot him a message on LinkedI__________________________________Much gratitude to our Sponsors and Supporters!CCS Group - Cheyenne Wohlford https://ccsgrouponline.comPMLConstructionSRP Environmental NDOL – Onsite Consultation - Jim Cover Jim.Cover@nebraska.govMak-U-Safe - https://makusafe.com/Mid America Martial Arts: https://midamericamartialarts.com/Supporters:Ayars & Ayars: https://www.ayarsayars.com/Dale Kugler________________________________A Hurrdat Media Production. Hurrdat Media is a digital media and commercial video production company based in Omaha, NE. Find more podcasts on the Hurrdat Media Network and learn more about our other services today on HurrdatMedia.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This month's podcast looks a little different, as Jill was able to sit down with 20 EHS professionals who were attending ASSP's Annual Safety Conference and Expo. She met with people from many different industries, including construction, pharmaceuticals, and aerospace, as well as an assistant professor, a Ph.D. student, and even the editor in chief of a safety publication. Tune in to discover their favorite part of being a safety professional, advice for other professionals, their EHS heroes, and what the future of EHS looks like to them. Plus, find out how you could have a chance to contribute your own EHS story during an upcoming live podcast recording!

This month's podcast looks a little different, as Jill was able to sit down with EHS professionals who were attending ASSP's Annual Safety Conference and Expo. She met with people from many different industries, including construction, pharmaceuticals, and aerospace, as well as an assistant professor, a Ph.D. student, and even the editor in chief of a safety publication. Tune in to discover their favorite part of being a safety professional, advice for other professionals, their EHS heroes, and what the future of EHS looks like to them. Plus, find out how you could have a chance to contribute your own EHS story during an upcoming live podcast recording!