Portage County Safety Council Podcast

Episode 302: Ruth Bowdish of On Demand Occupational Medicine and Dave Constantino joined us to chat about the 2025 NE Ohio Safety Expo! This event will take place on Thursday, September 25, 2025, 9am-4pm, at the Holiday Inn in Boardman, OH. Now available on your favorite podcast app! For more info on the 2025 NE Ohio Safety Epo, visit the website at: https://ondemandoccupationalmedicine.com/neo-ohio-safety-expo/ For more information about the PCSC, visit their website at:  https://portagecountysafetycouncil.com/

Episode 301: Martin Franchi & Shelly Meadows, Co-Founders of Navigation Consulting & Training, joined us to talk about the importance of mental health and psychological safety at work. They will be presenting on this topic at the 2025 Ohio Safety Congress in April at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. Now available on your favorite podcast app! For more info on OSC25, visit the website at: https://www.ohiosafetycongress.com/ To learn more about Martin & Shelly, visit their website at: https://navct.ca/ For more information about the PCSC, visit their website at:  https://portagecountysafetycouncil.com/

Episode 300: Merle Heckman, a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, joined us to talk about the importance of relationships when it comes to leadership & safety. He will be presenting on this topic at the 2025 Ohio Safety Congress in April at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. Now available on your favorite podcast app! For more info on OSC25, visit the website at: https://www.ohiosafetycongress.com/ To learn more about Merle, visit his LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/merleheckman/ For more information about the PCSC, visit their website at:  https://portagecountysafetycouncil.com/

Episode 299: Tracy LeMaire, Mobility Safety Program Manager at the National Safety Council, joined us to talk about the importance of transportation safety at work. She will be presenting on this topic at the 2025 Ohio Safety Congress in April at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. Now available on your favorite podcast app! For more info on OSC25, visit the website at: https://www.ohiosafetycongress.com/ To learn more about Tracy, visit her LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracy-lemaire-2625b6a/ For more information about the PCSC, visit their website at:  https://portagecountysafetycouncil.com/

Episode 298. Joe Tantarelli, owner of Trinity Safety Consulting, joined us to share about what he learned from surviving a tragic trench collapse. He will be presenting on this topic at the 2025 Ohio Safety Congress in April at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. Now available on your favorite podcast app! For more info on OSC25, visit the website at: https://www.ohiosafetycongress.com/ To learn more about Joe, visit his LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-tantarelli-232a812a/ For more information about the PCSC, visit their website at:  https://portagecountysafetycouncil.com/

Episode 297: Nick Zamiska, President & Senior Instructor at Bad Day Training & Consulting, joined us to chat about Lithium-ion battery emergencies. He will be presenting on this topic at the 2025 Ohio Safety Congress in April at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. Now available on your favorite podcast app! For more info on OSC25, visit the website at: https://www.ohiosafetycongress.com/ To learn more about Nick, visit his website at: https://baddaytraining.com/ For more information about the PCSC, visit their website at:  https://portagecountysafetycouncil.com/

Episode 296: Dianne Grote Adams, President of Safex, Inc., joined us to provide a preview of her 2025 Ohio Safety Congress presentation entitled, Leading the Charge: It’s more than OSHA knowledge! Now available on your favorite podcast app! For more info on OSC25, visit the website at: https://www.ohiosafetycongress.com/ To learn more about Dianne, visit her website at: https://www.safex.us/ For more information about the PCSC, visit their website at:  https://portagecountysafetycouncil.com/

Episode 295: Gary Fowler, Executive Coach at Orange Diamond Safety, joined us to provide a preview of his 2025 Ohio Safety Congress presentation entitled, Emotionally Healthy Leader. Now available on your favorite podcast app! For more info on OSC25, visit the website at: https://www.ohiosafetycongress.com/ To learn more about Gary, visit his website at: https://www.thegaryfowler.com/ For more information about the PCSC, visit their website at:  https://portagecountysafetycouncil.com/

Episode 294: Steven Click, Director at the Ohio Office of First Responder Wellness, joined us to provide a preview of his 2025 Ohio Safety Congress presentation. Now available on your favorite podcast app! For more info on OSC25, visit the website at: https://www.ohiosafetycongress.com/ To learn more about Steven and his program, visit its website at: https://publicsafety.ohio.gov/what-we-do/our-programs/office-of-first-responder-wellness For more information about the PCSC, visit their website at:  https://portagecountysafetycouncil.com/

Episode 293: In this episode, Renee Onesti from Ken Elastomer Products joined us to discuss effective strategies for maintaining a sustainable safety program in the manufacturing industry. Renee shares her extensive experience, spanning over 25 years, and emphasizes the importance of recognizing safety as an ongoing journey rather than a one-time achievement. She highlights the significance of updating safety documents, job descriptions, and equipment modifications to keep up with changes in the business environment. The conversation also delves into the challenges posed by employee turnover and the need for continuous training and enthusiasm to maintain a strong safety culture. Renee offers practical advice and encourages leveraging resources like the BWC and the Safety Council for support and knowledge sharing. Join us for an insightful discussion on how to overcome common safety challenges and ensure a safe and productive workplace. Don't miss out on Renee's valuable tips and success stories! For more info

Episode 292: In this episode, Nick Coia from the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation is joined by Diane Conner, Safety Manager at Miller Transfer and Rigging, and the 2024 Safety Improvement Award winner. Diane shares her journey of transforming the safety culture at Miller Transfer and Rigging over the past two years. Learn about her strategies for building a collaborative and accountable safety department, which led to significant improvements in preventable accidents and SC&RA scores. Discover Diane's approach to effective communication with a diverse fleet, the importance of interpersonal relationships, and the use of technology to share best practices and training. This episode is packed with valuable insights for safety professionals looking to enhance their programs. Join us as we delve into the key elements of a successful safety program and get actionable advice on building strong relationships with your team. Don't miss this inspiring conversation! For more information about the PCSC, visit the

Episode 191: In this episode, we dive into the concept of "Safety in Action" with Matt Mohler, the EHS Manager at Delta Systems in Streetsboro, OH. Matt shares his extensive experience as a safety manager and the journey of fostering a proactive safety culture in the workplace. Matt discusses the importance of engaging employees, making safety a visible priority, and ensuring everyone understands their role in maintaining a safe environment. He emphasizes the significance of transparency, regular training, and promoting safety practices that extend beyond the workplace. Tune in to learn practical strategies for improving safety culture, from effective communication and personal engagement to the implementation of comprehensive safety programs. Discover how a commitment to safety can positively impact both employees' work and personal lives. Join us for an insightful conversation on building a safety culture that not only meets compliance standards but also prioritizes the well-being of every worker. For more

Episode 290: In this episode, Mike is joined by Kim and George from Pyrotech in Aurora, Ohio, to discuss their innovative safety program, "Find It, Fix It." Kim Chmelarsky, the safety officer at Pyrotech, and George McSears, the manufacturing manager, share their journey of transforming workplace safety. Discover how they skyrocketed employee participation from 5% to 70% in just nine months and resolved over 250 safety issues. Learn about the program's origins, the steps involved, and the incredible impact it has had on their safety culture. Find out how Pyrotech's approach empowers employees, reduces maintenance costs, and fosters a competitive yet collaborative environment. Get inspired by their story and see how you can implement similar strategies in your own organization to enhance safety and employee engagement. For more information about the PCSC, visit their website at:  https://portagecountysafetycouncil.com/

Episode 289: Did you know that 300,000 people are expected to be in Portage County, OH, for the solar eclipse on Monday, April 8th, 2024? Local emergency management professionals are expecting more traffic and potential cell phone disruptions. McKenzie Villatoro, the EM Specialist and LEPC Information Coordinator for the Portage County EMA, joined us to chat about the solar eclipse and share some safety tips to keep in mind for this once in a lifetime event. Now available on your favorite podcast app! Connect with Portage Prepares on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/PortagePrepares Connect with Portage Prepares on X (Twitter) at: https://twitter.com/PortagePrep For more information about the PCSC, visit their website at:  https://portagecountysafetycouncil.com/

Episode 288: Allison Sharer, Senior Consultant at Working Partners, and Katie Szumigala, Training Coordinator at Safex, joined us to talk about new drug trends threatening Ohio's workplaces and give us a preview of their 2024 Ohio Safety Congress presentation. Now available on your favorite podcast app! For more info on OSC24, visit the website at: https://www.ohiosafetycongress.com/ To contact Allison, visit Working Partners website at: https://www.workingpartners.com/ To contact Katie, visit Safex's website at: https://www.safex.us/ For more information about the PCSC, visit their website at: https://portagecountysafetycouncil.com/

Episode 287: Public speaking is one of the biggest fears of safety professionals. Rachel Ippolito of Rippolito Strategies joined us to give a few tips & tricks and provide a preview of her 2024 Ohio Safety Congress presentation. Now available on your favorite podcast app! For more info on OSC24, visit the website at: https://www.ohiosafetycongress.com/ For more information about the PCSC, visit their website at:  https://portagecountysafetycouncil.com/

Episode 286: Thomas Beers is the EMS Program Manager for the Cleveland Clinic and a Full-time Firefighter/Fire Investigator in Cleveland Heights. He joined us on our podcast to give us a preview of his 2024 Ohio Safety Congress presentation titled, The First Response to Human Trafficking.  Now available on your favorite podcast app! For more info on OSC24, visit the website at: https://www.ohiosafetycongress.com/ You can connect with Thomas on Twitter (X) at: https://twitter.com/OneTallMedic Visit the Cleveland Clinic Emergency Medical Services Education website at: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/departments/ems For more information about the PCSC, visit their website at:  https://portagecountysafetycouncil.com/

Episode 285: Tommie Jo Brode is the President of Venice Solutions Group LLC, a practicing lawyer and business consultant. She joined us on our podcast to give us a preview of her 2024 Ohio Safety Congress presentation titled, Effective Written Communication in the Workplace. Now available on your favorite podcast app! For more info on OSC24, visit the website at: https://www.ohiosafetycongress.com/ To contact Tommie Jo, please visit Venice Solutions Group's website at: https://venicesolutionsgroup.com/ For more information about the PCSC, visit their website at:  https://portagecountysafetycouncil.com/

Episode 284: Randy Anderson is the co-founder of E3 Professional Trainers, LLC. He joined us on our podcast to give us a preview of his 2024 Ohio Safety Congress presentation titled, Confronting Difficult Underperformers. Now available on your favorite podcast app! For more info on OSC24, visit the website at: https://www.ohiosafetycongress.com/ To learn more about Randy, check out the E3 Professional Trainers website at: https://e3professionaltrainers.com/ For more information about the PCSC, visit their website at:  https://portagecountysafetycouncil.com/

Episode 283: What is the importance of stretching for workers in the industrial or construction setting? What are the types of stretching? Taylor Anderson, an HSE Consultant at Safex in Columbus, OH, joined us on the podcast to answer these questions and give us a preview of her 2024 Ohio Safety Congress presentation titled, Stretching for the Industrial Athlete. For more info on OSC24, visit the website at: https://www.ohiosafetycongress.com/ To contact Taylor, visit Safex's website at: https://www.safex.us/ For more information about the PCSC, visit their website at:  https://portagecountysafetycouncil.com/