Leading And Learning Through Safety

In this episode of Leading and Learning Through Safety, Dr. Mark French explores the timeless leadership principle of “inspect what you expect,” rooted in the lean concept of gemba—going to where the work is actually done. Safety and lean thinking should be natural partners, but too often leaders set expectations without validating them through presence and follow-up.Mark recounts observing a construction crew working without proper PPE, despite safety glasses being available. One worker wore them on the back of his head, another tossed new ones aside after seeing no one else using them. This real-world example underscored how expectations without inspection quickly dissolve into unsafe behaviors.He emphasizes that genuine safety performance is proactive, consistent, and reinforced by leadership presence. When leaders actively validate expectations—whether for safety, quality, or productivity—they create accountability and consistency, while modeling the behaviors they wish to see. Conversely, when leaders on

In this episode of the Leading and Learning Through Safety Podcast, Dr. Mark French explores how occupational fatalities and serious injuries are often underreported—or poorly reported—by the media. He emphasizes that every worker who leaves for the day but does not return home deserves more than a passing mention in the news. Instead, incidents are too frequently summarized through obituaries or crowdfunding pages, leaving little information for professionals to analyze, learn from, and use to prevent future tragediesDr. French highlights several recent cases: a young father fatally injured in a meat processing facility, an electrician killed on a construction site, a farmer entangled in machinery, and a series of industrial tragedies involving robotics and heavy equipment. Too often, media accounts fail to ask the critical questions—what equipment was involved, were safety systems in place, was training adequate, were emergency responses effective? Without such information, accountability and opportunities

In this episode of Leading and Learning Through Safety, Dr. Mark French shifts focus from technical safety to the broader issues of mental health, organizational justice, and fairness in the workplace. September marks International Suicide Prevention Month, and Mark emphasizes the importance of recognizing that mental health is real, even if invisible, and that everyone’s story matters.He critiques inconsistent workplace practices through a case study involving alleged violations of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, FMLA, and Pump Act at a national grocery chain. The story illustrates how poor management decisions, inconsistent policy application, and lack of ethical leadership can dehumanize employees and erode trust. Fairness, Mark argues, isn’t about being lenient—it’s about applying policies equally to everyone.Transitioning to new research from the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, the episode explores the concept of “room to share.” Employees need openness, time, and care from leaders to feel

In this episode of Leading & Learning Through Safety, Dr. Mark French explores the intersection of meaning, leadership, and generational diversity in the workplace.Drawing from his leadership training experiences, Mark reflects on the importance of making safety training meaningful to individuals. He explains that without personal relevance, training often fails to influence behavior. A powerful story from early in his career illustrates how meaning can shift when context changes—what once felt pointless gained value when reframed as building a shared vocabulary.Mark then connects this concept of “meaningfulness” to generational differences. Each generation—Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z—approaches mental and physical health differently. Baby Boomers often take a “tough it out” stance and focus on treatment rather than prevention. Gen X tends to internalize their skepticism, handling health issues quietly. Meanwhile, Millennials and Gen Z are far more open, expecting robust support systems fo

In this episode of Leading and Learning Through Safety, Dr. Mark French highlights the moral imperative of safety as a foundation for leadership. He emphasizes that prioritizing people’s well-being opens the door to empathy, innovation, and stronger organizational culture.Recent safety incidents underscore persistent risks. Roadway accidents—particularly during summer travel—remain frequent, reminding us of the dangers of distracted or inexperienced driving. Dr. French shares a personal reflection as his 17-year-old prepares for independent driving, noting both the risks of injury and the lifelong consequences of liability. He encourages listeners to remind novice and distracted drivers of their responsibility behind the wheel.Another concerning trend involves workplace electrocutions, often due to inadequate lockout/tagout procedures or arc flash protections. Despite regulations, preventable incidents continue, highlighting the need for ongoing refresher training and toolbox talks, especially for electrician

This episode of Leading and Learning Through Safety shares a rare and inspiring safety success story from rural Kentucky. A 68-year-old farmer became trapped in soybeans inside a grain bin — a dangerous, permit-required confined space. Such incidents, often unreported in family farming, have historically caused fatalities, especially among youth. In this case, the local volunteer fire department, equipped with a “turtle tube” grain bin rescue device, performed a flawless rescue.The equipment, donated by the Graves County Farm Bureau and local agricultural businesses, works by isolating the trapped person from surrounding grain, reducing crushing pressure and allowing safe removal. The real triumph was not just having the right tool, but the department’s dedication to training on its proper use — a commitment often lacking even in large industries.Host Dr. Mark French emphasizes that preparation, practice, and proper training are critical. Too often, organizations possess safety equipment but never train emplo

In this episode of Leading and Learning Through Safety, Dr. Mark French explores the tragic consequences of neglecting workplace safety through the lens of a devastating explosion at a biofuels plant in Nebraska. The explosion killed a 32-year-old employee and his two young daughters, who were waiting at the site to go to a doctor’s appointment. The incident highlights the very real and human cost of safety failures—not just for workers, but for entire communities.Mark reflects on how preventable the event was, citing past OSHA violations and air quality complaints indicating excessive wood dust escaping the facility. These were clear warnings that went unaddressed. He emphasizes that safety isn't just about compliance—it's about culture. While the company likely didn’t intend harm, its failure to act on known hazards allowed a manageable issue to become a deadly risk.The podcast digs into the fundamental safety principles of identifying hazards, assessing risk, and cultivating a proactive culture.

In this episode of the Leading and Learning Through Safety podcast, Dr. Mark French revisits the foundational topic of adult learning in the workplace, particularly in the context of safety training. He reflects on his own journey from nervous novice to experienced trainer, emphasizing how repetitive safety topics must still be delivered meaningfully to engage a diverse audience. Mark discusses the challenge of delivering impactful safety training to a mixed group—ranging from janitorial staff to office workers—with only a short window of time and broad regulatory requirements to meet.He highlights the limitations of one-size-fits-all PowerPoints, stressing the importance of real-world examples, storytelling, and facility-specific visuals to enhance relevance and engagement. Despite the appeal of digital training for its accessibility and entertainment value, Mark underscores its impersonality and advocates for interactive approaches tailored to functional roles.A core theme is encouraging employees to “ask”

In this episode of the Leading and Learning Through Safety podcast, Dr. Mark French explores the increasingly blurred lines between safety and security, especially for field teams working in unpredictable public environments. Reflecting on a recent visit to a street lighting crew in a high-risk urban area, he shares his concern for worker safety amid uncertain external threats. Traditional safety protocols fall short in these contexts, and current de-escalation training—typically designed for healthcare or retail—doesn’t fully apply to field operations.Dr. French discusses the challenge of managing safety in situations where workers may encounter homelessness, substance abuse, or volatile behavior. These are not clearly addressed by OSHA regulations, which tend to focus more narrowly on workplace violence in healthcare settings. He underscores the need for adaptable training and new best practices for teams working in public spaces.The episode highlights a broader leadership issue: the discomfort of facing pr

In this episode of the Leading and Learning Through Safety podcast, Dr. Mark French explores the critical link between psychological safety, rest, and physical safety in the workplace. Traditionally, safety professionals begin with physical safety as a foundation, but Mark challenges that order by highlighting emerging research suggesting psychological safety—particularly the ability to truly rest—is foundational to overall well-being.Referencing a meta-analysis from the Journal of Occupational Psychology, Mark discusses how earlier studies indicated vacations often fail to provide adequate rest. However, newer research shows a positive trend: people are learning how to rest more effectively, leading to improved psychological safety. Mark emphasizes that true rest looks different for everyone—some recharge through activity, others through solitude—and it's essential to identify what genuinely replenishes your energy.He also reflects on how organizational culture plays a significant role in whether employ

In this episode of the Leading and Learning Through Safety podcast, Dr. Mark French explores the contrast between managing people the easy way versus the right way. Sparked by a discussion with a fellow safety professional and the media’s coverage of the Texas floods, Mark reflects on how safety failures are often sensationalized, leading to blame instead of meaningful solutions. He argues that while it’s easy to point fingers and assign fault, true leadership requires deeper examination of systemic causes and cultural influences.Drawing on insights from How to Win Friends and Influence People, he criticizes the common "blame, shame, retrain" method as ineffective, favoring instead adult learning and genuine engagement. The podcast underscores the importance of avoiding the toxic cycle of criticizing, condemning, and complaining—especially within safety committees—and instead encourages empowering those most critical of safety programs to become part of the solution.Mark emphasizes that understandin

In this episode of the Leading and Learning Through Safety podcast, Dr. Mark French highlights the urgent need for proactive summer safety measures. As temperatures across the U.S. reach dangerous highs, several tragic workplace fatalities have occurred—many directly linked to extreme heat. Dr. French emphasizes that summer comes every year and should never catch companies unprepared. He cites multiple real-life cases, including the death of a postal worker in Texas, a softball umpire in South Carolina, and a 17-year-old tree trimmer in Michigan—each underscoring the devastating consequences of poor safety planning and lack of supervision.Beyond heat, the episode reviews a slew of additional summer-related hazards: electrocutions, falls, overturned machinery, and road accidents. Dr. French expresses deep frustration with organizations that continue to neglect basic safety protocols such as lockout/tagout and fall protection. He reiterates that safety is not just about compliance—it’s a moral imperative tied t

The episode of the Leading and Learning Through Safety podcast, hosted by Dr. Mark French, centers on the pressing issue of summer safety, particularly heat stress and seasonal workplace hazards. Dr. French emphasizes the growing concern over heat-related illnesses due to rising temperatures across the U.S. He highlights ongoing OSHA hearings aiming to implement enforceable standards around heat stress, including rest breaks, hydration, acclimatization, and emergency response plans. While some argue the proposed rules are a one-size-fits-all approach, French stresses that many companies already exceed these baseline protections—and that the real issue is often a lack of enforcement or awareness.He shares a personal anecdote about carnival workers suffering from heat exhaustion due to delayed safety measures, underlining the human cost of inaction. Beyond heat, the episode discusses summertime hazards such as roadwork risks, fall protection for tree-trimmers and landscapers, and trenching dangers in constructi

In this episode, Dr. Mark French explores the importance of onboarding new safety professionals through a leadership-focused lens. Reflecting on his experience guiding a newly hired safety team member, he emphasizes that onboarding should go beyond teaching technical safety skills. The real value lies in mentoring new professionals on how to apply their knowledge through effective leadership and influence, rather than relying on authority.Mark shares his personal leadership development journey and underscores that true leadership success is realized when one can help develop others into capable leaders. He explains that his approach centers around influence, empathy, and understanding workplace culture before initiating action. Central to his onboarding philosophy is the 30-60-90 day framework: in the first 30 days, get to know the people; by 60 days, understand the risks; and by 90 days, begin crafting a risk-reduction plan.He argues that these early days are critical for building trust and gathering context

This episode of the Leading and Learning Through Safety podcast, hosted by Dr. Mark French, explores the use of euphemisms in leadership communication. Inspired by a recent article from the Journal of Applied Psychology, Dr. French discusses how euphemistic language—used to soften or reframe harsh realities—can diminish the perceived severity of serious issues like fraud, negligence, or safety violations. While euphemisms can serve a respectful purpose, overuse may lead to reduced accountability and weaker corrective actions.Dr. French warns against leaders defaulting to either extreme: being overly blunt and personal, or excessively soft and indirect. Both styles, when misapplied, result in ineffective leadership. Instead, he advocates for balanced communication—one that names problems clearly while preserving respect and engagement. Using real-life safety and leadership examples, he emphasizes the importance of addressing problems, not people, and adapting communication to the audience and context. The ulti

In this episode, Dr. Mark French dives deeper into the psychology of listening, reflecting on how powerful it is to be truly heard—and the responsibility that comes with listening effectively. He explores how our personal biases, distractions, and assumptions can distort communication, and stresses the value of active listening, including recapping and confirming understanding to ensure clarity.French highlights the importance of meeting people "where they are" in conversations, especially when emotions or urgency are involved. Drawing from a tragic safety incident in North Carolina, he shifts focus to organizational listening—questioning whether warning signs or complaints were previously overlooked and whether leaders truly listen to feedback from internal and external sources. He emphasizes that listening must be paired with action and closure—even if the action is simply acknowledging the concern.The episode continues with a candid story about a minor workplace complaint (a fish oil smell) to un

In this episode of the Leading and Learning Through Safety podcast, Dr. Mark French explores the critical role of listening in leadership, particularly within safety-focused environments. The episode opens with a reflection on how genuine listening is often overlooked yet essential to inclusive and effective leadership. Dr. French emphasizes that active listening fosters open communication, trust, and ultimately, safer workplaces.He shares a personal story about his child’s long-standing eye issues, which were finally addressed when a provider truly listened—leading to a proper diagnosis and treatment. This moment sparked deeper reflection on how often concerns are voiced but dismissed or inadequately addressed, especially in professional settings. He recounts a safety leadership debrief where communication gaps became apparent, reinforcing the idea that hearing without action is not truly listening.French discusses a tragic incident where a worker voiced feeling unsafe, only to be ignored by a supervisor—res

A podcast discussion led by Dr. Mark French about new safety legislation moving through the Kentucky House. The conversation centers on two key legislative changes:State Plan Reversal: Kentucky’s OSHA program is under threat of being restricted to only enforcing standards that are as effective as federal standards, with no ability to exceed them. This change would strip the state’s power to address its unique workplace risks effectively, particularly in industries where specialized regulations have been beneficial.Mining Safety Rollback: The second bill focuses on reducing the number of Mining Emergency Technicians (METs) required on-site for smaller mines from two to one. The previous law mandating two METs was established in response to a tragic incident where inadequate immediate medical assistance led to severe injuries that could have been mitigated with more personnel. Dr. French emphasizes the recurring theme of safety regulations being relaxed after a period of successful enforcement, only to be recon

The podcast episode from "Leading and Learning Through Safety" hosted by Dr. Mark French focuses on the significance of ethics and values in safety leadership. Dr. French discusses how companies often face a disconnect between stated values and actual practices, leading to cognitive dissonance and weakened organizational culture. He emphasizes that true values must be lived and reinforced through actions, not just written statements. Trust is highlighted as a fundamental aspect of effective leadership, surpassing even high performance when fostering commitment and safety.Dr. French references Simon Sinek’s principle about trust, noting that organizations must prioritize trustworthiness over mere performance. He also touches on the devastating consequences of treating employees as expendable resources, drawing a parallel to companies that only value profit over people’s safety and well-being. Using metaphors and real-world scenarios, he illustrates the impact of values that drift too far from actual