Illusion of Safety

How do we grow and evolve in the safety profession? With Dr. Megan Tranter

Evolution, reinvention, progression…whatever you want to call it, change is inevitable, especially in the safety profession. What’s great, though, is that you can be in charge of your own growth and progression in your career because of all the different ways Safety can be applied in an organization. That’s what Dr. Megan Tranter found out as her safety career took her from Australia to leading safety at some of the top organizations in the world. She shares a bit about her journey, especially when it comes to being resilient and flexible in growing your career.

Do we need more curious safety professionals? with Brad Green

It’s clear that curiosity can benefit people in certain fields like the arts where creativity is necessary, or in the sciences when you’re experimenting and discovering. But what about in a field with lots of regulations like Safety? Brad Green joins the gang to explore how curiosity is helpful and even necessary for people in the Safety field and how to deploy it wisely. There are even connections to how curiosity can affect how we view people and how we’re able to help them work well. With almost 20 years in the Safety field, Brad has seen how being curious can help you and your team go far. Listen in for some tips and tricks to help you become a more curious safety professional and how to use it for good…instead of ending up like that proverbial cat!

What does being Professional mean? with Abby Holovach

We're here to put the "Professional" in "Safety Professional"...or are we? Hopefully Abby Holovach can shed some light on what it means to be professional in a field that doesn't exactly have a clear definition on what that even means. It's tricky to jump between situations as a safety professional--working with executive management one moment then being on a jobsite the next--and juggling how to act in a way that you can be taken seriously. On top of all that, how do you keep from losing your authentic self in any of those situations? As a safety manager, consultant, volunteer, and speaker, Abby knows a thing or two about showing up professionally and being authentic at the same time. Get ready to take some notes and maybe even learn a thing or two about how to up your professionalism! Brace yourself as Abby drops some knowledge and even makes her mark on the Illusion of Safety podcast by naming one of our regular segments!

Can Safety and HR be besties? with Jamie Jackson

“Sounds like an HR issue.” “Talk to Safety about that.” What if instead of being at odds with one another, it turns out that HR professionals and Safety professionals can recognize that they share a lot of the same goals in their organization and can actually work together? That’s what the Illusion of Safety gang finds out when talking with Jamie Jackson, HR professional extraordinaire and co-host of the HR Besties Podcast. Jamie shares her insights on how HR and Safety pros can work together within their organizations to support workers in many different ways and how to navigate the corporate landscape. Let’s see how we can bridge that gap between HR and Safety and make the workplace better for everyone!

What's it like being a new safety professional? with Ahsan Manji

What's new in the safety profession? If you're Ahsan Manji...YOU are! There are more people jumping into the wonderful world of Safety and they bring their fresh ideas and passion for people to keep the profession moving forward. There's a lot to learn when you're new to Safety and Ahsan shares his experience as someone who got into Safety right out of school and where he hopes to take his career. More importantly, he knows he can learn from others and give back to the Safety community as his work moves forward. Whether you're new to the safety profession or you've been around for a while, there's something for everyone in this episode!

How do you become resilient? with Pete Evans

Aloha! Even on an island paradise life throws all sorts of curveballs your way, especially when you work in safety. As we hear from Pete Evans, building resilience is absolutely key...but it's far easier said than done. Listen in as Pete shares what he continues to learn about resilience, from an academic, professional, and personal perspective. Having the ability weather the storms at work and life is what resilience is all about, making us stronger and more capable of helping others around us.

What does it mean to leave a legacy?

Leaving a legacy at work ensures that your contributions have a lasting impact, benefitting the organization and your colleagues even after you've moved on. It reflects the values, skills, and innovations you brought into the workplace, inspiring others to build upon your efforts. Sounds great, right? It can be, but it takes thought and actions to help that legacy be one that you're proud of. We talk about what steps we can take regardless of the stage of your career or how long you may be in an organization. For safety professionals, making a long-lasting, positive impact on the people they work with and the organization they're in can help teams maintain momentum and allow them to adapt to future challenges. Join us as we share our questions, hopes, and possible actions on what it means to leave a legacy in our work!

Is safety consulting the career path for you? with Brandy Zadoorian

Imagine having a job where you get to just do "safety stuff" and you get to call the shots. You're the expert that companies call in when they need help and you get to work on your schedule. If that sounds like a dream job, maybe safety consulting is for you! Or is it? On this episode, we talk with Brandy Zadoorian, CEO and principal consultant of Triangle Safety Consulting, LLC. Brandy walks us through her journey of how she got into safety consulting and the ups and downs of doing it full-time. Guess what: there's a lot more that goes into it than walking jobsites and writing reports. If you've ever been curious about leaving a corporate job and going out on your own as a safety consultant with your own business, this is the episode to check out!

How can technology help the Safety Professional? with Abby Ferri

Artificial intelligence, machine learning, ChatGPT...all of it sounds exciting and wild and there's a lot of potential for it to really help the Safety Professional, but where do you begin even figuring out what all these things mean? We're right there with you, which is why we checked in with Abby Ferri, one of our favorite safety professionals who is passionate about STEM and how emerging technologies can be understood--and implemented--by Safety Professionals. Even with technology advancing at lightning speed, there are still ways to find what tools will work best for you.

How can the Safety Profession evolve? with Pam Walaski

What better way to find out how the Safety Profession can continue to iterate and develop than by hanging out with Pam Walaski, CSP, FSSP? Pam chats with us about how far the safety profession has come and where it can still continue to evolve. Whether you're trying to breathe new life into a tired safety program or starting from scratch with something new, Pam has some great wisdom to share. It's clear that Pam has a deep love for worker safety, both in her role as the President of the American Society of Safety Professionals and in her own personal life and hobbies.