Podcast - How Safety is Taught is Hurting You

[00:00:00] You've got the title of manager, but why does it feel like you're still stuck at the kitty table? You walk into the room and you can feel it, the shift in energy and the side eyes and the subtle size. And when you open your mouth to speak, you see in your peripheral vision, the eyes rolling. Today we are going to talk about the broken system that put you in this position.

[00:00:25] Let's get to it.

[00:00:26] But first, if you're new around here, if we're just meeting, my name is Sargent. I am the founder of the Safety Geek and the creator of Safety Management Academy. After training hundreds of safety managers for a global organization, I now share my methods and strategies with you, helping you elevate your career in workplace safety.

[00:00:48] So if you're looking to advance your career in safety, don't forget to click that subscribe button so you don't miss a thing.

[00:00:56] Hello, hello, my safety friends. Welcome back. Welcome back to [00:01:00] the Safety Geek Podcast. I'm so excited to be here with you today. I'm recording this on a Friday. It is absolutely beautiful here in Florida.

[00:01:08] I think we're expecting some rain later, but. I am very happy that I'm staying on schedule with this podcast and getting it out to you. Before we get started, I did wanna give you an update 'cause I did talk to you last time about the little kittens and unfortunately they didn't make it so we ended up taking 'em to the emergency clinic and it was just what I suspected when my daughter found the kittens, which was.

[00:01:33] There was a reason why the mom abandoned these two kittens that they just couldn't thrive, is what the vet suspected or they also suspected that, the mother kitten was sick and passed something on, and maybe that's why they went away. But anyway, I'm very, very sad about it. What it reminded me of is like one time, shortly after my divorce, my ex-husband took the kids to a carnival and he [00:02:00] brought back one of those carnival.

[00:02:01] Goldfish and I was like, what the heck am I gonna do with this? And we named him Donnie, and we left Donnie on the table and I'd have to change his water every couple days, but at the time I was working as a regional, so I was traveling a lot. And my kids were young, they were like 12 and 22 at the time, and they just were not responsible enough and they did not change the water.

[00:02:23] So it was always up to me. And I was gone for a three week period, like literally. Went from one place to another, to another. I was home for a couple days at a time, but I was so worn out, I just couldn't do anything. And I ended up forgetting to change the water and then Donnie passed away and I felt so responsible.

[00:02:41] And that's how I feel with these kittens. Even though the vet said I was doing everything right. She was like, they probably just were never going to thrive. And they tried everything to keep them alive too. But like within four hours they were gone. Not on the day I found them. It was like two days later and they died within 12 hours of each other and we [00:03:00] buried them and it was just very sad.

[00:03:02] But that is the update on the kittens, if you were wondering. It made my son sad too 'cause they were really looking forward to adopting 'em. So that's the excitement around the safety geek household. I always like to share a little personal something in the podcast so that way you know what we got going on here.

[00:03:18] But let's get on to our topic today because I'm very excited about this topic because. The way that I teach safety is so different than how it is taught in the world out there, and it still is shocking to me when I get new students in the academy who are always asking me about regulations and things like that, which is like the way that safety is always been taught and.

[00:03:45] It's, you guys know this. Like I'm not against the regulations. I just don't think that it should be the end all be all. So there's other steps you should take before you start questioning what the regulations say. But anyway, this topic is about [00:04:00] how. Safety is currently taught and how it is probably hurting you.

[00:04:05] So let's get to it. Have you ever felt like whenever you speak,

[00:04:10] like everybody around you is bracing themselves, or they're expecting you to point out what they did wrong? Like what is it now is the type of response that you get, and you didn't get into safety to be like the office buzzkill that's no fun.

[00:04:28] Nobody wants to do that. But when you've been trained in a system. That tells you that safety is all about rules and all about enforcement. It is like no wonder that this is how you are seen. So today I want to expose that broken system that taught you that from universities to OSHA training centers, to conferences even today, and show you a better way to lead safety from a place of knowledge, [00:05:00] collaboration, and influence.

[00:05:02] Not authority. Let's talk about what this really looks like in your day to day job. Let me know if any of these sound familiar to you that you have been given the title of Safety Manager, but you still kind of feel like an outsider. Management keeps you out of meetings where big decisions are made and you're not asked for your input until something has already gone wrong and.

[00:05:31] When you do speak up, it feels like nobody is really listening to you. You walk through the plant or the job site and people avoid making eye contact with you. Some even duck into side rooms or turn the other way when they see you coming. I know when I used to walk through the production room, everybody used to take their knives and pound it on the stainless steel tables, and that was like a signal that I was in the room and that's when I knew that I was doing something wrong.

[00:05:58] The reason why this [00:06:00] happens is that they assume that you're gonna point out what they are doing wrong. Again. Meanwhile, your desk is like overflowing with paperwork, training records, compliance, checklists, and every random task that nobody else wants to do. Safety issue. That's yours. Training. You're on top of that coaching.

[00:06:21] That's your responsibility. Audits. That's safety's job. You've become a one person department that's expected to own safety, for the entire company. And here's the thing. Deep down, you've probably believed that if you just work hard enough, if you learn every regulation, if every policy is in place and you deliver enough training, then and only then will they finally see you as valuable, that you'll earn their respect or you'll get that seat at the table.

[00:06:57] But that hasn't worked out that way, has [00:07:00] it? Instead of being a partner to the team, you feel like you're constantly policing them. You're not building buy-in. You're building walls, right? And if you've ever sat at your desk and wondered, why is this so hard?

[00:07:15] Why don't they take me seriously? I want you to know something. It's not you. It's the system that taught you how to do this job. So if it's not you and it's not your company, then we've got a bigger question to ask here. Where did it all go wrong? How did we end up in a profession where the expectations are so high, but the tools we're given to meet them are completely out of touch with reality?

[00:07:49] So let's dig into how safety is actually being taught and why that model is setting you up to struggle right from the beginning. If you go to any [00:08:00] university program like Columbia Southern, for example, you will see on their page of coursework, OSHA standards, regulation, and compliance procedures.

[00:08:09] The same thing is true if you go to the OSHA training center Institutes. Most courses are focused on identifying hazards, interpreting standards, and enforcing the rules. Not once do they mention how to influence people who don't report to you or coach a manager who doesn't think safety is in their job description.

[00:08:31] Sites like NASP or ASSP, they are full of certifications about confined spaces, fall protection and machine guarding. But where are those courses building trust? Where's the model on how to get a resistant supervisor to take ownership of their team's safety? It's just not there. In the safety profession courses, the entire education system [00:09:00] is built around what to do, which is memorize the regulations, write a policy, deliver the training, conduct inspections, and document the process.

[00:09:11] And just expect magically by doing this, that all the human beings that don't report to you are gonna follow it. No one is teaching how to lead, how to influence, or how to create real behavior change. And then you get on the job and it gets worse. You meet your very first mentor and guess what? They learn the same exact way. So they passed on the same outdated mindset to you as you are brand new in the profession and moving up. You were told that you were in charge of safety, that you need to know everything, that it's your responsibility to train everyone, and if someone gets hurt, it is your [00:10:00] fault.

[00:10:00] That mindset makes you feel like you need to be everywhere all the time doing everything yourself. It turns you into a compliance auditor, not a strategic partner. And let's be honest, nobody likes auditors.

[00:10:18] Auditors don't get invited to the fun meetings. Auditors don't get asked for input, and auditors do not build trust. And the kicker you're trying to get people to change their behavior, to follow your policies, and to prioritize safety, but you don't have any real authority over those people. You're asking for compliance in a system that gives you zero power to enforce it.

[00:10:48] That is the real problem, my safety friend. You were taught to do safety in a way that doesn't work in the real world,

[00:10:56] So what do most safety professionals [00:11:00] do when they're struggling like this? They double down. They work longer hours. They chase more certifications, like proving that you know your stuff will get them to respect you. They try to memorize every regulation and anticipate every violation, and they go into overdrive trying to fix everything themselves as fast as they possibly can, and it makes sense.

[00:11:29] That is what we were taught.

[00:11:31] But here's what it leads to. You actually become the bottleneck, making it seem like you are ineffective, like you don't know how to do your job.

[00:11:44] You are the only one that knows the system thinking. It gives you job security, but it leaves you exhausted, constantly behind, overwhelmed and building resentment and contempt for your team. You [00:12:00] feel like you're carrying the entire company safety program on your shoulders and nobody sees you struggling.

[00:12:07] And when things don't improve, you blame yourself. You think you need to do more and work harder and get another certification, or maybe that master's degree will finally do it. But the truth is you've been set up with the wrong tools. Think about it. You've probably spent hours, maybe even days delivering required training.

[00:12:33] Only to watch people go right back to do the job the old way. You've written policies that you were super proud of 'cause they were beautiful and nobody reads them and you've spotted unsafe behaviors, you've coached them on it, and then seen the same issues happen the next day or worse.

[00:12:53] You see the supervisors performing the same bad behaviors and you keep thinking, [00:13:00] maybe if I explain it better. But here's the truth. You cannot train your way out of a leadership gap. You can't audit your way into a culture shift, and you definitely can't do it all yourself and expect long term results.

[00:13:17] You have been trained to operate under a model that assumes authority. You don't actually have, you've been given responsibility, but no power, and that disconnect. That's what leads to burnout, resistance, and feeling invisible in your own role, and that's why everything you've tried up until now has felt like pushing a bolder uphill.

[00:13:44] It's not because you're not good at your job, it's because the old model of safety management just doesn't work. You need a new model for safety management. So let's reframe your role a little bit. Let's have some fun with this, [00:14:00] because it is time to stop being the do it all safety guy and start being a member of the team with a reputation of getting results.

[00:14:11] You're not just the person who checks the boxes and corrects the mistakes. Instead, you're guiding the company on how to reach its goals safely. Not reaching its safety goals, reaching its business goals safely. Think of yourself as the safety guide to the management team, the person who translates all that technical risk into.

[00:14:34] Business, the person who translates all that technical risk into business decisions. The expert who shows leaders how they can achieve what they want without unnecessary risk or liability. And you are also the subject matter expert, not just on the OSHA regs, but on how safety impacts the operations, morale, retention, [00:15:00] maintenance, profitability.

[00:15:02] You have keen insights on how the entire operation works and your job is to make safety an asset, not an obstacle. And finally, you are a culture influencer. That means that you don't preach policies, you shape how they're created through collaboration and leadership. Safety is about cultivating safe work practices into habits and doing so you shape the attitudes and get people to think differently about risk.

[00:15:35] This is how the best safety professionals operate. They're not buried in paperwork. They're not fighting to be heard. They've earned their seat in the C-suite because they speak the language of leadership. So what actually works in the real world? Leading with influence and not authority.

[00:15:55] Collaborating with employees and managers, not doing it all yourself. [00:16:00] Designing systems where everyone shares responsibility in safety, and showing how safety strategies align with the business outcomes when you stop doing everything yourself and start empowering others to own safety with you.

[00:16:18] Everything changes you go from being seen as this compliance auditor, not getting invited to the fun meetings being seen as the person that helps the company win safely. And when that shift happens, let's talk about what it's gonna look like for you. When you stop doing it all yourself and start leading from a place of influence, here's what it looks like in action.

[00:16:43] You walk into a meeting and instead of getting those eye rolls on the side, you get asked, how can we do this safely? You're not brought in after decisions have already been made to fix the problems. You're actually included from the start because they know that safety [00:17:00] adds value. And a supervisor comes to you and says, my team is taking shortcuts again, can you help me coach them through it?

[00:17:09] That is not just respect, that's leadership. That's partnership and on the floor. Employees actually stop you. They don't avoid you. They're stopping you to actually bring up concerns and ideas and feedback because they know you're gonna listen and they trust that what they say will actually lead to something

[00:17:32] you build trust, not by enforcing the rules, but because you're collaborating with your managers and employees, and training doesn't stop after the classroom. It's followed up with coaching, positive reinforcement, strategic reminders, and your team celebrating wins, and it's not you doing all of those things.

[00:17:52] It's you and your team doing it together, and safety meetings become more like discussions and lectures than just [00:18:00] popping in a video and watching it. They're conversations, they're problem solving sessions, they're culture building tools, and you stop worrying about getting compliance because you're getting commitment.

[00:18:13] And with that compliance just comes along the way. And what's even better, you're not doing it all yourself anymore. Supervisors take ownership, managers advocate for safety, and employees start to watch out for one another. That culture starts to shift, and that's what real safety leadership looks like.

[00:18:34] All righty, my safety friend. Now it is your turn. Let's bring this all full circle because I want you to take some action on this. I don't want you to just listen to this podcast or watch this video and go, yes, I agree with you. I want you to. Go and make some changes. You have already experienced the symptoms.

[00:18:53] I've told you you've already experienced the symptoms. I've told you where the system has went wrong, and now you know [00:19:00] everything that you've tried hasn't worked the way that you hoped, and you've seen what does work when you lead with influence and not authority.

[00:19:08] So what can you do next? I have four action steps that you could take today to help you start showing up like the safety leader that you were meant to be. Number one, audit your time. Look at your calendar. How much of your day is spent on reactive tasks and compliance,

[00:19:26] and how much is spent on coaching and working with your team versus employees? Start shifting that to be more towards management and less towards employees, number two, learn the skills they didn't teach you. Influence, communication, business acumen, coaching, culture change. Pick one and focus on it for a month.

[00:19:51] Okay. Number three, shift from authority to influence. Stop managing safety and start [00:20:00] looking at yourself as an influencer. Start involving others in your safety work. Don't do anything alone. Commit to including at least one employee and one supervisor whenever you're doing inspections. Observations.

[00:20:15] Coaching, training, whatever it may be, and ask more questions, collaborate on solutions, and make your programs a team effort and never a solo project. And lastly, number four, challenge the status quo. Just because you were taught a certain way doesn't mean it's the only way. Just because this is the way your management team expects you to run your job does not mean that they know the best way to run your job.

[00:20:46] Be the one who changes the way safety is done at your workplace, because the moment you stop trying to do it all and start leading through others, you stop being underappreciated [00:21:00] and you start becoming the respected safety rockstar your company actually needs. You got this, my safety friend, and I got you.

[00:21:08] Thank you so much for listening and you have a safe day and I will chat with you next week. Bye for now.