A good day in the safety industry for Acho Ulu could mean everything from zero mall goers tripping and falling to zero injuries in an artistic display involving a full-scale home dangling 50 feet in the air. One factor always remains the same: his focus on how safety affects the bottom line. “The sole purpose of the business is money, revenue,” Acho says. “And if there is no business, there's no need for you [the safety leader]. So always think about the business.” On this episode of the No Accident podcast presented by TRUCE, Acho, the Director of Environmental Health & Safety at Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, discusses the crucial role of cross-functional collaboration, the unique challenge of keeping both employees and the public safe and the importance of showing a genuine concern for the well-being of your workers.

Tyler Keys serves as the Director of Environmental, Health and Safety at Hollman, Inc., the leading innovator in locker design and solutions. On this episode of the No Accident podcast presented by TRUCE, he discusses the value of workplace communication and being disruptive in all the right ways. “Innovation is one of our core values as a company,” Tyler says. “Having that mindset has really helped on the safety side because, if we run into an issue, I've got people that are used to thinking outside the box.” It also helps that the CEO views “safety as an investment, not just now but for the future,” Tyler adds. When executives value safety as a long-term part of their business strategy rather than a necessary investment, employees stay healthy and stick around for longer. Ensuring employees have an excellent quality of life means more sustainable business success in the long run.

Jack Frost serves as the Vice President of Environment Health Safety at Heico Construction Group, which operates business units across three key segments: commercial construction solutions, industrial construction solutions, and construction equipment. After 25 years in the safety field, Jack has a passion for implementing safety protocols that not only protect employees but positively impact business operations and finances as well. On this episode of the No Accident podcast presented by TRUCE, Jack discusses the need for support from organizational leadership, as well as instilling hierarchy controls into safety practices –– a method that takes into consideration people’s natural fallibilities. “People are fallible. They're going to make mistakes. And I think understanding those human performance principles is a critical element of improving safety,” Jack says.

Grantt Bedford serves as the Director of Safety, Environment, and Quality for the United States at Eni, an integrated energy company dedicated to helping achieve the total decarbonization of products and processes by 2050. After serving in the first Gulf War, Grantt started working for Alyeska Pipeline, where his military logistic training caught the eye of a mentor and led him into safety training. With 25 years in the oil industry under his belt, Grantt has an extensive background in and deep passion for safety, health, and the environment. On this episode of the No Accident podcast presented by TRUCE, Grantt discusses the value of safety both for a business itself and for its community of workers. “Safety has to be integrated into your business. If you're not doing safety, then you're not doing business.”

Few 18-year-olds know what an industrial hygienist is — so Jeremy Sawyer never considered that major during his first year of college. Eventually, however, a counselor opened his eyes. After working as an industrial hygienist for six years, Jeremy became a health and safety supervisor at a chemical company, which led him down a more safety-oriented path. Now, he’s Deputy Director of Environment, Safety and Health at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. Regardless of whether a workplace is more science-driven than profit-driven — like a lab — Jeremy said it’s still crucial to maintain a successful safety program. On this episode of No Accident, he discusses the importance of gaining buy-in from the C-suite and showing that you genuinely care about employees’ well-being. “I think failure in our line of work can be absolutely catastrophic. Not in a financial sense, but in a people sense. We want to make sure that failures don't result in people getting hurt,” Jeremy says.

Matt Hare serves as the Vice President of Environmental Health and Safety at Hit Promotional Products, a commercial printing company that creates items for many major Fortune 500 companies. Matt was in school to become a firefighter when he took a job at Hit Promotional Products to make ends meet — now, he’s spent 10 years with the company. While Matt handles all of the domestic facilities’ responses to the necessary governing bodies as the VP of Safety, he remains a volunteer firefighter and is an EMT as well. On this episode of the No Accident podcast presented by TRUCE, Matt breaks down the value and necessity of safety in the workplace. In his words, “It is a true sales advantage for us because we dedicate a lot of time and resources to making sure our employees are happy at work and that they go home to their families the same way they come in.”

Lauren Mayfield serves as Senior Vice President of Safety & Health and Loss Prevention for State Compensation Insurance Fund, the leading carrier for workers’ compensation insurance in California. Lauren oversees more than 110 safety professionals and an annual budget of $21 million to provide occupational safety and health services to over 105,000 businesses. On this episode of the No Accident podcast presented by TRUCE, she discusses the value a good safety culture can add to a company’s image and profitability. “It really behooves businesses to look at their ability to control claims in order to help control their costs,” Lauren says. “And you know, that is the bottom line and is certainly going to be helpful for businesses to be more profitable, to have a better reputation in the community, to be an employer of choice.”

Shawn Mandel’s passion for safety began as a hospital corpsman in the U.S. Navy when the health and safety of the Marines he worked alongside was his responsibility. That experience eventually led to his current role as the Vice President of Safety and Risk at Waste Connections Inc. On this episode of the No Accident podcast, presented by TRUCE, Shawn explains how the company’s approach to safety — which is based on the philosophy of servant leadership — helps the business succeed. He also explains how that success is supplemented by empowering workers, maintaining a value-based work culture, and using modern technology. “Our self-directed, empowered team members have enabled us to see the success that we have from a risk and safety standpoint,” he says. “Obviously we're a for-profit company publicly traded, but at the same time, those values drive our business. And it's those values that drive our business that have enabled us to see the success that we have for the past 25 years.”

Damian Alvarez got into construction as a 14-year-old in need of cash. But along the way, he also gained a lifelong love for working with his hands. On this episode of the No Accident podcast, presented by TRUCE, Damian explains how his current role as Environmental Health & Safety Director at Jordan Foster Construction LLC requires him to work closely with everyone from the executive team to employees in the field to facilitate an engaging safety program focused more on mentoring and less on compliance. “We're changing more into a coach. Like we’re talking about … ‘OK, why did you do this? Let's see how we can do it better,’” Damian says. “A great safety leader is that they’re a leader. That person is building other leaders.” By teaching the importance of safety rather than policing employees, Damian is able to get everyone on board. This helps business in the long run because if a construction group doesn’t have a good safety record, it won’t pick up new clients or projects.

Keith Robinson’s 30-year career in safety started with a direct command from his captain in the Navy. “When I was a young officer in the Navy, the captain I served under came to me and said, ‘We need you to be the assistant safety officer on this nuclear-powered aircraft carrier,’” Keith says. “The Navy puts you where they need you versus where you want to be. I had no experience with it, but I spent my final two years in the Navy and on my ship as the assistant safety officer, got a lot of experience, and discovered a passion for the job.” On this episode of the No Accident podcast, presented by TRUCE, Keith discusses his salesman approach to safety and the importance of making safety a priority so your employees follow suit. He also shares how to speak the C-suite’s language — that is, talk in terms of metrics that executives care about, such as productivity and profitability.