The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management

Addressing suicide awareness and mental health in construction with Jim Ruggiero

Join me as I discuss construction safety management and incident prevention with Jim Ruggiero, who shares 40 years of wisdom on building a true safety culture. We look beyond basic OSHA compliance to address the invisible challenges that safety leadership often overlooks in high-hazard environments. Jim explains how his background in union leadership and state consultation shaped his belief that proactive safety involves caring for the whole person.  We examine the impact of mental health and suicide awareness on job site focus and why systems collapse when workers arrive distracted by personal struggles. I appreciate how Jim humanizes the role of a safety director by sharing stories about his family and the legacy of his mother. This conversation reminds me that our primary goal is worker protection and ensuring every person returns home whole to their family. It is a necessary look at the future of occupational health and employee wellbeing. What You’ll Learn * Why hiring for character creates a culture that acts as a safety force multiplier. * How to bridge the trust gap between contractors and outside safety resources. * The reason mental health is now a core pillar of occupational health and safety. * Why proactive outreach saves more lives than reactive incident investigations. * The danger of the "I do anything" red flag when vetting safety experts. Episode Resources: * Jim Ruggiero on LinkedIn [https://www.ediscompany.com/team-member/jim-ruggerio/] * Michael Zalle on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelzalle/] * Yellow Bird Website [https://goyellowbird.com/] * The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-canary-report/id1680958839]  * The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/5WaqWijkDp17eQOGOVWBo5] * The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGc7qaRV7Y7MayITez6kRPp2PnZkYPHMa] The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so [https://www.fame.so/?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=bcast&utm_campaign=masters-of-community-with-david-spinks?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=bcast&utm_campaign=fame-client]

From Volunteer Firefighter to VP of a National Safety Program

I sat down with Chris Braamse to discuss EHS management and building a safety culture that actually lasts. As the VP of DH Pace, Chris oversees 60 locations and shares how he uses a regional safety management approach to keep travel manageable for his team. We dive into injury prevention programs and how his background as a volunteer firefighter led him to an unexpected safety degree program.  Chris proves that whether you are in food manufacturing or construction, the core principles of hazard recognition and OSHA compliance are universal. You will hear about his "say what you do, do what you say" philosophy and how he integrates acquisitions without the usual friction. This episode is packed with insights on safety career growth and why keeping things simple is the key to scaling a national program effectively. What You'll Learn: * How universal safety principles like lockout tagout and PPE apply across wildly different sectors. * The structural secrets of the hub and spoke model for overseeing dozens of sites with a lean team. * Why intentional industry changes can prevent professional stagnation and deepen your problem solving toolkit. * Strategies for reducing travel burnout while maintaining high levels of leadership presence. * The importance of involving operations and maintenance teams early in the safety planning process. About the Guest:  Chris Braamse is the Vice President of DH Pace Company, a leading distributor in the dock and door industry with 60 locations nationwide. He is a Kansas City native who began his journey as a volunteer firefighter before earning a safety degree from the University of Central Missouri. Throughout his career, Chris has led safety initiatives in the refuse, coatings, food manufacturing, and construction industries. He is known for building high performing, low turnover teams and fostering a community focused culture through initiatives like the Kansas City Corporate Challenge. Today, he focuses on strategic leadership and supporting national accounts through a programmatic mindset. Episode Resources * Chris Braamse on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-brame-0b0b0b0b] * DH Pace Company Website [https://www.dhpace.com/] * Michael Zalle on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelzalle/] * Yellow Bird Website [https://goyellowbird.com/] * The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-canary-report/id1680958839]  * The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/5WaqWijkDp17eQOGOVWBo5] * The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGc7qaRV7Y7MayITez6kRPp2PnZkYPHMa] The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so [https://www.fame.so/?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=bcast&utm_campaign=masters-of-community-with-david-spinks?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=bcast&utm_campaign=fame-client]

Safety Culture Means Giving Away Your Power with Robert Hudson

Workplace safety leadership and roofing company safety cultures thrive when leaders stop trying to be the hero. This week on the Canary Report, I am joined by Robert Hudson of Baker Roofing to dive into EHS risk management and construction safety for a major regional power. Robert oversees more than 1,150 employees and explains why building proprietary training programs is his secret to maintaining a tenured team.  We talk about fleet safety and why the highway remains the most dangerous place for your workers. Robert also opens up about his personal health transformation and his passion for cooking for others. I found his perspective on delegation refreshing because it proves that a leader’s greatest impact comes from empowering the next generation to do the job better than they did. What you’ll learn: * How an unconventional background in chemistry and Spanish can lead to a career in EHS risk management. * The reason why you should never outsource your core construction safety curriculum to external vendors. * Why treating fleet safety as a secondary concern is the biggest mistake a leader can make. * How to transition from a solo safety manager to a collaborative corporate safety committee. * The connection between personal physical resilience and effective workplace safety leadership. Episode Resources: * Robert Hudson on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-hudson-47782066/] * Michael Zalle on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelzalle/] * Yellow Bird Website [https://goyellowbird.com/] * The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-canary-report/id1680958839]  * The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/5WaqWijkDp17eQOGOVWBo5] * The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGc7qaRV7Y7MayITez6kRPp2PnZkYPHMa] About the Guest:  Robert Hudson serves as the Vice President of Environmental Health and Safety for Baker Roofing Company, one of the largest roofing contractors on the Eastern Seaboard. Over his 18 year tenure, he has helped the organization scale from a few offices to 28 locations, managing a team of 20 safety professionals and a massive fleet of 750 vehicles. Robert brings a unique perspective to the industry, combining a background in chemistry and the Spanish language with a deep commitment to mentorship and internal talent development. He is also a passionate advocate for personal wellness and the art of cooking, believing that the spirit of care he brings to the kitchen is the same spirit required to keep workers safe on a job site. The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so [https://www.fame.so/?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=bcast&utm_campaign=masters-of-community-with-david-spinks?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=bcast&utm_campaign=fame-client]

The Silent Stakeholder: Why Families Drive Safety with Mike Place

In this conversation with Mike Place, I explore building a workplace safety culture and safety leadership that prioritizes employee safety programs for incident prevention. Mike explains how being an employee-owned organization creates a unique safety mindset where everyone protects the business they own. I hear how he moved from a training director to leading occupational health and safety for 1,100 people across the Midwest. We dive into risk management strategies that allow for safety scaling in growing organizations without losing quality in safety coordinator roles. We discuss the "silent stakeholder" mandate and why safety-first decision-making matters more than just avoiding a citation. I discovered that a workplace safety culture works best when it is a practiced behavior reinforced by every level of leadership. What You’ll Learn: * How the "Silent Stakeholder" concept reframes safety from a burden into a sacred mandate from families. * The ways employee ownership acts as a hidden elixir for deeper safety commitment and accountability. * Strategies for scaling safety across 64 locations using a replicable coordinator network. * Why a background in training and operations is the perfect pipeline for future safety directors. * The "Parental Mindset" and how it helps leaders see hazards before their teams reach them. * The business case for safety availability and how injury prevention creates additional manpower. About the Guest:  Mike Place is the Safety Director at Dakota Supply Group (DSG), a prominent employee-owned wholesale distributor with over 60 locations. With a career at DSG spanning more than two decades, he has served in various roles, including warehouse manager, training director, and fleet manager. This diverse background gives him deep operational insight into the human side of safety. Mike is a graduate of North Dakota State University and has served as the safety committee chairperson for the American Supply Association. Episode Resources * Mike Place LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-place-0141b431/] * Michael Zalle on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelzalle/] * Yellow Bird Website [https://goyellowbird.com/] * The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-canary-report/id1680958839]  * The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/5WaqWijkDp17eQOGOVWBo5] * The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGc7qaRV7Y7MayITez6kRPp2PnZkYPHMa] The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so [https://www.fame.so/?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=bcast&utm_campaign=masters-of-community-with-david-spinks?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=bcast&utm_campaign=fame-client]

The Safety Culture Myth: Why Standalone Programs Fail with Chris Seider

I am joined by Chris Seider, Director of Health and Safety at Foth Company, to unpack how a workplace safety culture functions. We dive into his journey of incident rate reduction and the risk management strategy that enabled 14 million hours without lost time. During our conversation, I realize that safety compliance often fails when treated as a standalone silo. Chris explains why his safety professional career was shaped by a major failure where the culture collapsed after he left. We discuss safety program development and why leading safety initiatives means marrying safety to existing values like craftsmanship. I also explore how AI can streamline administrative tasks to refocus on employee safety ownership and workplace injury prevention. What You’ll Learn: * How to attach safety to existing organizational values to drive adoption. * The danger of over-owning tasks and creating cultural dependency. * Ways to use AI to remove administrative burdens from safety planning. * The "human in the loop" framework for implementing new technology. * How to turn skeptics into safety advocates through micro-moments. * Why the coach model is more sustainable than the doer model. About the Guest:  Chris Seider is the Director of Health and Safety at Foth Company, an engineering giant headquartered in Wisconsin. With two decades of experience, he has led safety for everything from custom mega-yacht builders to large-scale engineering projects. He currently manages safety for 700 professionals across 28 locations and has maintained an incident rate below 1% for a decade. Chris is a recognized industry leader who focuses on building ownership and integrating safety into the fabric of a company’s culture. The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so [https://www.fame.so/?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=bcast&utm_campaign=masters-of-community-with-david-spinks?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=bcast&utm_campaign=fame-client]