You Don't Have a Safety Problem, You Have a Thinking Problem

Using Risk to Drive Better Business Decisions, With Graeme Fleming

Risk management is often viewed as something that keeps Organisations out of trouble. But what if it could do far more than that? My guest, Graeme Fleming, argues that risk is one of the most powerful tools leaders have for making better decisions, achieving strategic objectives and creating competitive advantage. Drawing on more than 25 years of experience in governance, risk and compliance, Graeme shares why risk should be firmly on every CEO's agenda, how Organisations can move beyond compliance-led thinking, and what separates high-performing risk functions from those that struggle to influence the business. We also explore the importance of storytelling in risk communication, lessons leaders can learn from the Titanic disaster, and why AI presents both significant opportunities and governance challenges. Packed with practical insights and memorable analogies, this conversation offers plenty of food for thought for anyone involved in leadership, safety, risk, compliance or operational performance. Highlights * Risk and strategy: Why CEOs need both connected * Competitive advantage: Using risk to outperform competitors * Better decisions: Turning uncertainty into business insight * Storytelling: Making risk relevant to leadership teams * Leading indicators: Spotting problems before they escalate * Risk controls: Why brakes help businesses move faster * AI governance: Balancing innovation with responsible oversight * Business performance: Aligning risk with organisational objectives Resources and actions: * Sign up for a future Safety Roundtable: https://safetyroundtable.co.uk/ [https://safetyroundtable.co.uk/] * Connect with Graeme on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/graeme-fleming/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/graeme-fleming/] * Connect with Christian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-harris-slip-safety/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-harris-slip-safety/]

A Decade of Consequences: How Sentencing Guidelines Changed H&S Forever, With Chris Green

Before you think "it won't happen here", consider this: a company was fined £10,000 for a serious machinery incident in early 2016. Just weeks later, a similar case resulted in a £1.6 million fine. Ten years after the sentencing guidelines transformed the health and safety legal landscape, the consequences are impossible to ignore. Fines are higher, accountability has sharpened, and Organisations are increasingly judged on exposure to risk rather than actual harm. I sat down with leading health and safety lawyer Chris Green to explore what has changed, where many businesses still get caught out, and why directors can no longer afford to view safety as something that sits solely with the safety team. Whether you're advising the board, managing risk on the ground, or trying to influence decision-makers, this conversation offers valuable insight into how the legal landscape continues to evolve. Highlights * Why fines increased: Designed to reflect company size and turnover * Risk versus harm: Exposure alone can trigger prosecution * Very large Organisations: Courts can go beyond guideline thresholds * Governance matters: Directors must actively engage with safety * Paperwork isn't enough: Implementation is what courts examine * Aggravating factors: Repeated exposure and ignored warnings increase penalties * Small business challenge: Compliance burdens remain disproportionately difficult * Looking ahead: New legislation may increase corporate liability Resources and actions: * Sign up for a future Safety Roundtable: https://safetyroundtable.co.uk/ [https://safetyroundtable.co.uk/] * Connect with Chris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-green-70a899a/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-green-70a899a/] * Connect with Christian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-harris-slip-safety/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-harris-slip-safety/]

Why Human Error Is Not the Problem, With Jake Mazulewicz

There's a dangerous assumption still deeply embedded in many workplaces that if people would just follow the rules, incidents wouldn't happen. But what if that thinking is actually making safety worse? My conversation with Jake Mazulewicz challenged a lot of conventional thinking around human error, procedures, investigations and safety leadership. Drawing on experience from firefighting, emergency medicine, military operations and human reliability, Jake shares a practical and refreshingly honest perspective on how people really make decisions under pressure, why experts don't simply follow procedures, and how resilient Organisations learn from mistakes rather than punish them. This was one of those discussions that makes you stop and rethink how safety is approached day to day. Plenty of practical insights throughout that leaders can apply immediately. Highlights from the conversation: * Human error: Signals for learning, not failures to punish * Safety rules: Why too many procedures can reduce reliability * Decision making: The four layers experts use under pressure * Resilience: Building systems that tolerate inevitable mistakes * Investigations: Looking beyond who touched it last * Psychological safety: Encouraging honest reporting and learning * Near miss reporting: Making learning simple and non-punitive * Work as done: Understanding how work really happens safely Resources and actions: * Sign up for a future Safety Roundtable: https://safetyroundtable.co.uk/ [https://safetyroundtable.co.uk/] * Connect with Jake on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jake-mazulewicz/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jake-mazulewicz/] * Check on Jake Book (Seven Practical Steps: How to Build Reliability, Safety, and Trust in Technical Teams): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FPFQ65GX [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FPFQ65GX] * Connect with Christian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-harris-slip-safety/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-harris-slip-safety/]

Safety In A Rapidly-Changing World, with Richard Bate (IOSH President)

Safety is changing faster than many organisations can comfortably keep up with. But as technology evolves, workplace expectations shift, and new risks emerge, one question becomes impossible to ignore: is the safety profession evolving quickly enough to stay relevant and make a bigger impact? In this conversation, I sat down with Richard Bate, President of IOSH, for a frank and insightful discussion on leadership, continuous learning, AI, and why safety professionals must think broader than compliance. From adapting to generational change and digital transformation, to tackling some of the most overlooked risks in rural industries, Richard shares a deeply human perspective on what the future of safety should look like and why standing still is no longer an option. Highlights * Purpose-led safety: Moving beyond compliance towards wellbeing, dignity and wider business impact. * Learn or risk irrelevance: Continuous learning is essential as safety roles rapidly evolve. * AI and digital change: Technology should support better decisions, not replace human judgement. * Reverse mentoring: Younger professionals can help reshape leadership, communication and thinking. * Rural safety crisis: Farming remains one of the UK's highest-risk and overlooked sectors. * Mental health pressures: Isolation, financial stress and suicide in farming need greater focus. * Safety as influence: Professionals must improve leadership impact and speak the language of business. * Stay connected: Follow Richard Bate on LinkedIn and support wider conversations on rural safety. Resources and actions: * Sign up for a future Safety Roundtable: https://safetyroundtable.co.uk/ [https://safetyroundtable.co.uk/] * Connect with Richard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-bate-iosh-president-chair-of-council-4b547118/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-bate-iosh-president-chair-of-council-4b547118/] * Connect with Christian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-harris-slip-safety/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-harris-slip-safety/]

From the First App Store to the Future of Digital Trust, with Jesse Tayler

The internet was meant to make life easier. Instead, it's created a world where trust is constantly under pressure. That's why this conversation with Jesse Tayler stayed with me long after we finished recording. Jesse was there at the beginning of the digital revolution, creating the world's first digital app store long before platforms and online identities became part of everyday life. What followed was a fascinating exploration of digital trust, fraud, reputation, online safety, and why the future of risk management may depend on rethinking identity itself. From Steve Jobs stories to the unintended consequences of putting our lives online, this is one of those conversations that challenges how you see the modern internet. Highlights * The original vision behind the first digital app store: remove physical barriers to software access * Why identity could become the internet's final frontier: trust now underpins everything online * The hidden risk of digital IDs and verification systems: copied forever once exposed online * How fraudsters exploit onboarding systems today: stolen identities bought cheaply online * What iTunes taught the world about reducing fraud: convenience beats risky alternatives * Why trust and safety teams should rethink barriers: excessive friction harms genuine users * The powerful "safety rope" analogy for online identity: trusted anchors reduce exposure to fraud * Jesse's remarkable memories of Steve Jobs: seeing possibilities others dismissed completely Resources and actions: * Sign up for a future Safety Roundtable: https://safetyroundtable.co.uk/ [https://safetyroundtable.co.uk/] * Connect with Jesse on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtayler/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtayler/] * Connect with Christian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-harris-slip-safety/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-harris-slip-safety/]