In this episode of The Safety Meeting, we’re joined by Monica Patel, Senior Product Manager at KPA, to talk about the business case for safety technology. We discuss leveraging technology to tackle safety and compliance challenges, ways to make a strong business case for safety tech to the C-Suite, and look at metrics for calculating return on investment (ROI). We uncover the hidden costs of workplace injuries and common roadblocks in technology implementation, and unpack strategies for demonstr...
Jul 16, 2025•16 min•Ep. 51
On this episode of The Safety Meeting’s Safety Lab, we look at a recently published study by the Workers Compensation Research Institute, “The Impact of Excessive Heat on the Frequency of Work-related Injuries.” We unpack the study to see how increasing temperatures might be creating risks in the workplace that are often overlooked. (00:14) The Impact of Excessive Heat on Workplace Safety (01:04) Direct and Indirect Injuries (03:48) Temperature and Injury Rates (05:56) Regional Differences in He...
Jun 25, 2025•15 min•Ep. 50
In this episode of The Safety Meeting, Zach Pucillo, KPA’s EHS Regulatory Compliance Manager, joins us for a mid-year regulatory update. He covers the impact of the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency, state vs. federal regulatory dynamics, OSHA's proposed heat safety rule, and the regulatory implications of the Loper Bright case. He also explains the evolving landscape of emerging technologies in safety, data-driven programs, and how companies are adapting amidst regulatory uncerta...
Jun 11, 2025•39 min•Ep. 49
In this episode of The Safety Meeting, we talk emerging technology with Mulango Akpo-Esambe, Creative Services Manager at KPA, and Jill Schaefer, KPA’s Director of Content Management. We discuss the evolving impact of Augmented Reality and Artificial Intelligence technologies on safety training, specifically how AR can create interactive safety experiences and how AI can help personalize training. Mulango and Jill share practical examples of how new tech can complement and supplement proven hand...
May 14, 2025•28 min•Ep. 48
In this episode of The Safety Meeting, KPA’s Senior Vice President of Hazardous Industries Deren Boyd unpacks digital transformation in safety management. We talk practical strategies for integrating leadership, technology, and operations to foster a strong safety culture. Deren encourages safety leaders to engage frontline workers, simplify processes in the transition from paper to digital systems, and measure success through active participation. He emphasizes the importance of leadership visi...
Apr 16, 2025•37 min•Ep. 47
In this episode of the Safety Meeting, we consider workplace safety for new hires, talking with Zach Pucillo, KPA’s EHS Compliance Manager, and David Pomaville, Director of Environmental Health and Safety at Caglia Environmental. We look at the unique risks that new hires face in their first year on the job and discuss effective onboarding practices and training techniques to ensure new workers are prepared and safe. David shares real-world examples of how he is shaping Caglia’s safety culture t...
Mar 19, 2025•22 min•Ep. 46
In this episode of The Safety Meeting, we speak with Jade Brainard, Senior Director of Product Management at KPA, to explore successful strategies for building a safety-first culture that prioritizes frontline workers. Jade highlights the importance of leadership commitment, the role of technology in enhancing safety programs, and the ways organizations can engage frontline employees. She provides real-world examples and practical advice on fostering two-way communication, using tech tools, and ...
Feb 12, 2025•20 min•Ep. 45
We dive into a new study, published in the Journal of Safety Science that looked at over 12,000 injury cases to understand how a company's Psychological Safety Culture affected how long employees were off work and the costs involved. (00:20) Introduction to Psychological Safety Climate (PSC) (01:22) The Role of Leadership in PSC (02:38) Study Findings: Impact of High PSC (06:15) Understanding Job Strain and Recovery (08:10) Implementing PSC in the Workplace Thanks for joining another episode of ...
Jan 29, 2025•11 min•Ep. 44
In this episode of The Safety Meeting, we welcome Zach Pucillo, EHS Regulatory Compliance Manager at KPA. Zach is a certified safety professional and certified hazardous materials manager, recognized in 2022 by the Alliance of Hazardous Materials Professionals as Hazardous Materials Professional of the Year. Today, we chat about 2025 regulations and safety best practices in the new year. (00:20) Welcome Zach Pucillo (00:47) Major Trends in Workplace Safety for 2025 (01:30) Regulatory Changes and...
Jan 15, 2025•31 min•Ep. 43
In this episode of The Safety Meeting, we welcome Amanda Rawls, Director of EHS Field Services at KPA, to discuss the OSHA record keeping and year-end reporting. Amanda brings over 20 years of experience in the automotive industry and shares insights on compliance, navigating complexities, and emerging trends like heat illness reporting. Learn how to utilize OSHA data to drive meaningful safety improvements and avoid common pitfalls in documentation processes. (00:16) Meet Amanda Rawls, Director...
Dec 11, 2024•23 min•Ep. 42
On this episode of The Safety Meeting, we talk safety culture with KPA’s Jesse Buck and Jesse Romanchak. They share valuable insights on what sets companies with strong safety cultures apart, the challenges unique to various industries, and the importance of management buy-in. We discuss practical ways to foster a strong safety culture, like Stop Work authority programs and micro-content trainings. Both Jesses stress how training and consistent reinenforcement can transform workplace safety cult...
Nov 20, 2024•27 min•Ep. 41
In this episode, we talk with Monica Patel, KPA’s Software Product Manager, and Taylor Thorn, Senior Product Director at KPA about contract workers. We discuss the opportunities and challenges of managing workers from outside an organization, including setting training standards, ensuring regulatory compliance, and flagging site-specific risks. We chat about ways to ensure safety through effective onboarding and adoption of contractor management software. (00:17) Welcome Monica Patel and Taylor ...
Oct 09, 2024•28 min•Ep. 40
In this episode of The Safety Meeting, we connect with Greg McCully, founder and managing partner of 2Six Advisors , to discuss building an EHS toolkit for different types of organizations with a commitment to safety. (00:52) – Caring about EHS (02:11) – Managing unique risks (03:51) – Two types of organizations (07:10) – EHS software benefits (10:00) – Managing workflows (13:20) – Getting started with EHS software (15:14) – What’s on the horizon? (18:31) – Listen to the workforce Thanks for joi...
Sep 16, 2024•20 min•Ep. 39
In this episode of The Safety Meeting, we connect with Jade Brainard, KPA’s Senior Director of Product, and David Finley, Director of Health, Safety, and Environmental at Dolese Bros. Co., discuss setting safety goals, measuring meaningful metrics, and leadership buy-in and visible commitment to safety. (2:19) – Setting smart metrics and KPIs (5:25) – Dolese’s goal-setting process (7:39) – Reporting and goal-setting frequency (9:57) – Sharing the data (11:18) – Leadership buy-in (12:23) – Measur...
Aug 14, 2024•15 min•Ep. 38
In this episode of The Safety Meeting, we connect with Jill Schaefer, KPA’s Director of Content Management, and Taylor Thorn, KPA’s Senior Product Director and founder of Anchor Rock, about strategies for creating effective toolbox talks. Jill and Taylor overview how to increase energy and engagement in safety meetings and outline how digital processes and the right technology are key safety tools for the future. (01:06) – Toolbox talks (05:45) – Critical concerns of hazardous industry teams (10...
Jul 17, 2024•30 min•Ep. 37
In this episode of The Safety Meeting, we connect with Zach Pucillo, KPA’s EHS Regulatory Compliance Manager, for a mid-regulations review. Zach overviews changes that have occurred thus far in 2024 ranging from updated chemical bans from the EPA, the expansion of hazardous material response plans under the Clean Water Act, and OSHA’s evolving regulations. (01:24) – Clean Water Act expansion of response plans (03:05) – News from the EPA (06:33) – OSHA Designated Employee Representative Rule Upda...
Jun 12, 2024•36 min•Ep. 36
In this episode of The Safety Meeting, Jeremy Denton, Senior Construction Safety Engineer with Alpha & Omega Safety, discusses a multifaceted approach to success in workplace safety. His toolbox for success includes embracing the many capabilities of digital tools, building trust and genuine connections, and investing in the future of safety professionals. (0:46) – Assessing success in safety (2:54) – Challenges for safety professionals (7:29) – Advocating for technology in safety practices ...
May 15, 2024•28 min•Ep. 35
In this episode of The Safety Meeting, KPA’s Emily Hartman, Senior Marketing Communications Manager, and Jade Brainard, Senior Director of Product Management, highlight KPA Connect. Launched in 2022, the customer community provides a space for user collaboration and discussion to take full advantage of KPA Flex software’s capabilities and impact future updates and improvements. (1:10) – Hot topics on KPA Connect (3:52) – Diverse perspectives (6:08) – Tapping into collective wisdom (9:01) – Users...
Apr 10, 2024•20 min•Ep. 34
In this episode of The Safety Meeting, KPA’s AJ Ruperto (Manager of Video Acquisition), Rachel Hook (Training and Quality Manager), and Kyle Morton (Lead Editor) discuss crafting effective and memorable safety training materials. AJ, Rachel, and Kyle share tips for balancing training techniques, addressing employees of all levels, and battling disengagement by integrating narrative, interviews, and interactive scenarios for successful safety training. (0:56) – High-impact techniques (2:58) – Int...
Mar 13, 2024•13 min•Ep. 33
In this episode of The Safety Meeting, KPA ’s Senior Product Director Taylor Thorn discusses the evolution of construction site safety technology and embracing software solutions for efficiency and risk mitigation. (00:49) – Embracing technology in construction sites (05:28) – Readily available safety data (08:46) – Adopting new technologies (12:33) – Increasing communication and connection (17:04) - Success stories Thanks for joining another episode of The Safety Meeting, the podcast that makes...
Feb 14, 2024•23 min•Ep. 32
In this episode of The Safety Meeting, KPA’s EHS Regulatory Compliance Manager Zach Pucillo discusses evolving regulations—from OSHA, EPA, and FAA—and focus areas in workplace safety for 2024. Zach overviews OSHA’s National Emphasis Programs, newly implemented and imminent regulations, and embracing virtual safety training in 2024. (00:47) – 2024’s New Rules (07:30) – NEPs (12:00) – Notable EPA regulations (15:31) – Drones and FAA (16:43) – AI in the workplace (18:02) – Virtual learning environm...
Jan 17, 2024•30 min•Ep. 31
In this episode of The Safety Meeting, KPA's Mulango Akpo-Esambe (Lead Animator) and Shawn Smith (Product Director of Training and Content) discuss designing engaging and effective safety training materials. Mulango and Shawn provide insight into strategies for training and emerging trends—including immersive experiences, real-world case studies, and gamification. (00:48) – Real-world experiences in training (03:27) – Repetition and behavior changes (06:07) – Developing training for diverse work...
Dec 13, 2023•21 min•Ep. 30
In this episode of The Safety Meeting, KPA’s EHS Regulatory Compliance Manager Zach Pucillo overviews the top 10 OSHA violations in 2023, provides insight into shifts in citation frequency and industries of concern, and shares KPA’s training and customizable solutions to combat unsafe working conditions. (00:33) – OSHA’s top 10 most frequently cited standards for 2023 (02:06) – A closer look at frequency and industry (05:58) – What’s keeping Fall Protection at the top of the list (09:30) – Using...
Nov 15, 2023•25 min•Ep. 29
In this episode of The Safety Meeting, KPA's Amanda Rawls discusses how safety professionals can ensure a strong year-end finish. She stresses the importance of looking back — self-assessment, reviewing incident trends, and training completions — while also planning ahead to proactively consider new technology, 2024 budgets, and goals. (00:36) - What safety professionals should have in mind to have a strong end-of-year (06:34) - Four common things safety professionals tend to overlook (09:11) - ...
Oct 18, 2023•15 min•Ep. 28
Health and safety programs can be perceived as slowing down processes and disrupting production. In this installment of The Safety Meeting, Jade Brainard, Product Director at KPA, discusses how a well-designed digital safety program can actually speed things up, having a positive impact on productivity and the bottom line. (00:35) - How EHS programs improve productivity (04:52) - Safety technology as a resource multiplier (06:51) - Recognizing improved ROI (08:51) - Demonstrating results Thanks ...
Sep 27, 2023•11 min•Ep. 27
On this week’s episode of the Safety Meeting, EHS Regulatory Compliance Manager Zach Pucillo is back with a two-part, midyear update on changes from OSHA and the EPA. In this second installment, Zach covers the latest from the EPA. Be sure to check out part one to hear about recent updates from OSHA. (00:48) - Forever chemicals: PFAS & PFOA (05:56) - Hazardous airborne pollutants and NESHAP standards (08:47) - Proposed ban on Methylene Chloride (11:17) - Controlling HFCs with the AIM Act (14...
Jul 26, 2023•20 min•Ep. 26
On this week’s episode of the Safety Meeting, EHS Regulatory Compliance Manager Zach Pucillo is back with a two-part, midyear update on changes from OSHA and the EPA. In this first installment, Zach covers the latest from OSHA, including the current status of the Heat Illness rule. Be sure to check out part two to hear about recent updates from the EPA. (01:06) - OSHA’s Spring 2023 agenda (01:44) - Injury-illness recordkeeping (03:32) - HazCom Standard (05:24) - COVID-19 exposure in healthcar (0...
Jul 13, 2023•25 min•Ep. 25
In the current financial climate, many companies are looking for items to cut from the budget. A quality safety program should not be one of them. Safety issues don't disappear when ignored, and doing nothing can actually cost a company significantly in the long run. That's why Deren Boyd, KPA's SVP of New Markets has joined to talk about all the costs of ignoring safety, including some you may not have considered. (00:51) - Why companies ignore safety (02:45) - What ‘doing nothing’ looks like (...
May 17, 2023•19 min•Ep. 24
In this episode of The Safety Meeting, we’re joined by Shawn Smith, KPA’s Product Director of Training, to discuss microlearning, and how this targeted approach can help improve the effectiveness of your safety training programs. (00:33) – What is microlearning? (01:22) – Integrating with traditional training (02:56) – Delivery methods (04:22) – Microlearning in the real world (08:15) – Tracking, notifications, and reporting (09:56) – Creating KPA’s microlearning content Thanks for joining anoth...
Apr 12, 2023•12 min•Ep. 23
In this installment of The Safety Meeting, we’re joined by Jade Brainard, Product Director at KPA, to discuss fostering a culture of safety and measuring engagement through practical, relevant, and interactive tools and approaches. (0:53) – Engaging frontline workers (4:52) – Measuring engagement (6:41) – Utilizing bite-size information (9:15) – Training completions (10:27) – Methods of communication (13:40) – Keep it simple Thanks for joining another episode of The Safety Meeting, the podcast t...
Mar 15, 2023•15 min•Ep. 22
