Safety And Risk Success

Christian Harris
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Business
  • Updated Biweekly

Bring the benefits of proactive safety and risk management to life, through insights, experiences and stories. Every week, host Christian Harris - the UK's leading slips, trips and falls specialist - presents a new episode, typically with expert guests, to discuss: - Safety - Health - Wellbeing - Insurance - Risk management - Claims defensibility

  1. 3d ago

    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/  Connect with Chris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-green-70a899a/  Connect with Christian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-harris-slip-safety/

    57 min

  2. May 29

    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/  Connect with Jake on LinkedIn: 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  Connect with Christian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-harris-slip-safety/

    59 min

  3. May 22

    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/  Connect with Richard on LinkedIn: 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/

    1h 1m

  4. May 15

    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/ Connect with Jesse on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtayler/  Connect with Christian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-harris-slip-safety/

    1h 2m

  5. May 7

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

    What if the real risk in your workplace is not the process, the procedure, or the equipment… but the way people are thinking under pressure?   This conversation with Helen Taylor Brinson completely shifted the way I think about safety leadership. We explored what actually happens in the brain when people are stressed, overwhelmed, distracted, exhausted, or emotionally overloaded, and why that can fundamentally change behaviour, judgement, attention, and decision making.   One of the biggest takeaways for me was this: behaviour is communication. When someone is acting out of character, cutting corners, withdrawing, freezing, or reacting emotionally, there is usually something deeper going on beneath the surface.   We also talked about psychological safety, presenteeism, recovery, sleep, curiosity, and why creating space for people to think   A genuinely thought provoking conversation with practical ideas you can start applying immediately.   Highlights Stress response: Fight, flight, freeze affects decision making Presenteeism: Often a bigger risk than absenteeism Curiosity: Helps teams solve problems more effectively Behaviour: Often communication, not carelessness Breaks and recovery: Essential for focus and judgement Sleep quality: Directly impacts resilience and performance Psychological safety: Helps people think more clearly Reflection habits: Improve wellbeing and mental resilience Resources and actions: Sign up for a future Safety Roundtable: https://safetyroundtable.co.uk/ Connect with Helen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helen-taylor-brimson-b6222546/ BrainWorks Website: https://brainworkshypnotherapy.co.uk/ Connect with Christian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-harris-slip-safety/

    49 min

  6. May 1

    Frontline Leadership: The Real Driver of Safety, With Kevin Burns

    What if the biggest lever for improving safety isn't your systems, processes, or even your safety team but your supervisors? That's exactly where this conversation goes. Speaking with Kevin Burns really challenged some deeply held assumptions about how safety actually works in organisations. We often focus on frameworks, metrics, and compliance, yet overlook the single most influential relationship on any worksite, the one between supervisor and frontline worker. If that relationship is weak, no amount of process will fix it. If it's strong, everything else becomes easier. There's a lot here that made me stop and rethink, particularly around how we build buy-in, how we support new supervisors, and why safety culture can't sit in a silo. If you're serious about improving performance, not just talking about it, this is one to reflect on. Highlights: Safety is a people issue: not a process problem  Supervisors drive culture: more than safety departments  Buy-in matters most: awareness alone changes nothing  Leadership gaps: new supervisors lack proper training  Relationships over rules: connection builds safer behaviour  Explain the why: not just the how  The supervisor tax: poor leadership costs organisations  Careful supervision: care for work, safety, and people  Resources and actions: Sign up for a future Safety Roundtable: https://safetyroundtable.co.uk/ Connect with Kevin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevburns-peoplework/ PeopleWork Website: https://peoplework.app/ Connect with Christian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-harris-slip-safety/

    51 min

  7. Apr 24

    Why Your Safety System Might Be Making Things Worse, with Sidney Dekker

    When safety systems become bloated, disconnected and more focused on paperwork than people, they can quietly create the very risks they were meant to prevent. That is exactly what I explored in this special Safety Roundtable with the brilliant Sidney Dekker. We challenged long-held beliefs about responsibility, compliance, human error and whether many systems are helping people succeed or simply getting in their way. If you want a fresh perspective on creating safer, smarter and more human-centred Organisations, this is one to hear. Join our next Safety Roundtable live to be part of conversations like this and bring your own questions to the table. Highlights: Why systems fail: when process matters more than real work. Safety ownership: everyone who touches work shares responsibility. Rules versus reality: people often adapt to get work done. Human motivation: purpose drives better decisions than fear. Variability at work: not all variation is dangerous. Hearts and minds: telling people rarely guarantees action. Documentation limits: records matter, but learning matters more. Better systems: make work easier, clearer and safer Resources and actions: Sign up for a future Safety Roundtable: https://safetyroundtable.co.uk/ Connect with Sidney on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sidneydekker-com/ Connect with Christian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-harris-slip-safety/

    43 min

  8. Apr 17

    Data-Driven Safety: How Leading Organisations Stay Ahead of Risk, With David Picton

    Most organisations think they're doing enough on safety until they realise they're only seeing half the picture. I sat down with David Picton, SVP, Safety & Sustainability at EcoOnline, to explore what happens when you stop looking backwards and start using data to actually shape what happens next. What came through loud and clear is this shift from simply meeting requirements to uncovering insights that drive better decisions, stronger performance, and ultimately safer outcomes. There's a real opportunity here not just to protect people, but to elevate safety into something that genuinely influences business success. Highlights: Moving beyond compliance: Unlocking hidden value in safety data  Data visibility: Turning information into actionable insight  Leading vs lagging indicators: Driving forward looking decisions  AI in safety: Supporting insight, not replacing human judgement  Connecting data sources: Training, incidents, and operational factors  Predictive safety: Preventing incidents before they occur  Business impact: Linking safety performance to productivity and ROI  Executive influence: Elevating safety to strategic decision making Resources and actions: Sign up for a future Safety Roundtable: https://safetyroundtable.co.uk/ Connect with David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidpicton/  EcoOnline website: https://www.ecoonline.com/ Connect with EcoOnline LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ecoonline-global/ Connect with Christian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-harris-slip-safety/

    53 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Bring the benefits of proactive safety and risk management to life, through insights, experiences and stories. Every week, host Christian Harris - the UK's leading slips, trips and falls specialist - presents a new episode, typically with expert guests, to discuss: - Safety - Health - Wellbeing - Insurance - Risk management - Claims defensibility

Information

  • Creator
    Christian Harris
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    274
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Christian Harris
  • Show Website
    Safety And Risk Success

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