The Accidental Safety Pro

Do you struggle getting purchases approved? Jill and Jon Liesmaki, Sr. Director of EHS at Apogee Enterprises, tackle one of the most overlooked skills in the EHS profession: budgeting. Drawing on real-world experiences and audience questions from their recent EHS Budget Playbook webinar, they discuss how safety professionals can make a stronger business case for funding, build relationships with finance and operations leaders, demonstrate ROI, navigate rejected requests, and find creative ways to secure resources for safety initiatives. Whether you're managing a large budget or trying to get your first safety project approved, this conversation offers practical strategies for turning safety needs into budget wins.The EHS Budget Playbook on-demand webinar, presentation slides, EHS Investment Justification Toolkit, Accounting 101 Terms, and more FREE resources.

Jill sits down with Adele Abrams—attorney, safety professional, author, and nationally recognized OSHA and MSHA expert—about her unconventional journey from rock-and-roll radio and television into a career focused on OHS and law. Adele reflects on the experiences that shaped her expertise in construction and mining, her work on complex health hazards such as asbestos and silica exposure, and the mentors who helped her build a national practice while earning respected safety credentials.Now serving as Senior Counsel at Littler Mendelson P.C. and leader of the firm’s MSHA litigation, Adele shares lessons from decades of handling workplace fatality investigations and regulatory cases. She discusses her commitment to “holistic settlements” that invest in training and safety improvements, offers insights on the growing politicization of workplace safety regulation, and provides practical advice for staying informed in a changing regulatory landscape. Adele emphasizes the importance of mentoring, teaching, and developing the next generation of safety professionals as part of her lasting legacy of protecting workers and saving lives.MSHA.govAdele's LinkedIn

For their third installment of the Safety Unscripted series, Jill and her longtime friend and former fellow OSHA investigator, Dr. Todd Loushine, answer EHS questions focused on technology and AI, Emergency Preparedness, Health & Environmental Safety, Contractor, Subcontractor and Multi-Employer Safety, and more! We believe many of our listeners have the same kinds of questions. So, again we're sharing portions of the webinar recording with you for this month's episode. Enjoy!

Back by popular demand, Jill and her longtime friend and former fellow OSHA investigator, Dr. Todd Loushine, recently hosted another live webinar to answer your burning EHS questions! Registrants submitted questions before and during the live event, and the duo were able to give answers related to: Safety culture and behavior change, accountability and difficult scenarios, career growth and professional development, OSHA updates and the future of safety, and more. We believe many of our listeners have the same kinds of questions. So, we're sharing portions of the webinar recording with you for this month's episode. If you like this episode, join Jill and Dr. Todd LIVE for Safety Unscripted: Part 3 on Wednesday, June 3rd. You can register by clicking the link in the show notes. Enjoy!>> REGISTER FOR SAFETY UNSCRIPTED PT. 3

A story of resilience, reinvention, and an unexpected path into safety. In this episode, Jill James sits down with Chanell Alaniz, president of the Oklahoma City ASSP Chapter and former head of EHS for Oklahoma’s largest biopharmaceutical manufacturer. Chanell shares an extraordinary origin story that begins on the Mississippi Gulf Coast during Hurricane Katrina, winding through loss, rebuilding, tattoo artistry, scientific research, and ultimately a calling in occupational health and safety.Chanell opens up about evacuating with a newborn, rebuilding her life through Habitat for Humanity, becoming one of Oklahoma’s first licensed female tattoo artists, and later transitioning into laboratory science and CGMP pharmaceutical work. Her journey takes a dramatic turn when she steps into her first safety role just three days before COVID‑19 is declared a global pandemic—placing her at the center of biomanufacturing efforts to support vaccine production.Through vulnerability, humor, and deep reflection, Chanell illustrates how a “helper’s heart,” a systems-thinking mind, and the influence of strong mentors shaped her into the safety professional she is today. This episode is a testament to the winding paths that lead people into EHS—and the power of purpose discovered along the way.Chanell Alaniz's LinkedInChanell's Story on OptionBKatrina 10 Years Later: MississippiWomen in Safety Excellence (WISE)

Perry Silvey, safety manager at BT Construction in Colorado, shares his journey from working at a driving range to becoming a leader in construction safety. He is the founder and chairman of the Trenching and Excavation Safety Task Force (TEST), a volunteer group dedicated to raising awareness about trenching and excavation safety. Perry's career in construction safety began after a layoff from his maintenance job, which led him to work in excavation.Perry's transition into safety was influenced by his first boss, who encouraged him to leverage his degree and move into office roles, eventually leading to project management and safety coordination. His involvement with industry groups, such as the Construction Safety Round Table and the National Utility Contractors Association, has been pivotal in his career, providing mentorship and collaboration opportunities.The TEST initiative was sparked by a tragic trench collapse incident in 2019, which motivated Perry to take action and form the task force to prevent similar accidents. The group promotes trench safety through campaigns like "Think Inside the Box" and collaborates with various partners to spread awareness and improve safety practices.Perry emphasizes the importance of industry groups and safety roundtables for professionals seeking to enhance safety practices in their organizations. He continues to advocate for safety in the construction industry, sharing his experiences and insights at conferences and through the task force's initiatives.Show Links:Think Inside the Box info and logos. If you'd like to use the Think Inside The Box logo to help spread the word, please download! Feel free to make hard hat stickers, use in email signatures or on your own pages.FacebookInstagramLinkedInX

A surprising pivot from nutrition and diet therapy to health and safety launched Danishon "Sean" Felder into a decades-long career investigating incidents, mastering compliance, and navigating complex military and OSHA standards with the US Air Force Reserves and Department of Defense. Sean and Jill discuss why compliance alone isn't enough, the power of mentorship and continuous learning, how risk management evolved into enterprise thinking, and why psychological safety may be the most critical leadership skill today. With his upcoming retirement, Sean is preparing for his "second mountain" in executive coaching and reflects on what truly makes safety cultures thrive. Listen to get a Certified Professional Coach's insights on leadership, culture, and influence techniques! 

Do you have burning safety questions but aren’t sure who to ask—or worry about how they’ll be received? Jill and her longtime friend and former fellow OSHA investigator, Dr. Todd Loushine, recently hosted a live webinar doing just that! Registrants submitted hundreds of questions before and during the live event, and the duo were able to give answers related to:> Program building, governance, and core safety systems> Operational hazards and technical safety scenarios> Training effectiveness and learning design> Leadership buy-in, management tension, and business alignmentWe believe many of our listeners have the same kinds of questions. So, we're sharing portions of the webinar recording with you for this special episode of the podcast. If you like this episode, join Jill and Dr. Todd LIVE for Safety Unscripted: Part 2 on Wednesday, February 25th. You can register by clicking the link below. Enjoy!Safety Unscripted Part 2: Your Questions, Expert Answers, Live Webinar RegistrationSafety Unscripted Webinar Recording and Resources PageHSI.com Resources

Do you have questions about AI and the role it’s playing in EHS? Is it a trustworthy source, and how would you know if it is? What are the benefits and implications? Jill sits down with three of HSI’s top executives who are leading the charge in AI technology development for EHS software. Join Jose Arcilla, Chief Executive Officer, John Hambelton, Chief Technology Officer, and Mike Case, Vice President of Product, as they break down what’s working with AI, precautions you need to know, and how they’re creating tools that grow with the people who rely on them. You’ll hear how they’re designing tech that learns from real work, minimizes risk, and supports better choices, all while keeping humans firmly in control. From guardrails around ethics and human oversight, and questions to ask before selecting AI-powered solutions, this episode pulls back the curtain on AI development, what’s coming next, and why it matters for EHS professionals.

What happens when the teacher becomes the student? Meet Stacy Dubin, an EHS leader whose journey began in the classroom as a middle and high school teacher, and evolved into an impressive career in industrial hygiene and safety. Stacy shares how creating hands-on lessons in toxicology and epidemiology sparked her move into EHS, the challenges of transitioning from teaching to industry, and how she leveraged project management skills to find her footing. She and Jill discuss why EHS professionals are “the ultimate influencers,” succeeding through relationships rather than authority, and how curiosity, reciprocity, and listening to employees help earn trust and drive real safety improvements. From integrating EHS into everyday operational conversations, to observing work and collaborating with supervisors to identify hazards, Stacy offers practical insights on influence and impact—along with her vision for building consistent, engaging global EHS frameworks rooted in authenticity and connection.The Culture MapPurchase The Culture Map on Amazon