#55 - Thomas Krause - Decisions That Set the Stage: The Leadership Cultures That Make Incidents Happen

What if the biggest safety failures in history weren't caused by reckless workers — but by leadership decisions made years earlier? Dr. Tom Krause has spent 45 years studying exactly that, and his answer will change the way you think about leadership forever.Dr. Tom Krause is the Founder of Krause Bell Group and one of the most respected voices in safety leadership and culture change. Over his career, he conducted over 2,300 consulting projects across 60 countries, and after the Columbia space shuttle tragedy, his firm was selected to lead NASA's safety culture transformation. He has personally worked alongside legendary CEO Paul O'Neill at both International Paper and Alcoa — one of the most celebrated safety leadership stories in business history. His books 7 Insights into Safety Leadership and If Your Culture Could Talk are must-reads for any leader serious about building high-performing organizations. In this episode, Tom breaks down why blaming employees is the wrong reaction every single time — and what leaders should be looking at instead. He shares the story of a plant manager whose life was changed by a 3 AM phone call, and how that moment of human reckoning turned him into one of the most effective safety leaders Tom had encountered in decades of consulting.We go deep on the hidden chain of leadership decisions that precede every major incident, why your inner state as a leader ripples across the entire organization, and why most companies are measuring the wrong things. If your culture isn't changing despite all the right programs being in place — this conversation will tell you exactly why.We also get into AI and where it's all heading — from cameras in factories to predictive risk modeling — and why Tom believes the question isn't whether AI is good enough, but whether we are.Follow or connect with Tom on LinkedIn | Learn more at krausebellgroup.comIn This EpisodeNobody should get hurt at work: what real safety leadership looks likeThe 3 AM phone call: the moment that changed a leader foreverWhy blaming employees is always the wrong answerDecision-making over behavior: the chain that leads to every incidentPaul O'Neill's legacy: what made his leadership so rareThe leader's inner state: how your energy shapes your whole organizationAI in safety: the one way to use cameras that will make things worsePredictive risk: using AI to find the combinations of variables that accelerate dangerThe question isn't whether AI is ready — it's whether we areChapters(00:04) — Intro & welcome(01:29) — Why Tom does what he does(03:06) — The fun behind the work: evolution of his career(08:29) — The evolution of safety leadership(09:10) — Paul O'Neill and what made his leadership rare(18:28) — Fundamentals great safety leaders adopt(19:25) — The 3 AM phone call that changed a leader forever(23:06) — Decision-making as the real root cause of every incident(27:24) — Send us a message! If you like this podcast episode, subscribe here and follow us on LinkedIn for the latest from our HSE community and guests. Connect with our CEO and host, Mousa, today to stay updated on Safety Heroes, Pixaera, and more. Do you want to be a guest on Safety Heroes, or know someone who would be a great fit? We’d love to hear from you. Send us a message on LinkedIn or email [email protected]. 

Today, we're excited to share our latest Safety Heroes episode with Ergin Akbas.With over a decade at AVANGRID managing EHS systems across wind farms, solar projects, and critical infrastructure serving 3 million customers, Ergin has learned one truth: systems only work when they're built WITH the people who use them, not FOR them. He shares stories about achieving zero findings during ISO audits, why his 6-year-old thinks he "makes sure people don't get zapped," and how Learning Teams are transforming incident investigations from blame to real improvement. If you're trying to build safety systems that frontline teams will actually adopt, this conversation is packed with practical wisdom. Time Stamp Guide:(02:12) From Bridges to Wind Farms: How civil engineering led Ergin to realize safety is integral to everything(04:34) Dual Risk Landscape: Navigating renewables construction and network operations across 26 states(07:37) Systems 101: Why management systems are a journey, not software—and definitely not magic(13:59) Beyond the Audit: Convincing leadership that real value happens every single day, not just certification time(17:41) The Pencil Analogy: Why frontline workers are the sharp end—and must design systems WITH you(24:03) Proving Effectiveness: Moving from training completion checkboxes to measuring actual competence(26:26) Worker Voice in Action: Monthly Innovation Calls and Skilled Safety Panels that empower the field(29:57) Compliance is the Floor: Breaking through the ceiling with risk-based thinking and proactive tools(33:46) AI That Sticks: How supervisors kept using pilot apps weeks after the study ended(41:46) Managing Change Methodically: Why telling people "what's in it for them" prevents reversion to old ways(44:44) HOP & Learning Teams: Replacing root cause analysis with soak time, multi-stakeholder input, and zero blame(50:29) You Fall to the Level of Your Systems: Building resilient frameworks that outlast any individual leader(52:15) Planting Seeds: What a 6-year-old's "Daddy stops people from getting zapped" teaches us about legacyFollow Ergin on LinkedIn to keep up with his latest insights.Send us a message!Send us a message! If you like this podcast episode, subscribe here and follow us on LinkedIn for the latest from our HSE community and guests. Connect with our CEO and host, Mousa, today to stay updated on Safety Heroes, Pixaera, and more. Do you want to be a guest on Safety Heroes, or know someone who would be a great fit? We’d love to hear from you. Send us a message on LinkedIn or email [email protected]. 

Episode SummaryFuzzy Bitar has led safety and operations at global scale, including serving as bp’s Senior Vice President for HSE & Carbon and chairing the International Association of Oil & Gas Producers (IOGP). He’s known for a plain-spoken, human-first approach that keeps ownership where it belongs: in the line. In this conversation, Fuzzy goes beyond slogans. He explains why “good operations is good safety,” how to keep controls proportional to risk, and why supervisors are the highest-leverage node for culture change. We dig into coaching vs. compliance, adoption that lasts beyond pilot buzz, and the practical reality that VR wowed—but mobile worked when you need scale on site. We close with point-of-work AI: 60-second SOP summaries, incident-informed prompts, and micro-learning that shows up exactly when the job needs it.Follow or connect with Fuzzy on LinkedInIn This EpisodeLine-owned safety: why safety leadership is just leadershipProportionality > paperwork: more signatures ≠ more safetyWhere culture is made: supervisors, wrench time, and coaching loopsDon’t weaponize observations: design for trust and adoptionAdoption > hype: VR wowed; mobile worked in the fieldPoint-of-work AI: summaries, lessons, and prompts in the momentStability over shiny objects: iterate without churning the agendaFinal advice: confident humility + scanning uncertainty hotspotsChapters(01:30) — The moment safety became human(05:03) — Safety leadership is just leadership(06:00) — From “fail-safe” to “fall-safe”(10:50) — Proportionality beats paperwork(13:52) — Where culture is made: the supervisor(18:02) — Don’t weaponize observations(20:30) — VR hype vs reality (VR wowed. Mobile worked.)(21:38) — Simplify at the point of execution (point-of-work AI)Send us a message! If you like this podcast episode, subscribe here and follow us on LinkedIn for the latest from our HSE community and guests. Connect with our CEO and host, Mousa, today to stay updated on Safety Heroes, Pixaera, and more. Do you want to be a guest on Safety Heroes, or know someone who would be a great fit? We’d love to hear from you. Send us a message on LinkedIn or email [email protected]. 

Tim Page‐Bottorff didn’t “choose” safety—he was drawn to it, and has spent his career transforming how organizations think about risk, culture, and technology. In this episode, the ASSP Vice-President of Safety shares the defining moments that shaped his journey from Marine‐trained leader to industry innovator. You’ll hear how he turned PPE drills into gamified challenges, built trust with a simple “REAL” framework, and now leverages AI to spot hidden hazards. Along the way, Tim explains why compliance alone isn’t enough, how to ignite genuine engagement (and cut injuries by up to 71%), and why every safety leader must embrace both data and empathy to make zero harm a reality. Whether you’re at ASSP Safety 2025 in Orlando or leading an HSE team anywhere, this conversation is your playbook for building a safety culture that sticks.(03:37) The Calling to Safety: Why Tim “didn’t hesitate” when the industry chose him(17:49) Beyond Checkboxes: Shifting from compliance to purpose-driven training(14:00) Culture Through Competition: Gamifying PPE drills for “go slow to go fast” results(35:36) The REAL Trust Framework: Respect, Empathy, Accept, Listen(22:14) AI as Partner: From site photos to automated hazard reports(15:32) Engagement Metrics: How driving retention over retraining cuts injuries by 71%(26:41) Global Safety Lens: Navigating varied regional appetites for innovation and spend(30:49) Final Charge: “Take the hill” with clear objectives, collaboration, and relentless disciplineFollow Tim on LinkedIn to keep up with his latest insights.Send us a message! If you like this podcast episode, subscribe here and follow us on LinkedIn for the latest from our HSE community and guests. Connect with our CEO and host, Mousa, today to stay updated on Safety Heroes, Pixaera, and more. Do you want to be a guest on Safety Heroes, or know someone who would be a great fit? We’d love to hear from you. Send us a message on LinkedIn or email [email protected]. 

Declan Davis isn’t just leading safety from the top—he’s walked the path from the site to the boardroom. As Health and Safety Director at Ferrovial, Declan brings a deeply human approach to leadership, shaped by years of hands-on experience in the field. In this episode of The Safety Heroes Podcast, he reflects on his journey from site engineer to safety director, sharing how his passion for connecting with frontline teams has become the foundation for everything he does.Declan talks candidly about the moment he realised traditional approaches to safety—long documents, top-down processes, and complex systems—weren’t working for the people most at risk. That moment sparked a shift toward humanising safety: making it simpler, more personal, and rooted in the real experiences of workers on site. He explains how this philosophy drives his adoption of tools like immersive learning, AI-powered training, and multilingual communication strategies that break down barriers and build trust.One particularly powerful part of the conversation explores the emotional power of storytelling in safety training—how placing a worker in a simulated incident, even virtually, can create anchor moments that stick for months and shape real-world decisions. Declan and Mousa discuss the neuroscience behind memory and retention, and why the combination of technology and empathy is such a game-changer for the industry.They also reflect on how safety teams can bring frontline workers along the innovation journey—not just as end-users, but as co-creators and champions of change. Declan shares practical insights from his own experience: how to nurture buy-in, how to find internal champions, and how to scale solutions across a global, multilingual workforce without losing the human touch.Whether you’re a safety leader, technologist, or someone passionate about improving workplace culture, this episode is a masterclass in what’s possible when you blend heart, strategy, and innovation. It’s a call to reimagine the future of safety—one that starts with people, and scales with purpose.Send us a message!If you like this podcast episode, subscribe here and follow us on LinkedIn for the latest from our HSE community and guests. Connect with our CEO and host, Mousa, today to stay updated on Safety Heroes, Pixaera, and more. Do you want to be a guest on Safety Heroes, or know someone who would be a great fit? We’d love to hear from you. Send us a message on LinkedIn or email [email protected]. 

In this powerful episode of The Safety Heroes Podcast, we sit down with Steff Williams, Director of Safety for Sonoco Europe and APAC. From his humble beginnings on a farm on the west coast of Scotland to leading safety for over 25,000 employees across more than 300 sites globally, Steff shares how his early values of hard work and care for others shaped his people-first approach to safety. He opens up about his “why”—a deep-rooted drive to prevent serious injuries and fatalities (SIFs) in the workplace—and why he believes so many of these incidents are still tragically preventable with basic, intentional safety controls.Steff and Mousa explore what meaningful safety leadership looks like, how to shift focus from checking boxes to truly protecting lives, and why every worker’s voice matters. From tackling high-risk exposures like confined spaces and forklift interactions to building cultures of trust where operators feel empowered to speak up, Steff delivers insights that resonate across industries. Whether you’re in safety or simply care about people, this episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to lead with purpose and drive real change.Follow or connect with Steff Williams on LinkedIn. Send us a message!-If you like this podcast episode, subscribe here and follow us on LinkedIn for the latest from our HSE community and guests. Connect with our CEO and host, Mousa, today to stay updated on Safety Heroes, Pixaera, and more. Do you want to be a guest on Safety Heroes, or know someone who would be a great fit? We’d love to hear from you. Send us a message on LinkedIn or email [email protected] us a message!If you like this podcast episode, subscribe here and follow us on LinkedIn for the latest from our HSE community and guests. Connect with our CEO and host, Mousa, today to stay updated on Safety Heroes, Pixaera, and more. Do you want to be a guest on Safety Heroes, or know someone who would be a great fit? We’d love to hear from you. Send us a message on LinkedIn or email [email protected]. 

In this episode of The Safety Heroes Podcast, we sit down with Kate Donovan, a passionate environmental advocate and senior attorney at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). Kate shares eye-opening insights on the intersections between environmental law, public health, and corporate accountability, challenging the way we think about sustainability and the role of businesses in shaping a cleaner, safer future.From the truth about plastic waste to the responsibility of corporations vs. consumers, Kate unpacks some of the biggest environmental challenges we face today. She explains why recycling alone isn’t the solution, how toxic materials in everyday products impact our health, and why stronger policies—not just individual action—are crucial for meaningful change.We dive into the growing concern over microplastics—tiny plastic particles that have been found in our oceans, food, and even human bodies—highlighting the long-term health risks they pose. Kate also breaks down the dangers of PFAS, also known as ‘forever chemicals,’ which have contaminated drinking water supplies and everyday products, exposing millions to harmful toxins. She explains how these chemicals persist in the environment, the regulatory gaps that allow them to remain in use, and the urgent need for action to protect public health.Beyond the risks, Kate offers a forward-thinking perspective on how businesses, governments, and individuals can push for meaningful change. We also discuss the role of leadership in sustainability, emphasizing how the best organizations integrate environmental responsibility into their business strategy, culture, and decision-making.Follow or connect with Kate Donovann on LinkedIn. Send us a message! If you like this podcast episode, subscribe here and follow us on LinkedIn for the latest from our HSE community and guests. Connect with our CEO and host, Mousa, today to stay updated on Safety Heroes, Pixaera, and more. Do you want to be a guest on Safety Heroes, or know someone who would be a great fit? We’d love to hear from you. Send us a message on LinkedIn or email [email protected]. 

In this compelling episode of The Safety Heroes Podcast, we sit down with Claus Rose, Managing Director of SafeSteps24, to explore how safety can become an instinctive part of our daily work routines. Claus shares his eye-opening insights on why traditional change management fails 70% of the time and how organizations can move from simply following compliance checklists to truly embedding safety into behavior. He draws powerful parallels with military training, emphasizing that just as soldiers rely on muscle memory in critical situations, workplaces should cultivate safety habits that become second nature.Claus delves into the concept of “muscle memory” for safety—a transformational approach where safety isn’t something to be consciously enforced, but automatically executed. He discusses his journey from working on high-stakes IPO preparations to launching SafeSteps24, an innovative program that blends behavioral psychology, leadership development, and EHS strategies. His insights reveal how the right combination of personal change, practical tools, and data-driven feedback can create lasting improvements in safety culture.Listeners will also gain a deeper understanding of how technology, particularly machine learning and AI, is reshaping safety practices by identifying risks before they materialize. Whether you’re a safety leader or an operational professional, Claus’s vision for transforming safety culture is both inspiring and actionable.Tune in to learn how to drive change from the front line and build a culture where safety is not just a policy—but a way of life.Follow or connect with Claus Rose on LinkedIn. Send us a message! If you like this podcast episode, subscribe here and follow us on LinkedIn for the latest from our HSE community and guests. Connect with our CEO and host, Mousa, today to stay updated on Safety Heroes, Pixaera, and more. Do you want to be a guest on Safety Heroes, or know someone who would be a great fit? We’d love to hear from you. Send us a message on LinkedIn or email [email protected]. 

What does it mean to truly make safety personal? In this episode of The Safety Heroes Podcast, Bridget Todd, Global Head of Enterprise Health & Safety at Baker Hughes, shares how safety isn’t just about compliance—it’s about people, families, and the real-life impact of every workplace decision.Bridget discusses the ‘Make Safety Personal’ initiative, a campaign designed to reinforce that safety is about who you go home to at the end of the day. She highlights how emotional connections, storytelling, and leadership commitment can drive engagement in ways that traditional training often fails to achieve.The conversation explores leadership’s role in fostering psychological safety, how to build a strong Stop Work culture, and why great safety leaders embrace ‘chronic unease’—constantly questioning what risks might be going unnoticed. Bridget also discusses the evolving role of technology in safety and how organizations can balance innovation with frontline adoption.She shares a deeply personal moment that changed her perspective on safety forever—a reminder that behind every job is a life that must be protected.Follow or connect with Bridget Todd on LinkedIn. Send us a message! If you like this podcast episode, subscribe here and follow us on LinkedIn for the latest from our HSE community and guests. Connect with our CEO and host, Mousa, today to stay updated on Safety Heroes, Pixaera, and more. Do you want to be a guest on Safety Heroes, or know someone who would be a great fit? We’d love to hear from you. Send us a message on LinkedIn or email [email protected]. 

The G+ Offshore Wind Health and Safety Organisation is a groundbreaking voluntary organization at the forefront of driving change in safety across the offshore wind industry. In this episode, Mousa sits down with two pivotal members of the G+ board: Kate Harvey, General Manager, and David Griffiths, Chair of the Board of Directors. They share their mission, passion, and pioneering work to develop critical safety resources and standards in this fast-growing industry to ensure every worker returns home safely. Learn about offshore life-saving rules, the critical importance of harmonizing safety standards across the globe, and the data-driven incident analyses that steer the development of new, essential safety technologies and resources. Discover how David, Kate, and the rest of the G+ board are tackling the challenges faced by technicians and contractors on the ground. Alongside the importance of continued cross-sector collaboration and collective learning and the need for engagement from frontline workers to power industry change. Find out more about the work of G+ on their website, including:The latest edition of their incident data reportGood practice guidelinesSafe by Design workshops for supervisorsWind Turbine Safety RulesSignposting And many more resources for safe Offshore workFollow or connect with David and Kate on LinkedIn. Send us a message! If you like this podcast episode, subscribe here and follow us on LinkedIn for the latest from our HSE community and guests. Connect with our CEO and host, Mousa, today to stay updated on Safety Heroes, Pixaera, and more. Do you want to be a guest on Safety Heroes, or know someone who would be a great fit? We’d love to hear from you. Send us a message on LinkedIn or email [email protected].