Why Your Safety System Might Be Making Things Worse, with Sidney Dekker
Safety And Risk Success
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...
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Data-Driven Safety: How Leading Organisations Stay Ahead of Risk, With David Picton
Safety And Risk Success
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...
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Make 2026 the Safest Year Yet
Safety And Risk Success
There’s a hard truth many of us don’t like to admit we’re incredibly busy in safety, yet not always as effective as we could be. This conversation is the panel session from an online event I co-hosted, bringing together some sharp minds in the field including Louise, Carla and Davy, where we challenged what really moves the needle in safety and risk. Not more paperwork, not more audits for the sake of it but sharper thinking, better conversations, and a relentless focus on what actually works. If 2026 is going to be your safest year yet, it starts with questioning some uncomfortable...
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Why Safety Systems Fail to Change Behaviour, With Eduardo Blanco-Muñoz
Safety And Risk Success
There’s a question that sits right at the heart of safety performance, and it’s one that frustrates a lot of us. Why do well-designed, technically sound safety systems still fail to change behaviour in the real world? I sat down with Eduardo Blanco-Muñoz to unpack this properly, and what followed was a fascinating exploration into perception, bias, culture, and the uncomfortable truth that people don’t behave the way our systems expect them to. This is a conversation that challenges the traditional, rule-based mindset and opens the door to a more human, more realistic way of thinking...
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Why Is Workplace Noise Still Poorly Managed?
Safety And Risk Success
Workplace noise is one of those risks that quietly chips away at people over time, often unnoticed until it’s too late. Yet despite nearly two decades of regulation, it’s still being misunderstood, underestimated, and poorly managed in far too many Organisations. This episode, taken from a Safety Roundtable session, features Gill Cussons sharing practical insights on why noise risk still isn’t being handled well and what we should be doing differently. What really stood out is how often we confuse “not sounding that bad” with “not being harmful” and how everyday habits, both...
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Ensuring Trust in the Age of Data and AI, With James Robson
Safety And Risk Success
Trust with data is becoming one of the defining challenges for modern leadership. We hand over personal information every day, often without a second thought, yet expectations around how that data is handled have never been higher. My conversation with James Robson explores what happens when data protection, AI, politics and public confidence all collide. James brings a rare perspective from working across research, governance and political environments, and shares why trust is no longer just a compliance issue but something that directly shapes reputation, decision making and long-term...
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Looking into the AI Safety and Risk Management Mirror, With CJ Clarke-Joell
Safety And Risk Success
Artificial intelligence is moving faster than most leaders can comfortably process, and that is exactly why this conversation matters. Speaking with CJ Clarke-Joell at Risk Europe opened up a much deeper discussion than technology alone. We explored what happens when AI starts reflecting our own biases, behaviours and decision making back at us, and why the real challenge is not simply understanding the tools, but understanding how we show up when using them. CJ brings a powerful human lens to digital disruption, cutting through the noise around AI ethics and reminding us that leadership,...
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The Rise of Ethical Hackers: How Gamers Are Shaping the Future of Cybersecurity, With Fergus Hay
Safety And Risk Success
A teenager in a hoodie hacking systems in a dark bedroom has become the cultural stereotype. But what if that picture is completely wrong? What if the world’s next generation of cybersecurity defenders are actually sitting in front of Roblox, Minecraft or Call of Duty right now, developing the exact skills governments and organisations desperately need. My guest Fergus Hay, co-founder and CEO of The Hacking Games, believes we are witnessing a massive shift in how cyber talent is discovered and developed. Millions of young gamers are building problem solving, pattern recognition and creative...
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Psychological Safety in Risk Leadership: Culture, Inclusion and Change, With Sharon Sharples
Safety And Risk Success
Psychological safety gets talked about a lot in risk circles, but what does it really look like when you move beyond policy documents and into real culture change? A conversation with Sharon Sharples at Risk Europe sparked a refreshingly honest exchange about inclusion, leadership, and the human side of risk. From employee resource groups to speaking up processes and the reality of hybrid working pressures, Sharon shares practical insight shaped by years inside a heavily regulated financial services environment. What stood out most was the reminder that risk professionals are not here to...
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Why All Safety Professionals Should Be in a State of Chronic Unease, with John Barclay
Safety And Risk Success
What if the real risk in safety isn’t what you see, but what you assume is already under control? This conversation challenged some deeply held beliefs about leadership, risk and effectiveness. John Barclay joined me to unpack why activity doesn’t always equal impact, why experienced organisations still face serious incidents, and why a little healthy discomfort might be exactly what keeps people safe. From exposure thinking to trust, curiosity and making the safest way the easiest way, there’s plenty here to reflect on if you genuinely want to move beyond surface-level safety and...
info_outlineBreaking into health and safety shouldn’t feel like hitting a brick wall. Yet so many talented people, from career-changers to those looking for a fresh start, are being shut out by the age-old “no experience, no job” cycle. In this conversation, I sit down with Kev Robins and Ben Pollard to uncover the mission, the momentum and the movement behind The Safety Net Foundation: a new not-for-profit social enterprise designed to open doors, level the playing field and support the next generation of safety professionals.
We get into the story behind the foundation, the gaps it fills, and how each of us can actively support this much-needed step forward for our profession. If you care about the future of safety, this one is well worth a listen.
Highlights
- Why the Safety Net Foundation exists: creating structured pathways into safety for first-starts and fresh-starts
- What makes it unique: focus on soft-skills, confidence, communication and real-world experience
- How mentoring works: personalised pairings, relatable lived experience, safe-space support
- Helping charities: pro-bono safety support while giving mentees hands-on practical exposure
- How companies can get involved: partnerships, monthly supporters, volunteering, introductions
- Early impact: mentees already being supported, CV help, interview preparation and job placements
- Future vision: qualifications funding, wider industry reach, digital platform with CPD and community
- How to take part: become a mentor, a mentee, a volunteer, a partner or connect them with charities
Resources and actions:
Website & Registration
- Safety Net Foundation website:
https://www.thesafetynetfoundation.co.uk
Charity / Partner Enquiries
- Charity partnerships contact page:
https://www.thesafetynetfoundation.co.uk/contact - Corporate Partner Information:
https://www.thesafetynetfoundation.co.uk/partners
Social Media
- LinkedIn (main comms channel):
https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-safety-net-foundation - Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/thesafetynetfoundation
Connect
- Connect with Kev on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kev-robins/
- Connect with Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benpollard88/
- Sign up for a future Safety Roundtable: https://safetyroundtable.co.uk/
- Connect with Christian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-harris-slip-safety/