Diabetes Awareness with Rachel Proper
NSSGA Podcast
Emily welcomes Rachel Proper from Caterpillar Safety Services, for a special episode in recognition of National Diabetes Month. Rachel shares a deeply personal and powerful story about her 13-year-old daughter's recent diagnosis with Type 1 diabetes. She explains how her own family history with the disease allowed her to recognize the subtle but serious symptoms, leading to an early diagnosis that prevented a life-threatening situation. This episode is a crucial listen for everyone, as it details the specific signs of both high and low blood sugar. Rachel provides a firsthand account of the...
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World Mental Health Day with Emily Hargrove
NSSGA Podcast
With World Mental Health Day approaching next week, today’s episode features host Emily Hargrove, NSSGA's Director of Occupational Safety and Health, as she explores the critical link between mental health and workplace safety in the aggregates and mining industry. Highlighting how an individual's mental well-being directly impacts their ability to work safely, she reveals the ways in which stress and anxiety affect job performance and overall safety. Emily transparently shares her journey, details how exposure to serious incidents in her safety career impacted her mental state and led to...
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Safety and Sustainability with Kyle Brashear
NSSGA Podcast
Emily welcomes colleague Kyle Brashear, NSSGA's Director of Sustainability, to explore the crucial link between sustainability and workplace safety. Kyle explains that sustainability is about much more than just the environment; it rests on three pillars: environmental, economic, and social. He identifies workplace safety as the most critical component of social sustainability within the aggregates industry. This episode delves into how a world-class safety culture provides a "social license to operate," attracts high-quality talent, and ultimately strengthens a company's economic and social...
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Safety Perspectives with Libby Pritchard
NSSGA Podcast
Emily welcomes a familiar voice back to the podcast, Libby Pritchard, who is now the Senior Director of Sales and Business Development with Specialty Granules. Libby, formerly in a safety and health role with NSSGA, discusses her transition into a sales and business development position and how her perspective on being a safety leader has evolved. She shares powerful insights on how every employee, regardless of their title, can and should be a safety champion. Libby shares her initial feeling of leaving a piece of herself behind when "safety" was no longer in her job title. However, a pivotal...
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Water Safety featuring Madalynn Habron
NSSGA Podcast
Emily welcomes NSSGA's Senior Manager of Communications, Madalynn Habron to the podcast today for a discussion regarding critical water safety. Madalynn, a former lifeguard and swim instructor, shares insights on drowning prevention, the importance of swim lessons, recognizing distress signs, and how safety training principles extend from recreational activities to the aggregate industry workplace. Madalynn shares a personal near-drowning story, underscoring the need for constant vigilance around water. The discussion includes CDC child drowning statistics, the often quiet nature of drowning,...
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CPR and AED Awareness with Brian Goepfert
NSSGA Podcast
With June being National Safety Month, a time dedicated to focusing on safety as a core value, and the first week holding special significance as National CPR and AED Awareness Week, Emily is joined today by Brian Goepfert, a former MSHA Administrator for Enforcement and volunteer firefighter. Together, they discuss just how vital CPR and AED training can be in saving a life, and Brian shares a very personal CPR safety story that truly brings home why these skills are so important. Brian paints a clear picture of what happens during a cardiac event and how immediate action, with CPR and...
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The Evolution of Safety Training with Shea Davis
NSSGA Podcast
In this episode of Safety Shorts, host Emily Hargrove, NSSGA's Director of Occupational Safety and Health, welcomes Shea Davis, Regional Operations Manager for CDE USA, to discuss the evolution of safety training in the aggregates industry, particularly over NSSGA’s 25-year history. Together, they explore the shift from passive, compliance-focused methods to today's interactive, real-world learning essential for engaging younger generations like Millennials and Gen Z. Shea also shares a personal injury story highlighting the critical need for proactive hazard identification and risk...
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Spring Restart Safety with Troy Austin
NSSGA Podcast
Welcome back to Safety Shorts, your quick dose of safety wisdom! I'm your new host, Emily Hargrove, and I'm thrilled to welcome Troy Austin, Value Safety Manager at Luck Companies, back to the podcast today. As the days get longer and temperatures rise, many in the mining and aggregates industry are gearing up to restart seasonal operationshis, and this episode is all about ensuring a safe and efficient return to work, focusing on proactive strategies to mitigate risks associated with post-winter start-ups. Troy shares his expert insights on three critical areas to address, offers practical...
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My Cancer Stupidity with Robert “Cujo” Teschner
NSSGA Podcast
Robert “Cujo” Teschner, former U.S. Air Force fighter pilot, husband, father, author, and advocate for lifelong learning, returns to the podcast today to share a deeply personal and cautionary tale about his “cancer stupidity”—ignoring early warning signs of illness due to pride, fear, and a misplaced sense of invincibility. Reflecting on how this experience reshaped his life and perspective, Cujo underscores the importance of listening to our bodies and overcoming the cultural and personal barriers that prevent many from seeking medical help. His journey offers invaluable...
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A Near Miss with Robert “Cujo” Teschner
NSSGA Podcast
Safety Shorts welcomes Robert “Cujo” Teschner to the podcast today to recount a harrowing “near miss” over the Atlantic that reshaped his view on risk and responsibility. A former U.S. Air Force fighter pilot, Cujo offers powerful insights into the dangers of prioritizing performance over safety, underscoring the importance of keeping safety as the ultimate measure of success in any high-stakes environment. Reflecting on how competitive instincts nearly led to disaster, he highlights the need for clear priorities, a message that resonates across industries. Remember - true success...
info_outlineIn this episode of Safety Shorts, Libby welcomes Sarah D'Amico, Marketing Manager of Turner Mining Group and Turner Staffing Group, to discuss the deeply personal importance of safety in such industries as mining. Sarah shares how her perspective on safety evolved from a set of rules to an emotional priority, particularly with her fiancé being a project superintendent in mining. Coinciding with Safety Month, Sarah’s story underscores the life-changing consequences of neglecting safety measures as well as the importance of prioritizing workplace safety for everyone who cares for and counts on us.
Episode Highlights:
Sarah’s initial unfamiliarity with the mining industry and how she approached safety from a logical standpoint
Her relationship with her fiancé, who works in mining, and how it transformed her view on safety, making it an emotional priority
The importance of safety training, reviewing national year-to-date fatalities, and the personal reflections that arise from these sessions
The significant contributions of workers in trades and mining, and the importance of their safety
The human stories behind safety statistics, emphasizing that every worker is crucial to someone
Libby and Sarah encourage listeners to consider who they are being safe for and to continually prioritize safety in their daily routines
Toolbox Talk Discussion Questions:
In this episode, Sarah talks about how her perspective shifted and she started to look at safety as personal. Have you ever experienced this kind of shift, and why?
What do you think changes in our safety training when we shift our perspective to safety as personal?
Does anyone have a story about a loved one or family member working in the field?
Key Takeaways:
"Safety is one of our company's core values. It’s ingrained in us to keep that top of mind."
"You don't put yourself or others in danger. Be aware of your surroundings."
"The ‘why’ behind adhering to safety regulations is as important as the ‘how’."
"’Everybody is somebody's everything.’ This took on a very personal meaning for me."
"Safety became much more of an emotional priority as opposed to pure logic."
"Remind your coworkers: Who are you being safe for right now?"
"Safety is not just about following SOPs but about protecting our families and those who rely on us."
Links:
National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association