Hosted by YellowBird
Episodes
57
Latest episode
Jun 2026
Language
EN
Hosted by Michael Zalle, Founder and CEO of YellowBird, The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management features the sharpest minds in risk management and workplace safety. Each episode dives into bold, real conversations that challenge outdated safety models and cut through compliance theater. You’ll hear from guests who bring a powerful mix of tech-driven insight, human-first experience, and hard-won lessons from the field. Ideal for those leading safety initiatives in construction, logistics, manufacturing, or looking at safety from within the insurance industry, this podcast delivers the insights you need to stay ahead. Tap into real world case studies, stay on top of emerging technologies, and get field-tested strategies that are redefining how safety programs are built and scaled. Real experts. Real outcomes. Your playbook for the future of safety starts here.
I discuss workplace safety and construction safety management with Derek Cox to see how safety leadership and site safety improve through human connection. We talk about how risk management and safety culture evolve when you focus on building relationships. I find his story of moving from the tools to the office shows why authentic experience matters in our industry.
In this episode, I talk about workplace safety culture and how energy-based safety drives incident rate reduction. William LePage from Posillico Civil Inc. details why his safety professional career focuses on what truly hurts people rather than useless checklists. I learn how he manages risk for 1,200 employees by building project-specific programs instead of generic manuals. We discuss why he prefers to watch real work before making any judgments. This conversation changed how I view safety compliance in heavy construction.
I explore workplace safety and construction safety management with Jim Ruggiero to understand how real risk management involves more than just procedures. Jim brings 40 years of experience from the steelworkers union and state OSHA to discuss why our industry needs a deeper focus on the human element. We talk about the personal tragedies that drive his mission and how he builds a safety culture at EDIS Company. I find his perspective on mental health and worker presence to be a vital shift for every safety leader today.
Chris Braamse, VP of DH Pace and I explore how workplace safety leadership and risk management strategy apply across any industry, from trash trucks to pharmaceutical labs. Chris explains how he manages 60 locations using a smart hub and spoke model. We also talk about why a safety professional's career development path is more flexible than you might think.
Workplace safety leadership and roofing company safety strategies require a shift in how we view control. In this episode, I speak with Robert Hudson, VP of EHS at Baker Roofing, to explore EHS risk management and construction safety across 28 locations. We discuss why 18 years of experience taught him that hoarding knowledge is a danger to the team. I love how Robert shares his journey from chemistry to safety leadership while managing a fleet of 750 vehicles and prioritizing the humans behind the hard hats.
I sit down with Mike Place to discuss how a workplace safety culture and safety leadership drive incident prevention through a safety mindset. We discuss the reason we prioritize occupational health and safety, i.e. the "silent stakeholder.” Mike shares how Dakota Supply Group managed safety scaling in growing organizations while maintaining employee safety programs across 64 locations. I learn why treating your team with a parental eye helps in risk management strategies and hazard awareness training.
In this episode, I sit down with Chris Seider to discuss how workplace safety culture and safety leadership lead to incident rate reduction. We explore why your safety professional career depends on building a risk management strategy that outlasts you. Chris shares how he transformed a massive shipyard by shifting from safety compliance to employee safety ownership. I learn why doing everything yourself kills the culture and how leading safety initiatives requires becoming a coach instead of an executor. It is a masterclass in safety transformation and workplace injury prevention.
In this episode, I discuss EHS leadership, workplace safety programs, safety culture, risk management, and Scotts Miracle-Gro with Jason Johantges. I am fascinated by how his team achieved zero COVID deaths by monitoring regulatory changes and scientific data months in advance. We also dive into his "Kickoff for Safety" program, a football-themed gamification strategy that led to their safest fiscal year on record. It is a powerful look at how human-centered leadership transforms compliance into a competitive advantage for 8,000 employees.
“If you're being paid to do safety, why don’t you call yourself a professional?” In this episode of The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management, I sit down with Michael Dupont who shares why safety is not just a role, but a mindset. He says that the scope extends from redefining professionalism to building systems that prevent injuries and its impact. In this conversation, we look at safety and ownership with a new lens.
“I don’t ever want to have to give that speech in this job.” In this episode of The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management, I sit down with Thomas Lippert, Senior Vice President of Safety & Quality Assurance at Higley Construction, to talk about how to build a safety culture that goes beyond compliance. Drawing from his military background and years in construction, Tom shares how discipline and constant vigilance shape safer worksites. We unpack why OSHA is only the baseline, how success can breed complacency, and what leaders must do to keep safety front of mind every single day.
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