OH&S SafetyPod

What does the future hold for workplace safety professionals as artificial intelligence, emerging technologies and changing workforce demands reshape the industry?
In this episode of the OH&S SafetyPod, Jennifer McNelly, CEO of the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP), shares key takeaways from the 2026 ASSP Safety Conference and Expo and the challenges safety professionals face.
McNelly examines how AI can support risk identification, root cause analysis and data-driven decision-making while emphasizing the need for human oversight, ethical leadership and responsible technology use.
The conversation also explores the growing importance of business knowledge, influential leadership and integrating safety into organizational decision-making.
Looking ahead to 2027, McNelly outlines ASSP's priorities, including consensus standards, professional development and collaboration with OSHA and other safety organizations to prevent serious injuries and fatalities. She also discusses how standards-based user groups can help translate safety research into practical workplace improvements.

VPPPA Executive Director Chris Williams joins the OH&S SafetyPod to look back at the 2026 VPPPA Safety+ Symposium and discuss what's ahead for the Voluntary Protection Programs and workplace safety.
Williams discusses renewed interest in VPP, efforts to expand participation and the growing importance of preparing the next generation of safety professionals. He also explores how frontline worker involvement has evolved, including giving employees a greater voice in developing safety policies, identifying hazards and finding solutions.
The conversation looks ahead to VPPPA's 2027 priorities, including expanded professional development, year-round online safety communities and efforts to bring more construction employers into the VPP model. Williams also discusses the role of AI and other technologies in safety programs, along with VPPPA's increasing focus on mental health and substance use in the workplace.

PPE has traditionally focused on protecting workers from hazards, but connected technologies are adding a new dimension: real-time information that can help safety professionals understand incidents, respond faster and make better-informed decisions. In this episode of the OH&S SafetyPod, Editor David Kopf talks with Dan Birch, Category Manager at PIP Global Safety, and Ani Surabhi, CEO and Founder of Quin, about the evolution of connected PPE and the growing role of data in workplace safety.
The conversation explores Quin's connected safety ecosystem, including technology capable of detecting impacts, falls and other events; collecting information surrounding an incident; monitoring conditions such as temperature; and helping connect injured workers with assistance. Birch and Surabhi also discuss implementation, applications for lone workers, and where connected PPE could be headed next.

Sponsored By PIP Global Safety

PIP Global Safety is the independent leader in personal protective equipment, trusted for over 40 years by workers and safety professionals worldwide. We deliver deep expertise in head-to-toe safety solutions across every major industry. Our global reach, manufacturing scale, and technical expertise allow us to deliver more than products - we deliver solutions that help raise industry standards. Learn more at https://us.pipglobal.com/en/

In this episode of the OH&S SafetyPod, Scott DeBow, CSP, ARM, Director of Health, Safety & Environmental at Avetta, joins the podcast to discuss how today's increasingly contractor-driven workforce is changing the way organizations approach workplace safety. DeBow explains why compliance remains an essential foundation but is no longer sufficient on its own, and why leading organizations are adopting systems-based safety management strategies to better identify and control risk. The conversation explores serious injury and fatality (SIF) prevention, evolving safety metrics, findings from Avetta's 2026 Insight & Impact Report, emerging industry standards, and practical ways organizations can strengthen safety performance across complex contractor networks.
Sponsored By Avetta: Getting businesses and suppliers Ready to work. Avetta builds a global community where companies and suppliers work without worry. Our unified platform streamlines compliance, safety, and performance so every partner is aligned, verified, and ready to deliver. https://www.avetta.com/

At ASSP Safety 2026 in Anaheim, OH&S Executive Editor David Kopf sat down with Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health David Keeling for a wide-ranging conversation about OSHA's priorities and direction. Keeling discusses the status of OSHA's heat stress rulemaking efforts, the agency's renewed focus on small and medium-sized businesses, the new Safety Champions initiative, hiring efforts to rebuild agency expertise, the role of AI and emerging technology, and his vision for strengthening relationships between OSHA, employers and safety professionals. The discussion also explores leading indicators, serious injury and fatality prevention, and why safety must be embedded into organizational culture to succeed.