The Safety Debris Podcast with Tanya Steele and Richard Dulong

E52: 6 Continents, 40 Years & a Wake-Up Call: Roger Bresden on Safety Leadership That Actually Saves Lives

What does it take to reduce injury rates by 75% across 80,000 people in one of the world's most dangerous industries and what happens when the system still fails and people die? Roger Bresden has been there. The CEO of BBI International joins Tanya and Richard with 40 years of hard-won experience spanning six continents, a decade at Saudi Aramco, 21 power plants across North America, and three companies he built from the ground up including what might be the world's first handheld safety auditing tool, built on a Palm Pilot and sold to Goldman Sachs. At one point in this conversation, Roger reveals something that stops you cold: most new leaders step into their roles with only 12 to 18 percent of the competencies they actually need and almost no one is talking about the other 88%. From blaming cultures to blame-free investigation processes, from the psychology of safety across wildly different global cultures to a custom Belgian guitar with alligator-skin detail, Roger Brezden is exactly the kind of safety geek Safety Debris was made for.

E51: "Safety First" Is a Lie - Fernando De Melo on the Myth That's Killing Safety Culture

In this episode of Safety Debris, our special guest Fernando De Melo grew up learning risk management the hard way, starting with the risk of letting his dad pick where the family lived, but what he discovered three decades into a career in health and safety is something most people in the industry don't want to admit: "Safety First" might be the most dishonest slogan in the business. At one point in this conversation, Fernando drops a truth that reframes the entire compliance-versus-culture debate, and it has everything to do with what it actually means to show up to work as a whole person. From getting quietly ostracized on construction sites to unlocking trust with a few memorized Portuguese phrases, Fernando's journey from compliance cop to human-first consultant is equal parts funny, real, and genuinely thought-provoking, and yes, there's a cinder block emergency exit plan involved. Tune in now! You don’t want to miss this!

E50: No Accident - From Rock Bottom to Workplace Champion with Jeremy Gauthier

What happens when a tire shop manager loses everything to addiction, his girlfriend, house, dog, car, then loses a 19-year-old worker to a preventable workplace fatality? In this raw and revelatory episode, Jeremy Gauthier shares how his best friend literally picked him up and carried him to recovery, and how tragedy became the pivot point that transformed him into a keynote speaker who's now journaled gratitude for 569 consecutive days. You'll discover why he believes 97% of workplace "accidents" aren't accidents at all, the simple 5-minute daily practice that changed his life more than quitting cocaine, and how he brings humor and heart to the heaviest topics in safety and mental health. Whether you're struggling with your own demons, leading a team that needs real talk about accountability, or just curious how someone turns their worst moments into their greatest mission, this conversation hits different. Fair warning: Jeremy's story goes deep, but his approach complete with Pokemon Go confessions and journal roulette proves that healing doesn't have to be heavy-handed to be powerful. Grab your headphones, this one's worth the full listen.

E49: From Stage Manager to Safety Champion: Jenece Stinson's Journey to Making Work Safer

From recording engineer and stage manager to safety procedure powerhouse, Jenece Stinson's career path is anything but ordinary. In this episode, Jenece shares how saying "yes" to an opportunity others turned down changed everything, why the best procedure writers are often those who've never done the job themselves, and the wild story of how her team created an entirely new helicopter hoisting method over open ocean in just one week. She also opens up about the workplace fatality that gave her career a deeper purpose and reveals her secret to gaining trust with field workers who've "been doing it this way for 30 years." Whether you're writing your first safety procedure or leading a training department, Jenece's motto "feel the fear and do it anyway" just might change how you approach your next challenge. Tune in now!

E48: Risk Safely: How Party Crashing, Wild Animals, and One Unusual Job Taught Leadership with Allan James Moore

Why do workers hide dangerous behaviour from some safety people and confess everything to others? Allan James Moore knows the answer, and it has nothing to do with compliance. He teaches Fortune 500 companies about psychological safety and servant leadership, but here's the twist: he never wanted to work in safety. He party crashed his way into professional soccer in Scotland with nothing but audacity. He landed in Taiwan with no connections and somehow became the safety guy for a major company. Now he's revealing what a terrifying encounter with wild animals taught him about toxic leadership, why workers will confess dangerous behaviour to the right person (and what he did with that information), and how you can succeed without waiting for permission if you know how to do it right. But here's the career move that changed everything. Allan's wife found him a job in the classifieds. High pay. Great crowds. Just one unusual requirement. Yes, his WIFE is the one who encouraged him to take it. That job taught him everything about commanding a room and working a microphone, the foundation of his entire speaking career today. What was the job? You'll want to have a listen.

E47: Beyond the Surface - Sexual Harassment, Power Dynamics, and Domestic Violence with Rika Sawatsky

Ever wonder how far workplace misconduct can go before it's officially called sexual harassment? Workplace lawyer and certified gender auditor Rika Sawatsky joins us to break down a jaw-dropping case that'll make you question everything you thought you knew about harassment. From "tube steak" propositions to isolated canoe invitations, Rika shares why sexual harassment isn't always overtly sexual. But here's the kicker: a tribunal decision maker said some of this behavior was just... innocent? We're learning into what employers are getting dangerously wrong, the shocking stat that 6.5% of your workforce is dealing with domestic violence right now, and why "zero tolerance" policies might actually silence victims instead of protecting them. Plus, Rika shares battle-tested strategies from Fortune 500 companies that actually work. Whether you're in HR, leadership, or just trying to navigate the modern workplace, this episode delivers the real talk and practical tools you need. Don't miss this one, listen now!

E46: Breaking the Silence - Wellness, Empathy, and Safety with Lisa Lounsbury

What happens when a wellness expert has her first hot flash in front of a room full of miners and they respond with unexpected compassion? Lisa Lounsbury hiked 350km solo through Spain to conquer her lifelong anxiety, and now she's flipping the script on workplace safety by asking one radical question: "Who's caring about your cardiac health, your mental health, your physical ability to just function?" She teaches blue-collar workers the art of empathetic listening, breaks the silence on menopause and andropause in male-dominated industries, and proves why a healthy employee is a safer employee. Hear the powerful story of a firefighter who finally spoke his truth, discover why 40 to 50 year old men are reading her wellness book, and learn the critical difference between sympathy and empathy that could save a coworker's life. Tune in now to discover how bringing health to health and safety is changing and saving lives in the workplace.

E45: From Technical Skill to Strategic Safety Leadership: Bob Lund’s Journey

What happens when an Excel-loving estimator trades spreadsheets for safety leadership? In this episode of Safety Debris, we sit down with the Main Road Group HSQE Manager Bob Lund who proves that safety isn’t just about checklists but it’s about people, persistence, and a healthy dose of humour. From keeping crews safe through B.C.’s wild weather to tackling the question, “Can safety and sarcasm actually coexist?”, this conversation looks into the real-life challenges, surprising lessons, and laugh-out-loud moments behind building a strong safety culture. Tune in now - you’ll never look at workplace safety the same way again!

E44: The Science of Safety with Angela Wheeler

Ready for a safety adventure with a twist? Meet Angela Wheeler—a chemist, industrial hygienist, and all-around safety rockstar with more letters after her name than you have time to count! From farming fields to 9/11 recovery, she’s done it all, and she’s here to spill the secrets behind chemical safety, SDS sheets, and why some hazards are sneakier than you think. Plus, find out how Angela and her husband turned a mobile sauna into a side hustle that’s seriously cool (literally).  Tune in for lively chats about making science simple, why “hazard banding” might save your life, and the power of passion whether you’re jamming to Taylor Swift or rocking out to Rod Stewart. Safety has never sounded this good or been this much fun!  Don’t miss out, listen now and join the safety fun!

E43: From Oilfields to Tower Cranes - Jen Mutas Unmasked

Today’s guest of the Safety Debris podcast is a true renaissance woman in the world of safety, equal parts grit, wisdom, and wit. From oilfields to crane heights, broadcasting to boardrooms—Jen Mutas has done it all. In this episode, she joins us to unpack her wild career journey, being named a tower crane subject matter expert, battling impostor syndrome, and navigating new crane safety legislation. Oh, and did we mention the eerie similarities between Jen and both hosts? Coincidence or safety matrix glitch? Find out why this episode is sparking conversations across the industry. You definitely don't want to miss this!