The Safety Consultant Podcast

🎧 The Future of OSHA: Unboxing the 2027 Budget & What It Means for You

Welcome back to the Safety Consultant Podcast! In this episode, I'm braving the cold Canadian wind (and dodging some very cute chipmunks) to bring you a live look at OSHA's FY 2027 Congressional Budget Justification. 
Why are we looking at a budget? Because you can always tell what is truly important to a government agency by where they spend their money. Grab your coffee and join me as we unbox this budget and map out exactly how you can keep your clients regulatory-safe in 2027! 

🔍 Key Episode Takeaways
The Shift in OSHA Standards: OSHA is actively moving toward deregulation, reducing standard-setting full-time equivalent hours (FTEs) from 72 down to 44. Because of this shift, you shouldn't expect many new standards to be released in 2027. Instead, the agency will focus on publishing guidance products and creating plain language revisions of current regulations. Major proposed rules, like the heat stress standard, will likely remain in a holding pattern. 
Enforcement Isn't Disappearing, It's Changing: Don't believe the rumors that OSHA enforcement is stopping. The budget reveals that a massive 70 to 80% of initiated inspections will be unprogrammed. This means OSHA will be heavily focused on responding to formal worker complaints, fatalities, amputations, and hospitalizations. 
Programmed Inspections: The remaining 20 to 30% of inspections will be programmed, primarily focusing on National Emphasis Programs and targeted high-hazard workplaces. 
Construction Remains a Primary Target: The construction industry is definitely not exempt from enforcement. OSHA plans to conduct 11,240 planned construction inspections in FY 2027. They will be heavily targeting sites with high probable hazards, specifically zeroing in on the Focus Four: falls, electrical, standby, and caught-in hazards. 
The Truth About Training Grants: Once again, the requested budget for the Susan Harwood Training grants is set at zero. However, Congress historically funds these programs anyway, so if you rely on this material for your non-profit, don't panic—it will likely still be there. 
🚀 Promotions & Business Resources
June Strategy Promotion: Since it's National Safety Month in the US, I'm offering a special bonus! If you purchase the updated Safety Consultant 101 course at safetyconsultantblueprint.com during the month of June, I am going to give you a free 30-minute strategy session to talk over your goals and get you steered in the right direction. https://safetyconsultantblueprint.com/ 
Live Online Workshop: Join me this August for a 2-hour live online workshop. We are going to dive deep into mindset issues, starting your business, and defining what your clients and services look like. Sign up at sheldonprimus.com/events. 
One-on-One Coaching: Are you ready for professional coaching to get unstuck? Head over to sheldon.coach and take the Readiness Assessment to get started. If we're a good fit, I'll offer you three days of free introductory coaching chats to map out your goals before we create a custom agreement. 
Until next time, stay safe, stay savvy, and keep consulting like a boss. Go get 'em!

Unlock the power of the OSHA data and statistics resource page to help you find clients, value your services, and set you apart from competitors. Sheldon uses this tool for many clever ways to get true context on a hazard and who can benefit from your services.

In Part 4 of our "Starting a New Business" series on the Safety Consultant Show, we are wrapping things up by talking about credentials. You don't need every letter in the alphabet behind your name to be successful, but you do need the right ones.
Here are a few key takeaways from today’s episode:
🎯 Match your certs to your niche: Don't just guess. Look at what potential clients in your specific industry (like construction or oil & gas) are actively asking for in their job listings and get those exact credentials.
🎓 Degrees vs. Certificates: A Bachelor's or Master's degree in EHS will always carry the most weight, but if college isn't an option, programs like the COSS (Certified Occupational Safety Specialist) or COSM provide incredible value based on your real-world experience—no degree required!.
🦺 The OSHA 10 & 30 Advantage: Becoming an authorized OSHA 10 and 30-hour instructor (through the OSHA 501 or 500 train-the-trainer courses) is one of the best ways to gain local recognition and instantly open up new revenue streams.
If you are ready to take your safety experience and turn it into a profitable consulting business, this episode is a must-listen.

You’ve got the business name. You’ve got the legal setup. You’ve started thinking through your niche.
Now comes the part many new consultants miss:
How do people actually find you?
In this episode of The Safety Consultant Podcast, Sheldon continues the 2026 business startup series by walking safety professionals through practical networking strategies that can help them start building real consulting opportunities.
This is not theory. This is the “go make something happen” part of the business.
If you are an EHS professional, safety manager, trainer, OSHA compliance specialist, or future safety consultant, this episode gives you practical places to start building your network before you leave your job, while you are still testing your niche, or while you are trying to land your next client.
What This Episode Covers
In Part 1 of the series, Sheldon covered getting your business legal and structured.
In Part 2, he talked about finding a profitable niche.
In Part 3, he focuses on where to network and find consulting opportunities, including:
Using Upwork to find project-based consulting work
Signing up with Yellowbird as a safety professional
Building relationships through LinkedIn groups
Networking inside Facebook safety groups
Partnering with your local safety council
Using training events to build credibility and attract future clients
Proving your consulting concept before leaving your full-time job
Why This Matters
A safety consulting business does not grow just because you know OSHA standards.
It grows because people know what you do, trust that you can help them, and can find you when they need your expertise.
That means you need more than technical knowledge.
You need a network.
This episode shows you how to start spreading that web in a smart, practical way so you can begin turning your safety experience into business opportunities.
Featured Resources Mentioned
Sheldon discusses several places safety consultants can use to start finding opportunities and building relationships:
Upwork
A freelance platform where you can bid on safety, training, writing, compliance, and consulting projects.
Yellowbird
A platform designed to connect safety professionals with companies needing EHS support.
LinkedIn Groups
A strong place to build visibility, answer questions, and connect with safety professionals and potential clients.
Facebook Groups
Including Sheldon’s Safety Consultant group, where safety officers and consultants can network and share opportunities.
Local Safety Councils
A powerful local networking option where you may be able to offer training, partner on events, or connect with organizations needing help.
Who Should Listen
This episode is especially helpful for:
Safety professionals thinking about becoming consultants
EHS managers wanting a side income
OSHA trainers looking for more business opportunities
New consultants trying to find their first clients
Experienced safety pros who need a better networking strategy
Consultants who want to build visibility without spamming people online
Key Takeaway
Your network can become your first business development system.
But the goal is not to spam people.
The goal is to show up, participate, answer questions, build trust, and let people see that you are the person who can help solve their safety and compliance problems.
As Sheldon says, this is about taking action right now.

In this episode of The Safety Consultant podcast, Sheldon continues his series on what he would do if he were starting a safety consulting business today.
This week’s focus is one of the most important early business decisions you can make: finding your niche.
Sheldon breaks down how to identify the work you already do well, the topics people naturally come to you for, and the services that can create real income as you grow your consulting practice. He also explains why it helps to have more than one niche or revenue stream while you build momentum.
If you are a safety professional, EHS leader, trainer, or aspiring consultant trying to figure out how to turn your experience into a business, this episode will help you think more strategically about where you fit in the market.