safetyCast

"Critical risk" usually brings up images of high-hazard, industrial sites. But what about the risks that don't come with a hard hat? 

In this episode of The Safety Cast, host Craig Bleakley sits down with Nada Wentzel, CEO of The Jonah Group, to explore exactly what critical risk means when we move beyond physical hazards. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience in high-consequence industries like aviation, mining, and oil, Nada breaks down the science behind human decision-making under pressure.

We're diving deep into the fascinating concept of "limbic risk", exploring why our brains default to autopilot when stress takes over and the limbic system acts like a boom gate to our logical prefrontal cortex.

Here's what we're unpacking in this episode:

The 5 Danger States: How pressure, irritation, distraction, fatigue, and complacency hijack our logic and lead to risk blindness, "tick and flick" behaviour, and procedural creep.

Frequency isn't Severity: Why tracking high-frequency, low-consequence incidents won't prevent fatalities, and why critical risks demand their own distinct strategy.

The Triangle of Defense: Why over-relying on a single element, systems, physical assets, or people, sets organisations up for failure.

The Verification Gap: Why a risk register isn't enough, and why field-verifying your controls is the critical missing piece between the frontline and the boardroom.

"Every industry has critical risks, and we really need to start looking at critical risk with different strategies because there are different root causes associated with it." – Nada Wentzel

If you're relying on people as your last line of defense, you don't want to miss this one!

Listen to the full episode in all major platforms.

Storytelling in H&S: The “Why” Behind Getting Home Safe

Episode Summary
In the world of health and safety, the traditional toolkit relies heavily on facts, figures, checklists, and compliance forms. But if you’ve ever watched a team’s eyes glaze over during a typical safety induction, you already know the hard truth: data alone doesn’t change behavior.

In this episode of SafetyCast, Craig Bleakley sits down with Heidi Lance, Director of Real Learning New Zealand, to explore how safety leaders can move away from passive box-ticking and build genuine cultural connection. Drawing from her extensive experience transforming large-scale workforces, Heidi unpacks why storytelling isn’t "fluff"—it’s a critical, science-backed safety strategy that drives real frontline engagement and reporting.

"When storytelling starts, reporting goes up. That can be a real challenge, but at the end of the day, that's what we want. That's when we know we're doing the right thing." — Heidi Lance

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

The Paper-Safe vs. People-Safe Gap: Why checklists and compliance forms fail to win hearts and minds on the frontline—and how narrative bridges the gap.

The Pure Science of Storytelling: For skeptical, data-driven leaders, Heidi breaks down the cognitive neuroscience behind why stories work:

Neural Coupling: How a well-told story causes the listener’s brain waves to mirror the speaker’s, creating a shared neurological experience.

Whole-Brain Activation: While statistics only trigger language-processing centers (Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas), stories light up the motor, sensory, and frontal cortex—making the lesson feel like a lived experience.

Emotional Memory Anchors: How emotional triggers release brain chemicals that prioritize information, locking safety lessons into long-term memory far deeper than any chart or graph.

A Practical Framework for Leaders: Step-by-step guidance on how anyone can craft and share safety stories that actually stick—without feeling forced or inauthentic.

Why More Reporting is a Win: How to handle the initial spike in incident and near-miss reporting when your team finally feels psychologically safe enough to speak up.

Guest: Heidi Lance | Director, Real Learning New Zealand

Host: Craig Bleakley

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From Public Health Concern to Workplace Risk: Tackling Loneliness

Did you know the World Health Organisation considers loneliness to have a health impact comparable to smoking 15 cigarettes a day?

Disconnection from colleagues, limited visibility of your impact, feeling underappreciated, and a reluctance to ask for help are all symptoms of a major emerging risk in modern work environments. While technology keeps us constantly online, it is often reducing the meaningful human interaction we actually need. It has become such a global crisis that countries like Japan and the UK have even appointed dedicated Ministers of Loneliness.

In this episode, ecoPortal’s Craig Bleakley sits down with Michele Grow, CEO of Mental Health & Wellness at APM. With over 30 years of experience shaping workplace culture and organisational effectiveness, Michele unpacks why loneliness is no longer just a personal struggle; it is a critical workplace hazard that needs to be proactively managed.

In this episode, we discuss:

The Hidden Epidemic: What loneliness actually is and why it’s becoming a critical risk factor for modern workplaces.

The Nuances of Isolation: The different types of loneliness and why they deserve serious, targeted attention.

The Ripple Effect: The severe health impacts of loneliness on both individuals and the broader organisation.

By the Numbers: What current data reveals about the true state of loneliness in our workplaces today.

Taking Action: Practical, effective strategies organisations can implement right now and the approaches you should definitely avoid.

Tune in to discover how to build stronger, more connected, and truly supportive teams.

About the Guest: Michele Grow is the CEO of Mental Health & Wellness at APM. A recognised leader in workplace health, safety, and wellbeing, she has spent more than three decades helping organisations across various sectors address complex risks and build highly resilient, effective workplace cultures.

Wellbeing as a Driver of Safety and Organisational Resilience

In today’s modern workplace, wellbeing is no longer a "nice to have" or a standalone initiative, it is a critical driver of safety, performance, and true organisational resilience. But as we move further away from the peak of the pandemic, how do health and safety leaders ensure these crucial efforts evolve rather than fade away?

In this episode, ecoPortal’s Craig Bleakley sits down with Dr. Natalie Flatt, psychologist and co-founder of Connect Psych Services. Together, they unpack the clear link between mental health, human performance, and safer decision-making, particularly in complex and high-risk environments.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

The Post-Pandemic Reality: How hybrid work, increased tech reliance, and shifting expectations have fundamentally changed mental health risks and leadership responsibilities.

From Programmes to Systems: Why isolated wellbeing initiatives often lose momentum, and how to embed mental health directly into everyday health and safety processes for lasting impact.

Driving Sustainable Resilience: The core psychosocial factors that support team resilience, and the common areas where organisations get it wrong.

Evidence-Based Approaches: Practical, psychology-backed insights on what genuinely delivers measurable outcomes for employee wellbeing—and what simply doesn't work.

About the Guest:

Dr. Natalie Flatt is a Ph.D. qualified psychologist and the Co-Founder of Connect Psych Services, bringing extensive clinical and real-world expertise to the intersection of workplace mental health and safety.

Available in all major platforms.

From Compliance to Connection: The Psychology of a High-Trust Safety Culture

Trust is the foundation of culture in every workplace. When it’s strong, people speak up, collaborate, and manage risks together. When it’s low, silence and disengagement take hold, quietly eroding both safety and wellbeing.

In this insightful session, Clive Lloyd — Psychologist, Principal Consultant at GYST, and author of the best-selling book Next Generation Safety Leadership — joins Craig Bleakley, ecoPortal’s Safety and Risk Consultant, to explore how leaders can intentionally build the foundation of trust. We explore why trust is not just a soft skill, but the absolute cornerstone for establishing true psychological safety, managing risks effectively, and shifting organisational culture from mere compliance to genuine care and accountability.

Key themes:

The Three Drivers of Trust: Unpack how Care, Character, and Competence work together to shape a high-performing safety culture.

Trust, Psychological Safety, and Risk Management: Understand the direct, measurable link between trust levels and an organisation’s ability to build a psychologically safe workplace to effectively manage risks and support psychosocial wellbeing.

Leadership Trust Builders: Identify the specific, everyday leadership behaviours that either strengthen or actively erode trust in daily interactions.

Strengthening Trust in Day-to-Day Interactions: Learn practical tools rooted in psychology to foster more open, honest, and accountable conversations about risk management within your team.

This episode is essential listening for EHS and Risk Professionals, HR and People Leaders, C-level Executives, and Frontline Supervisors who are responsible for driving cultural change and want to build high-trust, productive, and accountable teams.

Featuring:

Clive Lloyd, Psychologist, Principal Consultant at GYST, and Author

With extensive experience in psychological safety and safety leadership, Clive provides a deep dive into the psychology of trust. His practical, evidence-based tools will help you and your leadership team intentionally cultivate a culture where team members feel safe to speak up, report risks, and look out for one another.

Available now on all major podcast platforms.