Advertise on podcast: The Safety Consultant Podcast

In Part 3 of this Safety Champions series, Sheldon Primus wraps up the conversation by focusing on the practical question many safety leaders are asking: How do you actually get ready for OSHA’s Safety Champions Program? In this episode, he walks through what readiness looks like at each stage and explains the program’s 3-step structure as building the foundation, making the safety management system operable, and proving the system is sustainable and improving over time. Sheldon breaks down how organizations can begin by securing leadership commitment, creating written policies, assigning safety responsibilities, surveying workers, identifying hazards, establishing controls, building training plans, evaluating OSHA logs and injury records, and coordinating with contractors. He then explains what it takes to move into the intermediate and advanced stages, where organizations show that the program is functioning, improving, and becoming part of the way the business operates. This episode is ideal for safety professionals, consultants, and business leaders who want to understand what OSHA readiness really looks like and how to move from compliance-only thinking into a stronger safety and health management system. Sheldon also invites listeners to take the next step through his Safety Champion Readiness Workshop, where he helps attendees work through the framework in a live virtual format.  

In Part 2 of this Safety Champions series, Sheldon Primus moves beyond the introduction and breaks down how OSHA’s Safety Champions Program can help organizations build a stronger, more connected safety and health system. He explains that while SHARP and VPP are designed for organizations already operating at a higher level of safety maturity, the Safety Champions Program is meant to help employers start earlier and build step by step.  In this episode, Sheldon walks listeners through OSHA’s seven core elements of a strong safety and health program: management leadership, worker participation, hazard identification and assessment, hazard prevention and control, education and training, program evaluation and improvement, and communication and coordination for host employers, contractors, and staffing agencies. He explains how each element strengthens the overall system and helps move safety from disconnected activities into a more complete safety management approach.  He also connects the framework to concepts like ISO 45001, leading and lagging indicators, worker trust, JSAs/JHAs, hierarchy of controls, learning teams, and contractor management, showing how the Safety Champions approach can become a real operational advantage rather than just another initiative.  This episode is for safety professionals, consultants, and leaders who want to understand not just what the program is, but how it can help improve the way an organization leads, communicates, trains, evaluates, and reduces risk.

In this first episode of a 3-part series, Sheldon introduces OSHA’s new Safety Champions Program (SCP) and explains how it differs from SHARP and VPP. He frames SCP as a practical, voluntary pathway for organizations that want to start building a stronger safety and health program from the ground up, rather than waiting until they are already operating at a mature recognition-program level. In the episode, Sheldon explains that SCP is built around three phases — Introductory, Intermediate, and Advanced — and OSHA’s seven core elements of an effective safety and health program. Sheldon also highlights how the program uses a tracker and SGE support to help employers document progress and move step by step through the process. He contrasts SCP with SHARP, which is aimed at smaller employers using OSHA consultation, and VPP, which is geared toward mature, high-performing safety systems. This episode is for safety professionals, consultants, and leaders who are asking: What’s next for our safety system? How can we start preparing for OSHA’s new Safety Champions Program? Sheldon also introduces his upcoming Safety Champion Readiness Workshop, where he’ll spend four hours helping attendees break down the steps, understand the tracker, and build a readiness roadmap.

What happens when artificial intelligence meets real-world safety management? In this episode, Sheldon breaks down how AI can support Environmental Health and Safety professionals in practical, meaningful ways. From hazard recognition and data analysis to training development, trend spotting, and management decision-making, this conversation explores where AI fits into modern safety systems and where human judgment still matters most. This episode is for safety consultants, EHS managers, trainers, and leaders who want to understand how to use AI as a tool for better planning, better communication, and better outcomes. Sheldon cuts through the hype and focuses on what matters: how AI can help improve safety performance, support compliance efforts, and make safety management more proactive instead of reactive. If you’ve been wondering whether AI is just a buzzword or a real advantage for safety professionals, this episode gives you a practical lens for using technology without losing the people-first foundation of EHS.

Season 6 is here! In this kickoff episode of the Safety Consultant Podcast, Sheldon Primus welcomes listeners back and sets the stage for what’s coming next. This season will continue blending safety leadership, consulting strategy, and practical insights to help safety professionals grow their impact—and their businesses. You’ll hear about the direction of the show for this season, what topics are on the horizon, and how the podcast will keep supporting safety pros who want to think bigger about their careers. Whether you're an experienced consultant, an aspiring entrepreneur, or a safety professional looking to expand your influence, Season 6 is built with you in mind. Let’s get started.

OSHA has a new leader, a new poster, and a very clear inspection strategy for 2026. Are you ready? In this quarterly OSHA update, Sheldon breaks down the biggest changes safety professionals and consultants need to know — from the new “OSHA Cares” poster to federal enforcement reductions and the 24,929 inspections planned for the year. You’ll learn: What the new OSHA poster means for employersWho the new head of OSHA is and why it mattersWhere enforcement dollars are shrinking (and where focus is tightening)Why 70–80% of inspections will be unprogrammedThe four hazards that will dominate construction inspectionsIf you're a consultant, safety manager, or building your own safety business, this episode helps you anticipate where OSHA is headed — so you can position yourself (and your clients) ahead of the curve. Stay proactive. Stay strategic. Stay inspection-ready.

Spring is a season of growth — but growth doesn’t happen just because the calendar changes. It happens when you decide to move. In this episode, Sheldon explores why so many safety professionals stay stuck in “learning mode” and never make the leap into leadership. Backed by behavioral research on the intention–action gap, perfectionism, and productive procrastination Spring Forward , he breaks down what’s really holding you back — and how to shift from preparation to execution. More importantly, this conversation goes beyond hustle. It’s about the freedom that comes with ownership: choosing your clients, controlling your schedule, and building a career that gives you options — not just income. If you’ve been thinking about launching or growing your consulting business, this is your nudge to stop collecting knowledge and start building momentum. 🌱 Learn more at sheldon.coach

When the federal government shuts down, what actually happens to OSHA? Do inspections stop? Are citations paused? Is enforcement put on hold? In this episode of the Safety Consultant Podcast, Sheldon Primus breaks down what a government shutdown really means for OSHA, employers, and safety professionals. Using the Department of Labor’s official contingency framework as a guide, Sheldon explains which OSHA functions continue, which ones pause, and how businesses should prepare for both the shutdown period and the surge of activity that often follows reopening. You’ll learn why a shutdown does not mean a free pass on compliance—and why relying on enforcement pressure instead of building a strong safety culture can put your organization at risk. In This Episode, You’ll Discover: How government shutdowns affect Department of Labor agenciesWhat percentage of OSHA staff are furloughed during a lapse in fundingWhich inspections still happen (imminent danger, fatalities, catastrophes)What enforcement and compliance activities are suspendedWhy injury reporting requirements never stopHow the six-month statute of limitations still impacts citationsSmart steps safety professionals should take during a shutdownWhy OSHA activity often increases after funding resumes Whether you’re a safety manager, business owner, municipal leader, or consultant, this episode gives you a strategic roadmap for navigating uncertainty while staying compliant and protecting your workforce. Because even when the government shuts down… Your responsibility under the OSH Act does not.

📄 Description / Show NotesAs safety professionals, we’re wired to look out for everyone else’s well-being — but when was the last time you checked in on your own mental health? In this introspective episode, Sheldon opens up about the importance of taking care of your emotional and psychological safety, especially in a high-stress, high-responsibility field like EHS. 🎧 He challenges you to ask: What are you doing for your mental health right now?How are you managing burnout, isolation, or overwork?Do you treat mental health as a compliance issue — or a culture issue?From self-awareness to intentional self-care, this episode is a needed pause — a mental PPE check for those who often carry the weight for others.

It’s recordkeeping season—and that means opportunity. Sheldon breaks down exactly how EHS consultants can turn OSHA logs into paid engagements before the March 2 electronic submission deadline, including who must file, who’s exempt, and how to target high-hazard NAICS industries. You’ll get the outreach scripts, a free-audit offer structure (300/301/300A), and a pricing tactic anchored to real citation dollars—plus how to build a short course from OSHA’s recordkeeping directive (CPL 02-00-172) and 29 CFR 1904 so you can upsell audits and ongoing compliance support. If you want a fast, ethical way to help clients and grow revenue this month, start here

Psychological Safety in a Politically Divided Workplace What if the biggest risk in your organization isn’t a missing procedure or a broken control—but the things people are afraid to say? In this episode of The Safety Consultant Podcast, Sheldon Primus explores how political and ideological discord can quietly introduce psychological risk into the workplace. Drawing on recent research and real-world observations, Sheldon explains how distrust, self-censorship, and siloed communication create latent safety hazards that traditional safety systems often miss. This conversation isn’t about debating politics—it’s about understanding how disagreement, when left unmanaged, leads to silence, broken information flow, and increased operational risk. You’ll learn how political tension can undermine psychological safety, weaken hazard reporting, and fracture safety culture from the inside out. Sheldon also introduces a Learning Team–style approach to addressing sensitive workplace friction, offering practical ways organizations and consultants can surface hidden risks, rebuild trust, and keep critical safety conversations moving—without turning the workplace into a battleground. Key takeaways include: How political discord creates psychological hazardsWhy silence is not harmony—it’s deferred riskThe connection between trust, psychological safety, and safety performanceHow Learning Team principles can restore communication and visibilityIf you care about safety culture, leadership, and real risk reduction, this is a conversation you don’t want to ignore.

Feeling capped in your EHS role? In this episode, Sheldon Primus breaks down Safety Consulting 101—a practical roadmap designed to help safety professionals transition into consulting without overwhelm or guesswork. You’ll learn how to identify your best income lanes, build credibility that clients trust, choose a profitable niche, and package your expertise into clear, paid offers. This episode walks through the exact framework Sheldon teaches in his live workshop—focused on clarity, boundaries, and action. If you’ve ever thought, “I know my stuff, but I don’t know how to turn this into a business,” this episode is your starting line.

Most proposals fight on price instead of value. In this episode, we flip the script: anchor your price to the real cost of non-compliance (penalties, repeat findings, injury costs), prove ROI on a single screen, and give buyers a simple plan they can approve fast. We cover the one-screen justification, how to pick the right leading metric, and common traps like vanity metrics and tool sprawl. Walk away with a week-one checklist, a reusable template, and a mini-course to make “no-brainer” proposals your default.

Happy New Year 2026! In this episode, Sheldon Primus reviews his eBook Top 10 EHS Challenges for 2025 and gives himself a scorecard: Hit, Partial, Mixed, or Evergreen. He breaks down what “regulatory scrutiny” really looks like (enforcement, rulemaking, and data transparency), highlights why climate and heat planning became a major operational focus, and explains why remote work and mental health remained real EHS issues—not just HR topics. You’ll also hear practical examples tied to real-world signals (OSHA reporting/data transparency, training gaps reflected in common standards, public health guidance, and cyber/ICS attention). Sheldon closes with a forward-looking challenge: stop relying only on lagging metrics and start building leading indicators—like EAP utilization trends, hazard reporting rates, and near-miss learning—to predict risk before incidents happen. Plus: Sheldon shares how to access a free proposal mini-course + template and invites you to Safety Consultant 101 (free live workshop).

In this end-of-year power episode, Sheldon talks directly to new and emerging safety consultants who are asking the big question: “I know what to charge… but how do I actually get clients?” He breaks down why so many EHS pros struggle to market themselves—coming out of an employee mindset, not wanting to “sell,” and hoping good work will magically create a full pipeline. Then he walks you through a simple, no-fluff 90-day marketing rhythm designed specifically for safety consultants who want more paying clients in 2026 without feeling sleazy or spammy. You’ll learn how to: Turn your existing network (old employers, vendors, and peers) into real leadsUse LinkedIn and simple content to be seen as the “go-to” safety person in your nicheCreate clear starter offers so people know exactly how to begin working with youFollow a weekly rhythm of outreach, posting, and real conversations that actually leads to contractsUse the end of the year to send check-in emails, offer Q1 packages, and jump-start your 2026 revenueIf your inbox has been too quiet and you’re ready to move from “invisible” to in-demand as a safety consultant, this episode gives you a practical game plan you can start using this week.