Safety Experts Podcast

the MEMIC Safety Experts Podcast hosted by Peter Koch will interview industry leaders every two weeks on the trends, tools, and techniques that are tried, tested, or emerging in the world of workplace safety. What you learn could save your life or the life of a friend or coworker, or at least save everyone from a few unnecessary cuts, burns and bruises. Thank you for your joining us in our mission to make work, and the world, a safer place.

My 5 Whys - Getting Safety Buy-In with Maryann Hoff
Episode #110 | Published November 9, 2023

Maryann Hoff, MEMIC’s Vice President of Loss Control discusses how industry and safety professionals need to better understand the why behind a safe workplace and breaks it down into the Five Whys of Safety Commitment.

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Do You Hear What I Hear? Hearing Loss Can be Prevented, but No One is Listening
Episode #109 | Published October 23, 2023

According to the CDC, 22 million American workers are exposed to noise levels above 85 decibels at work every year and 30 million workers are exposed to chemicals that can be ototoxic. Add to that the 48 million Americans currently experiencing hearing loss to one degree or another and the stats paint a grim picture. Noise Mapping, Sound Level Meters, audiometric testing, PPE, and hearing conservation programs are tools to help identify and control workplace noise exposure.

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The Future of Ergonomics with Maureen Anderson
Episode #108 | Published October 9, 2023

Maureen Anderson, MEMIC’s Manager of Ergonomics discusses ergonomic risk factors and controls, body mechanics, assessment tools, and how future technology may shape our process for creating ergonomic solutions.

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Young Worker Injury Prevention
Episode #107 | Published September 25, 2023

A team from the Maine Department of Labor discusses the overall challenge of young worker safety, what might be driving the injuries, and strategies for business to prevent them.

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Sept 11 - What We Have Learned About Emergency Preparedness
Episode #106 | Published September 11, 2023

New techniques, evolving technologies, and collaboration at the federal level have created tools like the National Incident Command System for organizing collaborative responses across agencies to large scale emergencies from natural disasters to terrorist attacks (domestic and foreign).

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PPE Must fit or else! With Allison Short
Episode #105 | Published August 28, 2023

OSHA’s new proposed clarification for PPE in the Construction standard reinforces that PPE MUST FIT. Failure to follow this simple statement is one the reasons why workers are injured when they believe they are protected. PPE shouldn’t just be provided, it MUST fit the worker properly to function as it was designed!

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Bee Safety - Safely Coexisting with Nature's Necessity
Episode #104 | Published August 14, 2023

Bees can swarm around trash areas in the summer, but businesses should be able to eliminate or reduce the bee population around dumpsters through good waste and trash management practices, dumpster and trash area maintenance, and staff training.

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Working Safely in Summer Heat
Episode #103 | Published July 31, 2023

Heat stress occurs when environmental conditions, physical activity, and your own personal risk factors combine to cause your core temperature to rise in a manner where your body begins to struggle to compensate or regulate.

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Know Before You Mow - Dangerous Plants
Episode #102 | Published July 17, 2023

It’s the season for property maintenance. Workers behind mowers or with a string trimmer in hand are common sights across the nation. Training for staff assigned these jobs is usually weighted toward equipment operation and safety. However, knowing “what” you are “mowing” can be just as important.

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The Workplace Injury Puzzle with Terry Dussault
Episode #101 | Published July 3, 2023

Workplace Safety and Injury Prevention can be like trying to build a puzzle without the picture on the box. All the pieces connect together, but in order for it to be a seamless picture, they have to connect in a particular way and order. As a safety professional, you may have all the pieces but not the big picture on the box, or you have the picture but can make the pieces fit together.

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