Show Notes
Colin reflects on the importance of maintaining a positive mindset in the field of health and safety. As he shares his experiences from the past year, he emphasises the need to shift the narrative from negative to positive, particularly in workplace discussions and risk assessments KEY TAKEAWAYS Encourage involving employees in the creation and review of risk assessments and safe systems of work. Their insights can lead to more effective and practical safety measures.
Promote journaling as a powerful method for individuals to express their thoughts and reflect on their experiences, which can help in managing stress and improving clarity.
Recognise the need to prioritise activities that bring joy and fulfilment, such as podcasting, and make a commitment to maintain consistency in these endeavours.
BEST MOMENTS "We just try and challenge the thinking of people, probably in more of a management position, trying to develop some training and developing processes that really involve a lot of reflection." "Whenever anybody says they haven't got time, they have. But what you've got to do is you've got to get it prioritised and get it moved back up the agenda." "Can we actually start to talk about rather than saying what people can't do, actually saying this is what you can do?" VALUABLE RESOURCES The Interesting Health & Safety Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/vn/podcast/the-interesting-health-safety-podcast/id1467771449 Project Mollitiam - https://www.projectmollitiam.com ABOUT THE HOST Colin Nottage ‘Making health and safety as important as everything else we do.’ This is the belief that Colin is passionate about and through his consultancy Influential Management Group (IMG) is able to spread into industry. Colin works at a strategic level with company owners and board members. He helps business leaders establish and achieve their health and safety ambitions. He has developed a number of leading competency improvement programmes that are delivered across industry and his strengths are his ability to take a practical approach to problem-solving and being able to liaise at all levels within an organisation. Colin also runs a company that vets contractors online and a network that develops and support H&S consultancies to become better businesses. Colin chairs the Construction Dust Partnership, an industry collaboration directly involving many organisations, including the Health and Safety Executive. He is a Post Graduate Tutor at Strathclyde University and a highly sought-after health and safety speaker and trainer. He has a Post Graduate Certificate in Safety and Risk management, an engineering degree and is a Chartered Member of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH).
More from The Interesting Health & Safety Podcast
Colin is joined by Crystal Danbury to discuss the pervasive issue of loneliness and social isolation and its deep impact on mental and physical health.
Colin meets Becky Ray, the owner of Culture Kick Limited, who’s here to talk about the importance of workplace culture, leadership, and the need for reflection in business practices.
Colin discusses the concept of bottlenecks in a business context, inspired by a LinkedIn post. He relates the common belief that the bottleneck is at the top of a bottle to the idea that senior management is always the issue. He counters this by pointing out that when pouring, the bottleneck is at the bottom, using the simple phrase "not when pouring”.
Colin challenges the perception of health and safety as a passive noun or mere set of documents, reframing it as an active "verb"—something you must consistently do in your business. He introduces a comprehensive set of "doing" activities for health and safety specialists and business leaders, focusing on learning from near-misses, improving competency, integrated planning, and direct engagement with the workforce
Colin discusses the critical role of health and safety professionals in the workplace, emphasising the importance of influence over implementation. He highlights the challenges faced by these professionals, particularly when they lack a seat at the decision-making table, and stresses the need to build strong relationships with operational teams to effectively manage risks