PreAccident Investigation Podcast

PAPod 580 - Start Right, End Safe: Building Better Encounters in 2026

PreAccident Investigation Podcast

Show Notes

Todd Conklin opens 2026 reflecting on why how we begin interactions and jobs matters more than we often realize. He uses stories from travel, aviation, and workplace examples to show that the start of an encounter often predicts its outcome.Conklin urges listeners to choose kindness, psychological safety, and deliberate planning—start the job when the right controls are in place—rather than beginning from hate, division, or aggression. He links these opening choices to organizational resilience, safety, and reliability.The episode is a New Year’s call to focus on how we start conversations and work: start safe, be kind, and build cultures that help people succeed in difficult and high-risk environments.

More from PreAccident Investigation Podcast

Oct 17, 2026

Host Todd Conklin visits Golden Gate National Recreation Area with safety specialists Rik Hansen and Leo Shea to explore a shift in safety thinking — from focusing on risk to supporting mission performance. They discuss visits to Alcatraz, Ocean Rescue teams, and Trail Crews, highlighting how listening to frontline workers reveals practical, predictive knowledge. The episode emphasizes building relationships, staying curious and adaptable, and treating expertise and wellness as core parts of a safety program. Real-world stories from lifeguards and park teams show how pre-planning, shared language, and workforce engagement improve reliability and resilience.

Oct 10, 2026

In this episode, Todd explores the evolution of safety thinking—from blaming human error to creating systems that support reliable work. He discusses the normalization of deviance versus a deliberate shift toward a normalization of excellence, learning teams, and practical examples of redesigning work to prevent repeats of incidents.Through conversations about AI-created interviews, Southwest Airlines' practices, and Case studies, Todd emphasizes treating error as normal, asking better questions, and designing systems that make work safer and more effective.

Oct 3, 2026

This episode explores the promises and pitfalls of AI in safety work, centered on the book The AI Paradox in Safety by Brent Sutton and Brent Robinson. Todd and Brent discuss how AI can either amplify blame and surveillance or enable learning and improvement, and why organizational culture shapes which path wins. Topics include surveillance concerns (Flock cameras, wearables), AI amplifying existing culture, neurodiversity, leader assurance questions, and practical advice for using AI to listen to frontline workers rather than punish them.

Sep 26, 2026

This episode argues that meaningful improvement rarely happens overnight. Big-bang rollouts and sudden change cause chaos, bugs, and unintended consequences, while slow, incremental implementations let organizations prototype, find hidden flaws, build buy-in, and protect core operations.The host reflects on a difficult personal week and reminds listeners that steady, small steps — passo y paso — are the reliable path to safer, more resilient organizations. Be kind, be patient, and be safe.

Sep 19, 2026

In this episode Todd Conklin talks with David Keeling, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, about OSHA’s shift toward partnership, refreshing VPP, the new Safety Champions program, and focusing on serious injuries and fatalities (SIF).They discuss mental health, vehicle safety, leadership’s role, predictive analytics, and incentives to drive abatement and innovation so employers and regulators can work together to prevent catastrophic events.

See all episodes →