The Safety Leadership Collective

Episode 317: Justin Deflumeri, the CEO of Optimal Safety Inspections, shares his harrowing story of a botched lumbar puncture that caused a CSF leak, leaving him bedridden for months before finding expert treatment and reclaiming his life.

He discusses the physical and emotional challenges of recovery, the power of perseverance—"keep digging"—and previews his book Leaking Strength while offering hope and resources for others facing long recoveries.

To connect with Justin on LinkedIn, you can do so at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-deflumeri-ms-president-ceo-5271a7b8/

To learn more about Optimal Safety Inspections, check out their website at: https://www.optimalsafetyinspections.com/

For more information on the Portage County Safety Council, please visit our website at: https://portagecountysafetycouncil.com/

Episode 316: Jake Mazulewicz joins hosts Nic Coia and Mike Thompson to explain shifting from a control-based, blame-focused approach toward a learning-based safety culture. He outlines his seven practical steps including building psychological safety, leading after-action reviews, transforming investigations into non-punitive event reviews, applying classic defenses, improving systems, and building resilience.

Listeners get practical examples and immediate actions to apply on the job, plus resources to learn more at reliableorg.com and in Jake's book, Seven Practical Steps.

To learn more about Jake, check out his website at: https://www.reliableorg.com/

For more information on the Portage County Safety Council, please visit our website at: https://portagecountysafetycouncil.com/

Episode 315: In this episode, we are joined by Brenna Erjavec, Senior Manager of Safety & Security at the Akron Zoo, to talk about balancing animal care, public protection and employee safety.

Highlights include combating complacency with monthly trainings and live drills, using a two-person lock-and-key system and spotters for high-risk tasks, and aligning leadership to make safety a priority.

The episode also covers trauma-aware drills, working with emergency responders, and simple conservation and public involvement programs listeners can join.

To learn more about the Akron Zoo, please visit their website at: https://www.akronzoo.org/

For more information on the Portage County Safety Council, please visit our website at: https://portagecountysafetycouncil.com/

Episode 314: In this episode, Mike Thompson sits down with Executive Coach, Gary Fowler, to explore why EQ is one of the most important skills for building safer workplaces, stronger leaders, and healthier organizational cultures.

Together, they break down what emotional intelligence really means and why it directly impacts communication, trust, performance, and employee well being. Gary shares compelling research showing that every one point increase in EQ can translate into an average $1,300 increase in income, highlighting the measurable value of emotionally intelligent leadership.

The conversation introduces practical frameworks including SNAP, CUT, SCARF, and the clarity, capacity, ability, and desire lens to help leaders recognize emotional threats, de escalate conflict, improve decision making, and better support their teams in high pressure environments.

Mike and Gary also discuss simple but powerful ways to begin strengthening emotional intelligence every day through greater presence, meditation, movement, nutrition, journaling, quality sleep, and self awareness practices. The episode concludes with actionable next steps, including a free EQ assessment and ways to connect with Gary for coaching and leadership development support.

If you are committed to improving safety, leadership, culture, and human performance in your organization, this conversation offers practical tools and inspiring insights you can begin applying immediately.

To learn more about Gary, check out his website at: https://www.thegaryfowler.com/

For more information on the Portage County Safety Council, please visit our website at: https://portagecountysafetycouncil.com/

Episode 313: In this episode of the Safety Leadership Collective, Merle Heckman joins hosts Nicholas Coia and Mike Thompson to discuss the overlooked art of listening and how it shapes leadership, safety culture, and trust. Merle shares practical techniques—asking questions, pausing, and putting ego aside—to influence others and create real change.

They explore examples from sports, business, and frontline work, and end with a simple call to action: practice focused listening for one week to begin building stronger connections at work and home.

Connect with Merle on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/merleheckman/

For more information on the Portage County Safety Council, please visit our website at: https://portagecountysafetycouncil.com/

Episode 312: This explores the alarming rise in distracted driving—over 3,200 deaths and 315,000 serious injuries in 2024—and discusses practical steps employers and drivers can take to prevent crashes.

Host Nicholas Coia and guest Tracy LeMaire from the National Safety Council share data, real-world examples, policy and training solutions, and free resources to help organizations protect employees on and off the road.

For more information about the National Safety Council, please visit their website at: https://www.nsc.org/

For more information on the Portage County Safety Council, please visit our website at: https://portagecountysafetycouncil.com/

Episode 311: In this episode, Nicholas Coia and Tim Brewster examine the growing crisis of distracted driving. They break down the visual, cognitive, and manual causes and share striking statistics and real-world examples that highlight how dangerous even brief distractions can be.

They also explore practical solutions for fleets. These include hiring standards, clear policies, targeted training, telematics, video-based cameras, and AI alerts. The discussion emphasizes the importance of coaching, leadership commitment, and building a safety-focused culture to reduce crashes and protect both drivers and the public.

Listeners will leave with actionable steps to improve driver safety. The episode also provides resources for Distracted Driving Month and practical tips for using data to coach drivers, support accountability, and reinforce safe driving habits.

Resources for Distracted Driving Awareness Month:

• Distracted Driving Awareness Month - National Safety Council: https://www.nsc.org/road/distracted-driving-awareness-month
• Distracted Driving Dangers and Statistics | NHTSA: https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/distracted-driving
• Distracted Driving for Employers- National Safety Council: https://www.nsc.org/road/safety-topics/distracted-driving/distracted-driving-for-employers 

Connect with Tim on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothy-brewster-mba-arm-23233379/

For more information on the Portage County Safety Council, please visit our website at: https://portagecountysafetycouncil.com/

Episode 310: In this episode, host Nichloas Coia talks with Lori Fisher of the Systems Thinking Standard Institute about applying systems thinking (DSRP) to safety and health management. They explain the four core elements of systems thinking and the six practical moves organizations can use to uncover hidden structures, align perspectives, and turn broad safety statements into measurable systems.

The conversation includes real-world examples, implementation tips (like the is/is-not list), and resources for getting started, including the SCSI Basecamp and Lori’s contact information for workshops and further guidance.

Connect with Lori on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorigfisher/

To learn more about the Systems Thinking Standard Institute, check out their website at: https://www.stsi.pro/

To learn more about PLS Management Consulting, check out their website at: https://www.purposeleapsurge.com/

For more information on the Portage County Safety Council, please visit our website at: https://portagecountysafetycouncil.com/

Episode 309: When leaders prioritize safety over production and speed, employees follow procedures and report hazards. This episode emphasizes the "tone from the top" and the importance of clear, consistent leadership to drive real safety culture.

Justin DeFlumeri, CEO of Optimal Safety Inspections, joined us to discuss keeping safety simple, engaging frontline workers with practical activities like "find it, fix it," and using measurable actions to turn employee feedback into faster, lasting safety improvements. 

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-deflumeri-ms-5271a7b8/

To learn more about Optimal Safety Inspections, check out their website at: https://www.optimalsafetyinspections.com/

For more information on the Portage County Safety Council, please visit our website at: https://portagecountysafetycouncil.com/

 

Episode 308: Fatigue and burnout aren’t just personal challenges—they’re workplace safety risks. Dr. Michael Atta and Dr. Xuan-Lan Griffith of Summa Health break down the key differences between the two and explain how each can quietly undermine safety, decision-making, and productivity.

Through real workplace examples, they highlight what happens when warning signs are missed.

This episode delivers practical steps for employees, leaders, and organizations to recognize risks early, improve communication, strengthen culture, and implement policies that safeguard both people and performance.

To learn more about Summa Health, please visit their website at: https://www.summahealth.org/

For more information on the Portage County Safety Council, please visit our website at: https://portagecountysafetycouncil.com/