In today’s episode of Transmit Safety, I’m talking with Christl Aggus about her journey as a health and safety consultant. We discuss the evolution of the health and safety profession and its future away from the current status quo towards a more global and kinder approach – where there is more trust in workers’ competence and a move towards risk management rather than just liability protection.

As a consultant, your job involves more than just performing specific tasks related to the field. So, Christl is here to share her experience and how she approaches interactions through building relationships. She highlights the challenges of being a health and safety consultant and how to re-engage with new clients and customers.

Christl is an Alberta-based certified health and safety consultant and a Canadian registered safety professional with over 20 years of experience. Practicing through a risk management lens, Christl founded Principles Safety. Christl is dedicated to promoting public health and safety awareness through training and education.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Christl’s evolution as a consultant
• The importance of individualized safety protocols
• Top three challenges clients are reaching out for assistance with
• Changing the narrative from safety to health and safety
• Importance of mentorship and empowering safety practitioners at all levels in their careers
• Building a professional network as a health and safety practitioner
• The future of the health and safety profession

The Transmit Safety Podcast is here to help health and safety practitioners achieve a holistic approach to workplace health and safety so they can become impactful leaders and put the value of safety into action.

Resources and links

Learn more about the health and safety community’s shift from compliance to care in Clive Lloyd’s book Next Generation Safety Leadership: From Compliance to Care.

Download the CSA standard on mental health.

Find volunteer opportunities at the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (CSSE) and the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP).

Today’s episode was sponsored by Transmit Safety, a consulting business where I help streamline and simplify health and safety management systems through education, program development, audits, and coaching.

If you’d like to join the next cycle of Upgrade and Optimize a group coaching program, go to: transmitsafety.com/program

Want to receive weekly content that will help you become the Health & Safety leader you want to be and stay up to date with me and Sir Reginald? Plug into the Transmit Safety Newsletter here.

Quotes from this episode

“What’s interesting about health and safety is, it doesn’t matter what field you’re in, because health and safety, and I say this all the time, it transcends industry.”

“Clients want something for nothing. They don’t put a lot of value in health and safety because health and safety is an expense. It is a pure expense. So one of the things you’re going to need to know if you get into being a consultant is how to spin it as a revenue generator, or at least a break even point.”

“I’m about empowering workers, because when you empower workers and you give them the tools, and you give them autonomy to make decisions based on the information they have in front of them, you have a more productive employee who’s happier, who’s more than willing to help the person beside him because he knows he can.”

“Trust, but verify. […] So you want to make sure that your workers know what they’re doing, know how to do it, and then you have to trust that they can do it.”

Connect with Christl Aggus

Christl is an Alberta-based certified health and safety consultant and a Canadian registered safety professional with over 20 years of experience. She is the founder of Principle Safety and is dedicated to promoting public health and safety awareness through training and education.

Linkedin: Christl Aggus CRSP CHSC CRM

Facebook: @principlesafety

Website: principlesafety.ca

Connect with Aimee Arsenault

Aimee Arsenault is a CRSP and CHSC. She is the founder of Transmit Safety, a business that helps you simplify and streamline health & safety management systems.

Linkedin: Aimee Arsenault

Instagram: @transmit.safety

Twitter: @transmitsafety

Website: transmitsafety.com

In today’s episode of Transmit Safety, Aimee highlights the importance of clean and functioning washrooms at worksites for worker health and morale.

Going to the washroom is something we all do, every single day. Therefore, having access to clean and functioning washrooms on-site might seem like a no-brainer. This is very often not the case. I have lost count of the number of sites I have been to where there either was no access to a washroom or the washroom was nasty.

I have heard stories firsthand of women who don’t go to the bathroom all day or of designated corners of worksites that men use as a toilet because there is no on-site access to a washroom. This is not only demeaning but it also leads to a whole host of health concerns.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Inclusivity in washrooms
• The impact of washrooms on worker morale
• Clean and functioning washrooms relate directly to worker health
• Washroom design should be included in the pre-job planning phase and budget of a project
• 3 of the most important features of a washroom – accessibility, hygiene, and privacy
• The need for education and needs assessments around washrooms

The Transmit Safety Podcast is here to help health and safety practitioners achieve a holistic approach to workplace health and safety so they can become impactful leaders and put the value of safety into action.

Resources and links

Today’s episode was sponsored by Transmit Safety, a consulting business where I help streamline and simplify health and safety management systems through education, program development, audits, and coaching.

If you’d like to join the next cycle of Upgrade and Optimize a group coaching program, go to: transmitsafety.com/program

Want to receive weekly content that will help you become the Health & Safety leader you want to be and stay up to date with me and Sir Reginald? Plug into the Transmit Safety Newsletter here.

Quotes from this episode

“How can we create a welcoming and accepting workplace environment to all of our workers and then not provide adequate washroom facilities?”

“When workers have access to clean and well-maintained washrooms on site, it sends a message that their basic needs are being taken care of seriously, and that their well-being is a priority for the company.”

“If workers don’t have access to clean and functioning washrooms, they may be more likely to develop health issues, dehydration, urinary tract infections, or maybe depending on the time period that they have been without adequate washrooms leads to more serious conditions like kidney stones. These health issues can be uncomfortable, painful, and can increase their amount of sick days.”

Connect with Aimee Arsenault

Aimee Arsenault is a CRSP and CHSC. She is the founder of Transmit Safety, a business that helps you simplify and streamline health & safety management systems.

Linkedin: Aimee Arsenault

Instagram: @transmit.safety

Twitter: @transmitsafety

Website: transmitsafety.com