What if everyone on site—operators, accountants and executives alike—described risk the same way? In this follow-up conversation, Scott and Peter explore his third article, The Business Value of a Common Safety Language, revealing how shared definitions of “hazard,” “risk” and “safe” become a force-multiplier for operational excellence. Connecticut Department of Labor

Inside the episode

Why safety jargon often sounds foreign to other functions—and how a plain-English glossary dissolves friction and speeds decision-making. Connecticut Department of Labor

Peter’s “Good-Day vs. Bad-Day Controls” analogy (seat-belt vs. air-bag) that helps leaders instantly grasp the difference between behavior-dependent and engineered protections. Connecticut Department of Labor

A simple three-tier model—safe enough, not safe enough, unsafe—that lets frontline teams calibrate risk in seconds and act without waiting for permission. Connecticut Department of Labor

How a unified safety language fuels stronger hazard recognition, sharper metrics and a culture where everyone owns the conversation.

Listen in and discover how speaking the same safety dialect accelerates everything else you care about—quality, productivity and, yes, the bottom line.

In this follow-up episode, Scott chats again with Peter Susca to explore how safety professionals can evolve from compliance enforcers to respected business advisors. If you haven’t listened to part one, we suggest going back, it lays the groundwork for this powerful conversation.

This episode unpacks Peter’s second article from his Business Class series in Professional Safety Journal, focusing on seven strategies to elevate influence within an organization. Drawing from over 45 years of experience, Peter shares candid stories and practical lessons for navigating workplace dynamics, aligning with leadership, and building credibility across departments.

You’ll learn how to:

✅Identify if the barrier to influence is you, the organization—or both

✅Speak the language of business and align with your company’s value drivers

✅Build cross-functional relationships, especially with finance and operations

✅Shift the perception of safety from a “brake” to a “business accelerator”

✅Avoid the trap of “fixing safety” and instead improve the process behind the risk

✅Understand organizational silos and how to break through them tactfully

✅Calibrate risk perception so safety becomes everyone’s responsibility

Whether you’re new to the safety profession or a seasoned expert feeling stuck, this episode offers a powerful roadmap for becoming a trusted voice in strategic decisions. As Peter puts it: “You’re too valuable to spend your life being frustrated.”

🎧 Tune in to hear how a fresh lens on risk, relationship-building, and operational fluency can transform your impact and career path.

Ready to flip the traditional “safety silo” on its head? 🎙️ In this episode of Safeonomics, Scott sits down with Peter Susca, MS, CSP, ARM—author of the eye-opening article It’s Always Bigger than Safety and a champion of weaving safety into the very fabric of business operations.

Peter makes a compelling case that injury rates are just the tip of the iceberg. We dive into:

✅Reframing the conversation from “cost of compliance” to drivers of performance and resilience

✅Linking safety metrics to the measures the C-suite already cares about—productivity, reputation, and long-term value

✅Real-world stories where looking beyond incident counts unlocked breakthrough results across quality, morale, and profitability

✅Practical strategies for safety pros to earn a seat at the planning table before decisions are baked in

✅How to spark leadership buy-in, foster cross-functional ownership, and build a culture where people feel safe to speak up and innovate

Whether you’re battling the “safety is separate” mindset or searching for fresh language to influence executives, Peter’s insights will help you elevate the conversation—and your impact.

🔊 Hit play to learn why the biggest wins come when we remember: it’s always bigger than safety. Then let us know—what bold question will you ask your leadership team this week?