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At a Glance: A federal government shutdown doesn’t just disrupt services, it strains the very systems meant to guard worker safety. While OSHA may continue only the most critical enforcement, most inspections, consultations, rulemaking, and oversight grind to a halt. That gap in oversight creates blind spots and risk for employers, workers, and contractors alike. Why the Shutdown Matters for Safety When federal funds lapse, many non-essential government operations are paused under the Antidef

Brady Keene

October 6, 2025·3 min read

At a glance: STKY (‘Shit That Kills You’) is a blunt way to name the hazards that matter most. Minor injuries hurt, but they rarely end lives. STKY hazards come from high-energy sources like gravity, motion, electricity, pressure, temperature, chemicals, and biological agents. When released without control, they kill. STKY shifts the focus from counting injuries to confronting the forces that change lives forever. Why STKY matters Cuts, sprains, and strains matter. They cause pain, disrupt wo

Brady Keene

October 1, 2025·2 min read

At a glance: Energy-based safety shifts the focus from counting incidents to recognizing and controlling the forces that cause serious harm. Research shows workers naturally identify fewer than half of hazards in pre-job briefs. The Energy Wheel improves recognition by about 30% by making hazardous energy explicit. High-Energy Control Assessment (HECA) then measures whether those hazards are controlled with safeguards that remain effective even when people make mistakes. Together, these methods

Brady Keene

September 30, 2025·3 min read

At a Glance: Preventing serious injuries and fatalities (SIFs) starts with recognizing the warning signs that show up long before an event. These signals, called SIF precursors, often reveal when controls are weakening or when work is drifting under pressure. By learning to spot precursors, and by using AI to surface patterns that humans miss, organizations can shift from reacting to incidents to preventing them. What Are SIF Precursors? A precursor is an early warning sign. Think of it as a

Brady Keene

September 22, 2025·3 min read

At a glance An introduction to SIFs. Focus on high-energy hazards, not minor injuries. Spot precursors like shortcuts, repeats, and fatigue. Build capacity instead of blame with real controls that hold under pressure. Measure leading indicators like closure time, verification, and exposure trends. Use AI to surface patterns early so crews act before conditions line up with serious harm. What is a SIF? A serious injury or illness is one that poses an immediate threat to life or, if not quickly

Brady Keene

September 19, 2025·4 min read

Inspections protect people only when the outcome is hazard control. The goal is not more boxes checked. The goal is better decisions on the floor and in the field. Use these four moves to upgrade your inspection process this week. At a glance: focus on high energy hazards. Capture evidence in the flow of work. Assign owners with due dates and verify completion. Turn findings into learning that prevents repeats. 1 - Prioritize high energy hazards Serious harm comes from high energy exposures.

Brady Keene

September 16, 2025·2 min read

Anyone else watch storm chasing? I’m hooked. With Starlink, live storm-chasing streams have exploded. From the comfort of my living room, I can watch teams track severe weather, massive hail, and tornadoes in real time. It’s thrilling... and, honestly, a little nerve-wracking to see. At first glance, it looks like pure chaos. People driving within yards of tornadoes, sometimes straight into them. But if you look closer, the best chasers aren’t daredevils, they’re meticulous. Hours before the f

Brady Keene

August 13, 2025·3 min read

I’ve been watching a lot of YouTube lately. Not the algorithm-driven drama or tech reviews, but creators traveling to every country in the world with nothing more than a backpack, a phone, and a tent. No hotel bookings. No production crew. Just resourcefulness, grit, and a commitment to exploring every corner of the globe, one uncertain night at a time. At first glance, this might seem far removed from the world of occupational safety and health. But the more I watch, the clearer the connection

Brady Keene

August 5, 2025·3 min read

Some of my best students have never been the most technically gifted. They are not the ones who aced every exam or filled their schedules with club meetings and certifications. They are usually the ones who could walk into a house party, strike up a conversation with anyone, and hold their own in an honest, sometimes difficult, conversation. They are personable, grounded, and real. And more often than not, they become the best safety professionals I know. It is easy to assume that technical kn

Brady Keene

July 29, 2025·3 min read