Author Archives: Chet Brandon

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About Chet Brandon

I am a highly experienced Environmental, Health, Safety & Sustainability Professional for Fortune 500 Companies. I love the challenge of ensuring EHS&S excellence in process, manufacturing, and other heavy industry settings. The connection of EHS to Sustainability is a fascinating subject for me. I believe that the future of industrial organizations depends on the adoption of sustainable practices.

Leadership 101: Positive Leaders Have a Healthy Dose of Skepticism Too

Posted on December 22, 2024 by Chet Brandon

One of the greatest pleasures of leadership is seeing those you lead succeed.  The more success that occurs, the better the team does.  However… in dynamic and complex situations things won’t always go as planned.  The experienced leader is always … Continue reading →

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Embodying the Ideal: Rooseveltian Americanism and the Pursuit of National Unity

Posted on December 8, 2024 by Chet Brandon

We, as Americans, and as a nation, are not fully living up to the revolutionary ideals upon which our republic was founded. This deeply concerns me, particularly the increasing cynicism among younger generations regarding our nation and their role in … Continue reading →

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Harnessing AI to Revolutionize EHS Management: A Vision for the Future

Posted on November 24, 2024 by Chet Brandon

“The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into business processes has created a paradigm shift in how organizations approach decision-making, efficiency, and now, employee safety. In the realm of Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) performance, AI’s potential is especially transformative, due … Continue reading →

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Effects of Culture on Complex Systems

Posted on November 17, 2024 by Chet Brandon

I have recently been considering the impact of culture on the safety of complex systems, specifically chemical operations covered by the Process Safety Management standard. My supposition is that engineering and procedures factors are important building blocks to safe operations … Continue reading →

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My Volunteer Leadership: Purpose and Meaning

Posted on April 4, 2024 by Chet Brandon

I discovered the field of occupational safety and health and knew within the first 30 minutes of my first class, that this was the career I wanted to have, and the kind of people I wanted to work with.  For … Continue reading →

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Organizational Design for Safety: What Works

Posted on February 7, 2021 by Chet Brandon

I was recently in a conversation with a peer in our field who I greatly respect. We were discussing the most effective organizational design in large, multi-site, manufacturing enterprises to maximize the EHS performance. He was considering if the current … Continue reading →

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UP Steam Shop Tour: The Beauty and Art of Heavy Industry

Posted on November 21, 2020 by Chet Brandon

Another outgrowth of my model railroad hobby is my life long interest in the Union Pacific Railroad (UP) 4000 class of steam locomotives. These are commonly known as the “Union Pacific Big Boys”. They were created in the American Locomotive … Continue reading →

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Gaining Old School Skills for the EHS Profession

Posted on October 18, 2020 by Chet Brandon

A holiday tradition in my family is the Christmas train layout under the tree. It started with the birth of my son 20 years ago now. Each year we add to the layout. Truth be told though, it’s more about … Continue reading →

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Sustainability of EHS: Educating the Next Generation of Safety Professionals

Posted on November 16, 2019 by Chet Brandon

I was recently asked by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP) to assist them in the creation of video lectures regarding a wide range of subjects related to excellence in the practice of occupational safety and health in America’s … Continue reading →

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Business Rediscovers that It’s About More than Maximizing Shareholder Wealth

Posted on August 28, 2019 by Chet Brandon

A leading business association just published an updated definition of the purpose of a corporation that represents a paradigm shift in corporate governance.  The Business Roundtable is an association of chief executive officers of America’s leading companies.  For over 30 … Continue reading →

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