Category Archives: enterprise risk management

Contractor Safety Management: The Contractor Operational Integrity Model

Posted on May 28, 2026 by Chet Brandon

I’m pleased to share my latest article: “The Future of Contractor Safety Management: The Contractor Operational Integrity Model.”

The impetus for this piece came from my participation on a contractor safety panel at the Avetta annual conference in Chicago in mid-May. The discussion reinforced something I believe strongly: contractor safety management is moving into a new era.

For too long, contractor safety has often been treated as a compliance and prequalification process. Those elements still matter, but they are not enough. The future is about work readiness, verified control of work, and operational integrity at the point where risk is real.

In the article, I introduce the Contractor Operational Integrity Model, built around six core elements:

Critical Risk Definition
Capability and Capacity Verification
Control of Work Discipline
Field Verification and Leadership Cadence
Performance Intelligence
Corrective Learning and System Improvement

The central message is straightforward:

Compliance is the foundation. Operational integrity is the standard.

Contractor safety is not just a safety department issue. It is a test of how well safety, operations, procurement, maintenance, and contractors operate as one system under real field conditions.

I appreciate the Avetta team for hosting a strong discussion and creating space for practical dialogue on where contractor risk management needs to go next. Continue reading →

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Cyber-Physical Risk in the Age of AI: How Safety Professionals Help Directors Make Better Operational Technology Investment Decisions – Part 4

Posted on May 6, 2026 by Chet Brandon

As the final article in this four-part series, Fay Feeney and I bring the conversation into the boardroom. Operational technology is no longer just an engineering concern—it is a governance test. As AI-enabled assets reshape industrial operations, directors are approving new risk profiles, resilience assumptions, and value-creation models. Continue reading →

Posted in AI, Artificial Intelligence, EHS Management, enterprise risk management, Leadership, Machine Learning, Sustainability Leadership | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Cyber-Physical Risk in the Age of AI: How Safety Leaders and Boards Can Protect Operational Technology – Part 2

Posted on April 7, 2026 by Chet Brandon

AI is changing the rules of cyber risk—and in OT environments, the consequences are no longer just digital.

From process instability to SIF potential, cyber threats are now operational threats. The real question isn’t if this risk exists—it’s whether we’re integrating safety, cyber, and operations fast enough to manage it.

Part 2 explores how AI is both accelerating the threat—and becoming a critical part of the defense. Continue reading →

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