Category Archives: Uncategorized

From Ambiguity to Action: Turning Weak Signals into Strategic Safety Gains

Posted on May 6, 2025 by Chet Brandon

As I stood reviewing yet another incident report, I found myself asking a question that’s become uncomfortably familiar: What could we have done differently—not after the fact, but before it happened? In high-risk, complex operations, it’s all too clear that … Continue reading →

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Alone in the Air: Some Thoughts on Solitude

Posted on March 3, 2025 by Chet Brandon

I just finished reading Carrying the Fire by Michael Collins, a deeply personal and candid account of what it really meant to be an astronaut during the golden age of space exploration. Unlike many official histories, this book isn’t just … Continue reading →

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The Wright Brothers’ Contribution to Safety

Posted on February 1, 2025 by Chet Brandon

The Wright Brothers were many things: pioneers, the first aviators, scientists, engineers, businessmen and safety professionals.  That last one may surprise you.  In this post I am going to explain how they managed risk better than any of their contemporaries, … Continue reading →

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Essential Mistakes for EHS&S Leaders to Avoid – 2025 Update

Posted on December 28, 2024 by Chet Brandon

I recently revisited an article I wrote for ASSP’s Professional Safety Magazine titled Essential Mistakes for OSH Managers to Avoid, published in the July 2018 edition. While the core principles I discussed remain highly relevant today, the evolving landscape of … Continue reading →

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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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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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