Tag Archives: business

Operational Integrity: The Operating Model Heavy Manufacturing Needs

Posted on May 11, 2026 by Chet Brandon

Heavy manufacturing does not fail all at once. It usually fails in layers.

A workaround becomes normal. A critical control weakens. A maintenance backlog grows. A near miss is explained away because no one was hurt. Over time, the operation drifts from discipline into exposure.

That is why I believe Operational Integrity needs to be treated as an overarching operating model, not just another safety, reliability, or compliance initiative.

In this article, I outline a practical framework for Operational Integrity built around five elements:

Operating Envelope | Strong Systems | Reliable Equipment | Leadership Cadence | Disciplined Operations

The goal is simple: help manufacturing organizations run with greater control, consistency, resilience, and accountability — for the benefit of employees, customers, communities, owners, and all stakeholders who depend on the enterprise. 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 →

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

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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AI as a Strategic Partner: Building a Digital Twin to Advance Safety and Sustainability

Posted on August 3, 2025 by Chet Brandon

Introduction The challenges of leading Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) efforts across global, high-risk operations have never been more intense. Executive leaders today are asked to navigate volatile regulations, emerging technologies, ESG mandates, cultural transformation, and shifting workforce expectations—all while … Continue reading →

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Safe to Fail: How Digital Twins Can Rewire Workplace Trust

Posted on July 11, 2025 by Chet Brandon

Digital twin technology—virtual representations of physical systems or processes—can significantly enhance psychological safety in the workplace by providing environments where employees feel secure to speak up, experiment, and make mistakes without fear of negative consequences. These virtual environments enable organizations … Continue reading →

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You Can’t Manage What You Don’t Value: Reimagining Capital in Organizations

Posted on May 27, 2025 by Chet Brandon

A New Model for Business Decision Making The Capitals Model is a framework that helps organizations recognize that long-term value creation depends on more than just financial assets. Developed and promoted by the Capitals Coalition, the model encourages businesses and … Continue reading →

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Empowering Future Leaders: EHS Drives Business Success and Offers Rewarding Careers!

Posted on February 7, 2025 by Chet Brandon

You never know where your career journey will take you or how the connections you make will circle back in surprising and meaningful ways. Recently, I had the privilege of reconnecting with Fred Eilts, a fellow senior leader from my … 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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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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