Bryan McWhorter
Bryan McWhorter is a safety professional with eight years of experience in driving and teaching safety. Bryan gained his knowledge and experience as the safety officer and Senior Trainer for Philips Lighting. Philips is a strong health and well-being company that promotes a safety first culture.
Bryan was involved in creating a successful safety culture in a Philips Lighting factory of approximately 500 employees, the results being a 50% reduction on OSHA recordable accidents in the first year. This continued to improve each following year Bryan was in charge of safety. Bryan's responsibilities included providing and tracking needed safety training, performing hazard assessments and all accident investigations.
Bryan helped initiate a system allowing employees to submit safety projects and work on them with support as needed. Since that time in 2009, over 2500 safety projects have been completed.
He conducted extremely effective weekly safety team meetings that engaged employees throughout the organization, both hourly and salary. Bryan's training programs covered such topics as
- Lock Out Tag Out
- Hazzard Assessment
- Personal Protective Equipment
- Powered Lift Truck Safety
- Accident Investigation
- Behavioral Safety
- Confines Space
- Much, much more
Bryan has spoken on safety in such locations as:
- China
- Canada
- Mexico
- Ireland
- Aruba
Bryan’s practical experience gives him a unique perspective on what works and what does not. For more information, please refer to Bryan’s LinkedIn profile.
Articles by Bryan McWhorter
Focus on Safety People, Not Safety Numbers
Too many employers and safety professionals focus on the safety numbers, not the factors that improve those numbers. Learn more about why...
Safety Leadership and Empowerment
Your employees should be safety leaders. It's not always possible to get to the scene on time, but you can make sure the people there know...
Roofing Safety: A Three-Step Approach
Roofing is a deadly occupation, but these deaths are predictable. It just takes three steps to achieve this. Find out what they are.
Performance Vs. Safety
We're hardwired to be driven by performance. Safety? Not so much. Find out what this means for workplace safety.
Corrective Action Reports: A Tool for Driving Safety
Corrective action reports make addressing safety concerns simpler and more efficient. Find out how.
Work Safety Training Programs 101
Safety training is required by OSHA, so it pays to get it right. Find out what is required of your training program.
Why You Should Always Let Your Workers Acclimate to the Heat
One of the best ways to prevent heat-related illnesses is to let your body acclimate to the heat. Learn more about the benefits of...
Why We Run Toward Danger, and What It Means for Workplace Safety
We have an instinctive pull toward danger. Understanding it can help us keep workers safe.
Are You a Safety Manager or a Safety Leader?
Not every safety manager is a safety leader. Find out why you should become one, and what it takes.
Implementing 5S+1 (6S) to Make Workplace Hazards Easier to See
6S improves safety, organization, and productivity. Learn more about implementing it in your workplace.
What Is the Number One Source of Stress in America? The Workplace
Workplace stress is a serious issue. Learn more about it and what you can do to do alleviate your workers' stress.
Why You Should Implement a Work Stretching Program
Workplace stretching programs are growing in popularity, but how well do they work? Learn about the benefits of pre-work stretching.
Rattlesnakes and Other Workplace Hazards
You would never ignore a snake in your area, so why are you doing it with other hazards?
Implementing a Safety Kaizen Program: Incorporating Lean Principles is Easier Than You Think
A lean safety program built around Kaizen can do wonders for workplace safety. Find out how to keep it simple and effective.
How to Use Standard Work Instructions to Improve Workplace Safety
Standardization is what makes aviation one of the safest ways to travel. Are you taking advantage of it in your workplace? Find out how you...
Safety Improves with Self-Directed Work Teams
Micromanaging your workforce might be putting them at risk. Find out why creating self-directed teams is a much safer approach.
The Lone Safety Ranger
Does your workplace have a lone safety ranger? Find out why everyone benefits when they get more support.
The Dragon Slayer: Why Safety Should Be a Communal Effort
How many dragon slayers are in your company? Find out why every employee needs to be involved in addressing safety issues.
April is Distracted Driver Awareness Month
April is a great time to review your workplace cell phone policy. Do what you can to keep everyone safe on the road.
How Leading Indicators Can Make Your Workplace Safer
Leading indicators improve safety and make it predictable. Find out how you can use them to make your workplace safer.
Emergency Response Situations: Common Scenarios to Be Prepared For
Emergencies are always unexpected, but that doesn't mean you can't prepare. Find out how to be ready for common emergencies.
Safe by Accident (Also Called Being Lucky)
Your safety program's been successful, but do you know why? If you don't, you're relying on luck. And luck runs out.
Face-to-Face Safety: The Right Way to Build a Safety Culture
Before you walk the safety talk, you have to have the actual talk. Learn about face-to-face communication and its role in building a safety...
Can Your Company Benefit from a Workplace Wellness Program?
Are workplace wellness programs effective? Find out how your company can benefit from implementing one.
Where Are the Safety Heroes?
Contribute to Safeopedia by sharing with us the safety heroes you know. Let's amplify their story for the benefit of all workers.
Three Levels of Safety: The Safety Pattern
Find out more about the importance of emotional, professional, and physical safety in the workplace and how you can build these elements...
Benefits of Expedited EHS Reporting
With the help of mobile and handheld technology, EHS reporting can happen almost instantly. Learn about the benefits of expedited EHS...
The Journey to Zero!
An accident rate of zero can be achieved with a little cooperation and communication. Learn how you can implement a safety program to get...
Safety and the Broken Windows Theory
Safety buy-in can be a difficult thing to achieve. Learn how to enforce safety rules while gaining the approval of employees.
Safety Incentives and Awards: Do They Help?
If we establish a safety culture, but don’t celebrate safety milestones, the culture will most likely fail. Bryan McWhorter discusses the...
6 Things to Consider When Planning Toolbox Talks
Regular toolbox talks are a simple but effective way to reduce work-related accidents and injuries. Find out how to deliver one that really...
Why is Safety a Bad Word?
Safety can be viewed in the same vain as people starving in a third world country, if we don’t talk about it… I don’t have to feel guilty...
Carbon Monoxide: The Silent Killer
Carbon monoxide poisoning is a major cause of concern when it comes to personal safety. Learn how to protect yourself and your family...
5 Leading Electrical Hazards and How to Avoid Them
Electrical shock accounts or a high number of injuries and fatalities. Find out how to combat them on the worksite.
Prevention: Slips, Trips and Falls
Slips, trips, and falls are a leading cause of injury both in the working world and at home. Learn what you can do to prevent these...
Is Your Desk Job Killing You?
Sitting has been declared the new smoking. Find out how sitting for extended periods of time is negatively affecting your health and what...
AEDs in the Workplace
AEDs can dramatically change the outcome of sudden cardiac arrest. Learn how an AED can benefit your employees and how easily they can be...
Accident Investigation 101
Bryan McWhorter shares his experience with accident investigation and provides an outline of the process. Download his easy-to-use accident...
Safety Meetings and Why You Need Them
Bryan McWhorter explains why safety meetings are essential for both employees and employers. Check out his tips for effective safety...
Fault Tree Analysis: A Preventative Approach to Workplace Safety
Fault Tree Analysis is an important part of your risk analysis toolkit. Find out how to create one and why it will help you prevent...
Sleep Deprivation and Worker Safety
Learn why getting enough sleep is not only good for your health, but also beneficial to your safety at work.
Hazards vs. Dangers: Do You Know the Difference?
Hazards and danger are not the same, but they are related. Knowing the difference will help improve your safety protocols and prevent...
How to Create a Safety First Culture
Learn from established safety professional Bryan McWhorter the necessities of creating a safety first culture.
No One Gets Hurt on Purpose
Learn about what motivates employees, and use this information to create an effective safety culture.
The Moral Safety Compass
Being safe is easier said than done. Next time you make a decision regarding safety, ask yourself whether you would let your children...
Q&A by Bryan McWhorter
Video Q&A - What if you’re not sure if a roof can support you?
Hi, Bryan McWhorter here from Safeopedia.The question we have is if you're a roofer or working on a roof and you think the structural...
Video Q&A - What is a safety policy?
What a great question, and something very important to understand. Hi, I'm Bryan McWhorter for Safeopedia. When OSHA was created in...
Video Q&A - Where are our safety heroes?
Hi, Bryan McWhorter here with Safeopedia.We want to recognize these individuals and help highlight them as the role models they are. We...
Video Q&A - What's your safety network like?
I want to ask you a question: What's your safety network like? Most of us don't like going it alone with any endeavor, especially...
Video Q&A - What are the 3 levels of safety?
Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a pattern that we could follow for safety, to help keep employees safe? As it turns out, there is a...
Video Q&A - How do you treat a near miss?
As safety professionals, we may spend a lot of our time trying to uncover unsafe conditions and unsafe behaviors, and that's the whole...
Why do workers take risks?
What a great question I’ve actually talked with a lot of executive, managers, people in leadership roles about this very question....
What are examples of PPE when working with asbestos?
For all listed classifications respirators and protective clothing is required. The employer must provide these. Respirator filters must be...
Are there different types of asbestos work?
Yes. OSHA rates asbestos work in classes(Levels)one through four.Asbestos work classifications: The OSHA standard establishes a...
What Is the Threshold Limit Value (TLV) for Asbestos?
The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) recommended exposure limit for asbestos is:Time weighted average: 0.1...
What is the difference between a lost time injury and a disabling injury?
A disabling injury is denoted by severity; in that it directly impacts the ability of an employee to perform their normal work tasks,...
What Is the Difference Between OHSAS 18001 and 18002?
OHSAS 18000 is an international occupational health and safety management system specification.It consists of two parts: OHSAS 18001 and...
What is the difference between occupational health and safety and workplace health and safety?
One simple way to understand the difference between occupational health and safety and workplace health and safety is to think of...
What is the difference between occupational health and occupational safety?
Most government agencies that monitor worker safety look at all work related health and safety data, including recorded injuries and...
Safety Topics by Bryan McWhorter
Safety Moment Video - Risk Taking
We want to encourage our employees to take emotional and professional risks. We want them to know that we care about them as a person. So...
Safety Moment Video - Safety Observations
We're creatures of habit and we're incredibly adaptable. So if safety is not driven, we will adapt to that unsafe condition and...
Safety Moment Video - Safety Walks
Employees know that management spends time and effort with things that are important. If you're not going out and talking to them every...
Safety Moment Video - The Safety Epiphany
Our values and beliefs are so important in guiding our behaviors. Following the rules and having something as a value are two totally...
Safety Moment Video - Black Belt Safety
If you're a safety professional, view yourself as a black belt in safety; teaching others to protect themselves from the work...
Safety Moment Video - Treat a Near Miss Like an Incident
We need to treat near misses just like we would any other accident or incident. Even if it was a brow swiper and no one got hurt, it showed...
Safety Moment Video - Chain of Events
Make sure you get to the true root cause. And if one of those leading indicators for injuries, shortcuts, snap decisions, and complacency...
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