We All Need a Little Lift: A Conversation About Mental Health
A memory of gliders in Minden, Nevada, offers a simple reminder: accepting mental health support is not a weakness, and looking out for people includes ourselves.
The Job Changed. Who Decides It Can Continue?
The morning briefing does not last all day just because the paperwork does. At the start of the shift, the crew reviews the task, discusses the hazards, and confirms how the work will be done. The plan makes sense for the conditions in front of them. But work rarely stands
Build the Work Around the Worker
Design the work around your people. Practical lessons from distribution-center ergonomics, supplier collaboration, and leadership on the floor.
Before You Call It Complacency, Ask What Became Normal
Prefer to listen? Here is the audio companion for this article. By Bryan Barker | The True North EHS After an incident, “they got complacent” can sound like an answer. Someone got comfortable, lost focus, or took a shortcut on a familiar job. The response seems straightforward: review the procedure, remind
We Plan for the Fall. Do We Teach People How to Stay On?
Safety planning often explains failure in detail. But do our teams have an equally clear picture of what must go right?
"Not Fit for Continued Service" Ten Months Later, Eleven People Died
Prefer to listen, here is the audio companion for this article. The Longview Tank Failure and the Lessons Every Supervisor Needs to Hear Before Anything Else Eleven workers died at the Nippon Dynawave paper mill in Longview, Washington on May 26, 2026. Before this article says one word about inspections,
Closed in the System Is Not Fixed in the Field
Prefer to listen, here is the audio companion for this article. One of the more common mistakes organizations make in EHS is confusing closing something in a system with actually fixing it. An issue gets identified, a corrective action gets assigned, a due date gets added, and eventually somebody updates
The True North EHS, Issue #10
Prefer to listen? Here is the audio companion for this issue. Welcome back to The True North EHS. John Wooden used to start by teaching his players how to properly put on their socks and shoes. Think about that for a minute. One of the greatest basketball coaches of all
Why Training Completion Is Not Training Effectiveness
Prefer to listen, here is the audio companion for this article. Years ago, I had the opportunity to attend a 40-hour train-the-trainer course in Red Wing, Minnesota through DBI-SALA for fall protection. One of the things that stayed with me from that training was the discussion
The True North EHS, Issue #9
Prefer to listen? Here is the audio companion for this issue. Welcome back to The True North EHS. One of the biggest influences on safety performance is usually not the policy, the slogan, or the annual plan. It is the supervisor. That is not meant to downplay leadership, systems, or
The Standards Are Written in Blood
After witnessing the aftermath of a fatal electrical contact incident in Central America, Bryan reflects on why safety standards matter and why too many of them only exist because someone else paid the price first.
The True North EHS, Issue #8
Prefer to listen? Here is the audio companion for this issue. July 2026 | Practical safety insight for real-world operations Lead Story: Don’t Be a Hero for the Company. Be Here for Your Family. Every day, people make decisions at work that feel small in the moment. Skip the