Podcast
The Safety Consultant Podcast
Hosted by Sheldon Primus, MPA, COSM, COSS · EN
The Safety Consultant Podcast with Sheldon Primus is your ultimate weekly guide to starting or growing a profitable occupational safety and health consulting business. Are you ready to be your own boss and make a greater impact? Your expertise can help more people create safer workplaces, and your skills deserve a platform where they can truly shine. If you feel limited in your current role and believe your knowledge could serve the broader workforce more effectively, this podcast is for you. Join us as we explore the steps to launch your own safety consulting business, share insights on navigating the industry, and provide strategies to maximize your impact on workplace health and safety. Now is the perfect time to take control of your career and make a difference!
24episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Are you a "Stress Junkie"? 🧠 My conversation with Jorge Torres "The Bilingual Safety Guy".
5d ago00:53:26Tap to summarize🎧 Unburdening the Safety Pro: Mental Health & Moving Beyond the "Stress Junkie" Labels with Jorge TorresWelcome back to the Safety Consultant Podcast! In this episode, Sheldon sits down with Jorge Torres, also known as The Bilingual Safety Guy, for a vulnerable and vital conversation about the "business of being human" in the safety industry.Jorge shares his powerful journey from working as an on-site paramedic to becoming a seasoned safety consultant and speaker. But this isn't just a career retrospective—it's a deep dive into Jorge’s book, The Unburdened: 5 Honest Lessons from a Recovering Stress Junkie. We explore why safety professionals, who are often the "empathetic implementers" of mental health initiatives for others, so frequently neglect their own well-being.🔍 Key Episode Takeaways:Admitting the Problem: Why acknowledging "it’s okay not to be okay" is the first step toward reclaiming your health.The Eisenhower Matrix: How to use this classic tool to regain control of your time and stop living in "hair-on-fire" mode.The Multitasking Myth: Jorge breaks down the "biological improbability" of multitasking and why focusing on one thing at a time actually makes you a better consultant."I Am Not My Job": Re-framing your identity beyond the safety vest to show up better for your family and yourself.The Family Impact: A candid look at how unmanaged professional stress bleeds into our most important relationships.🚀 Business Resources:Ready to Grow? If you’re a safety pro looking to transition into consulting, take the Consultant Readiness Audit at sheldon.coach.Get the Book: Pick up your copy of The Unburdened on Amazon to start your own 5-lesson workshop.
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Future of OSHA 2027
2w ago00:36:07Tap to summarize🎧 The Future of OSHA: Unboxing the 2027 Budget & What It Means for YouWelcome back to the Safety Consultant Podcast! In this episode, I'm braving the cold Canadian wind (and dodging some very cute chipmunks) to bring you a live look at OSHA's FY 2027 Congressional Budget Justification. Why are we looking at a budget? Because you can always tell what is truly important to a government agency by where they spend their money. Grab your coffee and join me as we unbox this budget and map out exactly how you can keep your clients regulatory-safe in 2027! 🔍 Key Episode TakeawaysThe Shift in OSHA Standards: OSHA is actively moving toward deregulation, reducing standard-setting full-time equivalent hours (FTEs) from 72 down to 44. Because of this shift, you shouldn't expect many new standards to be released in 2027. Instead, the agency will focus on publishing guidance products and creating plain language revisions of current regulations. Major proposed rules, like the heat stress standard, will likely remain in a holding pattern. Enforcement Isn't Disappearing, It's Changing: Don't believe the rumors that OSHA enforcement is stopping. The budget reveals that a massive 70 to 80% of initiated inspections will be unprogrammed. This means OSHA will be heavily focused on responding to formal worker complaints, fatalities, amputations, and hospitalizations. Programmed Inspections: The remaining 20 to 30% of inspections will be programmed, primarily focusing on National Emphasis Programs and targeted high-hazard workplaces. Construction Remains a Primary Target: The construction industry is definitely not exempt from enforcement. OSHA plans to conduct 11,240 planned construction inspections in FY 2027. They will be heavily targeting sites with high probable hazards, specifically zeroing in on the Focus Four: falls, electrical, standby, and caught-in hazards. The Truth About Training Grants: Once again, the requested budget for the Susan Harwood Training grants is set at zero. However, Congress historically funds these programs anyway, so if you rely on this material for your non-profit, don't panic—it will likely still be there. 🚀 Promotions & Business ResourcesJune Strategy Promotion: Since it's National Safety Month in the US, I'm offering a special bonus! If you purchase the updated Safety Consultant 101 course at safetyconsultantblueprint.com during the month of June, I am going to give you a free 30-minute strategy session to talk over your goals and get you steered in the right direction. https://safetyconsultantblueprint.com/ Live Online Workshop: Join me this August for a 2-hour live online workshop. We are going to dive deep into mindset issues, starting your business, and defining what your clients and services look like. Sign up at sheldonprimus.com/events. One-on-One Coaching: Are you ready for professional coaching to get unstuck? Head over to sheldon.coach and take the Readiness Assessment to get started. If we're a good fit, I'll offer you three days of free introductory coaching chats to map out your goals before we create a custom agreement. Until next time, stay safe, stay savvy, and keep consulting like a boss. Go get 'em!
Transcribe →Unleash the power of the OSHA Data and Resources page!
4w ago00:33:47Tap to summarizeUnlock the power of the OSHA data and statistics resource page to help you find clients, value your services, and set you apart from competitors. Sheldon uses this tool for many clever ways to get true context on a hazard and who can benefit from your services.
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Safety Pro to Business Owner Part 4: Certifications and OSHA Outreach Training
May 1800:18:57Tap to summarizeIn Part 4 of our "Starting a New Business" series on the Safety Consultant Show, we are wrapping things up by talking about credentials. You don't need every letter in the alphabet behind your name to be successful, but you do need the right ones.Here are a few key takeaways from today’s episode:🎯 Match your certs to your niche: Don't just guess. Look at what potential clients in your specific industry (like construction or oil & gas) are actively asking for in their job listings and get those exact credentials.🎓 Degrees vs. Certificates: A Bachelor's or Master's degree in EHS will always carry the most weight, but if college isn't an option, programs like the COSS (Certified Occupational Safety Specialist) or COSM provide incredible value based on your real-world experience—no degree required!.🦺 The OSHA 10 & 30 Advantage: Becoming an authorized OSHA 10 and 30-hour instructor (through the OSHA 501 or 500 train-the-trainer courses) is one of the best ways to gain local recognition and instantly open up new revenue streams.If you are ready to take your safety experience and turn it into a profitable consulting business, this episode is a must-listen.
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Safety Pro to Business Owner Part 3: Build Your Safety Consulting Network in 2026
May 1100:20:13Tap to summarizeYou’ve got the business name. You’ve got the legal setup. You’ve started thinking through your niche.Now comes the part many new consultants miss:How do people actually find you?In this episode of The Safety Consultant Podcast, Sheldon continues the 2026 business startup series by walking safety professionals through practical networking strategies that can help them start building real consulting opportunities.This is not theory. This is the “go make something happen” part of the business.If you are an EHS professional, safety manager, trainer, OSHA compliance specialist, or future safety consultant, this episode gives you practical places to start building your network before you leave your job, while you are still testing your niche, or while you are trying to land your next client.What This Episode CoversIn Part 1 of the series, Sheldon covered getting your business legal and structured.In Part 2, he talked about finding a profitable niche.In Part 3, he focuses on where to network and find consulting opportunities, including:Using Upwork to find project-based consulting workSigning up with Yellowbird as a safety professionalBuilding relationships through LinkedIn groupsNetworking inside Facebook safety groupsPartnering with your local safety councilUsing training events to build credibility and attract future clientsProving your consulting concept before leaving your full-time jobWhy This MattersA safety consulting business does not grow just because you know OSHA standards.It grows because people know what you do, trust that you can help them, and can find you when they need your expertise.That means you need more than technical knowledge.You need a network.This episode shows you how to start spreading that web in a smart, practical way so you can begin turning your safety experience into business opportunities.Featured Resources MentionedSheldon discusses several places safety consultants can use to start finding opportunities and building relationships:Upwork A freelance platform where you can bid on safety, training, writing, compliance, and consulting projects.Yellowbird A platform designed to connect safety professionals with companies needing EHS support.LinkedIn Groups A strong place to build visibility, answer questions, and connect with safety professionals and potential clients.Facebook Groups Including Sheldon’s Safety Consultant group, where safety officers and consultants can network and share opportunities.Local Safety Councils A powerful local networking option where you may be able to offer training, partner on events, or connect with organizations needing help.Who Should ListenThis episode is especially helpful for:Safety professionals thinking about becoming consultantsEHS managers wanting a side incomeOSHA trainers looking for more business opportunitiesNew consultants trying to find their first clientsExperienced safety pros who need a better networking strategyConsultants who want to build visibility without spamming people onlineKey TakeawayYour network can become your first business development system.But the goal is not to spam people.The goal is to show up, participate, answer questions, build trust, and let people see that you are the person who can help solve their safety and compliance problems.As Sheldon says, this is about taking action right now.
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Safety Pro to Business Owner Part 2: How to Find the Safety Consulting Niche That Makes Money
May 400:16:55Tap to summarizeIn this episode of The Safety Consultant podcast, Sheldon continues his series on what he would do if he were starting a safety consulting business today.This week’s focus is one of the most important early business decisions you can make: finding your niche.Sheldon breaks down how to identify the work you already do well, the topics people naturally come to you for, and the services that can create real income as you grow your consulting practice. He also explains why it helps to have more than one niche or revenue stream while you build momentum.If you are a safety professional, EHS leader, trainer, or aspiring consultant trying to figure out how to turn your experience into a business, this episode will help you think more strategically about where you fit in the market.
Transcribe →From Safety Pro to Business Owner-Part 1
Apr 2800:23:05Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Sheldon Primus kicks off a new series for safety professionals ready to start a consulting business in 2026. Part 1 focuses on the foundation: choosing a business name, securing your domain, setting up business email, getting insurance, understanding the value of a DUNS number, opening a bank account, and preparing to accept payments. Before you chase clients, build the business structure that helps you look professional, operate legally, and get paid.
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Safety Champions Program Series Part 3
Apr 1300:31:14Tap to summarizeIn Part 3 of this Safety Champions series, Sheldon Primus wraps up the conversation by focusing on the practical question many safety leaders are asking: How do you actually get ready for OSHA’s Safety Champions Program? In this episode, he walks through what readiness looks like at each stage and explains the program’s 3-step structure as building the foundation, making the safety management system operable, and proving the system is sustainable and improving over time.Sheldon breaks down how organizations can begin by securing leadership commitment, creating written policies, assigning safety responsibilities, surveying workers, identifying hazards, establishing controls, building training plans, evaluating OSHA logs and injury records, and coordinating with contractors. He then explains what it takes to move into the intermediate and advanced stages, where organizations show that the program is functioning, improving, and becoming part of the way the business operates.This episode is ideal for safety professionals, consultants, and business leaders who want to understand what OSHA readiness really looks like and how to move from compliance-only thinking into a stronger safety and health management system. Sheldon also invites listeners to take the next step through his Safety Champion Readiness Workshop, where he helps attendees work through the framework in a live virtual format.
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OSHA Safety Champion Program Series: Part 2
Apr 800:29:02Tap to summarizeIn Part 2 of this Safety Champions series, Sheldon Primus moves beyond the introduction and breaks down how OSHA’s Safety Champions Program can help organizations build a stronger, more connected safety and health system. He explains that while SHARP and VPP are designed for organizations already operating at a higher level of safety maturity, the Safety Champions Program is meant to help employers start earlier and build step by step. In this episode, Sheldon walks listeners through OSHA’s seven core elements of a strong safety and health program: management leadership, worker participation, hazard identification and assessment, hazard prevention and control, education and training, program evaluation and improvement, and communication and coordination for host employers, contractors, and staffing agencies. He explains how each element strengthens the overall system and helps move safety from disconnected activities into a more complete safety management approach. He also connects the framework to concepts like ISO 45001, leading and lagging indicators, worker trust, JSAs/JHAs, hierarchy of controls, learning teams, and contractor management, showing how the Safety Champions approach can become a real operational advantage rather than just another initiative. This episode is for safety professionals, consultants, and leaders who want to understand not just what the program is, but how it can help improve the way an organization leads, communicates, trains, evaluates, and reduces risk.
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OSHA Safety Champions Program Series Part 1
Apr 400:29:13Tap to summarizeIn this first episode of a 3-part series, Sheldon introduces OSHA’s new Safety Champions Program (SCP) and explains how it differs from SHARP and VPP. He frames SCP as a practical, voluntary pathway for organizations that want to start building a stronger safety and health program from the ground up, rather than waiting until they are already operating at a mature recognition-program level. In the episode, Sheldon explains that SCP is built around three phases — Introductory, Intermediate, and Advanced — and OSHA’s seven core elements of an effective safety and health program.Sheldon also highlights how the program uses a tracker and SGE support to help employers document progress and move step by step through the process. He contrasts SCP with SHARP, which is aimed at smaller employers using OSHA consultation, and VPP, which is geared toward mature, high-performing safety systems.This episode is for safety professionals, consultants, and leaders who are asking:What’s next for our safety system? How can we start preparing for OSHA’s new Safety Champions Program?Sheldon also introduces his upcoming Safety Champion Readiness Workshop, where he’ll spend four hours helping attendees break down the steps, understand the tracker, and build a readiness roadmap.
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