US safety expert Greg Zigulis discusses practical strategies helping small and medium-sized businesses move from reactive compliance to structured safety programmes in the latest episode of the OH&S SafetyPod, according to Occupational Health and Safety.

Small and medium-sized businesses make up a significant portion of the workforce, but many lack dedicated safety resources needed to build effective health and safety programmes.

Greg Zigulis, MS, CSP, CIH, President of Sixth Sense Safety Solutions and author of "Health and Safety Programs in Small and Medium-Sized Businesses," addresses how organisations can move beyond basic compliance toward more structured, effective safety efforts. The interview highlights why safety responsibilities are often assigned to employees without formal training, and how that can lead to reactive approaches focused on paperwork rather than hazard prevention.

Zigulis emphasises that safety programmes should be guided not only by regulatory requirements, but also by broader business drivers and risk management goals. He explains the difference between individual safety programmes and a broader safety management system, noting why understanding injury causation is critical to preventing incidents before they occur.

For organisations with limited resources, Zigulis stresses the importance of prioritising hazards with the greatest potential for serious injury whilst engaging employees to identify risks and solutions. The discussion provides practical guidance for small and medium businesses seeking to establish structured safety frameworks without extensive resource allocation.

The podcast episode addresses common challenges faced by organisations lacking dedicated environmental health and safety personnel, offering actionable strategies for building safety culture and systematic approaches to hazard identification and control. Zigulis draws from extensive experience working with small and medium enterprises to outline scalable safety programme development methods.

Discover how small and medium businesses can build effective safety programmes in the complete podcast episode.