Safety Stories to Be Thankful For

“Safety doesn’t improve because we make rules. It improves because we build relationships.”

When it comes to workplace safety, most companies focus on rules, audits, and compliance. But what happens when those efforts aren’t enough?

Two years ago, our team faced a hard truth: 23 injuries in one year. It wasn’t just a statistic. It was a wake-up call. That’s when we realized: real safety starts with trust, leadership, and listening. 

That reset started with a bold decision by our president, Mike Baxter: hiring a dedicated Safety Manager. 

In this blog, Radius Group’s Safety Manager, Daryl McBride shares how he transformed our safety culture and why your safety strategy might need a reset too.

Don’t Wait for an Injury: How Trust and Leadership Transformed Our Safety Culture.

From day one, our goal was to cultivate a safety culture rooted in people — not paperwork. Rather than adding more rules or checklists, we prioritized trust and open communication. 

Daryl’s mission was clear: “to show every employee that safety wasn’t about pointing fingers; it was about having each other’s backs.” 

We focused on building confidence in our leadership by showing that the safety program existed to protect, not penalize. Gradually, those early conversations began to shift mindsets across the organization.

Listening First, Acting Fast

Our first major shift started when we began holding open safety feedback sessions at every Safety Committee meeting with input from members from all divisions. Anyone could share what wasn’t working — no blame, no judgment.

At first, participation was light. But once employees saw that their feedback led to real action — new PPE, better lighting, improved work zones — more people began to speak up. 

We built credibility by listening and responding, and that’s when trust began to take root.

Turning Audits Into Opportunities

When we started formal safety audits, the numbers were daunting — dozens of infractions every month. But we didn’t see those as failures. We saw them as a roadmap for improvement.

Through coaching, follow-up, and collaboration, our teams began fixing problems before audits even happened. Within two years, those audit results dropped to just one or two minor findings every six months — a clear sign that accountability and ownership had taken hold.

Leading By Example

This transformation wasn’t just company-wide — Daryl’s team saw the impact firsthand. His team had the highest incident rate in the company, but through regular check-ins, hands-on coaching, and reinforcing that safety starts with care, everything changed.

Today, his team is proud to have one of the lowest incident rates in the organization. 

We’ve shown that when people trust their leaders and feel supported, they’ll go above and beyond to keep each other safe.

Scaling Safety Across the Company

At Radius Group we expanded our approach through Toolbox Talks, frequent safety communications, and stronger supervisor-crew relationships. These conversations have become the heartbeat of our culture — simple, consistent, and human.

The Result

Two years later, the numbers tell a powerful story:

• Workplace injuries fell from 23 to 11.
• Audit findings became helpful reminders, not red flags.
• Employee trust and engagement are stronger than ever.

But the real victory isn’t in the statistics — it’s in the culture we’re building together.

Building a Safer Future

What started with one leader’s foresight has grown into a company-wide movement.

We’ve proven that safety doesn’t improve through enforcement — it improves through engagement.

We’re not just aiming for compliance anymore. We’re building a workplace where everyone feels responsible for one another’s safety — and proud of the progress we’ve made.

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