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That was Sarah Anderson’s original plan. Then everything changed.
Why Hands-On Experience Builds Stronger Safety Leaders
A life-changing disaster set her path in motion. After witnessing one of history’s deadliest industrial tragedies in India, Sarah Anderson realized she could create more impact from within the system than outside of it.
“I wanted to make a difference from the inside,” she recalls. Turning down her scholarship at the University of Illinois, she transferred to Purdue University to pursue a degree in industrial hygiene, a field she had only just discovered but instinctively knew was her calling.
That choice led her straight into the heart of high-risk industries. Over the years, Anderson has worked across sectors from refineries to manufacturing plants, challenging the way organizations think about hazard management. Today, as Global Director at Bristol Myers Squibb Pharmaceuticals, she continues to push companies toward smarter, more accountable safety cultures.
Breaking Barriers in a Tough Industry
Anderson’s early career began in an aluminum smelter, a workplace notorious for its intensity.
“I was young, new, and thrown into a union environment that showed no leniency,” she says. “You had to earn respect.”
At first, she wasn’t seen as an ally. “Workers assumed I was part of management, not there to support them,” she notes. That challenge became a powerful lesson: trust has to be earned, not expected.
Instead of leading from the office, she began leading from the field, walking job sites, asking questions, and learning from the workers’ realities. “You have to be visible,” she says. “When people see you wearing the same PPE, standing in the same weather, they begin to believe you actually understand them.”
A Defining Moment in Texas City
Everything Anderson believed about safety crystallized during one devastating day. She and her husband were driving to work when they saw a dark column of smoke spiraling into the sky.
“I turned to him and said, ‘That’s Texas City. There’s no way people didn’t die,”. Moments later, news confirmed the explosion at BP’s refinery.
The blast killed and injured workers, shaking the entire industry. Anderson later participated in investigations, audits, and reviews that followed. “That event changed how I viewed leadership accountability,” she says. “It forced new safety regulations, better controls, and tighter oversight. But it came at a terrible cost.”
According to Anderson, the most dangerous companies are those that believe accidents can’t happen to them. “When organizations stop auditing or ignore maintenance, it’s only a matter of time before something fails,” she warns. “Complacency is an invisible killer.”
Lessons from the Field: Building Trust Through Action
Anderson’s most memorable safety moment wasn’t in a meeting, it was on a rooftop. She spotted a worker balancing on a beam 14 feet above the ground with no fall protection in place.
“I didn’t shout,” she says. “I motioned for him to step down. Then we talked.”
In the breakroom, she explained the real risk. “I told him, ‘You’ve got a family waiting for you. You don’t need to gamble your life to finish a task faster.’” The conversation stuck, not because it was disciplinary, but because it was human.
“That day reinforced what I’d always believed, ignoring unsafe actions sends the message that they’re acceptable,” she says. “Accountability isn’t about punishment; it’s about prevention.”
“You don’t want to catch someone after they’ve already made a mistake. You want to set up a culture where they don’t make that mistake in the first place“
Sarah Anderson – Global Director
The Future of Safety: AI’s Expanding Role
Anderson sees technology, especially artificial intelligence, as a transformative force in safety. “We already have sensors that track toxic gases,” she says. “Imagine AI systems that can predict hazards before they happen, detecting unstable ground, visibility risks, or dangerous weather conditions.”
She also recognizes the balance needed between innovation and privacy. “Technology should empower workers, not make them feel watched,” she explains. To her, AI should highlight positive behavior rather than just catching mistakes. “We should use it to recognize and reward safe choices.”
On the training side, she believes AI can make learning truly adaptive. “Everyone learns differently,” she says. “AI can personalize safety training so time isn’t wasted, and weaknesses are directly addressed.”
The Real Challenge: Changing Perception
Anderson argues that today’s greatest safety obstacle isn’t technology or compliance, it’s mindset. “People perceive risk differently,” she explains. “Some are cautious by nature, while others take shortcuts because they’ve been lucky before.”
For her, leadership defines safety culture. “The people who control budgets and set policies decide what safety looks like in practice,” she says. “If they undervalue risk management, that attitude bleeds through the organization.”
Her strategy for influence is practical, always come prepared with solutions. “When I point out a problem, I always bring three ways to fix it – low cost, mid-range, and comprehensive. That way, the question isn’t ‘if’ we’ll address it, but ‘how.’”
Leading Through Influence
Major disasters shaped her career, but influence drives her mission. Anderson believes that real change stems from connection, not control. “Our job isn’t to dictate,” she says. “It’s to communicate risk in a way that inspires people to care, not comply out of fear.”
For her, that’s what separates a checklist culture from a true safety culture. “We may not own the company or control the budget, but we control how safety is communicated,” she says. “That’s where real leadership begins.”
Work smart. Stay vigilant. Speak up because real safety starts with people.
Work smart. Stay strong. Speak up.
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