In this episode of Safety Spotlight, Jeff Mulligan—COO of Astec Safety and one of the founding voices behind Utility Safety Partners—talks about the full-circle moments that shaped his career and his mission to modernize safety from the ground up. With roots in politics, finance, and early fiber optic installations, Jeff offers a rare blend of business acumen and boots-on-the-ground insight. His perspective is clear: safety isn’t a compliance checkbox—it’s a strategic asset that protects not only workers but entire communities. “The people who built these systems are retiring. We’re losing institutional knowledge faster than we’re capturing it,” Jeff says. “That’s where the next crisis in safety will come from.” From the explosion in Sherwood Park that launched Alberta’s damage prevention movement to Astec Safety’s turnaround from a $2.7M deficit, Jeff walks us through the real costs of neglect—and the long-term gains of treating safety as part of your bottom line. He also tackles what’s next:

• • The quiet dangers of rural infrastructure work
  • Why safety roles shouldn’t be bundled with HR and finance
  • How AI will complement—not replace—experienced trainers
  • The generational handoff looming in the trades and safety leadership

For organizations ready to rethink their approach to risk, Jeff’s story is both a warning and a blueprint. His advice? Take safety personally. Think big. And stop underestimating what’s underground.