Designing Safety Programs for People, Not Paperwork with Ashley Mckie

In this episode, Ashley Mckie, Director of Health and Safety at Inland Truck and Equipment and a three-time Top Woman in Safety honouree, joins to unpack what it takes to build a safety culture that scales. From managing compliance across multiple jurisdictions to empowering front-line workers to speak up, Ashley shares real lessons learned from leading large, complex safety programs in Canada and the U.S.

She dives into why regulations should be your minimum standard, not your goal, and how understanding human behaviour is the key to effective programs. Ashley also discusses how to keep safety training relevant in an age of shrinking attention spans, balance business pressures without compromising worker safety, and prevent complacency once performance improves.

You’ll hear practical insights on:

• How to build one consistent safety program across multiple regions
• Turning front-line feedback into better systems
• Designing safety programs for people, not paperwork
• Making the right choice the easy choice through smart design
• Using AI and microlearning to modernize training
• Mentorship, networking, and sustaining passion in a demanding field

Ashley’s blend of strategic leadership and on-the-ground understanding makes this one of the most actionable episodes for anyone leading safety in large organizations.