From 20 Injuries to Zero: Building a Safety Culture That Actually Works with Tom Fitzgerald

What does it really take to transform workplace safety from a compliance requirement into a deeply embedded culture? 

In this episode of the Safety Spotlight Podcast, we sit down with Tom Fitzgerald, founder of Safety Fitz LLC and a former foundry supervisor with over 50 years of experience in operations, HR, and safety leadership. Tom brings a rare perspective, having worked directly on the production floor before moving into safety and consulting. 

Tom shares how he helped reduce a plant’s total incident rate from nearly 20 to zero by shifting responsibility from one safety manager to an entire workforce.  

In this episode, we cover: 

• Why safety cannot be owned by one person and must be driven by culture  

• The role of leadership, accountability, and peer influence in preventing injuries  

• How lean manufacturing principles can transform safety performance  

• Real-world strategies for building engaged, high-performing safety teams  

• The importance of observation, communication, and leading by example  

Tom also shares powerful lessons from his early career, mentorship experiences, and consulting work, offering practical insights for safety professionals at every stage. 

Whether you’re managing safety programs or working on the front line, this conversation will challenge how you think about responsibility, culture, and what it really means to achieve zero injuries.