Safety Council

Description

Topic:  AI & Safety: Predict, Prevent, Protect
Speaker:  Rick Barker, CPE, CSP - Velocity EHS

Serious Injuries & Fatalities aren’t just numbers; they’re the events that forever change lives, families, and communities. Every health and safety professional feel that responsibility, and it’s why the slow progress in SIF reduction is so concerning. Even as other injuries decline, the most devastating incidents remain stubbornly difficult to predict and prevent. The challenge isn’t commitment, it’s visibility. 
 
This session explores how AI can help provide that visibility. By rapidly analyzing incident data, AI identifies potential SIFs (pSIFs), uncovers hidden hazards, and reveals patterns that are nearly impossible to detect manually, giving teams a sharper lens on the risks that matter most. 
 
But true prevention requires going upstream, before an incident ever occurs. That’s where Job Safety Analyses (JSAs) come in. JSAs have long been the backbone of proactive risk assessment, yet they depend heavily on individual hazard-recognition skills, time, and consistency. AI strengthens this foundational process by highlighting overlooked hazards, suggesting stronger controls, and offering a more complete, objective view of risk. 
 
Together, these advances allow organizations to better identify SIF exposure, enhance the quality of JSAs, and take more confident action to protect their people.