What did workplace safety look like before OSHA? The answer is simple: it didn't.

In the premiere episode of The History of Safety in Labor, Robert Courtney Jr. takes listeners back to 1885, when America stood on the edge of the Industrial Revolution. Railroads stretched across the country, factories transformed manufacturing, and steel, coal, and industry fueled unprecedented growth. But behind that progress were millions of workers who labored long hours in dangerous conditions with few protections and little hope of returning home safely every day.

This episode explores how America changed from a nation of farms and small towns into an industrial powerhouse, setting the stage for the labor movement and the eventual fight for workplace safety.

In this episode you'll discover:

• Why the Industrial Revolution changed America forever
• How railroads transformed the nation's economy
• The rise of factories, steel, and manufacturing
• Why workplace injuries were once considered "part of the job"
• The human cost behind America's industrial success

This episode is dedicated to the memory of Homer "Jr." Mann, a Teamster whose belief in hard work and the dignity of American workers helped inspire this series.

The History of Safety in Labor is an original documentary series from the Inside the Aisle Podcast, hosted by Robert Courtney Jr.

Episode 1: America Is Changing

Is safety simply about following OSHA regulations, or is it about doing the right thing even when no one is watching? In this episode of Inside the Aisle, Robert Courtney Jr. explores the critical connection between ethics and workplace safety. From reporting hazards and conducting honest inspections to ethical leadership and protecting employees from retaliation, we discuss how everyday decisions shape an organization's safety culture. Because compliance may satisfy the law—but ethics are what truly protect people. Join us as we examine why integrity, accountability, and character are essential to ensuring everyone goes home safely.

In this episode of the Inside the Aisle Podcast, I talk about why experience can sometimes make people uncomfortable in the workplace.

Organizations often say they value experience, but when experienced people start asking questions, pointing out hazards, or challenging broken processes, the reaction is not always positive. Inspired by a LinkedIn post from safety professional James Shultz, this episode looks at workplace culture, accountability, leadership, and why identifying problems should be seen as part of the solution — not as a threat.

I also connect this conversation to the history of workplace safety, the creation of OSHA, and the importance of building a culture where people feel safe speaking up.

At the end of the day, safety is not about protecting egos. It is about protecting people.

In this episode of Safe in the Aisle, we break down one of the most important concepts in workplace safety: the Hierarchy of Controls. While many people think safety starts and ends with personal protective equipment (PPE), OSHA and safety professionals know that the most effective way to prevent injuries is to control hazards at their source. We'll explore the five levels of the Hierarchy of Controls—Elimination, Substitution, Engineering Controls, Administrative Controls, and PPE—and discuss why some controls provide far greater protection than others. Through real-world examples from warehouses, manufacturing facilities, and construction sites, you'll learn how organizations can reduce risk, prevent injuries, and create safer workplaces by applying this proven safety framework.

Whether you're a supervisor, safety professional, or frontline worker, this episode will help you understand how to think beyond PPE and build a stronger safety culture through hazard prevention and risk reduction. Tune in and discover why the best injury is the one that never has a chance to happen.

Think safety is just common sense? Think again.

In this episode of Inside the Aisle, I break down 10 of the most common safety questions workers, supervisors, and job applicants should know. We’ll talk about the difference between a hazard and a risk, what a risk assessment actually means, why the hierarchy of controls matters, and how things like PPE, toolbox talks, near misses, and incident investigations fit into real workplace safety.

I also connect the conversation to OSHA training requirements, including Hazard Communication, Powered Industrial Trucks, Lockout/Tagout, Respiratory Protection, and Fall Protection.

This episode is not just about memorizing answers for an interview. It’s about understanding the safety concepts that help prevent injuries, improve communication, and build a stronger safety culture on the job.

Topics Covered:
Hazard vs. Risk
Risk Assessments
Hierarchy of Controls
Permit to Work
Personal Protective Equipment
Toolbox Talks
Incident Reporting
Incident Investigation
Near Misses
OSHA Training Requirements

Because safety is not about having the right words ready. It’s about making the right decisions before someone gets hurt.

#InsideTheAisle #WorkplaceSafety #OSHA #SafetyTraining #WarehouseSafety #ForkliftSafety #RiskAssessment #IncidentInvestigation #NearMissReporting #SafetyCulture

Have you ever been told to do something by management, only to be questioned later for doing exactly what you were instructed to do?

In this episode of Safe in the Aisle, we explore what happens when expectations constantly change, accountability only flows in one direction, and employees are judged by standards that didn't exist when decisions were made.

Through real-world warehouse and operations scenarios, we examine how conflicting instructions, shifting responsibilities, and rewritten expectations can damage trust, reduce employee engagement, and create serious safety risks. We also discuss why some workers eventually stop reporting concerns, stop offering suggestions, and stop speaking up altogether—and why that should concern every leader.

This isn't a discussion about employees versus management. It's a conversation about leadership, communication, accountability, and the importance of creating a workplace where facts matter more than protecting egos.

Because when the story changes every time evidence is presented, employees learn a lesson no organization can afford to teach:

Silence is safer than honesty.

Topics Covered:

• Moving the goal posts in the workplace
• Contradictory management instructions
• Accountability vs. blame
• Employee engagement and trust
• OSHA safety culture principles
• Hazard reporting and worker participation
• Leadership credibility and communication

Safe in the Aisle is brought to you by First Coast Warehouse Safety, helping organizations build safer, stronger, and more accountable workplaces.

A fire alarm system is not just a box on the wall or a sound in the ceiling. It is part of a larger safety program that tells employees what to do, where to go, who to notify, and how to stay alive when seconds matter. In this episode, we break down fire alarm systems, audible and visual notification, OSHA requirements, NFPA guidance, evacuation planning, fire prevention, inspections, training, and why every workplace needs a real safety program behind the alarm.

In this episode, we talk about why employees stop reporting hazards, even when they know something is unsafe. It is not always because they do not care. Many workers stop speaking up because nothing gets fixed, they fear retaliation, they feel ignored, or they believe reporting only creates problems for them.

We break down how poor follow-up, blame culture, unclear reporting procedures, and lack of trust can shut down a safety program fast. Hazard reporting only works when employees believe their concerns will be taken seriously and corrective action will actually happen.

If employees stop reporting hazards, it does not mean the hazards went away — it means the warning system went silent.