In this episode of Leading and Learning Through Safety, Dr. Mark French examines a tragic news story out of Michigan involving two young workers who lost their lives due to hydrogen sulfide exposure while performing well maintenance. What initially appears to be a confined space incident reveals something deeper: a failure of basic training, hazard recognition, and rescue preparedness.

The workers were using hydrochloric acid to descale a residential well located beneath a porch — a clear permit-required confined space. The chemical reaction likely produced hydrogen sulfide gas, a highly toxic and deadly substance. One worker entered the well and was overcome. A second worker, acting instinctively to save his colleague, entered without protective equipment and also succumbed. Three others were hospitalized.

Dr. French unpacks the layered safety breakdowns: lack of hazard communication training, absence of confined space protocols, no engineered rescue system, and a culture of comfort built on years without incident. The absence of injury, he reminds listeners, does not equal safety — it often equals luck.

This episode challenges leaders to look “between the lines” of tragic headlines and ask critical questions: What was present before? What assumptions were made? What systems were missing? True safety is deliberate, verified, and practiced — not assumed.

A powerful reminder that preparation, training, and leadership are what stand between routine work and irreversible loss.

In this episode of Leading & Learning Through Safety, Dr. Mark French explores new research from the February 2026 Journal of Applied Psychology examining how safety training contributes to workplace safety. The featured meta-analysis reviews numerous studies to evaluate the true impact of safety training on knowledge, skills, attitudes (KSA), and overall safety outcomes.

Dr. French reflects on one of the most persistent challenges in safety leadership: making regulatory training meaningful. Using hazard communication as a practical example, he discusses the difficulty of keeping repetitive, compliance-driven content engaging—especially for long-tenured employees who hear the same material year after year. Yet, he emphasizes that even “routine” safety topics remain critical, as near misses and preventable incidents continue to occur.

The research confirms what safety professionals hope to be true: safety training works. It positively influences safety knowledge, behaviors, attitudes, and ultimately workplace outcomes. Importantly, richer and more robust training efforts produce stronger results. Organizations that invest thoughtfully in safety learning—focusing on clear objectives and audience needs—see meaningful cultural and performance improvements.

However, the episode also highlights a sobering reality: some organizations still fail to provide adequate safety training, despite legal mandates and clear evidence of its effectiveness.

Dr. French concludes by reinforcing a central message—when organizations intentionally invest in knowledge, skills, and attitude development, they strengthen safety culture and business performance. Training is not just compliance; it is culture-building work.

This episode explores storytelling as a powerful driver of safety, learning, and meaning at work. Drawing on academic research and real-world examples, the discussion explains how personal stories—especially near-misses and close calls—can overcome the “it won’t happen to me” mindset that undermines risk awareness.

Key themes include:

• The difference between storytelling for entertainment vs. storytelling for impact (poignancy)
• Why timing, setting, and psychological safety matter when sharing experiences
• How vulnerability and empathy make safety messages memorable and meaningful
• The leadership role in being present, listening, and inviting stories—without forcing them
• Why safety culture is built less through checklists and more through human connection

The episode ultimately reframes safety storytelling as a leadership skill: when done thoughtfully, stories don’t just inform—they change behavior, strengthen trust, and create lasting meaning.