Hosted by Michael Zalle, Founder and CEO of YellowBird, The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management features the sharpest minds in risk management and workplace safety. Each episode dives into bold, real conversations that challenge outdated safety models and cut through compliance theater. You’ll hear from guests who bring a powerful mix of tech-driven insight, human-first experience, and hard-won lessons from the field.
Ideal for those leading safety initiatives in construction, logistics, manufacturing, or looking at safety from within the insurance industry, this podcast delivers the insights you need to stay ahead.
Tap into real world case studies, stay on top of emerging technologies, and get field-tested strategies that are redefining how safety programs are built and scaled.
Real experts. Real outcomes.
Your playbook for the future of safety starts here.
Why Safety Is the Foundation of Sustainable Profitability | Brian Fielkow
"Safety and productivity don't compete with each other. Safety is your gateway to productivity and profitability." - Brian Fielkow
Brian Fielkow's perspective challenges leaders to rethink how they approach workplace safety. When safety becomes part of how a business operates, rather than a compliance checkbox, it can strengthen performance, protect employees, and create a lasting competitive advantage.
Brian is the Executive Vice President of Risk Resources at Acrisure, and a consultant, professional speaker, and bestselling author who brings practical experience in building and scaling businesses with safety at their core. His insights offer valuable lessons for leaders managing risk, driving growth, and building a stronger safety culture.
In this episode of The Canary Report, host Michael Zalle sits down with Brian to explore why traditional injury counts often miss the bigger picture, how leading indicators can improve safety performance metrics, and how the Serious Injury and Fatality (SIF) framework helps organizations focus on the risks that matter most. They also discuss identifying leadership blind spots, applying Paul O'Neill's approach at Alcoa, and preserving workplace culture through acquisitions. Brian shares practical ways leaders can strengthen safety accountability, engage frontline employees, and build the systems needed to prevent serious incidents while supporting sustainable business growth.
22 Oct 2026
Why Curiosity Is the Foundation of Better Safety Leadership | Jake Wenmark
"Be curious, not judgmental. And as a safety professional, that's so key. Because as soon as we're judgmental and we assume that we know or have all the answers and we don't understand the whole backstory, we're going to lose that all day, every day." - Jake Wenmark
Safety leadership starts with understanding people, not judging them. When safety professionals approach incidents with curiosity, listen to frontline workers, and build trust across teams, they create a stronger workplace safety culture.
Jake Wenmark, VP of Risk and Safety at Knobelsdorff (KE), brings a unique perspective shaped by his experience in law enforcement and public service. His journey offers valuable lessons for safety professionals navigating rapid organizational growth, complex operations, and the challenges of protecting employees across multiple states.
In this episode of The Canary Report, host Michael Zalle sits down with Jake to explore why curiosity should guide safety leadership, how to integrate acquired companies without losing their culture, and why practical field experience matters when building an effective safety team. They also discuss mental health in high-stress industries, including the importance of addressing trauma and PTSD, reducing stigma, and creating meaningful support systems. Jake shares how consistent communication, strong relationships, and patience can strengthen safety management as organizations grow.
15 Oct 2026
Why Incident Investigations Need More Curiosity and Less Blame | Joseph Bachi
"It's not just about making sure that you're checking boxes and being compliant. It's deeper than that. It's about caring for people and creating that environment where it is safe to speak up." - Joseph Bachi
Safety investigations should help us understand what happened and make it easier to prevent the next incident. But when investigations focus on blame, they can shut down the very conversations that could reveal what really went wrong.
Joseph Bachi, Division Safety & Health Manager of the Gypsum Division at Georgia-Pacific, brings years of experience across manufacturing, automotive, and mining safety, along with a deep understanding of Human and Organizational Performance (HOP) principles.
In this episode of The Canary Report, host Michael Zalle sits down with Joseph to explore how shifting from blame-based interrogations to curiosity-driven conversations can uncover the operational challenges traditional investigations often miss. Joseph shares how asking better questions, listening to frontline employees, and designing systems that make it easier to do things right can transform incident investigations. They also explore near-miss learning, engineering controls, decentralized safety leadership, and the value of independent observation in identifying blind spots.
Who has been a guest on The Canary Report
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Dennis Pivin
Alana Spencer
Kevin Rivera
Jack Geissert
Branden Neal
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
4 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 52 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
91
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
32
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Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Questions about The Canary Report
Who hosts The Canary Report?
Michael Zalle host the show. Published by YellowBird.
How often do new episodes come out?
The show publishes weekly, based on its RSS feed.
Does The Canary Report take guests?
Yes. Guests have been identified in episode analyses.
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