How Psychology (Not Policy) Is Saving Lives on the Job

When we talk about safety in construction, utilities, or any high-risk industry, it often gets reduced to checklists, audits, and compliance metrics. Hard hats, stop-work authority, “days without incident” counters, these are visible markers of safety programs. But here’s the truth: even the best systems fail if we don’t understand the human side of safety.

That’s where Ecudemio Gutierrez comes in. With over 24 years in construction and nearly two decades leading safety programs across petrochemical, refinery, LNG, utilities, and infrastructure projects, he’s seen it all, from the frontline to the director’s office. And as Safety Director at DC Water, he’s using psychology, behavioral science, and cultural alignment to transform how organizations approach safety leadership.

On this episode of The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management, Ecudemio and Michael explore the nuances of safety beyond compliance, uncovering why people make unsafe choices, how leaders can hire and develop the right people, and how technology can break through the barriers that traditional training often leaves behind.

Understanding Unsafe Choices

Early in his career, Ecudemio faced a challenge familiar to many safety leaders: workers were still making unsafe decisions despite proper training, resources, and authority. He wanted to understand why.

“I made a transition and I said, hey, I want to get into psychology,” he shared. “I wanted to get to the reason why people decide to work unsafe, even if an organization is doing everything they can.”

This curiosity led him to pursue advanced studies in psychology, equipping him to analyze the human factors behind unsafe acts. Ecudemio emphasizes that most unsafe choices aren’t about willful disregard; they stem from productivity pressures, cultural influences, and individual decision-making patterns. By understanding these drivers, leaders can create systems that naturally encourage safe behaviors rather than relying solely on enforcement.

Replicating Leadership: The Challenge That Shapes You

Leadership isn’t just about enforcing rules; it’s about building other leaders. Early on, Ecudemio recalls being challenged by a senior leader: “You don’t know how to replicate yourself. That’s not how I want to take my department.”

At the time, it felt like a threat. Looking back, he sees it as a defining moment. “Here I am today, still on that same path of how to replicate myself,” he said.

For Ecudemio, leadership replication isn’t about cloning yourself; it’s about mentoring others, developing their judgment, and empowering them to carry forward the culture and standards you’ve worked to establish. It’s a commitment to sustainability in safety programs, ensuring that knowledge and values aren’t lost when leaders move on.

Cultural Matching: Safety Staffing Like Matchmaking

Hiring safety professionals isn’t just about technical skills. Ecudemio compares it to a kind of cultural matchmaking. “Once you identify individuals, it’s about investing in them,” he says.

He explains that assessing a candidate’s fit goes beyond resumes. Video interviews, engagement patterns, and communication style help identify professionals who will integrate effectively with a company’s culture while maintaining safety standards. This approach prevents misalignment that can undermine even the most robust safety program. When culture and capability align, leaders can focus on growing systems rather than constantly firefighting.

Breaking Through Language Barriers

One of the biggest practical challenges Ecudemio has faced is communication across diverse workforces. Safety terminology often doesn’t translate directly. For instance, the word “safety” in Spanish often translates as “security,” which can mislead workers.

His solution? QR-coded micro-videos with subtitles in multiple languages, giving workers immediate access to safety information in their preferred language. “It’s not just about translating words; it’s about ensuring the message lands as intended,” he says.

This technology-driven approach, paired with cultural awareness, creates a more inclusive safety culture where every worker understands expectations and procedures, regardless of language or literacy level.

Succession Planning: Building Safety for the Future

Scaling safety programs requires more than technical expertise; it demands strategic leadership development. Ecudemio stresses the importance of succession planning to ensure continuity and culture preservation. Investing in leaders and providing them with the right support and mentorship ensures that programs can grow and adapt without losing their core values.

As he explains, it’s about delivering on promises to your people. If you commit to developing leaders and creating a safe culture, you have to provide the resources, guidance, and backing to make it happen. Half-measures don’t work.

Key Takeaways

For anyone leading safety and risk management programs, Ecudemio’s insights provide a roadmap:

• Understand the “why.” Unsafe acts often stem from pressures, culture, and decision-making, not defiance.
  
  
• Replicate yourself. Leadership isn’t about being indispensable; it’s about developing others to carry your standards forward.
  
  
• Hire for culture, not just skill. Matching professionals to organizational values is key to long-term success.
  
  
• Invest in clear communication. Overcome language and literacy barriers with thoughtful, technology-enabled solutions.
  
  
• Shift from compliance to care. Focus on people, psychology, and culture rather than solely chasing metrics.
  
  
• Plan for succession. Invest in leaders to preserve culture and ensure sustainable safety programs.
  
  

Final Thoughts

Listening to Ecudemio Gutierrez, you realize that the future of safety leadership isn’t in more checklists; it’s in better understanding people. His approach combines psychology, behavioral science, and hands-on experience to build programs that protect workers, empower leaders, and create lasting culture change.

If you lead a team, manage safety across multiple sites, or are responsible for building a culture that actually works, this episode is for you. Ecudemio reminds us that safety is human first; it’s about giving every worker the knowledge, tools, and environment to make the right choices every day.

Because when leadership understands the human side of safety, we move beyond compliance, beyond metrics, and toward workplaces where safety is instinctive, inclusive, and sustainable.

👉 Don’t miss this deep dive into the human side of safety.

 🎧 Listen here:

Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/4nK1Eoc
Spotify: https://bit.ly/46J39Nj
YouTube: https://youtu.be/7syg9SvLALs