Prove It To Me - Real Research, Real Data, No BS

In this #StudyFinds episode of #ProveItPod, Dr. Matt Law (running on fumes at hour 71 of a fast) dives into the latest industry report from the What Works Institute and Evotix. We explore the gap between "Industry Sentiment" and "Scientific Evidence," dissect the new trends in AI and SIF prevention, and discuss why standards like ANSI Z16.1 and ASTM E2920-26 are the cure for "muddled data."
References:
American Society of Safety Professionals. (2022). Safety and health metrics and performance measures (ANSI/ASSP Z16.1-2022).
ASTM International. (2026). Standard guide for recording occupational injuries and illnesses (ASTM E2920-26).
What Works Institute & Evotix. (2025). Risk recalibrated: 2026 executive leadership report on AI, SIF and human-centric EHS [White paper]. Evotix. https://www.evotix.com

In this #StudyFinds episode of #ProveItPod, we're going to talk about a clear link between the E and the S in EHS. We check the weather for lightning, but we ignore the smog. This study suggests that air pollution is a massive, hidden multiplier for workplace accidents. If the air is thick, your workers are slower and the risk is higher. Treat an 'Air Quality Alert' like a 'Red Flag Warning' for safety.
References: 
Hou, Z., Chen, H., & Zhang, N. (2025). Devil particles: Air pollution and safety liability accidents. Energy Economics, 151, Article 108894. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eneco.2025.108894
American Society of Safety Professionals. (2025). Exposure to air pollution could increase workplace incidents. Professional Safety, 70(X), [Page Numbers]. https://www.assp.org/publications/professional-safety

In this #StudyFinds episode of #ProveItPod, we discuss how we are spending billions on safety interventions, but the evidence base backing them is surprisingly thin. We rely on 'Before and After' success stories that might just be statistical luck. If we want to be taken seriously as a scientific discipline, we need to stop accepting anecdotes as data and start demanding to know the mechanism of change.
References:
Dawney, J., Adams, A., Sykes, K., Maistrello, G., & Fahy, N. (2025). Occupational safety and health interventions: The state of the evidence [Technical report]. Lloyd’s Register Foundation Global Safety Evidence Centre. https://www.lrfoundation.org.uk/publications/OSH-evidence-review
American Society of Safety Professionals. (2026). Report explores how EHS professionals & researchers work together to increase safety. Professional Safety.

In this #StudyFinds episode of #ProveItPod, we’re seeing a generational shift. The martini is out; the gummy is in. But chemically inducing sleep—whether with bourbon or botanicals—isn't the same as actual rest. And if your workforce is 11% stoned at bedtime, we need to ask what that looks like at the 7 AM toolbox talk.
References:
Patrick, M. E., Pang, Y. C., & Terry-McElrath, Y. M. (2025). Cannabis and Alcohol Use to Initiate Sleep Among Young Adults. JAMA Pediatrics, 179(12), 1357–1359. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2025.3642
Safety+Health. (2025, December 24). Young adults relying on cannabis as a sleep aid, study finds. https://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/27689-young-adults-relying-on-cannabis-as-a-sleep-aid-study-finds

In this #StudyFinds episode of #ProveItPod, Dr. Matt Law explores the "Mediocrity Trap". We love to tell young safety pros to 'be the change' and 'stand out.' But this data proves that in many cultures, the nail that sticks out really does get hammered down. If your best employee suddenly starts cutting corners or going quiet, don't assume they burned out. Assume they got lonely. You can't just manage the individual; you have to manage the jealousy of the pack.
References:
Liu, C., Peng, Y., Xu, S., & Azeem, M. U. (2024). Proactive Employees Perceive Coworker Ostracism: The Moderating Effect of Team Envy and the Behavioral Outcome of Production Deviance. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 29(6), 445–459. https://doi.org/10.1037/ocp0000389
Rutgers University. (2025). "Avoiding the workplace mediocrity trap." ScienceDaily. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250218145922.htm

In this #StudyFinds episode of #ProveItPod, Dr. Matt Law takes a dive into the psychological and physiological effects of swearing on physical strength and performance.
We used to think swearing worked because it made us angry (arousal) or numb (pain tolerance). Turns out, it works because it takes the brakes off our brain. It lowers our inhibition. That’s great for lifting a heavy rock. It’s maybe not so great for performing open-heart surgery. Use the F-bomb as a tool, but remember that 'disinhibition' in a safety-critical environment is usually called a 'hazard.'
The News: Devlin, H. (2025, December 18). Don’t hold back, swearing can boost performance by lowering inhibitions, study finds. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2025/dec/18/swearing-can-boost-performance-lowering-inhibitions-study
The Study: Stephens, R., Dowber, H., Richardson, C., & Washmuth, N. B. (2025). “Don’t hold back”: Swearing improves strength through state disinhibition. American Psychologist. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0001650

In this brand new episode of #ProveItPod, Dr. Matt Law gives up the host chair to Wyatt Bradbury for a quirky yet critical year-in-review about the podcast. Who is the best Batman, and what's in store for next year?
Listen now at www.proveitpod.com or wherever you get your podcasts, and find the full video at https://youtu.be/YJrPZ8fmbqY

In this brand new episode of #ProveItPod, Dr. Matt Law talks to Georgia Bryce-Hutchinson about addressing mental health and psychosocial hazards through corporate therapy solutions and relying on subject matter experts. Are your workers at risk?
Listen now at www.proveitpod.com or wherever you get your podcasts!
 
About Georgia Bryce-Hutchinson:
Georgia A. Bryce-Hutchinson is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Workplace Mental Health Consultant & Trainer, and Certified Professional Life Coach at Building Families According to Pattern, LLC. With a background in Environmental Engineering, she brings a systems-thinking approach to corporate mental health—designing strategic coaching and training solutions that reduce stress, build resilience, and enhance wellbeing. Georgia partners with organizations to advance psychological health and safety, crisis response, and leadership development, driving employee engagement, retention, and performance. She has delivered high-impact keynotes and technical presentations for the ASSP, NSC, General Motors, Veriforce, Georgia Safety Conference, and more. Since 2022, she has led mental health initiatives for L’Oréal, facilitating programs for emergency response teams, frontline leaders, and HR professionals. As a Safety FOCUS trainer with ASSP, she champions wellness among safety professionals. Widely recognized in both traditional and digital media, Georgia is a trusted voice on workplace mental health and employee wellbeing.
 
Episode Resources:
Building Families According To Pattern, LLC with Georgia Bryce-Hutchinsonwww.bfatpllc.com
LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/georgiabryce/
Linked Newsletter – The Therapy Room and Beyondhttps://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/6883118076557053952/
Podcast Guest - Psych Health and Safety USA – “Work Shouldn’t Hurt Emotionally”https://youtu.be/IAQ3C83lzrQ?si=0Ak3I9qHonvpvdxJ

In this brand new episode of #ProveItPod, Dr. Matt Law talks to Dr. Fred Sherratt about social science methodologies, critical discourse analysis, and "safety without the spin". Do construction workers see through your bulls***?
Listen now at www.proveitpod.com or wherever you get your podcasts!
 
About Dr. Fred Sherratt:
Dr. Fred Sherratt is an internationally recognized, world-leading academic in the field of construction safety.  A Chartered Builder and a Chartered Building Engineer, she has over ten years’ experience working on UK construction jobsites, with over another ten working as an academic in UK Universities.  Her last role in the UK was as a Professor of Construction Sociology, and she moved to the US in 2022 to continue her work in the science of construction safety.  Fred is currently joint coordinator of the international CIB research commission W099 Worker Health, Safety and Wellbeing in Construction, and has presented her work to academic and industry audiences around the world.
 
Episode Resources:
Unpacking Construction Site Safety  https://a.co/d/1WQQogW
 
Sherratt F (2013) Et in Arcadia ego? 'Zero target' safety programmes in the UK construction industry. In: Smith, S D and Ahiaga-Dagbui, D D (Eds.), Proceedings 29th Annual ARCOM Conference, 2-4 September 2013, Reading, UK, Association of Researchers in Construction Management, 299–308 http://arcom.ac.uk/abstracts-results.php?title=&author=sherratt&keyword=&p=#7822
 
Exploring ‘Zero Target’ safety programmes in the UK construction industry: Construction Management and Economics: Vol 32, No 7-8 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01446193.2014.894248
 
Sherratt, F. and Dainty, A.R.J. (2017) UK construction safety: a zero paradox? Policy and Practice in Health and Safety, 15(2) 108-116. https://doi.org/10.1080/14773996.2017.1305040
 
Sherratt, F., Harch, D. and Perez, A. (2024) Making Zero Work for Construction Safety in a Post-Zero World, Journal of Safety Research, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsr.2024.08.016
 
Sherratt, F and Sherratt, S (2017) The Road To Hell: Worker Health, Safety And Wellbeing Within UK Corporate Social Responsibility Practices. In: Chan, P W and Neilson, C J (Eds.), Proceedings 33rd Annual ARCOM Conference, 4-6 September 2017, Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, UK. Association of Researchers in Construction Management, 389–398 http://arcom.ac.uk/abstracts-results.php?title=&author=sherratt&keyword=&p=#13237
 

In this #StudyFinds episode of #ProveItPod, Dr. Matt Law dives into a recent study that explores how sleep can affect dark personality traits. Are your sleep habits sending you to the dark side? Listen now to find out!
Episode Resources:
Poor sleep can bring out workers' darker side, study finds - Safety+Health Magazine
Kuijpers, E., Vergauwe, J., Vanderperre, S., Mairesse, O., & Hofmans, J. (2025). Rise of the Dark Side: How Sleep Perception Triggers Dark Triad States at Work. Journal of Organizational Behavior. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.2885