The People Part of Safety: How to Jumpstart a Safer Workplace

May 19, 2026 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM (PDT)

Description

Staff forget to carry radios Operators don’t buckle forklift seatbelts Volunteers lift boxes that are too heavy Staff miss temperature checks Have any of these gaps in safety practice happened in your food bank? Creating a safer workplace isn’t just about policies or compliance—it’s about people and the systems they work in. Even in organizations filled with caring, committed staff and volunteers, safety steps are skipped and small moments turn into big consequences. Why? Because real work is messy. Competing priorities, time pressure, and unclear expectations shape what people actually do in the moment. This session focuses on the intersection of people and systems—what drives behavior and how leaders can design environments where safe practices happen consistently. You’ll learn how to move beyond good intentions and address what’s really getting in the way. We’ll explore three key drivers of behavior—capability, opportunity, and motivation—and apply them to a real situation in your workplace. From there, we’ll connect these insights to the systems that shape daily work—how tools are set up, how workflows function, and how leaders respond in real moments. You’ll leave with one specific behavior to improve and a simple, one-page action plan to test a small change right away. Because safety isn’t just about what people know—it’s about how your system helps them succeed when it matters most. Presenters Nancy Bacon Nancy Bacon is a teacher, instructional designer, and learning strategist with 25+ years in the nonprofit sector. She leads Nancy Bacon Consulting, designing learning experiences that help nonprofit leaders make sense of complexity and take action during change. Nancy has built statewide learning programs and practical tools used by nonprofits, public agencies, and community partners. She co-founded the Nonprofit Learning Center and co-hosts the Nonprofit Radio Show. She has partnered with the Washington Food Coalition since 2021 to design safety and health learning tools. Mark Nilles Mark Nilles is a learning professional with a non-traditional Learning & Development background focused on improving workplace performance through evidence-based approaches. His work spans international development and humanitarian contexts, where he has designed and delivered training and capacity-building programs for diverse audiences around the world. Mark has supported youth employability programs in Palestine and Pakistan, life skills programs in Kyrgyzstan and St. Lucia, and training initiatives for Peace Corps Volunteers and USAID staff globally. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and a Master’s degree in International Education from Florida State University.