Human First Safety Leadership and Scaling Culture with Derek Cox
June 11, 2026
I discuss workplace safety and construction safety management with Derek Cox to see how safety leadership and site safety improve through human connection. We talk about how risk management and safety culture evolve when you focus on building relationships. I find his story of moving from the tools to the office shows why authentic experience matters in our industry.
I sit down with Derek Cox to explore workplace safety and construction safety management while we look into how risk management and safety culture thrive. We discuss the transition from being a union plumber to a safety director and the lessons learned along that winding path. You will hear why safety leadership requires a shift toward modern tactics that resonate with today's crews. We dive into the specific ways proactive safety and hazard management can be scaled even in high pressure environments like data center builds. This conversation is a deep dive into worker protection and why occupational health depends on the support you give your frontline leaders.
What You’ll Learn:
- How safety leadership changes when you use appreciation and coaching for your teams.
- The reason safety culture improves when you focus on what people do right every day.
- Why risk management in data centers requires specialized technical knowledge about liquid cooling.
- The way safety training and worker protection scale through a unique champion program.
- How proactive safety prevents injuries in dangerous concrete pumping operations during early hours.
About the Guest:
Derek Cox is the safety director at Mann Mechanical Company Inc. and brings over twenty years of experience in construction safety management. He started his career as a union journeyman plumber before moving into safety leadership roles where he now manages worker protection for hundreds of employees. Derek has a unique background that includes an aviation degree and a pilot's license which gives him a different perspective on risk management and standard procedures. He is a strong believer in building a human first safety culture and focuses on empowering foremen to own site safety on their own job sites.
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