Engineering Out Risk: Smart Safety Systems with Blake Baldwin
September 4, 2025
"A bad process will beat a good person every time, and about 85% of the variability in safety that we have is due to the processes and not the people." Blake Baldwin
That’s how strongly Blake Baldwin feels about the urgent need to update safety processes and de-risk the working environment. This week on The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management, host Michael Zalle welcomes Blake to explore how smart system and process design can engineer risk out of daily operations. From forklift screen safeguards to food temperature monitoring, Blake shows how small process changes create big impacts. Together, they unpack why safety must move beyond training to become a proactive, data-driven strategy that protects people while enhancing performance.
"A bad process will beat a good person every time, and about 85% of the variability that we have is due to the processes and not the people." Blake Baldwin
That’s how strongly Blake Baldwin feels about the urgent need to update safety processes and de-risk the working environment. This week on The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management, host Michael Zalle welcomes Blake to explore how smart system and process design can engineer risk out of daily operations. From forklift screen safeguards to food temperature monitoring, Blake shows how small process changes create big impacts. Together, they unpack why safety must move beyond training to become a proactive, data-driven strategy that protects people while enhancing performance.
Here are some of the topics that Michael and Blake explore:
- How to engineer safety controls that outlast one-time training sessions
- Why are default system settings crucial for preventing accidents
- The "Temperature Tail" framework for maintaining food safety across supply chains
- How to transform safety metrics from reactive measurements to proactive risk prevention
- Why "you should have been aware" is a failed approach to safety
- How to leverage third-party perspectives to identify blind spots in safety protocols
- The power of weekly micro-surveys and recognition programs in building a sustainable safety culture
- The direct correlation between safety and improved quality and productivity metrics
Blake Baldwin is a Director of Logistics Strategy and Integration, where he leads supply chain efficiency, analytics, and safety-driven innovation. With a background in mechanical engineering and an MBA, Blake has built expertise across chemical manufacturing, CPG, and retail logistics, including roles with Walmart. A university professor and founder, he’s passionate about process improvement, advanced manufacturing, and building systems that engineer out risk. Known for turning data into action, Blake champions safety as the foundation of operational excellence.
Episode Resources: