Leading Safety at Scale from Amazon to OSHA: Insights from Heather MacDougall
July 10, 2025
Treating safety as just a compliance box to check is a mistake, especially at scale. In this episode of The Canary Report, host Michael Zalle sits down with Heather MacDougall, former Chief Safety Officer at Amazon and Chair of the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, to talk about leading 9,000+ safety pros across 1,000+ sites, navigating the chaos of COVID, and reshaping how we think about risk. From "two-way door" decisions to building real partnerships, it’s a candid look at safety leadership in complex and high-stakes environments.
Treating safety as just a compliance box to check is a mistake, especially at scale. In this episode of
The Canary Report, host
Michael Zalle sits down with
Heather MacDougall, former Chief Safety Officer at Amazon and Chair of the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, to talk about leading 9,000+ safety pros across 1,000+ sites, navigating the chaos of COVID, and reshaping how we think about risk. From "two-way door" decisions to building real partnerships, it’s a candid look at safety leadership in complex and high-stakes environments.
Topics that we discuss:
- Structuring safety teams with the “four-legged stool” model that actually works
- Balancing compliance with operational needs and getting things done
- Why OSHA needs an upgrade, and how public-private partnerships help
- Using “two-way” vs “one-way” doors to make smart safety calls
- Shifting from checkbox safety to performance that sticks
- Letting data and tech drive risk decisions before things go wrong
- Moving past TRIR and bringing more voices to the table
- Knowing when to build safety expertise, and when to bring it in
Heather MacDougall, Esq. and CSP, is a recognized leader in workplace safety and regulatory strategy with over 30 years of experience helping organizations reduce risk and drive real improvement. As Chief Safety Officer at Amazon, she led 9,000+ professionals and championed safety for 1.6 million employees across 1,000+ sites, managing $1B in projects and COVID response. As Chair of OSHRC, she issued landmark decisions and streamlined case management. A trusted advisor, keynote speaker, and policy voice, Heather brings deep cross-functional insight to the evolving future of safety leadership.
Episode Resources: