NSCN Member Spotlight
The Member Spotlight highlights a standout member of the National Safety Council – Nebraska Chapter. This spotlight is an opportunity to share successful safety practices, innovative ideas, and real-world strategies that help keep workplaces safer.
Do you have a unique safety practice at your organization and want to share it? Reach out to your account manager about being in our member spotlight!
Schneider Electric Uses AI to Stop Ergonomic Injuries Before They Start
Many companies address ergonomic issues after someone gets hurt. Schneider Electric is working diligently to prevent those injuries before they happen.
They use Ergo Plus, an AI-powered ergonomic assessment platform that analyzes employees’ movements while they perform their jobs. By reviewing video footage, the software identifies awkward postures, repetitive motions, lifting concerns, and other risk factors that could lead to injuries. Instead of relying only on visual observations, the AI provides objective data that helps the safety team focus on the highest-risk tasks.
The software does more than identify problems. It also recommends ways to reduce risk, giving Schneider Electric’s team a starting point for engineering or administrative improvements. Every manufacturing process has been reviewed, and potential ergonomic issues have been fixed early instead of after employees began to experience pain or injuries.
This proactive approach is paying off. After implementing Ergo Plus, Schneider Electric reduced ergonomic cases from 22 to 15 in one year—a 31.8% reduction that surpassed the company’s original goal of a 10% improvement.
Technology is only part of the program. Employees also have access to an on-site physical therapist, massage therapist, and warm wax hand treatments to help relieve soreness and address issues before they become more serious.
Schneider Electric’s commitment to safety goes beyond ergonomics. Warehouse aisles spell out the word SAFE, with each aisle displaying reminders that reinforce safe work habits. Heat and motion activated warning lights alert employees when forklifts or pedestrians are nearby, and very narrow aisle forklifts use an underground wire guidance system that keeps them centered in the aisle so operators can focus on handling materials safely.
The company also keeps safety engaging. Teams compete in a race-themed safety challenge, where the group with the strongest safety performance and fewest incidents earns a prize. Employees can also contribute to a “Why Do You Stay Safe?” display by posting photos or writing down the people and moments that motivate them to work safely every day.
By combining AI, preventative care, practical engineering controls, and employee engagement, Schneider Electric continues to build a strong culture of safety.
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From OSHA Citations to 20 Million Observations
June 2026
Not many people plan to spend their career in workplace safety. Steve Polich certainly didn’t expect to. But somewhere between a chemical warehouse, a stack of OSHA citations, and a cup of coffee in Omaha, he ended up building something that’s made job sites across North America measurably safer.
Steve’s entry into safety was closer to a trial by fire, or as he puts it, a “baptism by fire.” While working as an operations manager at a chemical distributor, he went through his first OSHA compliance audit and got written up. Hard.
“I’ll never forget the first time I went through an OSHA compliance audit. OSHA walked through the facility and wrote us up, a lot. It was quite an experience. We had a lot of ground to make up, I was tasked with writing a few policies and programs. I started going to conferences focused on safety and I took a liking to it.” — Steve Polich, ConTechTrio Podcast
Steve started attending safety conferences, writing policies, and doing the grit-and-grime work of digging into the regulations, standardizing processes and ultimately creating a safe working environment.
After leaving that company, Steve joined NSCN and trained safety professionals across Nebraska. He then moved into insurance, working in loss control across construction, manufacturing, food production, and industrial environments, spending over a decade walking job sites across the Midwest.
During those years, Steve developed a simple litmus test for real safety culture. He’d ask workers:
“What would happen if you didn’t follow that procedure?”
Most answered: “I’d get written up” or “my boss would yell at me.”
The answer he was looking for?: “I could get hurt.”
That gap between compliance and safety culture became the problem he spent the next decade trying to close. After every inspection, Steve would spend as much time writing reports as he did actually doing the inspection. One hour on site, one hour typing up notes.
Four-hour inspection?
Four-hour report.
Manually.
Every time.
The irony was impossible to ignore: identifying real-world risks, the part that actually saves lives, was constantly taking a backseat to the tedious work of writing up a report.
Safety consultants everywhere knew this pain. And yet, nobody had fixed it.
In Omaha, over coffee with his future co-founder, Chet Slump, Steve said something simple: “Wouldn’t it be nice if there was an app for that?”
Chet’s response: “Draw it up and let’s build it.”
Steve spent the next year building a database of 400+ inspection questions, linking each one to the relevant OSHA regulation, and designing a workflow that reflected how safety professionals actually worked, not just how software engineers imagined they worked. The result was SafetyReports.
“Most consultants and safety managers investing time in writing reports were saving so much time using SafetyReports, they had it paid off in the first 2 weeks. The return on investment was immediate,” — Steve Polich
Steve built SafetyReports with one rule front and center, and non-negotiable: if it’s too complicated, people won’t use it. And if people don’t use it, safety doesn’t improve. Simple.
SafetyReports was designed to turn a one-hour post-inspection write-up into something that happens in real time, on a phone, right on the jobsite. Photos attached. OSHA standards linked. Reports are generated without anyone having to open a spreadsheet on a computer.
The data piece turned out to be the quiet differentiator. Safety observation data, built over time, gives teams the ability to see patterns they’d never catch inspection by inspection. That’s how you move from reactive to proactive, from a safety program that looks good on paper to one that actually changes behavior and pushes your culture in the direction you want it to go.
Want to see it in action? Learn more about SafetyReports or book a call with SafetyReports to see it firsthand. Find out how much time you could get back from the part nobody likes, while actually keeping your people safe.
Today, SafetyReports has logged over 20 million safety observations across North America. In 2022, SafetyReports was acquired by AlignOps, connecting jobsite safety with equipment, workforce, and operation management. Smarter inspections, less friction, more accountability.
Steve remains involved with SafetyReports as an advisor. The platform he built, because he hated typing reports, is now helping thousands of safety professionals across every industry spend less time on paperwork and more time keeping their people safe. Construction, manufacturing, agriculture, food production… when Nebraska shows up for work, SafetyReports is probably there too.
From OSHA Citations to 20 Million Observations
June 2026
Not many people plan to spend their career in workplace safety. Steve Polich certainly didn’t expect to. But somewhere between a chemical warehouse, a stack of OSHA citations, and a cup of coffee in Omaha, he ended up building something that’s made job sites across North America measurably safer.
Steve’s entry into safety was closer to a trial by fire, or as he puts it, a “baptism by fire.” While working as an operations manager at a chemical distributor, he went through his first OSHA compliance audit and got written up. Hard.
“I’ll never forget the first time I went through an OSHA compliance audit. OSHA walked through the facility and wrote us up, a lot. It was quite an experience. We had a lot of ground to make up, I was tasked with writing a few policies and programs. I started going to conferences focused on safety and I took a liking to it.” — Steve Polich, ConTechTrio Podcast
Steve started attending safety conferences, writing policies, and doing the grit-and-grime work of digging into the regulations, standardizing processes and ultimately creating a safe working environment.
After leaving that company, Steve joined NSCN and trained safety professionals across Nebraska. He then moved into insurance, working in loss control across construction, manufacturing, food production, and industrial environments, spending over a decade walking job sites across the Midwest.
During those years, Steve developed a simple litmus test for real safety culture. He’d ask workers:
“What would happen if you didn’t follow that procedure?”
Most answered: “I’d get written up” or “my boss would yell at me.”
The answer he was looking for?: “I could get hurt.”
That gap between compliance and safety culture became the problem he spent the next decade trying to close. After every inspection, Steve would spend as much time writing reports as he did actually doing the inspection. One hour on site, one hour typing up notes.
Four-hour inspection?
Four-hour report.
Manually.
Every time.
The irony was impossible to ignore: identifying real-world risks, the part that actually saves lives, was constantly taking a backseat to the tedious work of writing up a report.
Safety consultants everywhere knew this pain. And yet, nobody had fixed it.
In Omaha, over coffee with his future co-founder, Chet Slump, Steve said something simple: “Wouldn’t it be nice if there was an app for that?”
Chet’s response: “Draw it up and let’s build it.”
Steve spent the next year building a database of 400+ inspection questions, linking each one to the relevant OSHA regulation, and designing a workflow that reflected how safety professionals actually worked, not just how software engineers imagined they worked. The result was SafetyReports.
“Most consultants and safety managers investing time in writing reports were saving so much time using SafetyReports, they had it paid off in the first 2 weeks. The return on investment was immediate,” — Steve Polich
Steve built SafetyReports with one rule front and center, and non-negotiable: if it’s too complicated, people won’t use it. And if people don’t use it, safety doesn’t improve. Simple.
SafetyReports was designed to turn a one-hour post-inspection write-up into something that happens in real time, on a phone, right on the jobsite. Photos attached. OSHA standards linked. Reports are generated without anyone having to open a spreadsheet on a computer.
The data piece turned out to be the quiet differentiator. Safety observation data, built over time, gives teams the ability to see patterns they’d never catch inspection by inspection. That’s how you move from reactive to proactive, from a safety program that looks good on paper to one that actually changes behavior and pushes your culture in the direction you want it to go.
Want to see it in action? Learn more about SafetyReports or book a call with SafetyReports to see it firsthand. Find out how much time you could get back from the part nobody likes, while actually keeping your people safe.
Today, SafetyReports has logged over 20 million safety observations across North America. In 2022, SafetyReports was acquired by AlignOps, connecting jobsite safety with equipment, workforce, and operation management. Smarter inspections, less friction, more accountability.
Steve remains involved with SafetyReports as an advisor. The platform he built, because he hated typing reports, is now helping thousands of safety professionals across every industry spend less time on paperwork and more time keeping their people safe. Construction, manufacturing, agriculture, food production… when Nebraska shows up for work, SafetyReports is probably there too.
To Stay Safe, Miller Electric Stays People-Focused
At Miller Electric, safety is more than policies, checklists, and if someone is wearing all their PPE—it’s about people. Ken Madison, Miller Electric Safety Director, says Miller Electric fosters a culture where employees know they are cared for.
It is important to make it a point to get to know people personally. He believes that having a genuine connection is what helps keep everyone safe. “When you work on the relationship first—safety comes easy,” Ken says. I want everyone to know that they are expected to work safe, not only because it’s a rule on paper, but because Miller Electric wants them to go home unharmed at the end of the day to enjoy the reasons they come to work.
That personal care doesn’t stop at the jobsite. If a worker is injured, Ken makes sure that the proper medical attention is provided if needed. In addition, Ken follows up to make sure they’re getting the support they need by helping them navigate worker’s compensation process and checking in during their recovery. “The workforce needs to know that ‘Miller has their back,’” Ken explains. Ken went on to say that when an employee does have a work injury that requires medical attention, he expects the care providers to give Miller Electric employees the same level of care that he would want his wife, children, and grandchildren to receive.
To reinforce this culture of care, Ken has been given the support by Miller Electric Executives to build and assemble an in-house safety department. Currently the Miller Safety Team consists of 10 “home grown” members. Rather than hiring from outside, Ken sees the value in developing Miller Electric’s own people. His philosophy on this is simple, “the individual from the workforce that becomes a safety team member already has a relationship with the workforce. They also know the daily struggles the workforce may encounter”. These team members are actively training to become Certified Safety and Health Officials (CSHO) through the National Safety Council – Nebraska Chapter (NSCN). They’re also becoming certified First Aid/CPR/AED trainers through NSCN, which will give them the knowledge to pass along life-saving skills to others in the company.
Beyond that, they take courses such as OSHA 500 and OSHA 510 with NSCN to deepen their expertise, ensuring that Miller Electric’s safety knowledge continues to grow from within. Ken himself regularly visits jobsites both to monitor safety, to work on and foster good relationships, and let everyone know that safety is everyone’s responsibility. Safety starts with you.
The results of this people-first approach are clear: Miller Electric employees feel valued, cared for, and supported; not just as workers, but as human beings. That sense of belonging not only keeps them safe but strengthens their mental health by reinforcing that they are important members of the Miller family.
At Miller Electric, safety starts with relationships, proving every day that when employees know you care, they’ll stay safe.
The last thing that Ken left us with was this, “Safety starts at home with the person in the mirror before you leave your family to come to work for the day”.
Ronco Construction Hosts Safety Stand-Down In NSCN Learning Lab
When the time came to hold their annual Safety Stand-Down event, Ronco Construction decided to change things up from their usual jobsite location and bring the event indoors at the National Safety Council – Nebraska Chapter (NSCN) Learning Lab. It was a day filled with education, laughs, celebration, and most importantly, safety.
The day included hands-on training from NSCN Workplace Safety Instructors covering fall protection, scissorlift safety, and forklift operator training. Ronco employees also underwent harness and PPE fittings to ensure they have the proper protection while on job sites. In addition, the Traffic Safety Advocate from Our Driving Concern led a roadway safety presentation, reinforcing safe driving practices both on and off the job.
A highlight of the day was the presentation of the NSCN Presidential Award to Trevor Siebe, a Ronco employee who used his first aid and CPR training (learned through work) to save his father’s life. This powerful example emphasized the real-world impact of investing in safety education.
Mike Langford, Chief Operating Officer of Ronco Construction, shared the company’s perspective:
“At Ronco, safety is one of our core values, and that drives our decisions, not just our documentation. It’s a responsibility we carry as an industry-leading construction company. Our partnership with the National Safety Council – Nebraska Chapter helps us reinforce that commitment through meaningful action. Our annual Safety Stand-Down is one example of how we bring our culture of care to life, creating space to pause, reflect, and recommit to protecting every person who steps foot on our jobsites. Our employees and trade partners deserve nothing less.”
Ronco not only meets compliance requirements — they foster a culture where safety is everyone’s top priority. Their proactive approach and company-wide commitment to safety show that when it comes to protecting people, they are willing to go above and beyond (and have some fun while doing it, too).
View the video from the event here:
Case Study: How Crete Carrier Corporation Sees Safety Success with the Use of Streamery Videos
At Crete Carrier, safety is a core value woven into every part of their operation. In fact, the first of the company’s seven principles is “Safety – First and Foremost.” Over the years, the company has modified and improved their onboarding and retraining process to include safety videos and quizzes from Streamery. Streamery is an online video service that is included for free with your membership to the National Safety Council – Nebraska Chapter (NSCN).
The Power of NSCN Resources
Prior to the use of Streamery, Crete Carrier did not have a robust library of safety related videos available. These materials often lacked relevance to the specific needs of their technicians, drivers, and office staff. A turning point in Crete Carrier’s training program was its integration of Streamery’s extensive video library. These videos, covering everything from forklift operation to bloodborne pathogens to how to use a hammer, are not only informative but also come equipped with ready-made quizzes. This saves valuable time and ensures high-quality content.
Beyond convenience, what stands out is the ability to select videos that reflect real workplace conditions. For example, when training shop technicians the team can choose forklift videos that visually align with their work environment, making the training more relatable and impactful. When project manager Efrain Izaguirre discovered that he could stream hundreds of high quality, specific safety videos with his NSCN membership, he jumped on the opportunity to enhance his team’s onboarding and retraining program. Crete Carrier’s platform tracks course completions and expiration dates, ensures consistent annual retraining, and gives employees the freedom to explore additional courses if they wish. Each course includes quizzes, downloaded from Streamery, to reinforce knowledge. Passing requires at least an 80% and participants who fail are encouraged to rewatch and reengage. This ensures that they understand the important safety concepts being taught.
Creative Approaches to Engagement
To combat training fatigue and make safety stick, Crete Carrier introduced an innovative internal campaign: the “Don’t Be a Paul” video series. These humorous yet educational videos feature an employee named Paul walking through common safety missteps while a narrator highlights what not to do.
The result? Increased recognition and engagement. One driver even recognized Paul on-site from the video series, proving that the message is getting through. The videos are now a great addition to the Streamery videos — turning routine safety messages into memorable learning.
Behind the scenes, Crete Carrier backs its training with injury tracking and proactive outreach. Shop-related injuries are closely monitored and tracked. Weekly meetings with the workers’ compensation and return-to-work staff help the safety team stay ahead of issues.
When incidents occur, the team initiates “coachable calls”—not to assign blame, but to understand root causes and improve conditions. This open-door approach allows technicians to voice concerns and suggest changes. It’s a strategy rooted in trust and continuous improvement, and it has helped reduce injuries and enhance accountability across departments.
Focused on Safety
With a commitment to yearly retraining and ongoing efforts like toolbox talks and shop competitions, Crete Carrier continues to elevate its safety culture. They prioritize safety across the board, sending not just their drivers and shop technicians, but also their managers to safety trainings at NSCN. This ensures that the entire team is aligned and committed to a culture of safety. Crete Carrier fully leverages their NSCN membership benefits (such as Streamery safety videos and discounts on training) to elevate their safety culture and set a high standard across their organization. “I can’t be happier because it makes my job easier, 100%”, quotes Izaguirre.
Thermal Services Proudly Displays Nebraska's Safest Companies Awards and New Workplace Driving Safety Award at Front Entrance
July, 2025
At Thermal Services, safety isn’t just a priority—it’s a way of life. As a seven-time recipient of the Nebraska’s Safest Companies award, the team has shown time and again that protecting employees is central to how they operate. This year, they’ve added another impressive accolade to their collection: the Workplace Driving Safety award, recognizing their commitment to keeping employees safe on and off the road.
Walk into their facility, and you’ll immediately see what safety means to them – their awards are proudly displayed at the front counter, serving as a daily reminder of what they’ve accomplished and what they stand for.
But it’s not all formalities. Every month, staff look forward to the tradition of sharing a Casey’s pizza while holding their monthly safety meeting. It’s a simple but meaningful ritual that brings the team together and combines important conversations about safety with a shared meal and a sense of camaraderie.
At the heart of it all is their mission: to ensure every employee goes home safe to their families and loved ones. Thermal Services believes that safety at work is essential for people to live the lives they want outside of work.