Why Workplaces Have Learned to Celebrate Safety, not Dodge It

Greg Crumpton lives by a simple mantra: Relationships drive business. Each week on Straight Outta Crumpton, Crumpton dives into the lost art of networking and speaks with the biggest influencers in business services to learn how they build, nurture and value their professional relationships.

 

Technology might have been the most essential tool over the past year. For those in the safety and risk management industry, that was no different. Host of Straight Outta Crumpton, Greg Crumpton, talked with Abby Ferri, Senior Risk Control Consultant, at Gallagher about safety and risk management, technology and podcasting in the pandemic world.

Gallagher Worldwide “is an American global insurance brokerage and risk management services firm.”

Crumpton and Ferri met in the safety world when Ferri was brought into Crumpton’s office as a consultant. Crumpton, a self-described “safety cheerleader,” noted the importance of safety in the workplace. Ferri’s job is to work with clients to minimize risk, which Crumpton said is vital because companies should promote workplace safety.

“I grew up in the field working with tools and climbing ladders, scaring the crap out of our safety guy,” Crumpton said. “We’ve evolved.” He noted how much more aware and cautious his company is, and instead of dodging a safety expert, they celebrate folks who do things the right way.

“I try to be the technology whisperer for other safety professionals. In that sense (technologically) the pandemic, while an awful, challenging event, I’ve been able to shine through it.” – Abby Ferri

Technology is another vital aspect of the pandemic world. Ferri talked about the importance of knowing, understanding, and using these tools to communicate and work in a world where we are apart. What she didn’t realize, though, is that all her years spent learning these tools was crucial.

“I think this is the moment I was preparing for but didn’t realize it,” Ferri said. “I try to be the technology whisperer for other safety professionals. In that sense (technologically) the pandemic, while an awful, challenging event, I’ve been able to shine through it.”

Crumpton noted Ferri’s ability to focus on the positive in the world. While many bad things are increasing, such as liquor sales, Ferri turned to producing and investing in good things. One of those things is her podcast, Safety Justice League podcast, which she co-hosts.

Make Sure to Follow Along for More Episodes of Straight Outta Crumpton!

Straight Outta Crumpton with Greg Crumpton

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

team
When Your Team Becomes the Bottleneck
February 25, 2026

In a candid take on organizational blind spots, Mollie Gaby, Principal at CG Infinity, highlights a hard truth many leaders avoid: sometimes your biggest pain point isn’t your technology or your strategy — it’s your staff. A common red flag is resistance to change. When team members are unwilling to explore new tools, automate…

Read More
asset visibility
Diagnosing Your Capital Asset Health: Why Asset Visibility Is the New Financial Imperative in Healthcare
February 25, 2026

Hospitals and surgery centers own millions of dollars in equipment — but owning assets and having actionable visibility into them are two different things. Most systems maintain inventories, yet many struggle with outdated records, fragmented tracking, and limited insight into useful life or service contracts. With nearly half of U.S. hospitals reporting negative operating…

Read More
CFO
From Public Accounting to CFO: The Leadership Wake-Up Call
February 25, 2026

The CFO seat is being rewritten in real time. Today’s finance leaders are expected to drive growth, lead enterprise-wide systems transformations, and shape AI strategy—while still keeping the close, controls, and capital story airtight. Gartner reports that 59% of finance leaders are already using AI in the finance function, underscoring how rapidly the role is…

Read More
restorative practices
Building Safer Schools Through Restorative Practices
February 24, 2026

School Safety Today podcast, presented by Raptor Technologies. In this episode of Principals of Change, host Dr. Amy Grosso sits down with D’Jon Pitchford, Assistant Principal at Kelly Lane Middle School in Pflugerville ISD, to explore what school safety really means. Pitchford reframes safety as more than physical security—emphasizing trust, restorative practices, campus culture,…

Read More