When a workplace incident happens, who’s held responsible—and how?

This week, James Junkin and Dr. Logan Martin take on one of the most contentious debates in safety leadership: the line between accountability and blame.

With safety investigations on the rise and regulators sharpening their focus, leaders face a complex reality.

Post-incident reviews can either drive improvement or spark fear and silence.

So how do we build cultures that learn without letting negligence slide?

Inside the episode:

• Why “no-blame” cultures are often misunderstood

• When accountability is necessary—and when it backfires

• The role of progressive discipline in a safety-first workplace

• How OSHA treats unpreventable employee misconduct defenses

• Documentation mistakes that weaken your internal defense

This episode offers a clear, field-tested view of what safety leadership looks like when it’s done right.

The Risk Matrix Podcast is powered by Veriforce.Learn more at veriforce.com