In this #StudyFinds episode of #ProveItPod, Dr. Matt Law battles post-conference road fatigue to tackle a brand new case study from the International Journal of Construction Management. The study reviews the implementation of the Army Safety and Occupational Health Management System (ASOHMS) within a USACE district.

While the researchers found a correlation between the system's implementation and a reduction in contractor incident rates, the episode dives deep into the statistical methodology. We compare ASOHMS to ANSI/ASSP Z10 and ISO 45001, break down the double-edged sword of "rolling averages," and ask a tough question: If landmark research proves that TRIR is statistically invalid and driven by random variance, can we really use it to prove our complex management systems are working?

References:

American Society of Safety Professionals. (2019). Occupational health and safety management systems (ANSI/ASSP Z10.0-2019).

Hallowell, M., Quashne, M., Salas, R., Jones, M., MacLean, B., & Quinn, E. (2021). The statistical invalidity of TRIR as a measure of safety performance. Professional Safety, 66(4), 28–34.

Moskowitz, J. M., & McCranie, J. B. (2025). Investigating the impact of army safety and occupational health management system implementation on safety performance indices: case study of a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers district. International Journal of Construction Management, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1080/15623599.2025.2537722

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. (2024). Safety and health requirements manual (EM 385-1-1).

In this #StudyFinds episode of #ProveItPod, we are taking a quick detour from our usual heavy safety metrics this week to look at a headline that recently went viral: "Ohioans have 1.13% chance of being abducted by aliens, study finds." If that were true, over 130,000 people in Ohio would be missing right now!

Dr. Matt Law tracks down the original "study" (published by a sports betting website) and tears apart the methodology. We dive into the raw data to explore why using "insomnia" and "Google search trends" as risk factors is absurd, and why capping a risk score at a 2% maximum because it "feels right" is statistical malpractice. More importantly, we put our safety nerd hats back on to explain the crucial difference between Probability (math) and Likelihood (guessing)—and why confusing the two is a major problem in real-world risk assessments.

Whether you're from Ohio, the "high-risk" state of New Hampshire, or the absolute safe haven of Prince Edward Island, tune in for a lesson in data literacy and a good laugh.

References:

Harris, A. (2026). Alien abduction odds index 2026: Where reports cluster across the U.S. and Canada. Canada Sports Betting. https://www.canadasportsbetting.ca/news/research/alien-abduction-odds-2026/

Millard, K. (2026). Ohioans have 1.13% chance of being abducted by aliens, study finds. NBC4 WCMH-TV. https://www.nbc4i.com/news/local-news/columbus/ohioans-have-1-13-chance-of-being-abducted-by-aliens-study-finds/

In this #StudyFinds episode of #ProveItPod, Dr. Matt Law (running on fumes at hour 71 of a fast) dives into the latest industry report from the What Works Institute and Evotix. We explore the gap between "Industry Sentiment" and "Scientific Evidence," dissect the new trends in AI and SIF prevention, and discuss why standards like ANSI Z16.1 and ASTM E2920-26 are the cure for "muddled data."

References:

American Society of Safety Professionals. (2022). Safety and health metrics and performance measures (ANSI/ASSP Z16.1-2022).

ASTM International. (2026). Standard guide for recording occupational injuries and illnesses (ASTM E2920-26).

What Works Institute & Evotix. (2025). Risk recalibrated: 2026 executive leadership report on AI, SIF and human-centric EHS [White paper]. Evotix. https://www.evotix.com

In this #StudyFinds episode of #ProveItPod, we're going to talk about a clear link between the E and the S in EHS. We check the weather for lightning, but we ignore the smog. This study suggests that air pollution is a massive, hidden multiplier for workplace accidents. If the air is thick, your workers are slower and the risk is higher. Treat an 'Air Quality Alert' like a 'Red Flag Warning' for safety.

References:

Hou, Z., Chen, H., & Zhang, N. (2025). Devil particles: Air pollution and safety liability accidents. Energy Economics, 151, Article 108894. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eneco.2025.108894

American Society of Safety Professionals. (2025). Exposure to air pollution could increase workplace incidents. Professional Safety, 70(X), [Page Numbers]. https://www.assp.org/publications/professional-safety

In this #StudyFinds episode of #ProveItPod, we discuss how we are spending billions on safety interventions, but the evidence base backing them is surprisingly thin. We rely on 'Before and After' success stories that might just be statistical luck. If we want to be taken seriously as a scientific discipline, we need to stop accepting anecdotes as data and start demanding to know the mechanism of change.

References:

Dawney, J., Adams, A., Sykes, K., Maistrello, G., & Fahy, N. (2025). Occupational safety and health interventions: The state of the evidence [Technical report]. Lloyd’s Register Foundation Global Safety Evidence Centre. https://www.lrfoundation.org.uk/publications/OSH-evidence-review

American Society of Safety Professionals. (2026). Report explores how EHS professionals & researchers work together to increase safety. Professional Safety.

In this #StudyFinds episode of #ProveItPod, we’re seeing a generational shift. The martini is out; the gummy is in. But chemically inducing sleep—whether with bourbon or botanicals—isn't the same as actual rest. And if your workforce is 11% stoned at bedtime, we need to ask what that looks like at the 7 AM toolbox talk.

References:

Patrick, M. E., Pang, Y. C., & Terry-McElrath, Y. M. (2025). Cannabis and Alcohol Use to Initiate Sleep Among Young Adults. JAMA Pediatrics, 179(12), 1357–1359. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2025.3642

Safety+Health. (2025, December 24). Young adults relying on cannabis as a sleep aid, study finds. https://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/27689-young-adults-relying-on-cannabis-as-a-sleep-aid-study-finds

In this #StudyFinds episode of #ProveItPod, Dr. Matt Law explores the "Mediocrity Trap". We love to tell young safety pros to 'be the change' and 'stand out.' But this data proves that in many cultures, the nail that sticks out really does get hammered down. If your best employee suddenly starts cutting corners or going quiet, don't assume they burned out. Assume they got lonely. You can't just manage the individual; you have to manage the jealousy of the pack.

References:

Liu, C., Peng, Y., Xu, S., & Azeem, M. U. (2024). Proactive Employees Perceive Coworker Ostracism: The Moderating Effect of Team Envy and the Behavioral Outcome of Production Deviance. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 29(6), 445–459. https://doi.org/10.1037/ocp0000389

Rutgers University. (2025). "Avoiding the workplace mediocrity trap." ScienceDaily. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250218145922.htm

In this #StudyFinds episode of #ProveItPod, Dr. Matt Law takes a dive into the psychological and physiological effects of swearing on physical strength and performance.

We used to think swearing worked because it made us angry (arousal) or numb (pain tolerance). Turns out, it works because it takes the brakes off our brain. It lowers our inhibition. That’s great for lifting a heavy rock. It’s maybe not so great for performing open-heart surgery. Use the F-bomb as a tool, but remember that 'disinhibition' in a safety-critical environment is usually called a 'hazard.'

The News: Devlin, H. (2025, December 18). Don’t hold back, swearing can boost performance by lowering inhibitions, study finds. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2025/dec/18/swearing-can-boost-performance-lowering-inhibitions-study

The Study: Stephens, R., Dowber, H., Richardson, C., & Washmuth, N. B. (2025). “Don’t hold back”: Swearing improves strength through state disinhibition. American Psychologist. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0001650