Episode 254
- Marisa Palmieri Shugrue
- 4 hours ago
- 2 min read
12/11/25
Topic: Safety Training That Actually Works
Guest: Todd Burke, COO, & Linda Midyett, Director of Safety
In this episode we discuss:
Our sponsors Coalmarch by Workwave, PestSure & Voice for Pest
PMP Industry Insiders Peer GroupsÂ
PestSure's background and expertise as a pest-specific captive insurer for 46 years
Distracted driving and the proliferation of in-cab and outward facing cameras
Why you don't want to wait for a crash to avoid unsafe behaviors like distracted driving
How even using hands-free phone calls are considered distracted driving
How to do training that results in behavioral change
The most likely way a pest employee will get injured on the job and how to prevent it
The importance of demonstrations, not just classroom or online training
Ladder safety and the importance of fiberglass ladders over aluminum ladders
The results of PestSure's novice driving and cell-free zone initiatives, which led to a 14% reduction in crashes since April 2024
What a pest company's safety training must include: new hire training, distracted driving, standard regulatory topics and pest-specific topics
The highest injury types in PestSure's program: 1). vehicle accidents, 2). slips, trips and falls, 3). dog bites 4). musculoskeletal
Donnie's take on "you get what you tolerate" related to safety
How your insurance rates are affected by your loss ratios, not necessarily by the investments you make in telematics, cameras, etc.
How to have a useful post-incident conversation
Resources mentioned:
PMP Industry Insiders Episode 86:Â How Captive Insurance Works
PMP Industry Insiders Episode 138: How to Upgrade Your Safety Protocols
PMP Industry Insiders Episode 158: Pest Insurance Market Update
PMP Industry Insiders Episode 201: Avoiding a 'Nuclear Verdict'
PMP Industry Insiders Episode 229: What's Trending in Commercial Insurance?
Todd Burke's contact information: Todd.Burke@alliant.com
Notable: "More and more we're seeing the PMP equip their fleet with in-cab and outward facing cameras ... You get burned a few times from a claims perspective, and you want cameras in your vehicles." —Linda Midyett
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