David Sarkus

David J. Sarkus, MS, CSP (The Safety Coach®) is the president and founder of David Sarkus International Inc., a leading-edge health, safety consulting, and training firm. He has over 30 years of occupational health and safety management experience in large, diversified industrial settings. His extensive experience, education, and leadership qualities have enabled him and his firm to successfully implement cutting-edge strategies and tactics for some of the most well-known organizations globally.

As a safety strategist, consultant, author, speaker, and coach, Sarkus and his colleagues have been pivotal in bridging the human performance gap in safety for over three decades. Their work includes climate and culture assessments, strategic safety planning, safety culture and change processes, behavior-based safety, leadership, engagement and alignment, safety coaching, and attention control tactics. Sarkus has developed safety interventions that have reduced key performance indicators by 35% to more than 85%. He is a recognized authority in occupational safety management, and his insights have been instrumental in reducing Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR) significantly across various organizations.

Sarkus holds a Master of Science in Safety Management from West Virginia University and a Master of Science in Organizational Psychology from Saint Mary’s College of California. As a Certified Safety Professional (CSP), his expertise is well acknowledged in the field. His contributions extend to his role as a technical editor for Industrial Safety & Hygiene News (ISHN). Sarkus has authored five books including the bestseller "The Safety Coach®: Unleash the 7C's for World Class Safety Performance!" and has written over 100 articles featured as cover stories for Professional Safety Magazine and ISHN. His work has been recognized with several honors, including being named a Top 50 EHS Professional by ISHN and receiving a Best Practices Award for TRW Inc. He has also hosted a best-selling safety video featuring Bobby Bowden.

His approach to safety management is both practical and inspirational, focusing on fostering leadership and accountability for safety at all levels. Sarkus's keynotes, such as "Leading from the Heart or Everyone’s a Safety Coach!" and "Building a Community for Safety Not Just a Culture," are known for their powerful impact, often inspiring changes in safety paradigms and leadership. He continues to deliver motivational speeches and workshops, emphasizing the importance of a proactive safety culture in various industries.