Leaving a Safety Legacy: Why It Matters More Than Ever

By Abbie Geigle

What does it truly mean to leave a safety legacy?

It’s not about checking boxes or memorizing procedures. It’s about the impression you leave on others—how your actions today can shape the safety culture of tomorrow. It’s about inspiring others to care not just because they’re told to, but because it’s personal.

That’s the message Wylie Davidson of Legacy Safety Solutions delivered during a powerful session titled “Leaving a Safety Legacy,” presented at the 2025 ASSP (American Society of Safety Professionals) Conference. Davidson challenged attendees to think beyond compliance and ask deeper questions:

• Why do I want to be safe?
• Who am I protecting?
• What example am I setting?
• And ultimately, what will I be remembered for?

The answers to these questions could define not just a career—but a life.

Let’s dive into the key takeaways and how you can begin building your own legacy of safety.

What's In It For Me? Understanding Human Nature

At the root of every safety initiative lies a personal decision: Why should I care?

Davidson reminded us that human beings are not naturally wired for safety—we’re wired to "get it done." Deadlines, productivity, and routine can numb us to danger. But shifting the mindset begins with making safety personal:

Why do I want to be safe?

• For my family
• To preserve my quality of life
• To ensure a future that isn’t cut short by an avoidable injury

When safety becomes more than just compliance—when it’s seen as protection of what we love and value most—it gains meaning and traction.

From Compliance to Engagement: Making Safety Personal

The difference between a compliant employee and an engaged one often comes down to how safety is communicated:

• Words matter. Davidson emphasized that “words have octane.” They can calm, inflame, connect, or distance.
• Create simulations or stories that help employees feel the weight of a real emergency, even in a controlled environment.
• Ask the critical question: “What would tomorrow look like if you had to retire due to injury?”

By moving from rules to real-life stakes, we shift safety from a mandate to a mission.

Giving Back: Building a Culture of Shared Responsibility

Legacy isn’t built in isolation. Davidson urged safety leaders to build cultures of interdependence—where we look out for one another:

• Bring the skeptics in. Get them involved on the safety committee. Show them their voice matters.
• Find the right tools—not just for training, but for building trust and collaboration.
• Create space for discretionary energy—the above-and-beyond effort employees give when they feel ownership.
• Foster discretionary energy: the effort employees choose to give beyond their job description, like reminding a coworker to wear PPE.

Legacy Requires Energy, Empathy, and Example

Safety isn’t just taught—it’s modeled. Davidson highlighted the importance of living the value of safety:

• Be a model of what safe work looks like.
• Encourage pride in the organization and the work being done.
• Build a culture where employees help each other conform to safety norms because they care, not because they fear discipline.

Live on the Dash

The most powerful quote of the session came as quite a challenge: 

“Live your life on the dash... that’s how you’ll be remembered.”

Between the birthdate and the final date on a headstone is a dash—a symbol of your life. Your choices. Your legacy.

What kind of wake will you leave behind?

Will your coworkers remember you as someone who inspired others to be safer?

Will your team continue your efforts to make safety not just a priority (which can change), but a core value?

Final Thoughts: Building a Legacy Starts Now

Creating a legacy of safety doesn’t require a title. It starts with the next right choice:

• Put on the PPE.
• Speak up.
• Share your “why.”

Safety, after all, is not a rule to follow but a value to live—and the ripple of your actions may protect lives long after your shift ends.

Start today. Leave your legacy.