Much of the focus regarding safety in the United States is on private sector organizations, given that the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 exempts state and local governments that do not have state plans. This fact, combined with the complex and often highly political nature of public services, often creates significant risk for government and public sector employees based on the diversity and extent of hazards they are exposed to, including psychosocial hazards. The environment can be even more hazardous for workers with cultural differences from the majority in a workplace.

The episode features Mayor Maria Mitchell of the City of Miami Springs, Florida. She is not only an extremely skilled and experienced safety professional but a national leader in efforts to provide for the safety of government and public sector workers. Mayor Mitchell will share her perspective on physical and psychological safety in the public sector, drawing on her experience protecting the safety of a highly diverse community in south Florida. Mayor Mitchell’s lived experience as a daughter of immigrants, bilingual safety professional, and sitting elected official is particularly poignant during the celebration of National Hispanic American Heritage Month.