Leading Edge Safety is a U.S.-based manufacturer and innovator of rooftop fall protection systems. They protect lives with OSHA-compliant safety solutions for commercial and industrial roofing, including the industry standard in mobile fall carts. Listen in as Steve Hammond, Chief Operating Officer at Leading Edge Safety talks with the Small Business Miracles Podcast about management style, moving obstacles out of the way for the team, and building a culture that continues to generate success.
Transcript:
Welcome to the Small Business Miracles podcast. My name is Jeff Randolph. This small business podcast is brought to you by EAG Advertising and Marketing. We’re going to talk about marketing. We’re also here to celebrate entrepreneurs and small businesses. And I have somebody who knows some stuff about small businesses right here with me today. Steve Hammond, Chief Operating Officer for Leading Edge Safety. Steve, welcome to the show.
Steve: Very good. Thank you for having me. I appreciate you having me on the show.
Jeff: We’re going to talk about Leading Edge Safety. And before we even get into the business and talk about kind of the thing you do, there’s an origin story for how the company came to be. And I was hoping you could kind of get into the origin story of how Leading Edge happened.
Steve: Absolutely. Well, my boss, our CEO, Brent Smith, has spent his entire life on roofs. He’s grew up on a roof since he was 12 years old, actually. His dad owned a roofing company.
Jeff: Okay. I was going to say, this wasn’t a disciplinary kind of thing.
Steve: This was not a discipline. He’s not on the roof because he was. But maybe some of the time.
So anyway, when he was, I think, in his early 20s, he was up on a roof working, doing a job on a commercial roof. And one of his co-workers and very close friend was walking on that roof. And one of the PVC membranes was hanging over the edge by about 6 to 12 inches. That co-worker’s alarm went off. So his friend walked over to the edge in an effort to turn off his alarm. And mistakenly, he stepped onto what he thought was a solid surface. Unfortunately, they were 26 feet up, and he went right over the edge. And Brent watched this whole thing happen.
Unfortunately, the person did live, but his life physically has been changed and altered forever. And so that was very impactful, very devastating to Brent. In addition to that reaction, the company also ran into liability issues where the insurance company said they would not provide coverage unless they figured out a way to tie off workers.
So Brent and his dad started looking for a solution. Traditional anchor points required drilling into roofs, were expensive, and limited mobility. They needed something better.
They began experimenting and eventually developed a mobile system with a weighted base and an engagement arm that digs into the surface during a fall. That became the Tri-Rex mobile fall protection cart.
It’s about 1,000 pounds, roughly the size of a golf cart footprint. Heavy enough to be safe, but still mobile. We’ve sold over 10,000 units and have no reported deaths and no reported injuries, even across about 120 incidents.
Jeff: That’s necessity being the mother of invention.
So as we look at Leading Edge Safety today, what are the different areas of business you’re in?
Steve: Twenty years later, we are still here in Kansas City with a 50,000 square foot manufacturing plant. We have welders and engineers building these products.
We still focus on mobile fall protection carts, with systems ranging from single-user up to five workers. Three workers can be tied off for fall arrest and two additional for restraint.
Beyond that, we’ve expanded into guardrail systems, both permanent and temporary. Some clamp onto parapet walls, others are weighted systems that don’t require penetration into the roof.
Jeff: Are you seeing a shift toward more permanent solutions?
Steve: Yes, absolutely. Companies are moving toward permanent guardrails. Once they realize we can powder coat them to match the building, they don’t look like an eyesore.
It also saves time and labor since there’s no setup and teardown. And it helps reduce liability and reinforce a strong safety culture.
Jeff: What other trends are you seeing?
Steve: One big area is trench and excavation safety. OSHA has increased focus on fall protection around trenches. So we’ve developed trench box guardrail systems to prevent falls into those areas.
Jeff: Let’s talk about customer experience. What does that look like for you?
Steve: We focus heavily on it. One example is a customer who submitted a purchase order through HubSpot. Within three minutes, our team responded with confirmation, processed the order, and shared shipping timelines.
That kind of responsiveness makes a big difference.
Jeff: That’s how you win customers.
Let’s talk culture.
Steve: We focus on people, process, and systems. If something goes wrong, we look at the process first. If something goes right, we give credit to the person.
We praise publicly, coach privately, and focus on removing obstacles so people can succeed.
Jeff: That’s great leadership.
Let’s jump into the lightning round.
Best business advice you’ve received?
Steve: Apply yourself and be fair. I learned that from a mentor by watching how he operated.
Jeff: How do you celebrate wins?
Steve: We do a lot of thank-yous, team lunches, and some fun things like birthday posters using AI. Celebration is important.
Jeff: Bucket list golf experience?
Steve: Augusta National.
Jeff: Desert island movie?
Steve: Dodgeball.
Jeff: Perfect. Where can people find you?
Steve: Call us at 888-990-2990 or visit leadingedgesafety.net.
Jeff: Steve Hammond, Chief Operating Officer for Leading Edge Safety, thanks for being on the show.
Steve: Thank you. I appreciate it.