Richard Field
Workplace Safety Speaker
Transforming Workplaces Through Awareness, Accountability and Action.
“Staying safe in any workplace comes down to decision making…”
Richard Field, an African safari guide and safety speaker, learnt this the hard way. As a young safari guide he was attacked by a lion. She bit down hard on the back of his head, his life dissolved.
In high-risk work environments, we are often focussed and alert in challenging situations. However the real danger – the hidden lion – is inside. Complacency, assumptions, distractions, fatigue and rushing are examples of how our internal attitudes make situations dangerous. As imperfect humans, these hidden dangers often sit just below our level of awareness and affect our ability to make good decisions under pressure. The challenge is to face these “lions” head on and raise our own internal awareness. Safety is ultimately an awareness game.
Empowering Workers to Stay Safe and Perform
Richard’s mission is to help blue-collar frontline workers stay focused, and make good safety decisions in fast-paced, high-risk environments. While out on safari Richard has to track down and interact with some of the most dangerous animals on the planet every day. It’s not about avoiding the danger – it’s about making good decisions. Richard takes the audience into the wilds of Africa with him, and shares practical behaviours and mindsets that empowers people to stay safe but still perform at a high level. His authenticity as a safari guide makes him the ultimate safety speaker.
No one is “safe”
In dynamic, high risk environments, the only “safe” assumption is to assume that you aren’t safe. Anyone who believes that something bad “won’t happen to them” is inviting unnecessary risk into their work environment. As a young safari guide Richard had made the same assumption – inexperience, ego and rushing were some of the factors that resulted in Richard making a bad decision and getting attacked by a lion. The repercussions were enormous, not just for him, but for the people that he loved the most. When assumptions replace awareness, and urgency overrides caution, the potential for danger increases. As a story teller and safety speaker, Richard helps people recognize the subtle threats that often sit just below the level of awareness.
About
Richard Field
Safety Speaker
Richard is one of the most exciting new voices in workplace health and safety.
Richard Field never planned on being a safety speaker. He was, is and always will be an African safari guide. Then at 25 he was attacked by a lion in the wilds of northern Botswana. She knocked him to the ground and eventually bit down hard and deep on the back of his head. It was then that his life dissolved…
Richard’s story is compelling. Invariably you can hear a pin drop in an audience of any size. Richard’s decision to eventually and begrudgingly take personal responsibility for the accident provided him with an epiphany. It’s not the lion that was dangerous, it was his compromised decision making – something that is within his control. This allowed him to go back and work as a safari guide, but where he was more conscious of his decision making.
After sharing his story, Richard takes each audience member back to the African wilderness where they have walk all day – unarmed – in an area teeming with dangerous animals. Here he shows first hand that staying safe as a guide has less to do with the wildlife and everything to do with what is happening inside. Complacency, assumptions of safety, fatigue, distractions and rushing are all factors that lead to compromised decision making which invites unnecessary danger.
Richard wraps up by talking about how culture influences the decision making of individuals, but that individuals can also influence the culture of the work place through their own example and demonstration.
Richard’s technique of keeping the stories and analogies focused on Africa’s wild places draws in each audience member and they will find their own understanding that whilst safety is also a shared responsibility, they need to take responsibility for their own decision making and therefore their own safety.
SAFARI GUIDE
Richard Field is a seasoned African safari guide who spends 8–12 weeks each year leading guests through some of the wildest and most unpredictable environments on Earth. What sets Richard apart as a workplace health and safety speaker is that he doesn’t come from a corporate background – he comes from the bush.
Drawing on the dramatic experience of surviving a lion attack and a lifetime of navigating high-risk situations, Richard offers a unique and authentic perspective on safety. He takes audiences out of their everyday work environments and into the African wilderness, creating a powerful shift in mindset.
Richard’s gripping stories open the door to meaningful conversations about safety, personal responsibility, and how culture influences decision making. Richard helps frontline workers recognise that situational awareness alone isn’t enough to keep you safe. You need personal awareness as well as open honest communications with your team.
He has spoken to thousands – from road crews to factory teams – and consistently leaves a lasting impact. His messages are simple but profound:
You are responsible for your own safety and your example changes the culture of safety.
Richard’s keynotes are more than presentations – they’re immersive, eye-opening journeys that challenge assumptions and inspire safer, more mindful workplaces.
Safety Awareness
Identifying hidden hazards and unsafe behaviours, helping workers recognise risks before they lead to accidents or injuries.
Cultural Change
Culture influences decision making, for better and for worse. So what example are you setting?
Tools and Strategies
Delivering actionable safety techniques and habits that workers can apply daily to stay safe and support their teammates.
SAFARI GUIDE
Richard Field is a seasoned African safari guide who spends 8–12 weeks each year leading guests through some of the wildest and most unpredictable environments on Earth. What sets Richard apart as a workplace health and safety speaker is that he doesn’t come from a corporate background—he comes from the bush.
Drawing on the dramatic experience of surviving a lion attack and a lifetime of navigating high-risk situations, Richard offers a unique and authentic perspective on safety. He takes audiences out of their everyday work environments and into the African wilderness, creating a powerful shift in mindset.
His gripping stories don’t just entertain—they open the door to meaningful conversations about safety, personal responsibility, and the often unseen cultural attitudes that can undermine even the best systems. Richard helps frontline workers recognise that situational awareness alone isn’t enough to keep you safe. You need personal awareness as well as open honest communications with your team.
He has spoken to thousands—from road crews to factory teams—and consistently leaves a lasting impact. His messages are simple but profound:
You are responsible for your own safety and your example changes the culture of safety.
Richard’s keynotes are more than presentations—they’re immersive, eye-opening journeys that challenge assumptions and inspire safer, more mindful workplaces.
Safety Awareness
Identifying hidden hazards and unsafe behaviours, helping workers recognise risks before they lead to accidents or injuries.
Cultural Change
Culture influences decision making, for better and for worse. So what example are you setting?
Tools and Strategies
Delivering actionable safety techniques and habits that workers can apply daily to stay safe and support their teammates.
Testimonials
I’m often sceptical when a speaker stands up and starts to tell a story of personal harm or damage. Sometimes it’s disaster porn.
I’m worried that at the end they’ll be no real learning, just a residual sadness of it that hangs heavy and blocks learning. Richard Field is different, he tells a fascinating story and links it in a powerful and engaging way to the role of leaders and followers in any environment that contains risks. His story is a journey that leaves the audience with a deeper understanding of the role of team members in jointly achieving a goal and doing so safely.
Richard’s story highlighted the importance of decision making and helped our teams focus on enhancing our safety and culture. Good decision making can be the difference between safety and danger, and Richard’s story highlighted this. The importance of team in managing risk and the impact the environment can have on the quality of our decision making was also evident. These messages supported the activity of listening to our teams to help inform key elements of the Health and Safety Strategy.
Richard delivered an unforgettable presentation for our organisation during Safe Work Month in October. Over six sessions, Richard engaged and inspired more than 750 staff members with a story that was as captivating as it was thought-provoking. The feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive, with many describing it as one of the most impactful safety presentations they’ve experienced. I would highly recommend Richard to any organisation seeking a presenter who is not only compelling and relatable, but also truly transformative.
Richard Field was engaged as a guest speaker for Downer’s 2017 national safety campaign where he presented to over 3,000 people across seven events. He delivered passionate and engaging talks, combining personal storytelling with practical safety lessons relevant to both workplace and life. Richard connected effectively with diverse audiences—from blue-collar workers to contractors and clients—and played a key role in reinforcing the company’s safety messages. His adaptability, professionalism, and ability to tailor his message made him an integral part of the campaign’s success.
