I was talking with a friend from across the pond about how this profession has changed over the years, and, in many respects, not for the better. He shared with me the following “behaviors” of a safety professional, which I thought were spot on. If only we could write job descriptions and postings like this.
Knowledge
K1: Understand the principles and practice of risk management, including the framework for embedding risk and safety management into the overall management system, and the application of the risk management process.
K2: Knowledge of the selection and utilisation of systematic techniques for risk assessment that are appropriate to the context. Understand the preferred methods and levels of assessment for particular application in the chosen industrial sector.
K3: Understand the chosen industrial sector, its structure, purposes and operations. Understand how risk and safety management is used and how it interacts with other disciplines within operating companies, their supply chain and other dependent sectors.
K4: Knowledge of particular specialist subjects and domains as required to meet employers’ needs, for example in relation to emerging technologies or current key focus areas.
Skills
S1: Apply knowledge and understanding of risk and safety management to practical situations through the full lifecycle. Ability to recognise the context and accurately select and apply systematic methods of identifying hazards, analysing and evaluating associated risks, and proposing proportionate solutions to treat problems. Ably handle the wider implications of work as a risk and safety practitioner such as application of relevant regulations and emergency planning.
S2: Critically observe risk and safety leadership behaviours of self and others and reflect on their effectiveness, noting the importance of influence as well as authority.
S3: Identify stakeholders and clarify their needs. Identify and investigate influencing factors and be able to effectively communicate risk and safety problems to relevant stakeholders. Approach problems from different perspectives and work collaboratively with other disciplines. Apply different risk and safety techniques, from the range of tools available, to generate ideas and solutions with others.
S4: Effective Communication
S5: Problem-Finding and Creative Problem-Solving
Behaviors
B1: A healthy scepticism about whether systems and processes are working effectively. Challenge and test assumptions and avoid over-simplification of complex risk issues. Conversely, avoids over-complication, and applies a proportionate level of analysis. Courage and conviction in the face of adversity, backing up conclusions with evidence.
B2: A willingness to recognise and assess change in risk and safety management contexts, whether engineering, organisational or procedural. Reflect on the change and adapt own approach. Open to abstract ideas and concepts as well as real world systems and processes. Communicate visually the concepts and ideas and be able to assess the feasibility of practical solutions.
B3: A drive to make designs, solutions and processes better from a risk and safety perspective. Work with teams to conjecture, research, innovate and clarify improvements. Co-operative. Solicit stakeholder feedback on proposals and assess benefits and sacrifices to arrive at effective improvements.
B4: Plan and review own development needs and carry out CPD. Regularly reflect on own competence and behavioural development. Comply with the obligations
of own professional institution. Personal commitment to high standards of professional conduct including reliability, honesty, integrity and ethics. Actively engage in forums advancing risk and safety management as a profession.
