Over the past decade, we saw a huge swing away from safety being a technical field to one that is more hugs and kisses. Last year, we even saw the number one organization for safety professionals change their name from Safety Engineers to Safety Professionals. Along with the name change came a change to topics at its annual conference and continuing education offerings. This leads me to look back on the year 2019 and the many discussions I had with fellow safety professionals about their “cultures” and how management was questioning the “safety culture” at the facility/company. This reflection has me convinced that in this day and age where most facilities are managing their EHS needs by a single person or a vastly reduced staff. This change in how EHS is managed is highly visible to the workers and implies a lesser concern for EHS matters, as compared to a similar function like quality where workers see a much large effort with many more persons engaged in the effort. And senior management is coming to the EHS person/group and questioning the “safety culture”?
Another change that I have witnessed in the past decade is the management structure and where the safety engineer/professional finds themselves in this structure. When I was a safety manager in the chemical industry I answered to the Plant Manager, except for a few occasions where I answered to an EHS Director, who then reported to the Plant Manager and was a Senior Manager within the staff functions. But today we see professionals responsible for safety and health several layers down AND NOT reporting to a technical manager but rather an HR type manager. I feel this also is influencing this “feel good” approach vs. a scientific approach to safety.
