Safety Professionals are mainly focused on the reduction of accident frequency. They are typically proficient in the implementation and maintenance of programs that have accident prevention at the core. These programs serve a dual purpose 1) they provide for the safety and welfare of employees and and or customers 2) they effectively reduce claims such as Worker’s Compensation and General Liability in number and dollar amount. Safety Managers are usually experts in dealing with many different regulatory bodies such as OSHA and the EPA. With the Safety Managers' leadership, costly fines that may be levied upon company by such regulatory bodies could be averted or mitigated. Some may also be proficient in the directing of the handling of related claims.
The Safety Management Profession cuts across just about all industry sectors and as such, may be defined very differently from one organization to the next. Some companies may combine other responsibilities with Safety Management such as Environmental Compliance, Risk Management, Loss Prevention, Quality Assurance and Claims Management to name a few. When one considers that as well, Company Culture comes into play in the selection process, it is of little wonder that it is difficult to find the right fit both for the employer as well as the candidate. Regardless of the Industry or culture, the successful Safety Professional posses among other attributes, the ability to function efficiently as a business partner with their internal or external clients.
