"To provide professional knowledge and expertise in the administration and support of environmental health and safety programs. Responsible for the overall coordination and implementation of environmental health and safety programs to assure compliance with regulatory agency guidelines and institutional policies."
For the vast majority of safety professionals, the above summary provides a very concise description of their roles within their organizations. While most safety professionals would also add a statement about preventing injuries, the reality is that this is the current job description for a safety manager position at the University of Texas at Dallas. (University of Texas at Dallas Human Resources, 2007). Although the safety profession has made significant strides in making our workplaces safer, the bottom line is that too many senior leaders and, even more unfortunately, safety professionals view safety as a compliance function and not an integral part of achieving the organization's mission.
