Your Thoughts on Safety Leadership, Training and Formal Education, Revealed
Sometimes, you don't need answers so much as you want to learn from others. That was the premise behind a survey EHS Today conducted earlier this year. Nearly 400 safety professionals were kind enough to share their paths to safety.
But we wanted to know more than yes or no, or simply checking a box. We wanted to know your thoughts and opinions. So, we asked if there was anything you wanted to share. And, my goodness, you sure did!
We are grateful for your honesty and frankness when it comes to safety training and education—and anything else you wanted to tell us.
One respondent so beautifully encapsulated his experiences that we wanted to share them in their entirety:
"For many of us, the path to safety professional is a winding country road. Take myself for example. I have been unofficially training people since I was 19 years old. As a person who loves to learn I, have experienced several types of construction and general industry jobs.
As with many of us, safety found me. My friends suggested I put in for a new safety position the company I worked for was creating. Turned out, I was more qualified than I thought and got the job. At the time I had no formal education in safety, no certifications, just my life experiences of unofficial training and keeping my teams safe.
Since then, I have collected my OSHA 10- and 30-hour certifications, several FEMA classes, a master's degree in safety and a master's degree in business. Do I need all of that to do my current job? No, I do not. However, with my unique experiences and my education I can consider myself invaluable at my current job and at any other job. I would not be easily or quickly replaceable.
Anyone can start out in safety without a degree or certification if they have the passion for other people's safety and are willing to work in a field that has a high need for safety and training people, such as warehousing, factories, construction and even trades unions. Getting your foot in the door can be a challenge for some, especially with no experience in the field. Join safety committees and teams now. Many companies don't want a person straight out of college with zero work experience. They want someone who knows the industry, such as warehousing or construction.
Another point to consider is that unless the company already has a large safety staff, they are more likely to pay less for a person with little to no safety experience and a working knowledge of the industry over a person with college degree and no experience. There are large companies out there that have large EHS staffs and it would be very difficult for a person with no safety experience to get hired on to that EHS staff.
A young person who believes they are interested in a safety career has several options in front of them. Get that college education and fight for an internship type position at a company with a large safety staff, maybe make more money than most. Or, get an everyday job in a warehouse, factory, construction, etc. and join the safety committee. Learn the ins and outs of the industry.
If you're still interested in safety as a profession, begin working on your OSHA certifications and maybe begin college and start applying for safety positions in your industry. For people choosing to start in the field without certifications or degrees, being active in the safety committee is another key attraction for companies when looking to hire that person who is new to safety."
Feel free to leave a comment below about your own journey to safety or your thoughts on safety training and education.
