Tools for Safety Leaders", (c) Carl Heinlein, Occupational Hazards, June 17,

2008

Most of the good things that continually happen day in and day out in the safety
profession usually go unnoticed by our management and the press, but you know that
is OK!

I have been in and around the construction industry all of my (40 plus years) life, and
I want to take this opportunity to thank not only my fellow construction safety and
health professionals but all safety and health professionals for helping me grow as a
professional and a person. We truly are together in our dedication to preserve
Americas most valuable resource: the worker.

On May 8, we celebrated Occupational Safety and Health Professionals Day. A

statement sent out by the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) to its
membership said, in part, Occupational safety and health professionals make sure
that millions of workers who go to work each day return home safely. They help
identify and reduce workplace hazards while reducing employer costs and
maximizing the contributions of all workers. Safety professionals draw and apply
standards from various disciplines including engineering, education, psychology,
physiology, enforcement, hygiene, health, physics and management. They use all
appropriate tools, methods and techniques available to them in order to prevent
accidents, illnesses, fires, explosions and other situations that are harmful to people,
property and the environment.

Despite this accolade for the good work of safety professionals, a variety of industries,
including transportation, manufacturing and construction, are facing a shortage of
professionals who are equipped to fill the increased demand for quality supervisors.
Many headhunters, recruitment firms and industry employment studies conclude that
the ability to hire and retain quality employees and, specifically, quality supervisors, is
a major challenge that companies face. In a recent study (Occupational Hazards, May
2008), Rob McGovern, Jobfox CEO, concluded that even with the economy slowing
down, the demand for skilled professionals still is high and will continue to be in
demand for the foreseeable future. Certified safety professionals seem to fall into this
category.

Preparing for the Future

In the past, we have asked good field safety representatives, safety engineers and loss
control engineers to become safety supervisors, safety managers, safety directors and
beyond. But we have not prepared them for their managerial positions by educating
them in the areas that will make them successful.

Once a professional has risen into a management/supervisory level, the nature of the
work requires a more advanced skill set, with knowledge and expertise in areas that
are characteristic of management positions.
In my 17-year safety career, I have attended numerous safety and health conferences
and education sessions, and I have attained a number of professional safety and health
certifications. In reflecting on the variety and volume of professional development
sessions in which I have participated, I tried to condense the vast amount of
information to which Ive been exposed into some pointed topics of importance. I
consider knowledge on these topics to be the necessary tools to help the safety
professional face the every day challenges of our profession; opportunities to share, to
coach, to mentor, to help, to listen, to lead but, more importantly, to grow as a
leader, a safety professional and a person.

From what I have learned by achieving professional certifications, attending

conferences and educational sessions and talking to other safety professionals, any
strategy or plan to develop qualified supervisors should include systematic
professional development in the following areas:

Conflict Resolution
Budget/Financial Development
Communication Skills Training
Team Building
Smart Hiring/Firing Practices
Mentoring
Successful Leadership Skills
Career Path Development
Time Management
Technical Skill Training

With knowledge and expertise in these areas, our safety management professionals
can continue to provide the quality guidance that the profession must have in order to
prevent injury and the loss of life.
Tools for Safety Leaders", (c) Carl Heinlein, Occupational Hazards, June 17,
2008

Most of the good things that continually happen day in and day out in the safety
profession usually go unnoticed by our management and the press, but you know that
is OK!

I have been in and around the construction industry all of my (40 plus years) life, and
I want to take this opportunity to thank not only my fellow construction safety and
health professionals but all safety and health professionals for helping me grow as a
professional and a person. We truly are together in our dedication to preserve
Americas most valuable resource: the worker.

On May 8, we celebrated Occupational Safety and Health Professionals Day. A

statement sent out by the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) to its
membership said, in part, Occupational safety and health professionals make sure
that millions of workers who go to work each day return home safely. They help
identify and reduce workplace hazards while reducing employer costs and
maximizing the contributions of all workers. Safety professionals draw and apply
standards from various disciplines including engineering, education, psychology,
physiology, enforcement, hygiene, health, physics and management. They use all
appropriate tools, methods and techniques available to them in order to prevent
accidents, illnesses, fires, explosions and other situations that are harmful to people,
property and the environment.

Despite this accolade for the good work of safety professionals, a variety of industries,
including transportation, manufacturing and construction, are facing a shortage of
professionals who are equipped to fill the increased demand for quality supervisors.
Many headhunters, recruitment firms and industry employment studies conclude that
the ability to hire and retain quality employees and, specifically, quality supervisors, is
a major challenge that companies face. In a recent study (Occupational Hazards, May
2008), Rob McGovern, Jobfox CEO, concluded that even with the economy slowing
down, the demand for skilled professionals still is high and will continue to be in
demand for the foreseeable future. Certified safety professionals seem to fall into this
category.

Preparing for the Future

In the past, we have asked good field safety representatives, safety engineers and loss
control engineers to become safety supervisors, safety managers, safety directors and
beyond. But we have not prepared them for their managerial positions by educating
them in the areas that will make them successful.

Once a professional has risen into a management/supervisory level, the nature of the
work requires a more advanced skill set, with knowledge and expertise in areas that
are characteristic of management positions.
In my 17-year safety career, I have attended numerous safety and health conferences
and education sessions, and I have attained a number of professional safety and health
certifications. In reflecting on the variety and volume of professional development
sessions in which I have participated, I tried to condense the vast amount of
information to which Ive been exposed into some pointed topics of importance. I
consider knowledge on these topics to be the necessary tools to help the safety
professional face the every day challenges of our profession; opportunities to share, to
coach, to mentor, to help, to listen, to lead but, more importantly, to grow as a
leader, a safety professional and a person.

From what I have learned by achieving professional certifications, attending

conferences and educational sessions and talking to other safety professionals, any
strategy or plan to develop qualified supervisors should include systematic
professional development in the following areas:

Conflict Resolution
Budget/Financial Development
Communication Skills Training
Team Building
Smart Hiring/Firing Practices
Mentoring
Successful Leadership Skills
Career Path Development
Time Management
Technical Skill Training

With knowledge and expertise in these areas, our safety management professionals
can continue to provide the quality guidance that the profession must have in order to
prevent injury and the loss of life.