Patrick W. Saltmarsh Tim Hunt, CHST Dir. of Envt’l, Safety Health and Safety Corporate Director W. J. L. Derenzo French Excavating Corp. Companies
The Changing Landscape of Safety Let’s all think back to when we first started working, and the role of safety at that time. Those of you in the safety profession think about your position on the job, within your company, and how outsiders viewed your work. For the rest of you who aren’t in the safety profession, what were your views on the safety professionals you dealt with within your company and on your jobsite?
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or many safety professionals, we started with one objective in mind, and that was compliance. We were tasked with ensuring everything was in line with all regulations (OSHA, EPA, DOT, and State Regulations). It was a checklistdriven time. We would check off if the toolbox talks were being conducted and submitted; people were wearing their PPE and ensuring that the company was meeting all requirements on the jobs so that if OSHA showed up, there wouldn’t be any surprises. Now fast forward to today. We have to think of safety on the jobsite, at home, and while traveling to and from work. In addition to safety being on our minds 24/7, we are faced with new challenges to contend with that require more than just a compliance outlook. One of the new challenges we face with the 24/7 safety mind is the issue of the increased awareness of mental health and substance abuse in construction. In the past, these issues were often pushed aside, saying that it’s a personal issue and not work-related. Today we know better; there isn’t a work and personal distinction anymore. What happens on the jobsite affects you at home and what happens at home affects you on the jobsite. Today’s safety professional has to recognize that. We have to assume that the worker intends to do their job safely and follow all protocols and DECEMBER, 2021
policies. The wrench that gets thrown into it all is their mental state, and then there are times when we may have to ask the question, could substance abuse play a role. Today’s site safety visits should continue to look for compliance issues, emphasizing relationship building. The goal is to change behaviors so that shortcuts are stopped and all protocols and policies are followed; and to have the safety professional viewed as a “guide” rather than an “officer.” The saying “people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care,” is an excellent example of the changing landscape of the safety profession. We need workers to see that we are continued on page 50
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