The future of safety

How will the COVID-19 pandemic change the field of occupational safety and health?

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Galloway

Shawn M. Galloway

President
ProAct Safety Inc.


Yes, in three areas. First, the H (Health) in EHS, with the exception of sponsoring wellness programs or paying for gym memberships, had largely been an afterthought. The average EHS professional, depending on their background or company priority, spent the majority of their time on either safety or environmental first. Health took center stage during the first months of the pandemic, led by many leaders without the skills or confidence to be successful. There will be a recognized need to equip EHS leaders or teams with competency in all three areas.

Second, with the media-driven temporary focus for the prevention of COVID-19 across communities and worksites being largely behavioral, this will carry over to a new or revived appreciation for behavioral safety. While maybe not overt, there will be a rise in the discussions on precautions that prevent many types of incidents, illnesses or injuries.

Third is involvement in business continuity planning. While many EHS professionals fought for their seat at the table, they were not viewed as strategic leaders: more as taskmasters or program administrators. With the need to meet the CDC’s recommendations for businesses and to remain viable and avoid bankruptcy, the EHS leader was thrust into collaborative discussion with operations on how to safely stay open, or shut down and then slowly return to normal operations. Strategy is about creating and delivering sustainable value. EHS leaders who took charge and thought strategically were seen as strategic contributors and advisors. There will be an increase in the recognition that EHS needs a company-specific strategy aligned with operations that is predictive, resilient and agile. For this, the most important lasting change is the identified need for strategic-thinking EHS professionals.

 

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Karma
June 19, 2020
We need to be at the table. It was a completely new world for others while it is within my scope of training and experience.

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Karma
June 19, 2020
Your industry did a great job of working hard to make the PPE, particularly in the shifting sands of what is needed. Thank you!

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Sharon Hebert
July 1, 2020
I would think that training for safety professional would have been first to be educated and be free knowing that we were all laid off or cute in hours. Classes are being held at a enormous amount of money at this time of rescission. same on you for making this so hard on the front line safety professionals.

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Linda G rhodes
July 1, 2020
Totally agree and well said. Effective EHS requires strategy, though within many organizational cultures, EHS professionals are not empowered to contribute in that way. COVID-19 and other major challenges to businesses can, and hopefully will, drive long overdue adjustments to how EHS is positioned, supported and prepared to increase strategic value.

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Craig M. Gage, SMS
July 3, 2020
COVID-19 response has fundamentally changed the way many perceive safety. Prior to COVID-19 operational barriers to safe work practices were ubiquitous but when companies saw that they had to drive herculean efforts to get or keep their business open, everything changed. Today many, if not all business operators understand they can, and must do anything to provide a safe workplace for their employees.

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BENSON SAMUEL
July 19, 2020
Need to give more effective training to all employees about covid-19 guidelines

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Travis Armstrong
January 28, 2021
Do you believe that there is a future for someone trying to start up a Safety Consultant business