Social Actor # 5 - Occupational Safety and Health Professionals

Those individuals who oversee the safety and health efforts within an organization can be collectively referred to as "OSH professionals."

These individuals are typically part of the management team. However, they warrant being discussed separately from management due to their unique role in relation to OSH.

The basic job of all OSH professionals is to do the following:

• Monitor safety and health indicators within the work environment.
• Compare these indicators to relevant standards or benchmarks.
• Make corresponding recommendations on the need for corrective actions to management.

Placement of the OSH Professional within the Organization

Ideally, the OSH professional reports directly to the highest-level administrator within the organization. This direct line of communication ensures that information concerning safety and health does not become "filtered." If the OSH professional reports to a lower-level administrator who is unfamiliar with OSH, the severity of a workplace hazard may not be accurately conveyed. As a result, the organization can fail to act responsibly to correct a situation that may result in injury or death.

It should be noted that the lack of a direct line of communication between the OSH professional and the highest-level administrator is not uncommon. OSH professionals are often assigned to various departments within the organization and hence report to the individuals who manage those departments.

Consider the following organizational chart (Figure 2.2) in which the chief executive officer (CEO) has five vice presidents that report directly to him or her. The Occupational Safety and Health Department is under the supervision of the vice president for Human Resources.

Figure 2.2. Example of a Company Organizational Chart

The problem with this arrangement is that the OSH professional reports to the VP of Human Resources rather than the CEO. If the VP of Human Resources has little or no OSH knowledge, information concerning safety issues may be ignored or misconstrued when it is eventually presented to the CEO.

While the above organizational chart is not ideal, the situation can be rectified by inserting a "dotted line" between the OSH professional and the CEO. In other words, the OSH professional should have the ability to directly discuss critical OSH issues with the CEO as the need arises.

Staff Role of OSH Professionals

"Line" positions are directly involved in the primary function of an organization, whether it is manufacturing a product or selling a service. Line personnel carry out the essential activities of a business and are considered critical to the basic functioning of the organization. Line managers make the majority of the decisions for an organization and direct line personnel to achieve company goals.

"Staff" positions serve the organization by providing support to line functions. OSH professionals usually serve as staff members within most organizations.  Other common examples of staff positions would include those employed in marketing, accounting, or information technology. Staff personnel have technical expertise that can be used to assist line managers in making decisions. Staff members have no direct authority over line personnel, but they can still have a strong influence on organizational activities.

Staff members are often granted "functional authority" based upon their expertise in a particular area. This type of authority gives staff personnel power over a particular function such as occupational safety and health. Having functional authority enables an OSH professional to take such actions as stopping unsafe processes or periodically auditing line personnel to ensure they are implementing required safety measures.

OSH professionals will ideally work in an advisory capacity to line management. Under most circumstances, the OSH professional should act as a resource and provide consultation to line members. Line management must then make decisions related to safety based on information provided by the OSH professional. This approach places the responsibility for workplace safety on line management and the line function is thus ultimately accountable for the success or failure of OSH efforts.

Types of OSH Professionals

There are several different types of OSH professionals. Most companies will not have personnel individually assigned to each of these roles. In fact, many organizations may combine one or more of these functions into a single position. Smaller companies might not directly employ any OSH professionals and instead may rely on external providers such as consultants or insurers to address their needs.

The common types of OSH professionals are as follows:

Table 2.3. Common OSH Professionals

Title	Responsibilities	Training/Certifications	Notes
Safety Professional	Focus primarily on the prevention of injuries and property damage. Evaluate a broad range of safety hazards and develop methods for controlling them. Ensure compliance with applicable safety regulations. Evaluate the overall effectiveness of the organization's safety efforts.	Those who meet defined educational and experience requirements may hold the title of "Certified Safety Professional" or "CSP" after successfully completing an exam process.	Job titles vary and may include "safety manager," "safety director," "safety administrator," or "safety engineer."
Industrial Hygienist	Focus on health hazards which are associated with various workplace agents including chemicals, noise, heat, radiation, and ergonomic stressors. Measure employee exposures to these agents and advise how to best control any "overexposures" which are detected.	Those employed in this field can obtain the title of "Certified Industrial Hygienist" or "CIH" after completing an application and testing process.	Pure industrial hygienists are usually only found within larger organizations. Their functions are often combined with those of a safety professional into a single position.
Environmental Professional	Assess and manage the effects of industrial activities on natural resources. Ensure adequate pollution control, manage waste streams, and acquire any necessary environmental permits. Evaluate organizational compliance with environmental regulations.	Certifications available within this field include Registered Environmental Manager (REM) and Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM).	It is not unusual to see the duties of an environmental professional combined with either or both of the preceding professions, especially in smaller organizations.
Occupational Physician	Specialize in the treatment of workplace injuries and illnesses. Complete fitness-for-duty evaluations. Oversee completion of routine medical screening such as hearing and respiratory function tests.	Board certification in occupational medicine. (Note: There are only several thousand board-certified occupational physicians within the United States. Given the low number of practitioners, the reality is that most work-related injuries and illnesses are not treated by an occupational physician).	May be employed by an individual company or may have their own practice in which they provide services to a large number of employers.
Occupational Nurse	Specialize in the delivery of health care services to worker populations. Care of injured employees and case management to ensure their return to the workplace. Conduct medical screening.	Licensed registered nurse.	May work independently or under the supervision of an occupational physician.