February 6, 2002—A recent American Society of Safety Engineers’ (ASSE) national membership survey shows an increase in value of workplace safety by employers and an expected increase of hiring of occupational safety professionals in the next few months on the west coast.
According to ASSE, increased health care and workers compensation costs, high employee turnover rates, reduction in marketplace share and profits could be what’s driving more employers to heighten their value of and to implement affective workplace safety programs.
This increase is reflected in the results of a national survey of ASSE members where less than 30 percent of respondents reported a decrease in occupational safety, health and environmental (SH&E) jobs at their workplace in 2001. Close to 20 percent witnessed an increase in the hiring of SH&E personnel while 52 percent said there was no personnel change.
“Most companies are using safety professionals to full potential because people want safe work environments,” Eddie Greer, ASSE president, said. “In the past, a lot of the growth in the safety profession was regulatory-driven, but today it just makes good business sense to protect people in the workplace. Companies are realizing that they get results by doing the right things for their employees.”
In response to the question as to whether ASSE members foresee additional increases or decreases in hiring of SH&E personnel in 2002 at their workplace, 34.7 percent expect to see an increase, 31.3 percent expect to see a decrease and 34 percent are unsure.
In response to the question as to whether they expect to see more outsourcing in the area of safety, occupational health, environmental or industrial hygiene, most expect to see an increase in outsourcing in the industrial hygiene area, while outsourcing in other areas will remain the same. For more information, contact ASSE.
