ABSTRACT
Safety practitioners today find themselves in a young profession that has witnessed significant and fast-paced change. The Institution of Occupational Safety & Health (‘IOSH’), the chartered professional body for safety and health in the workplace, now has over 46,000 members though it has existed only since 1945.
In this chapter, we’ll discuss the evolution of the role from safety officer to safety practitioner, and explore what the changing world of work means for those working in the profession today.
Despite its worthy aim of ensuring safe and healthy workplaces, for too long the profession has been dogged by negative stigma and low public perception, so we’ll consider how to break this perspective and consider ways to reposition the role as ‘safety leader’ and add tangible, sustainable value to the organisation today.
