ABSTRACT
Several statistical reports have provided historical evidence showing that the water and wastewater treatment industry is an extremely unsafe occupational field. Experience has shown that the lack of well-managed safety programs and safe work practices is a major factor contributing to the fact that the water/wastewater treatment industry ranks near the top of the National Safety Council's list of worst industries for worker safety. This critical issue—the lack of safety programs and safe work practices—is addressed by this text. The primary lesson that the water/wastewater treatment plant "safety person" must learn in order to be successful is to be an advocate for safe work conditions at the facility, not just a regulator of safe work conditions. Also, those who are thrown into the position of "safety person" must quickly come to grips with the fact that on-the-job injuries are very real and can be frequent occurrences.
