A safety professional has a tough job. They are tasked with protecting the company by providing a safe workplace AND they are tasked with protecting workers from hazards. But how do you stay motivated when money is not available to make repairs or employees simply disregard safe practices?
One important thing to remember is why you do what you do. I love workplace safety because I get to provide protection against workplace hazards–even when employees don’t agree or are not aware. I’ll share a story that really reminded me of the importance of our roles. I started at a new company several years ago and needed to do some hexavalent chromium sampling on the guys who did welding on stainless steel. I talked to one worker who had been a welder for over 30 years. Not once had he ever participated in sampling or heard about sampling results related to his tasks. I got him all hooked up with the sampling equipment and conducted the sampling. After receiving the results (which were well below the OELs) and sharing them with him, he was so appreciative of knowing that the work he was doing was not causing him long-term illness.
This example reminds me how important our roles are to the company and workers. When or if you are ever feeling down or unmotivated, reflect on the the workers you have impacted and the changes you have made to eliminate hazards. You are making a difference! And although we may have a “thankless” job some days, just know that there are silent messages whenever we can prevent workplace injuries and illnesses.