Earlier this year, we sent out our annual state of the industry survey. We asked everything from demographics to salary and other earnings to attitudes about the profession.
Over 1,000 of you responded from all across the country.
We used some of that information from the 2022 National Safety & Salary Survey for our July/August print cover story. (Here are links to the feature story, "Are You Being Paid What You're Worth?" and an accompanying data breakdown, "Doing More With Less.")
We also asked some open-ended questions about what you think, feel and struggle with. You didn't hold back.
Your job is to create a safe work environment and to follow all laws, regulations and procedures. But that doesn't mean you always like or them. Nor does it seem like you always like your company's management or workers—or at least their actions and behaviors, some of the time.
Being a safety professional is a tough job; there's no denying that.
Perhaps an even more difficult job is writing and enforcing laws that protect workers. That's right. We're talking about the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA).
We asked you "What should OSHA do less of?" You were all to eager to share your critiques and criticisms for how the agency could reprioritize, reorganize and reallocate resources of time and attention. There were some common themes, including being less political. There were, as expected, some snarky answers. Overwhelmingly, you shared your ideas and opinions (and, perhaps voiced the occasional frustration) about how OSHA can improve its operations and, by extent, safety for millions of workers.
We fully expect a number of these concerns and challenges to carry over into 2023—if only some of our problems could be cast aside as easily as last year's calendar. Still, there is sometimes something so cathartic of learning we're not alone and that my problem is your problem is your problem, etc.
We hope you feel a little better reading other safety professionals answers. And hey, OSHA, feel free to take note.