Employers committed to workplace safety

Risk & Insurance, April 1, 2002 by Michael Capozzi

Employers are placing increased value on workplace safety efforts, according to a recent survey by the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), in Des Plaines, Ill. This increase in interest is reflected in a survey of ASSE members on hiring trends of safety professionals.

Despite the recession, increased health care costs, increased workers' compensation costs, high employee turnover rates, and reductions in marketplace share and profits, workplace safety professionals are not losing their jobs. In fact, almost as many new jobs are being created as eliminated. According the ASSE survey, 52 percent of the respondents said there have been no personnel changes among occupational safety, health, and environmental jobs at their workplaces; less than 30 percent reported decreases; and nearly 20 percent reported increases.

Clearly, the September 11 terrorist attack had a heavy hand in layoffs that did occur; as nearly 50 percent of the layoffs occurred in October (19.3 percent), November (17.2 percent), and December (10.7 percent). Many of the companies that didn't lay off safety professionals were busy hiring them. More than 35 percent of new hires occurred during September (11.4 percent), October (16.3 percent), and November (8.9 percent).

Survey respondents also said that they expect to see more outsourcing in the area of industrial hygiene, while they expect that outsourcing will remain the same in areas of safety, occupational health, or environmental hygiene.