Reasons to be thankful for EHS professionals

November 17th, 2017 by Dakota Software Staff

Environmental, health, and safety professionals play vital roles in the continued success of every business that needs them. These highly educated, skilled, and experienced individuals face a daunting task each time they arrive to work - keep work sites free of hazards and make sure employees are as protected as they can be.

In many cases, this is no easy feat for an EHS professional to manage. Yet, at work sites across the country, staff avoid untold numbers of accidents and injuries every day because of the diligence of these experts. Business owners and employees could benefit from knowing a bit more about who they are and what they do.

EHS pros do more than simply monitor safety

"Business owners and employees alike should be thankful for the work of EHS leaders."

A 2015 National Safety Survey from EHS Today found over 60 percent of EHS professionals who participated had over 10 years of experience.

Many of these individuals are engineers or scientists. Their backgrounds, coupled with years of job experience, allow them to blend technical expertise with management skills and extensive knowledge of optimal safety practices and corporate policies.

EHS professionals champion protecting worker health and safety above all else. Many of their responsibilities relate to that goal, but they must also protect the environment from harmful workplace practices.

The National Association for Environmental Management noted that these specialists often develop and implement a formal sustainability program for their companies. EHS professionals will even work with other companies along the overall supply chain to meet those ends. They also work internally to create relationships across the business that can help facilitate actions in line with EHS values and procedures.

These actions accomplish more than simply getting a company compliant with enforceable regulations and preventing worker injury. They keep businesses sustainable, potentially lower operating costs and improve safety and ergonomics.

Business owners and employees alike should be thankful for the work of EHS leaders. They are vital parts of the infrastructure that companies need for their ongoing success. Without them, businesses would lack compliance, the environment would suffer and operations on work sites could be far less employee-friendly.