Safety Professionals Identity Crisis

In commenting on our recent posting Ode To the Safety Professional a well respected member of the industry wrote:

“I have problems with the term SAFETY PROFESSIONAL. My GP is not a DOCTOR PROFESSIONAL, my dentist is not a DENTAL PROFESSIONAL architect is not an ARCHITECT PROFESSIONAL, my lawyer is not a LAWYER PROFESSIONAL. Do we have such a chip on our shoulders or feel we need to prove something to other people to add the prefix PROFESSIONAL? The only other people I know use the term are the dreaded REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS.”

I have to agree and would never use that term if someone asked me what I do for a living but what do you call yourself? A SAFETYER? a SAFETYIST? a SAFETYOLOGIST? Perhaps we do have an inferiority complex?

When do you stop being a Safety Officer and become a Safety Professional? What’s the difference between a Safety Professional and a Safety Consultant or a Safety Manager or a Safety Adviser???????????