It’s not just good luck that keeps you safe on the job. In fact, your good fortune is due to corporate America’s commitment to the highest global standards in workplace safety. To deliver on this commitment, employers need specifically trained professionals to develop and manage workplace safety programs.
According to the National Safety Council, a nonprofit organization that promotes health and safety in all aspects of American life, “workplace safety culture begins with a well-trained workforce.” Through earning an online Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a Concentration in Safety, professionals can gain this specialized training and develop the business skills needed for leadership roles in safety program management.
A Brief History of Workplace Safety
Statistics show that in the early 1970s an average of 38 workers died every day in the United States, and over 10% of the workforce experienced a work-related injury or illness each year. Manufacturing technology had grown rapidly, but the concept of safety standards and the technology and equipment needed to implement them lagged behind.
Workers demanded regulations and enforcement to protect their health and safety. The U.S. government responded by passing several health and safety acts and establishing two agencies, including today’s eminent workplace safety regulatory body, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
OSHA sets and enforces standards regarding how employers provide safe and healthy workplaces for their employees. The objective is not only to reduce safety incidents but also to continually reduce the related costs of preventing and handling incidents. Over its 50-year history, OSHA developed regulations for a range of industries and established the early framework for what has evolved into today’s complex system of corporate safety planning.
Numerous laws and regulations now encompass occupational safety and health, protection in the office or while traveling and even environmental and air quality standards in the workplace. OSHA led the development of personal protection equipment as well as other technologies and communication processes that help make the workforce safer.
OSHA’s efforts have certainly helped: Workplace fatalities in the U.S. decreased from an average of 38 per day in 1970 to 15 per day in 2019, even as the workforce nearly doubled. The same period saw worker injuries and illnesses decline from 10.9 incidents per 100 workers in 1972 to 2.8 per 100 in 2019.
Workplace Safety Is Evolving and You Can Contribute
Think of the past half-century as the embryonic stage of workplace safety. The original mandate has morphed into a field that is continuously evolving, a field that needs your influence to mature and meet society’s changing needs.
Several key factors are driving the evolution of workplace safety. For instance, consumer mobile technologies, including smartphones and tablets, are enabling important changes in safety communication. Employees have immediate access to comprehensive safety information and updates, and they can reach help instantly if an incident does occur.
Safety trainers have influenced generations of workers, and the attitude of today’s workforce reflects a higher degree of safety awareness. Plus, of course, the COVID-19 pandemic furthered the public’s understanding of what makes a safe and healthy workplace environment.
Instead of accepting corporate dictates and following rules, many employees now voluntarily make safer decisions and contribute to improvements in workplace procedures. They are taking responsibility for their subordinates and peers and attempting to correct unsafe behaviors before they lead to injuries. They are educating one another on the proper use of equipment and procedures to minimize harm.
Yet, social, physical, environmental and circumstantial challenges can still complicate matters, as evidenced by wide-ranging personal and organizational safety management approaches during the pandemic. Safety program managers are responsible for implementing evidence-based safety management systems, creating a safe environment and engaging workers in maintaining that environment, even when conditions are uncertain and difficult. This takes the kinds of nuanced leadership skills and managerial know-how an MBA program can help students develop.
Education Will Create the Next Wave of Changes
MBA programs with a focus on safety combine core management courses with information technology studies and specific instruction in safety. Graduates are prepared to advise companies on best practices in safety and lead teams in implementing and following safety protocols.
Southeastern Oklahoma State University’s online MBA with a Concentration in Safety blends the core MBA business curriculum with four focused safety courses:
- Advanced Safety Program Management involves analysis of safety program organization, supervision and management.
- Legal Liability & Workers’ Compensation examines safety and health legal liability, regulatory compliance, ADA and workers’ compensation requirements.
- Crisis Preparedness and Occupational Security focuses on threat reduction, terrorist prevention, homeland security and on-site safety.
- Occupational Safety Statistics covers the study of safety statistics and probability in industrial and regulatory sampling.
This training can help current safety professionals advance to more senior-level positions, including safety and security manager or director. These managerial positions require an educational foundation in safety along with fundamentals of business, such as behavioral management, research, marketing, finance, economics, data analysis and strategic management. With broader business acumen, these managers can collaborate with executives and IT personnel to determine workplace needs and develop and implement effective safety plans.
The safety specialization is needed across industries, in both the public and private sectors. Government agencies and large corporations are among the most common employers. Few careers offer as many potential places of employment, meaning the safety management field can offer stability and resilience to economic volatility. Compensation is also strong. ZipRecruiter reports average annual salaries of $75,056 for occupational safety specialists and $118,125 for corporate safety directors in the United States, as of September 2022.
For professionals who aspire to influence an industry that keeps people safe while earning a comfortable living, a safety-focused MBA is worth serious consideration.
Learn more about the Southeastern Oklahoma State University online MBA with a Concentration in Safety program.