The Safety Conversation Is Expanding

For much of modern occupational safety, the boundary of the safety program was easy to see. Safety professionals focused on machinery, energy, falls, hazardous substances, vehicles, ergonomics, fire, confined spaces, and the other conditions that could physically injure a worker. Mental health was often treated as a wellness or human resources issue, important but separate from the core mechanics of risk control.

That boundary is becoming harder to defend. Work organization, workload, supervision, exposure to violence or traumatic events, bullying, role conflict, isolation, long or inflexible hours, and lack of support can all […]