When I first entered the safety profession, older, more experienced professionals recommended that I consider OSHA as a potential employer. The innuendo I sensed in this advice was that if I worked for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), got to know influential people, and learned how to work the system, I would be in a better position to protect companies from citations and associated penalties. This bothered me: I chose to be in safety because I wanted to protect people.

Decades later, I now appreciate the wisdom of this advice. Staying out of the press for compliance issues is a really good idea and, whether directly stated or not, OSHA-proofing has been a part of every job I’ve held.

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