Advice from the Worst Safety Professional Ever

Book excerpt: Advice from the Worst Safety Professional Ever: How to Do and View Safety Differently is a guide to help others safety professionals succeed by looking back on the early career of Rod Courtney, an ex-Army combat medic and ex-“Super Max” prison correctional officer turned well-intentioned—but very flawed—safety professional. At the start of his career as a safety professional in 1998, Rod channeled the attitude, skills, and culture of the military, prison system, and law enforcement into his new duties. On his very first job he was told to, "Go find them doing something wrong," and, "If you catch them breaking safety rules you can fire them.” He did just that, and he was good at it. Rod let them have it, all the while convinced in his heart that he was doing the right thing. Despite the sincere desire to make a difference and help others go home safely to their families, he was the worst safety professional ever! Advice from the Worst Safety Professional Ever covers the early mistakes Rod made in his career as a safety professional and contains the advice all early safety professionals need, but often do not get. Rod goes into detail about the skill sets needed for success as well as where the safety industry came from, where it is at presently, and expectations for the future. Rod encourages readers to laugh (with or at him) as they read about the silly mistakes he used to make—so they don’t have to make them too!