Q&A: Ideal ratio of safety professionals to employees

What is the appropriate ratio of safety professionals to general employee populations? 

There are no requirements specifying the ratio of safety professionals to employees, and there is no single answer.  The ratio of safety professionals to employees depends on numerous factors, and the relationship may not be linear. 

Some the factors that need to be considered include:

• The nature and severity of the hazards encountered by the employees.  The higher the degree of risk, the higher the ratio.  Also note that not all employees at a facility are exposed to the same level of risk. 
• The dispersion of the workforce.  A workforce that is spread out over a large area, multiple buildings, or multiple locations may necessitate more safety professionals than a workforce that is more condensed. 
• The responsibilities of the safety professional.  How involved are the safety professionals?  Are the safety professionals developing and establishing facility-specific plans and polices or is this being done at the corporate level?  Are the safety professionals on the floor in direct contact with employees on a day-to-day basis?  Or do they have other responsibilities (i.e., environmental reporting, corporate presentations, budgeting, etc.)? 

• The overall safety culture of the organization.  How serious is the commitment to safety throughout the organization, especially at the top of the organization?   Are managers and supervisors committed to safety and willing to carry out safety-related functions or does the entire burden fall to the safety professional? 

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