Career Spotlight: Compliance and Safety Specialist
When it comes to the automotive industry, safety is the number one concern. Since the inception of the automobile over a century ago, we’ve been striving to make them safer, trying to reduce accidents by any means possible. This has lead to the invention of the airbag, seatbelts, and now in the 21st century, such features as reversing cameras, collision detection and other technologically-minded and futuristic safety features that can be certified and implemented by an automotive technician. Not only that, but we’re developing new safety procedures and policies all the time, to ensure that our roads stay safe. We need to ensure that the people who are on the road are responsible, attentive drivers, and that, especially in the case of large vehicles, they’re qualified to be on the road. At the forefront of all of these attempts at making roads a safer place is one of the best and most rewarding auto careers out there, a Compliance and Safety Specialist.
But What Do They Do?
To put it broadly, Compliance and Safety Specialists are responsible for keeping the roads safe. They work in a variety of settings, from trucking companies to courier companies, and they oversee the qualification of drivers. From starting a driver qualification file on someone, to auditing files that include missing or outdated information. The Compliance and Safety Specialist ensures that all drivers who are currently on the road in the fleet that they manage are of sound mind and body to be doing so, and keeps tabs on their driving records, medical history and more to ensure that they are capable of performing their tasks.
You’ll ensure that all of the drivers’ licenses, qualifications and medical cards are all up to date, as well as taking appropriate action to find out why they aren’t. Employee morale is heavily benefited by a safe and secure work environment, and a Compliance and Safety Specialist ensure this is the case. Because the position is usually not physical demanding, it can be a perfect fit for someone older in life, or for people who have certain disabilities or mobility restrictions, but still want a chance at rewarding automotive careers.
Listen to this Compliance and Safety specialist for FedEx talk about the variety and excitement of his career:
Tracking insurance certificates, performing routine drug and alcohol testing, as well as implementing drug testing procedures and protocols are also extremely important tasks that you’ll perform as a Compliance and Safety Specialist. You’ll also be responsible for the investigation of accidents by your drivers, determining the cause of the accident and completing any necessary insurance paperwork.
With a diploma in Compliance and Safety, you can also work in related careers such as becoming a fleet maintenance manager, someone who trains new drivers for transportation companies, or even pursue a job at a governmental transportation agency. So if you are interested in making the automotive world a safer place, a career as a Compliance and Safety Specialist could be for you.
