It’s tough to bring professionalism to a trade that actively looks to make itself look stupid. There are only so many hours in the day, only so many resources, and if we waste either it’s tough to go to the well and ask for help and money.
And let’s face it, as safety professionals we are perpetual victims, unloved, over-worked, and most of all under-staffed and under-funded. On the other hand, we spend our scarce time and meager resources doing things that don’t reduce the risk of injuries, reduce our operating costs or do really much of anything.