Safety Practitioner’s Profession: Manager, Engineer or Public Relations?

We will present in this work, the analysis of the safety practitioner’s activity, carried out in two factories with exemplary accident prevention systems, one French and one Brazilian. Besides elucidating the practice of these professionals (management of priorities, activities, commitments, strategies...), the study made evident subjective and objective characteristics that helped the implantation and dissemination of the safety culture (plant with little turn-over, management commitment, safety practitioner personal style, safety practitioner integrated as a member of different social groups etc.). The study shows that the safety professional practice demands managerial, engineering and public relations knowledge.