To experts in the EHS field

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To experts in the EHS field: I watched a talk show in which, when SARS spread across China in 2003, causing serious harm to people’s health, health experts advised that windows should be opened to keep the indoor air circulating and reduce the risk of infection； Ten years later, in 2012, a term with an “innovative” connotation—PM2.5—emerged, causing shock and fear among the public, who tried to avoid it at all costs. As a result, experts advised citizens to keep their windows closed to prevent air pollutants from entering through them and affecting their respiratory systems. On and off, back and forth – is this perhaps a manifestation of the natural law that everything that remains open for a long time will eventually close, and everything that remains closed for a long time will eventually open? Dear expert, is your field of expertise centered around windows? Congratulations on combining theory and practice perfectly. How can one bear it? With what feelings can one endure it! These days, the term \"expert\" is as popular as \"teacher\" in the entertainment industry (in that industry, anyone who becomes famous and has some experience is referred to as XX Teacher). As long as one enters a certain field, anyone can become an expert. Experts’ opinions are not consistent; they stick to their own views, refuse to compromise, and engage in endless debates. The result is that it’s the ordinary people who aren’t experts who suffer. With thousands of experts and countless suggestions, which one can be considered reliable? Experts say that when studying safety engineering at the undergraduate level, instructors explain that an expert is someone who focuses on a specific area or sub-topic, has achieved certain research results, and has applied those findings in practice – and that’s what defines an expert ； Literally, it means focusing on one specific area. Simply put, you can say that someone is an expert in chemical safety within the field of safety, or you can say that someone is an expert in construction safety ； To say that someone is a safety expert is too general; it is not precise nor responsible, as safety is a broad concept that encompasses transportation, electricity, mining, nuclear power, construction, consumer affairs, public facilities and services, water management, food, entertainment, and leisure, among many other areas – it cannot be generalized in this way. I too spent four years of my youth, at the cost of my parents’ hard work, studying in a school specializing in safety engineering. It has been ten years since I graduated, and I’ve even written a few mediocre sentences on security by imitating what I had seen. Unfortunately, it was never honored as an expert ； Looking back at those who served as security team leaders for a few years, worked as honorary safety officers in companies for several years, and then ended up in consulting firms where they became some kind of expert ； Just get an electrician’s certificate and you dare to call yourself an electrical expert? ； Just by getting an emergency responder certificate, one dares to call themselves an expert in emergency response and first aid ； Just by having a certificate for handling chemicals, one dares to call themselves an expert in chemical safety ； Then there were the gossiping comments from colleagues, who knew what to do but not why; I felt so lost and confused. After reflecting on the pain and drawing lessons from it, I think what’s missing from my forehead is the aura that experts should possess, as well as the signs of time; aside from that, perhaps we lack the natural talent that experts have. But after feeling lost, I’m grateful that during my years in the security industry, I met many so-called experts and influencers in this field; each of them had their own tragic experiences that led to them becoming experts, as well as their own unique methods. Achieve the status of a security expert: one of the secret keys to success lies in persistent practice. A sharp sword is forged through grinding, and the fragrance of plum blossoms comes from enduring harsh cold. It’s good to have ideals and determination to make a name for oneself in the field of security. Even Little Napoleon said that an EHS professional who doesn’t want to be an EHS expert is not a good EHS professional. But you must make extraordinary efforts and go through an extraordinary process. This effort is arduous, so arduous that you can’t imagine it ； At the same time, this process is also lengthy – so lengthy, in fact, that the ancients used the saying \"it takes ten years to forge a sword\" to illustrate how one must devote many years to mastering a difficult skill ； The ancients also said that a blade honed by frost has yet to be put to the test; spending ten years mastering a rare skill only to find no opportunity to use it – where is the end point? It’s terrifying and truly exhausting. How to practice depends entirely on an individual’s talent and interests. If one went hunting in the mountains every day, it might help develop a sharp eye and the ability to adapt to situations at any time ； Even if one builds the Great Wall around a sparrow table, it can still help develop the skill of reading people’s expressions and the ability to determine the right tone and approach when speaking and acting ； It’s also possible to practice one’s oratory skills by chatting nonsense with different people ； In short, it is necessary to improve one’s overall quality in various aspects, in order to lay a solid foundation and prepare thoroughly for embarking on the challenging path of becoming an expert in the future. Finally, and most importantly, it is essential to obtain a relevant certificate; as the saying goes, with that certificate in hand, one can navigate the world with ease ； With multiple credentials in hand, one can roam the world – that’s the idea. In summary: to become an expert, one’s life experiences must be truly moving, and the path to success must be full of both smooth moments and challenges ； If not, you’ll have to find a way to make it happen. Secret tip number two: Be humble and respectful; after all, in any group of three, there’s always someone I can learn from. To master a skill, one needs to find a teacher, and to win over a girl, money is required. To make significant progress in a particular industry, it is necessary to have an expert or a senior figure who can provide guidance and insights. Whether fictional or real, it has remained unchanged since ancient times. Don’t you see that martial arts masters are either born masters or develop that potential from birth? They possess an innate aptitude to become masters, and through guidance from experienced instructors, as well as years of hard practice in the bitter cold, they eventually achieve greatness. But the problem is that even with innate talent, a master may not necessarily share all their knowledge or refuse to do so; it depends on whether there is a fated connection between you and the master. Since they are masters, they must be surrounded by an aura of mysticism, possess extraordinary skills beyond ordinary people’s reach, and deserve to be loved and worshipped by us commoners; they cannot be treated as ordinary individuals using normal standards. Being too close invites suspicion of flattery and fawning, while being too distant shows disrespect and ingratitude, as well as a lack of self-respect. The admiration for a master should not be on such a grand scale, like the endless flow of the Yangtze River, causing a stir throughout the city; such an approach risks appearing to exaggerate the master’s reputation ； It also cannot be as overwhelming as the floods of the Yellow River, out of control and fierce; such an approach shows that those who admire it are superficial and lack talent. Simply put, to worship a master, one must do so discreetly, let things develop naturally, and let fate take its course. Physical behavior reveals an individual’s true nature. What is called scholarship must emphasize authenticity and sincerity – that is, to engage in scholarly work in a genuine manner and to be an honest person, without the slightest trace of utilitarianism. Accumulate bit by bit, day after day. When the master believes the time is right, he will impart all his knowledge to you; given time, you will surely achieve great things. Newcomers to the EHS industry must know two things: utmost respect and a willingness to ask questions. No matter how excellent your theoretical knowledge is or how many academic papers you have published, in a manufacturing enterprise where survival is the top priority and revenue is the key focus, such theories and papers will be set aside, because they cannot help the enterprise survive, nor can your extensive theoretical knowledge boost revenue. Whether you come from a background in safety, have pursued a master’s or doctoral degree, or are a returnee with impressive international experience, you must understand the ethical principles of this industry, identify your own role, and realize that you are still a beginner in the world of EHS. Although you may disapprove of those EHS predecessors who talk a lot but don’t even know the Heinrich theory, they have been in the field for many years, have been honored as experts, and have numerous admirers and followers. Even though you know this person is full of nonsense and looks all polished and fancy, you still have to be extremely polite and listen attentively as they talk at length about issues that seem utterly simple. You must also act as if you know nothing, and when necessary, ask many questions that won’t embarrass the experts, so as to show your eagerness to learn and your sense of propriety – because this is how things work in such circles. You can show a lot of personality, you can express opinions that you think are great, but they are basically ignored. In the world of those who rank themselves by skill level, from beginners to experts, they generally go through such trials. Summary: From novice to expert; it doesn’t matter where you come from, only your experience counts ； One must not rush; it is necessary to follow the path taken by experts and endure the hardships they have faced, before success will naturally come. Remember: Those who have achieved great things throughout history have always endured mental strain, physical labor, hunger, and hardship to get ahead. Secret Tip No. 3: Plagiarism. Some say that the person who first described a young girl’s shy cheeks as being like red apples was a linguistic genius, possessing imagination and creativity ； The second person who described the girl’s face as apple-like was imitating others, borrowing ideas from others ； However, in real life, we also encounter the third type of people, who will say that a girl’s face is red like an orange, like a peach, like a plum... As ordinary people, we actually prefer the second type of people, because they are more down-to-earth and don’t try to be fancy or pretend to be something they’re not. We detest most the behavior of putting on an act. The minimum standard for us is to receive accurate, genuine information that does not lead to misguidance or even cause serious harm to anyone’s life. Having spent many years in the EHS field, I’ve met many people who fall somewhere between excellent and mediocre – they are true experts. With their extensive knowledge, rich life experience, and humorous way of speaking, they manage to explain even the most boring safety concepts in a clear and understandable manner, leaving the listeners in stitches with laughter ； Such masterful use of references and such exquisite linguistic expression – I think it’s beyond my reach, no matter how hard I try in this life. Alas, it’s truly true that one regrets not having enough books when they’re needed. I’ve also met many people who seem to be somewhere between level A and level C; they are regarded as experts by their younger colleagues or by laypeople, and they too try to eliminate safety hazards through casual talk and criticism. They simply strive to imitate experts in order to become experts themselves ； They devoured it without any regard for the audience’s feelings ； They have a superficial understanding of this industry and are irresponsible toward it ； They blindly imitate others without taking the time to carefully read the safety regulations ； All their knowledge and information are probably based on hearsay, or even taken out of context. It has caused suffering to us younger generations, and it has caused hardship to us safety professionals who work hard on the front lines. Due to their \"authoritative\" statements, companies are forced to expend unnecessary funds and time, and those of us who are younger are obliged to obey them passively, as they are the experts appointed by those in power. Summary: To go from a beginner to an expert, there are two paths you can choose. A path full of hardships and obstacles; you must shed sweat to overcome it ； The result of what you invest is that you will become an expert in a certain field. It’s also filled with sweat and hardship; this hardship comes from practicing those extraordinary skills that enable one to master both human and supernatural abilities. As a result, you can claim that wool is cotton without anyone questioning you, because you’re an expert. Between loneliness and a life full of glamour, which one appeals to you? Choose whichever you prefer. (The article is from the internet)