What Do Occupational Health or Safety Specialist Do?
Occupational Health or Safety Specialist Example Review, evaluate, and analyze work environments and design programs and procedures to control, eliminate, and prevent disease or injury caused by chemical, physical, and biological agents or ergonomic factors. May conduct inspections and enforce adherence to laws and regulations governing the health and safety of individuals. May be employed in the public or private sector. Includes environmental protection officers.
Life As an Occupational Health or Safety Specialist
- Collect samples of hazardous materials or arrange for sample collection.
- Investigate accidents to identify causes or to determine how such accidents might be prevented in the future.
- Provide new-employee health and safety orientations and develop materials for these presentations.
- Collect samples of dust, gases, vapors, or other potentially toxic materials for analysis.
- Maintain or update emergency response plans or procedures.
- Maintain inventories of hazardous materials or hazardous wastes, using waste tracking systems to ensure that materials are handled properly.
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Things an Occupational Health or Safety Specialist Should Know How to Do
Occupational Health and Safety Specialists state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Types of Occupational Health or Safety Specialist
- Dining Service Inspector
- Industrial Hygiene Technician
- Food and Drug Inspector
- Health Inspector
- Safety Specialist
Job Outlook for Occupational Health and Safety Specialists
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 83,700 jobs in the United States for Occupational Health or Safety Specialist. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 8.1% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 6,800 new jobs for Occupational Health or Safety Specialist by 2026. There will be an estimated 5,000 positions for Occupational Health or Safety Specialist per year.
The states with the most job growth for Occupational Health or Safety Specialist are Utah, North Dakota, and Colorado. Watch out if you plan on working in Vermont, Rhode Island, or Maine. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Salary for an Occupational Health or Safety Specialist
Occupational Health and Safety Specialists make between $42,450 and $108,520 a year.
Occupational Health and Safety Specialists who work in Rhode Island, District of Columbia, or California, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Occupational Health and Safety Specialists in different U.S. states.
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $71,000 |
| Alaska | $86,940 |
| Arizona | $70,840 |
| Arkansas | $64,620 |
| California | $88,400 |
| Colorado | $86,390 |
| Connecticut | $83,660 |
| Delaware | $75,580 |
| District of Columbia | $90,540 |
| Florida | $66,790 |
| Georgia | $71,450 |
| Hawaii | $73,900 |
| Idaho | $72,440 |
| Illinois | $76,390 |
| Indiana | $63,950 |
| Iowa | $70,710 |
| Kansas | $64,840 |
| Kentucky | $66,730 |
| Louisiana | $76,280 |
| Maine | $69,380 |
| Maryland | $78,920 |
| Massachusetts | $84,480 |
| Michigan | $70,910 |
| Minnesota | $78,140 |
| Mississippi | $70,920 |
| Missouri | $69,880 |
| Montana | $69,890 |
| Nebraska | $66,990 |
| Nevada | $74,020 |
| New Hampshire | $74,410 |
| New Jersey | $80,990 |
| New Mexico | $72,440 |
| New York | $76,020 |
| North Carolina | $69,870 |
| North Dakota | $88,470 |
| Ohio | $76,740 |
| Oklahoma | $67,410 |
| Oregon | $74,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $70,330 |
| Rhode Island | $92,330 |
| South Carolina | $61,990 |
| South Dakota | $68,220 |
| Tennessee | $75,350 |
| Texas | $75,720 |
| Utah | $78,040 |
| Vermont | $68,660 |
| Virginia | $71,260 |
| Washington | $78,240 |
| West Virginia | $73,900 |
| Wisconsin | $66,070 |
| Wyoming | $76,790 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Occupational Health and Safety Specialists
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Occupational Health and Safety Specialists may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Web browser software
- Microsoft Access
- Word processing software
- SAP
- Microsoft Windows
- Microsoft Project
- Microsoft SharePoint
- Database software
- Microsoft Active Server Pages ASP
- EcoLogic ADAM Indoor Air Quality and Analytical Data Management
How to Become an Occupational Health or Safety Specialist
Learn what Occupational Health or Safety Specialist education requirements there are.
What work experience do I need to become an Occupational Health or Safety Specialist?
Who Employs Occupational Health and Safety Specialists?
The table below shows the approximate number of Occupational Health and Safety Specialists employed by various industries.
You May Also Be Interested In…
Those interested in being an Occupational Health or Safety Specialist may also be interested in:
Career changers with experience as an Occupational Health or Safety Specialist sometimes find work in one of the following fields:
References:
Image Credit: Gina Collecchia via Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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