Occupational Health and Safety Technicians in West Virginia
Want to work as an Occupational Health and Safety Technicians in West Virginia? Here’s what you need to know. Collect data on work environments for analysis by occupational health and safety specialists. Implement and conduct evaluation of programs designed to limit chemical, physical, biological, and ergonomic risks to workers.
What do Occupational Health and Safety Technicians Make in West Virginia?
For occupational health and safety technicians working in West Virginia, the median annual wage is $57,500 per year (or roughly $27.64/hour).Earnings range from $45,570 at the 10th percentile to $115,760 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $45,570 | $21.91 |
| 25th percentile | $56,810 | $27.31 |
| Median (50th) | $57,500 | $27.64 |
| 75th percentile | $70,820 | $34.05 |
| 90th percentile | $115,760 | $55.65 |
The location quotient — a measure of how concentrated this occupation is in West Virginia relative to the national average — is 1.17, indicating that occupational health and safety technicians are more concentrated here than the national average.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, occupational health and safety technicians earn a median of $48,647 per year ($23.39/hour), higher than the West Virginia median.
Employment Outlook
National employment for 50,056 occupational health and safety technicians across the United States. In West Virginia alone, about 170 people work in this role. That’s below the typical state, which employs around 390 occupational health and safety technicians.
Top States for Occupational Health and Safety Technicians Employment
View the states that employ the most occupational health and safety technicians work.
| State | Number Employed |
|---|---|
| Texas | 5,140 |
| California | 3,760 |
| Illinois | 1,910 |
| Indiana | 1,650 |
| Georgia | 1,500 |
| New York | 1,450 |
| Ohio | 1,140 |
| Wisconsin | 900 |
| Pennsylvania | 870 |
| Virginia | 810 |
| Florida | 800 |
| Louisiana | 790 |
| Washington | 600 |
| North Carolina | 550 |
| Alabama | 480 |
| Tennessee | 480 |
| Colorado | 470 |
| New Jersey | 440 |
| South Carolina | 440 |
| Michigan | 430 |
Highest-Paying States for Occupational Health and Safety Technicians
Where occupational health and safety technicians earn the most: occupational health and safety technicians.
| State | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $80,270 |
| Rhode Island | $79,530 |
| Alaska | $76,290 |
| New Mexico | $75,920 |
| Minnesota | $73,970 |
| Oregon | $68,640 |
| Colorado | $66,560 |
| Illinois | $66,000 |
| New Jersey | $65,340 |
| Massachusetts | $65,010 |
Skills
Key occupational health and safety technicians skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Important knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Abilities
The abilities that matter most for occupational health and safety technicians, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
Common tasks include:
- Evaluate situations or make determinations when a worker has refused to work on the grounds that danger or potential harm exists.
- Supply, operate, or maintain personal protective equipment.
- Train workers in safety procedures related to green jobs, such as the use of fall protection devices or maintenance of proper ventilation during wind turbine construction.
- Test workplaces for environmental hazards, such as exposure to radiation, chemical or biological hazards, or excessive noise.
- Maintain all required environmental records and documentation.
- Provide consultation to organizations or agencies on the workplace application of safety principles, practices, or techniques.
- Inspect fire suppression systems or portable fire systems to ensure proper working order.
- Verify availability or monitor use of safety equipment, such as hearing protection or respirators.
- Recommend corrective measures to be applied based on results of environmental contaminant analyses.
- Prepare or review specifications or orders for the purchase of safety equipment, ensuring that proper features are present and that items conform to health and safety standards.
- Prepare or calibrate equipment used to collect or analyze samples.
- Conduct worker studies to determine whether specific instances of disease or illness are job-related.
Work Activities
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Getting Information
- Documenting/Recording Information
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
- Training and Teaching Others
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
- Working with Computers
- Analyzing Data or Information
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
Tools & Technology
Software and systems commonly involved: Hot technologies: Microsoft Access In-demand technologies: Microsoft Excel
What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?
Several college majors map to this occupation:
- Public Health
- Allied Health Professions
- Pharmacology & Toxicology
- Quality Control Technology
Featured schools near , edit
Related Careers
Related occupations to occupational health and safety technicians include:
- Emergency Management Directors
- Compliance Managers
- Environmental Compliance Inspectors
- Government Property Inspectors and Investigators
- Environmental Engineers
- Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors
Also Known As
Advisory Industrial Hygienist, Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH), Construction Health and Safety Technician (CHST), Construction Safety Consultant, Consumer Safety Technician (Consumer Safety Tech), EHS Advisor (Environmental, Health, and Safety Advisor), EHS Coordinator (Environmental Health and Safety Coordinator), Environmental Health Technologist, Environmental Health and Safety Technician (Environmental Health and Safety Tech), Ergonomics Technician (Ergonomics Tech), Field Safety Coordinator, Food Safety Coordinator, Health and Safety Coordinator, Health and Safety Technician (Health and Safety Tech), Industrial Hygiene Consultant.
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
- BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- O*NET-SOC code: 19-5012.00