Occupational Health and Safety Specialists

Manufacturing companies, mines, factories, federal, state and local government agencies - all have a growing demand for health and safety professionals. The main job role of these safety specialists is to ensure workers and general public do not face any health hazards. In addition, they see to it that no harm is done to the property and environment. Occupational health and safety specialists are also termed as health and safety inspectors. The job responsibilities of these professionals vary depending on the workplace and the industry they work for. To kick-start a career and become successful in this occupation, you need to have all the essential career information including the job description, nature of work, education and certification requirement and the employment opportunities that await you in this occupation.

 

Job Description
The actual job responsibilities of health and safety inspectors vary from one industry to another. They deal with a variety of health hazards that may harm the workers, general public and the environment. These professionals may also specialize into a specific area depending on their education, skills and experience. These professionals may be employed as environmental protection officers, industrial hygienists, health physicists etc.

 

Occupational safety and health professionals determine the probability of accidents and risks involved and implement controls to reduce these hazards. They are also responsible for developing new safety procedures and monitor the results of these programs. In addition, they provide expert advice to managers in a company in terms of cost control and the effectiveness of safety procedures and health programs. They also train people on how to identify various health hazards and recommend corrective measures to prevent from various illnesses and injuries.

 

Typical job responsibilities of occupational health and safety professionals include -

 

Advise managers on the effectiveness and performance of safety procedures
Offer corrective measures and other suggestions to improve safety procedures
Prepare legal documents to be used in court proceedings
Assist in the designing and development of safe workplaces
Identify a variety of health hazards including physical, chemical, biological and radiological
Provide safety training
Develop new safety procedures and hygiene programs

 

Depending on the job duties these specialists perform, they are given various job titles. Some of these include health and safety managers, safety specialists, corporate safety director, environmental health and safety manager, safety consultant etc.

 

Work Environment
Health and safety specialists may work in a variety of work settings. Very often, they remain exposed to multiple hazardous conditions that industrial workers may face. Most of these professionals work for the standard 40 hours a week. Others may need to work irregular hours depending on the nature and type of work. Safety specialists may also need to travel from one place to another depending on the project they work on.

 

Educational Qualification & Training
To become an occupational health and safety specialist, candidates should possess a bachelor's degree in occupational health, safety management or any other relevant field. For some of the jobs in this occupation, a master's degree in industrial hygiene or health physics may be required. Since employers prefer hiring candidates who have prior work experience, candidates need to get enrolled in training programs that also offer internship programs. In addition to having a bachelor's degree in a relevant field, candidates will also need to meet some licensure requirements, which may vary from one state to another.

 

Employment Outlook
Job prospects in this occupation are best for candidates who possess adequate educational qualification and extensive work experience. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment growth rate in this occupation will be as fast as the average of all other occupation, from 2008 through to 2018.

 

Annual Salary
In the year 2008, the median annual salary of occupational health and safety specialists was around $62,250. The highest salary offered in this field is around $93,620. Federal executive branches, medical and surgical hospitals offer the highest annual salary to these professionals.