Occupational Health and Safety Technicians

19-5012.00 Zone 3 — Medium Preparation Needed

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.

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 and Safety Technician (Environmental Health and Safety Tech), ...

Annual Salary

$58,440

Median annual wage (May 2024)

$49,510 25th – 75th percentile $74,810

10th percentile $40,550

90th percentile $94,670

U.S. Employment: 31,450

Job Outlook

+8.5%

Projected growth, 2024–2034 (Much faster than average)

Annual Job Openings 3,400 per year (avg. 2024–2034)

Typical education: High school diploma or equivalent

On-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training

What You'd Do

Maintain all required environmental records and documentation.
Supply, operate, or maintain personal protective equipment.
Prepare or calibrate equipment used to collect or analyze samples.
Test workplaces for environmental hazards, such as exposure to radiation, chemical or biological hazards, or excessive noise.
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.
Examine credentials, licenses, or permits to ensure compliance with licensing requirements.
Educate the public about health issues or enforce health legislation to prevent disease, to promote health, or to help people understand health protection procedures and regulations.
Review records or reports concerning laboratory results, staffing, floor plans, fire inspections, or sanitation to gather information for the development or enforcement of safety activities.
Prepare documents to be used in legal proceedings, testifying in such proceedings when necessary.
Plan emergency response drills.

Maintain logbooks of daily activities, including areas visited or activities performed.
Collect data regarding potential hazards from new equipment or products linked to green practices.
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.
Verify availability or monitor use of safety equipment, such as hearing protection or respirators.
Evaluate situations or make determinations when a worker has refused to work on the grounds that danger or potential harm exists.
Recommend corrective measures to be applied based on results of environmental contaminant analyses.
Conduct worker studies to determine whether specific instances of disease or illness are job-related.
Inspect fire suppression systems or portable fire systems to ensure proper working order.
Provide consultation to organizations or agencies on the workplace application of safety principles, practices, or techniques.
Conduct interviews to obtain information or evidence regarding communicable diseases or violations of health or sanitation regulations.

Top Skills

Active Listening 4.0

Reading Comprehension 3.9

Speaking 3.9

Critical Thinking 3.9

Writing 3.8

Judgment and Decision Making 3.3

Complex Problem Solving 3.3

Monitoring 3.3

Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)

Knowledge Areas

Education and Training 4.1

English Language 4.1

Public Safety and Security 3.8

Law and Government 3.7

Mathematics 3.7

Engineering and Technology 3.7

Administration and Management 3.6

Customer and Personal Service 3.4

Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)

Education Level Distribution

Percentage of workers in this occupation by education level

Bachelor's

47.6%

Associate's

19.1%

High School

9.5%

Some College

9.5%

Certificate

4.8%

Post-Bacc Cert

4.8%

Master's

4.8%

Technology & Tools

Software and tools commonly used in this role

In-Demand Technologies

Microsoft Access Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft Outlook Microsoft PowerPoint Microsoft SharePoint Microsoft Word SAP software

Other Tools

Brady Lockout Pro Database software Email software Graphics software Industrial Scientific iNET Presentation software QuestSuite Professional Remedy Interactive iMitigate Spreadsheet software Statistical analysis software TapRooT Teleconferencing software Web browser software Word processing software

Work Styles

Personality traits and work styles important for this career

2.7

Cautiousness

2.7

Dependability

2.6

Attention to Detail

2.4

Integrity

2.0

Stress Tolerance

1.9

Cooperation

1.8

Self-Control

Key Abilities

Cognitive, physical, and sensory abilities important for this role

Oral Comprehension 3.9

Written Comprehension 3.9

Oral Expression 3.9

Problem Sensitivity 3.9

Deductive Reasoning 3.9

Inductive Reasoning 3.9

Written Expression 3.8

Near Vision 3.6

Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)

Work Activities

General types of job behaviors occurring on this job

Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards 4.6

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates 4.6

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events 4.3

Getting Information 4.3

Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings 4.2

Documenting/Recording Information 4.2

Training and Teaching Others 4.2

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge 4.2

Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)

Work Environment

Physical and social factors that influence the nature of work

E-Mail

4.8

Telephone Conversations

4.8

Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams

4.6

Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection

4.5

Contact With Others

4.4

Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team

4.4

Health and Safety of Other Workers

4.2

Freedom to Make Decisions

4.2

Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results

4.2

Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals

4.1

Consequence of Error

4.0

Frequency of Decision Making

3.9

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Salary data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024. Outlook data: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034.

This page includes information from the O*NET 30.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license.