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Occupational Health and Safety Specialists
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.
Other titles employers use
Chemical Hygiene Officer · EHS Officer (Environmental Health and Safety Officer) · Health and Safety Analyst · Industrial Hygiene Consultant · Industrial Hygienist · Industrial Hygienist Consultant · OHS Consultant (Occupational Health and Safety Consultant) · Risk Control Consultant
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- Recommend measures to help protect workers from potentially hazardous work methods, processes, or materials.
- Develop or maintain hygiene programs, such as noise surveys, continuous atmosphere monitoring, ventilation surveys, or asbestos management plans.
- Order suspension of activities that pose threats to workers' health or safety.
- Investigate accidents to identify causes or to determine how such accidents might be prevented in the future.
- Inspect or evaluate workplace environments, equipment, or practices to ensure compliance with safety standards and government regulations.
- Collect samples of dust, gases, vapors, or other potentially toxic materials for analysis.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to analytical, organizing and practical work.
- Analytical
- Investigating questions, testing ideas, and solving problems
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
- Practical
- Building, repairing, using tools, or working outdoors
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Social Perceptiveness
Subjects to know
- English Language
- Chemistry
- Education and Training
- Mathematics
- Customer and Personal Service
Useful strengths
- Oral Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Problem Sensitivity
- Deductive Reasoning
- Inductive Reasoning
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 3.9 | Shared rooms, but not shoulder to shoulder |
| On your feet | 2.8 | Mostly seated |
| Talking face to face | 4.6 | Continuous — the job is conversations |
| Working with your hands | 2.5 | Little of the day |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for a bachelor's degree. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- A four-year degree 74%
- A master's degree 17%
- A certificate or some college 5%
- A two-year degree 4%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Data base user interface and query software
- Web platform development software
- Spreadsheet software
- Office suite software
- Electronic mail software
- Presentation software
- Project management software
- Document management software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 20,900
- Job openings each year
- 2,410
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 28.1%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 20,900 | 2,410 | 28.1% |
| California | 17,400 | 1,950 | 18.4% |
| Florida | 7,110 | 810 | 24.7% |
| Ohio | 5,760 | 630 | 12.7% |
| New York | 5,310 | 50 | 10.2% |
| Pennsylvania | 4,790 | 530 | 13.2% |
| Washington | 4,160 | 560 | 25.3% |
| Tennessee | 3,660 | 420 | 28.0% |
| North Carolina | 3,570 | 400 | 19.0% |
| New Jersey | 3,420 | 380 | 15.2% |
| Colorado | 3,390 | 390 | 24.2% |
| Illinois | 3,150 | 350 | 15.4% |
| Arizona | 3,130 | 360 | 24.2% |
| Michigan | 3,050 | 330 | 11.7% |
| Indiana | 3,010 | 340 | 16.2% |
| Georgia | 2,600 | 290 | 20.4% |
| Missouri | 2,590 | 290 | 16.7% |
| South Carolina | 2,530 | 290 | 18.8% |
| Minnesota | 2,390 | 270 | 14.9% |
| Maryland | 2,360 | 270 | 19.2% |
| Alabama | 2,130 | 240 | 19.0% |
| Kentucky | 2,130 | 240 | 14.5% |
| Utah | 2,070 | 240 | 36.2% |
| Louisiana | 2,000 | 230 | 21.2% |
| Oklahoma | 1,740 | 190 | 16.8% |
| Oregon | 1,730 | 200 | 21.0% |
| Iowa | 1,550 | 180 | 23.0% |
| Connecticut | 1,230 | 140 | 23.0% |
| Kansas | 1,220 | 140 | 15.1% |
| Wisconsin | 1,210 | 140 | 18.6% |
| New Mexico | 1,100 | 130 | 23.6% |
| Massachusetts | 1,080 | 120 | 14.9% |
| Puerto Rico | 1,050 | 120 | 18.0% |
| Nevada | 990 | 120 | 35.6% |
| Arkansas | 870 | 100 | 13.0% |
| Mississippi | 830 | 90 | 18.6% |
| West Virginia | 830 | 90 | 2.5% |
| Montana | 750 | 80 | 21.0% |
| Nebraska | 720 | 80 | 16.1% |
| Idaho | 670 | 80 | 26.4% |
| Delaware | 660 | 70 | 15.8% |
| North Dakota | 660 | 80 | 22.2% |
| Wyoming | 620 | 70 | 19.2% |
| New Hampshire | 600 | 70 | 20.0% |
| Maine | 560 | 60 | 7.7% |
| Alaska | 420 | 50 | 13.5% |
| District of Columbia | 300 | 30 | 3.4% |
| South Dakota | 230 | 30 | 21.1% |
| Rhode Island | 210 | 20 | 16.7% |
| Vermont | 210 | 20 | 16.7% |
| Guam | 60 | 10 | — |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.
Where to study
Colleges with strong activity in these fields.
Start with program size, admission, and likely cost. Open a college for the full picture.
University of South Carolina-Columbia
- Degrees each year
- 435
- Admit rate
- 61%
- Annual cost after aid
- $20,000
Program entryOpen major
Open college MDUniversity of Maryland-College Park
- Degrees each year
- 416
- Admit rate
- 45%
- Annual cost after aid
- $10,000
Program entryOpen major
Open college CAUniversity of California-Irvine
- Degrees each year
- 392
- Admit rate
- 26%
- Annual cost after aid
- $12,000
Program entryOpen major
Open college CACalifornia State University-Fullerton
- Degrees each year
- 361
- Admit rate
- 87%
- Annual cost after aid
- $6,000
Program entryOpen major
Open college NJRutgers University-New Brunswick
- Degrees each year
- 361
- Admit rate
- 65%
- Annual cost after aid
- $18,000
Program entryApply after enrollment
Open college CAUniversity of California-San Diego
- Degrees each year
- 338
- Admit rate
- 25%
- Annual cost after aid
- $10,000
Program entryFirst-year program admission
Open college TXThe University of Texas at Austin
- Degrees each year
- 313
- Admit rate
- 29%
- Annual cost after aid
- $17,000
Program entryApply after enrollment
Open college NVUniversity of Nevada-Reno
- Degrees each year
- 310
- Admit rate
- 85%
- Annual cost after aid
- $15,000
Program entryOpen major
Open college