Occupational Health and Safety Technicians

Summary

Occupational health and safety technicians work with occupational health and safety specialists to prevent harm to workers, property, the environment, and the general public.

Quick Facts: Occupational Health and Safety Technicians
2010 Median Pay	$45,330 per year $21.79 per hour
Entry-Level Education	High school diploma or equivalent
Work Experience in a Related Occupation	None
On-the-job Training	Moderate-term on-the-job training
Number of Jobs, 2010	10,600
Job Outlook, 2010-20	13% (About as fast as average)
Employment Change, 2010-20	1,400

What Occupational Health and Safety Technicians Do

Occupational health and safety technicians collect data on the safety and health conditions of the workplace. Technicians work with occupational health and safety specialists in conducting tests and measuring hazards to help prevent harm to workers, property, the environment, and the general public.

Work Environment

Occupational health and safety technicians work in a variety of settings, such as offices, factories, and mines. Their jobs often involve considerable fieldwork and travel.

How to Become an Occupational Health and Safety Technician

Occupational health and safety technicians can enter the occupation through two main paths. The first and most common is through on-the-job training. The second path is with formal education, such as an associate’s degree or certificate.

Pay

The median annual wage of occupational health and safety technicians was $45,330 in May 2010.

Job Outlook

Employment of occupational health and safety technicians is expected to grow by 13 percent from 2010 to 2020, about as fast as the average for all occupations. New environmental regulations and laws will require new or revised procedures in the workplace.

Similar Occupations

Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of occupational health and safety technicians with similar occupations.

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Contacts for More Information

Learn more about occupational health and safety technicians by contacting these additional resources.

What Occupational Health and Safety Technicians Do

Occupational health and safety technicians inspect and evaluate workplace environments, equipment, and practices to ensure they follow safety standards and government regulations.

Occupational health and safety technicians collect data on the safety and health conditions of the workplace. Technicians work with occupational health and safety specialists in conducting tests and measuring hazards to help prevent harm to workers, property, the environment, and the general public. For more information, see the profile on occupational health and safety specialists.

Duties  

Occupational health and safety technicians typically do the following:

• Inspect, test, and evaluate workplace environments, equipment, and practices to ensure they follow safety standards and government regulations
• Collect samples of potentially toxic materials for analysis by occupational health and safety specialists
• Work with occupational health and safety specialists to control and fix hazardous and potentially hazardous conditions or equipment
• Carry out and evaluate programs on workplace safety and health
• Demonstrate the correct use of safety equipment
• Investigate accidents to identify why they happened and how they might be prevented in the future

Technicians conduct tests and collect samples and measurements as part of workplace inspections. For example, they may collect and handle samples of dust, mold, gases, vapors, or other potentially hazardous materials. They conduct both routine inspections and special inspections that a specialist orders. For more information about specialists, see the profile on occupational health and safety specialists.

Technicians may examine and test machinery and equipment such as scaffolding and lifting devices to be sure that they meet appropriate safety regulations. They may check that workers are using protective gear, such as masks and hardhats, as regulations say they must.

Technicians also check that hazardous materials are stored correctly. They test and identify work areas for potential health and safety hazards.

In addition to making workers safer, technicians work with specialists to increase worker productivity by reducing the number of worker absences and equipment downtime. They save companies money by lowering insurance premiums and worker compensation payments and by preventing government fines.

Technicians’ duties vary based on where they are employed. For example, a technician may test the levels of biohazard at a waste processing plant or may inspect the lighting and ventilation in an office setting. Both of these inspections are focused on maintaining the health of the workers and the environment.

The responsibilities of occupational health and safety technicians vary by industry, workplace, and types of hazards affecting employees. The following are examples of types of occupational health and safety technicians:

Environmental protection technicians evaluate and coordinate the storage and handling of hazardous waste, the cleanup of contaminated soil or water, evaluation of air pollution, or other activities that affect the environment.

Health physics technicians work in places that use radiation and radioactive material. Their goal is to protect people and the environment from hazardous radiation exposure.

Industrial hygiene technicians examine the workplace for health hazards, such as exposure to lead, asbestos, pesticides, or contagious diseases.

Mine examiners inspect mines for proper air flow and health hazards such as the buildup of methane or other harmful gases.

Work Environment

Technicians take measurements and collect workplace data either for routine inspection or as directed by a specialist.

Occupational health and safety technicians held about 10,600 jobs in 2010. They work in a variety of settings, including offices, factories, and mines. Their jobs often involve considerable fieldwork and travel. 

As shown below, about 23 percent of technicians worked for state or local governments in 2010: 

Other employers of occupational health and safety technicians were hospitals; mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction; management, scientific and technical consulting services; and waste management and remediation services. Most private companies either employ their own occupational health and safety workers or contract with firms that provide such services.

Occupational health and safety technicians may be exposed to strenuous, dangerous, or stressful conditions. Injuries are minimized by the use of gloves, helmets, and other safety equipment.

Work Schedules

Some occupational health and safety technicians may work weekends or irregular hours in emergency situations.

How to Become an Occupational Health and Safety Technician

Technicians carry out and evaluate programs on workplace safety and health.

Occupational health and safety technicians can enter the occupation through two main paths. The most common path is through on-the-job training. However, others enter with formal education, such as an associate degree or certificate. Technicians are trained in the specific laws or inspection procedures through a combination of classroom and on-the-job training.

Training

It is common for technicians to enter the occupation through a combination of related work experience and training. These technicians typically take on health and safety tasks at the company where they are employed at the time. For example, an employee may volunteer to complete annual workstation inspections for an office where they already work. They usually receive on-the-job training along with some formal education on how to conduct the correct tests or recognize common problems.

Education  

High school students interested in the occupation should complete courses in English, mathematics, chemistry, biology, and physics.

Some technicians attend community college or vocational school and earn an associate’s degree or certificate. These programs typically include courses in respiratory protection, hazard communication, and material handling and storage procedures. Some or all courses may be taken online, depending on the program.

Occupational health and safety technicians may train in more than one area of interest. Although technicians with formal education learn standard laws and procedures while in school, a moderate amount of on-the-job training is required for specific work environments.

Occupational health and safety technicians can become specialists by earning a bachelor’s or advanced degree.

Certification  

Certification is not required to become an occupational health and safety technician; however, many employers encourage it. The Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP) offers certification at the technician level.

To apply for any certification, technicians must either have formal education in health and safety resulting in a degree or certificate, or at least 3 years of on-the-job experience in occupational health or safety. All applicants must pass a standardized health and safety exam.

There are three common certifications for technicians:

Construction Health and Safety Technician Certification (CHST) requires the applicant to have specific education or experience in construction safety. These technicians protect workers on construction sites from injury or illness.

Occupational Health and Safety Technologist Certification (OHST) certification is designed for workers who do occupational health and safety tasks full-time or part-time as part of their job duties.

Safety Trained Supervisor (STS) certification is geared toward first-line supervisors or managers. These workers are not safety practitioners but take on the certification in addition to their other job duties.

Important Qualities  

Communication skills. Occupational health and safety technicians must be able to work with specialists to collect and test samples of possible hazards, such as dust or vapors, in the workplace.

Detail oriented­. Occupational health and safety technicians must be able to understand and adhere to specific safety standards and government regulations.

Problem-solving skills. Occupational health and safety technicians must be able to use their skills to find solutions to unsafe working conditions and environmental concerns in the workplace.

Stamina. Occupational health and safety technicians must be able to stay on their feet for long periods of time and to travel on a regular basis.

Technical skills. Occupational health and safety technicians often work with computers and complex testing equipment.

Pay

The median annual wage of occupational health and safety technicians was $45,330 in May 2010. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $27,580, and the top 10 percent earned more than $72,220.

Some occupational health and safety technicians may work weekends or irregular hours in emergency situations.

Job Outlook

Employment of occupational health and safety technicians is expected to grow by 13 percent from 2010 to 2020, about as fast as the average for all occupations. New environmental regulations and laws will require new or revised procedures in the workplace. The increased adoption of nuclear power as a source of energy is expected to be a major factor for job growth in that field as new regulations and precautions need to be enforced. These technicians will be needed to collect and test the data to maintain the safety of both the workers and the environment.

Insurance and worker's compensation costs have become a concern for many employers and insurance companies, especially with an aging population remaining in the workforce longer. Older workers usually have a greater incidence of workers’ compensation claims. Occupational health and safety technicians will be needed to work with specialists in maintaining safety for all workers.

Although most occupational health and safety technicians work under the supervision of specialists, technicians can complete many routine tasks with little or no supervision. As a result, to contain costs, some employers operate with more technicians and fewer specialists. For more information, see the profile on occupational health and safety specialists.

Job Prospects  

Occupational health and safety technicians with a wide breadth of knowledge in more than one area of health and safety along with general business functions will have the best prospects.

Contacts for More Information

For more information about occupational health and safety technicians, visit

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Disease Control and Prevention

U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety & Health Administration

For information on industrial hygiene, visit

American Industrial Hygiene Association

For information on health physics, visit

Health Physics Society

For more information on careers in safety and a list of safety and related academic programs, visit

Board of Certified Safety Professionals

Information about jobs in federal, state, and local governments and in private industry is available from state employment service offices.