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.
- Median pay
- $90,150
- Doing it now
- 143,100
- By 2035
- Up 18.5%
- Usually needs
- Bachelor's degree
a year
across the country
17,100 openings a year
to get in
What the work involves
- Order suspension of activities that pose threats to workers' health or safety.
- Recommend measures to help protect workers from potentially hazardous work methods, processes, or materials.
- Investigate accidents to identify causes or to determine how such accidents might be prevented in the future.
- Investigate the adequacy of ventilation, exhaust equipment, lighting, or other conditions that could affect employee health, comfort, or performance.
- Develop or maintain hygiene programs, such as noise surveys, continuous atmosphere monitoring, ventilation surveys, or asbestos management plans.
- Inspect or evaluate workplace environments, equipment, or practices to ensure compliance with safety standards and government regulations.
- Collaborate with engineers or physicians to institute control or remedial measures for hazardous or potentially hazardous conditions or equipment.
What to study
The fields of study the Department of Education links to this occupation, most widely taught first.
- Public HealthSee 543 colleges that teach it
- Quality Control and Safety Technologies/TechniciansSee 31 colleges that teach it
- Pharmacology and ToxicologySee 25 colleges that teach it
Who it suits
O*NET scores every occupation on six interest dimensions. This one leans hardest on these three.
Analytical and curious
Organised and precise
Hands-on and practical
Careers like this one
Where this comes from: the description and the task list are O*NET, which the Department of Labor maintains. Pay, workforce size, outlook and the education normally needed are the Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections programme, 2025 wages and 2025 to 2035 projections. Half of them earn more than $90,150 a year, which means half earn less, and what you would earn depends on where you work and how long you have been doing it. The fields of study come from the National Center for Education Statistics crosswalk.