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.
What it pays
Occupational Health and Safety Specialists earn a median of $43.34/hr — about $90,000 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $26.44/hr; the top 10% earn $64.88/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
Occupational Health and Safety Specialists earn a median of $43.34/hr — about $90,000 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $26.44/hr; the top 10% earn $64.88/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
What you'd actually do
- 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.
How you get there
Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree. Overall preparation: considerable preparation (Job Zone 4 of 5).
The feel of the work
Much of the work happens outdoors. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)
Working for yourself
About 0.1% of occupational health and safety specialists are self-employed.
Who it tends to fit
This work tends to fit people who are analytical, organized and detail-focused and hands-on.
Work a simulated shift in this job — freeMake the real decisions this job involves, then see what your choices say about you.Related careers
- Urban and Regional Planners
- Chemists
- School Psychologists
- Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health
- Biological Scientists, All Other
- Clinical and Counseling Psychologists
Quick questions
- How much does a occupational health and safety specialist make?
- The median pay is $43.34 per hour — roughly $90,000 a year, with the real range running from about $26.44/hr (10th percentile) to $64.88/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Do you need a degree to be a occupational health and safety specialist?
- The typical entry-level education is: Bachelor's degree. Overall preparation level: considerable preparation (Job Zone 4 of 5).
- What does a occupational health and safety specialist actually do all day?
- 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.
Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS. Tasks & interests: O*NET. Career pathways shown in the app are draft archetypes — verify before relying on them. Trailhead is a free career guide for students — honest numbers, no hype.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.