National Application Center :: career details :: Occupational Health and Safety Specialists
Career Details :: Occupational Health and Safety Specialists
Description
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.
Experience
Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Education
A bachelor's degree is the minimum formal education required for these occupations. However, many also require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Training
Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Tasks
- Investigates adequacy of ventilation, exhaust equipment, lighting, and other conditions that may affect employee health, comfort, or efficiency.
- Uses cost-benefit analysis to justify money spent.
- Prepares documents to be used in legal proceedings and gives testimony in court proceedings.
- Prepares and calibrates equipment used to collect and analyze samples.
- Reviews physicians' reports and conducts worker studies to determine if diseases or illnesses are job-related.
- Collects samples of dust, gases, vapors, and other potentially toxic materials for analysis.
- Recommends measures to ensure maximum employee protection.
- Collaborates with engineers and physicians to institute control and remedial measures for hazardous and potentially hazardous conditions of equipment.
- Prepares reports including observations, analysis of contaminants, and recommendation for control and correction of hazards.
- Participates in educational meetings to instruct employees in matters pertaining to occupational health and prevention of accidents.
- Conducts evaluations of exposure to ionizing and nonionizing radiation and to noise.
Related Careers
- Environmental Compliance Inspectors
- Fire Inspectors
- Fire Investigators
- Forensic Science Technicians
- Marine Cargo Inspectors
- Private Detectives and Investigators
- Product Safety Engineers
Important Abilities
General Work Activities
- Getting Information Needed to Do the Job
- Documenting/Recording Information
- Communicating With Other Workers
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, Material
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
Important Skills
Frequent Work Context
- Responsible for Others' Health & Safety
- Job-Required Social Interaction
- Consequence of Error
- Importance of Being Sure All Is Done
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
