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Occupational Health & Safety Technician

Also called: Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH), Construction Safety Consultant, Industrial Hygienist, Safety Specialist

Collect data on work environments for analysis by occupational health and safety specialists. Implement and conduct evaluation of programs designed to limit chemical, physical, biological, and ergonomic risks to workers.

No four-year degree needed Bright outlook Science & engineering support
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Median pay
$61,560/yr
Typical range
$46,280 – $100,160
Outlook
Bright outlook

What does an Occupational Health & Safety Technician do?

  • Evaluate situations or make determinations when a worker has refused to work on the grounds that danger or potential harm exists.
  • Supply, operate, or maintain personal protective equipment.
  • Train workers in safety procedures related to green jobs, such as the use of fall protection devices or maintenance of proper ventilation during wind turbine construction.

How to become an Occupational Health & Safety Technician

Training: Bachelor's degree or an associate's degree or other 2-year degree. Employees in these careers need one or two years of training. Both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers may be needed. An apprenticeship program may be a good choice for these careers.

Skills you'll use

Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questionsReading work related informationNoticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve itThinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best oneFiguring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it

Is it a fit for you?

  • Cautiousness
  • Integrity
  • Attention to Detail
  • Dependability
  • Stress Tolerance

Tools and technology

Database softwareMicrosoft AccessMicrosoft PowerPointEmail softwareMicrosoft Outlook

Questions people ask

How much does an Occupational Health & Safety Technician make?

About $61,560 a year at the U.S. median. Most earn between $46,280 and $100,160. Pay depends on the state, the employer and experience.

How long does it take to become an Occupational Health & Safety Technician?

Employees in these careers need one or two years of training. Both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers may be needed. An apprenticeship program may be a good choice for these careers.

Do you need a college degree to be an Occupational Health & Safety Technician?

No four-year degree is needed. Bachelor's degree or an associate's degree or other 2-year degree.

Is Occupational Health & Safety Technician a good career to get into?

O*NET lists it as a Bright Outlook career: it's expected to grow quickly or have lots of openings in the next few years.

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National wage figures via O*NET Web Services. This application incorporates information from O*NET Web Services by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Figures are national estimates and vary by state, employer and experience. Career details from O*NET Web Services by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

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