Occupational Health And Safety Specialists

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. Includes environmental protection officers.

Tasks

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.
Recommend measures to help protect workers from potentially hazardous work methods, processes, or materials.
Inspect or evaluate workplace environments, equipment, or practices to ensure compliance with safety standards and government regulations.
Develop or maintain hygiene programs, such as noise surveys, continuous atmosphere monitoring, ventilation surveys, or asbestos management plans.
Collect samples of dust, gases, vapors, or other potentially toxic materials for analysis.
Investigate the adequacy of ventilation, exhaust equipment, lighting, or other conditions that could affect employee health, comfort, or performance.
Conduct safety training or education programs and demonstrate the use of safety equipment.
Investigate health-related complaints and inspect facilities to ensure that they comply with public health legislation and regulations.
Collaborate with engineers or physicians to institute control or remedial measures for hazardous or potentially hazardous conditions or equipment.
Provide new-employee health and safety orientations and develop materials for these presentations.
Develop or maintain medical monitoring programs for employees.
Coordinate "right-to-know" programs regarding hazardous chemicals or other substances.
Maintain or update emergency response plans or procedures.
Inspect specified areas to ensure the presence of fire prevention equipment, safety equipment, or first-aid supplies.
Collect samples of hazardous materials or arrange for sample collection.
Maintain inventories of hazardous materials or hazardous wastes, using waste tracking systems to ensure that materials are handled properly.
Conduct audits at hazardous waste sites or industrial sites or participate in hazardous waste site investigations.
Perform laboratory analyses or physical inspections of samples to detect disease or to assess purity or cleanliness.
Prepare hazardous, radioactive, or mixed waste samples for transportation or storage by treating, compacting, packaging, and labeling them.

Knowledge

Education and Training: Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Customer and Personal Service: Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Mathematics: Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
English Language: Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Chemistry: Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
Public Safety and Security: Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
Engineering and Technology: Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
Computers and Electronics: Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Clerical: Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
Biology: Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

Skills

Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Abilities

Problem Sensitivity: The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Oral Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Oral Comprehension: The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Written Comprehension: The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Written Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Deductive Reasoning: The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Inductive Reasoning: The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

Work Activities

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates: Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work: Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings: Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge: Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Provide Consultation and Advice to Others: Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events: Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Getting Information: Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Processing Information: Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems: Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards: Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

Work Context

Electronic Mail: How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
Face-to-Face Discussions: How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
Telephone: How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Responsible for Others' Health and Safety: How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?
Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets: How much does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets?
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled: How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
Contact With Others: How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate: How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
Work With Work Group or Team: How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled: How often does this job require working indoors in non-controlled environmental conditions (e.g., warehouse without heat)?

Interests

Investigative: Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Conventional: Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Realistic: Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Social: Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Enterprising: Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Artistic: Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

Work Style

Integrity: Job requires being honest and ethical.
Analytical Thinking: Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Dependability: Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Attention to Detail: Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Initiative: Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Adaptability/Flexibility: Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Concern for Others: Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Stress Tolerance: Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Cooperation: Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Self Control: Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.

Work Values

Support: Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Working Conditions: Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Achievement: Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Independence: Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Recognition: Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
Relationships: Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.

Related Occupations

Environmental Compliance Inspectors

Product Safety Engineers

Forensic Science Technicians

Fire Inspectors

Fire Investigators

Private Detectives and Investigators

Freight and Cargo Inspectors

Lay Titles

Analysis or Research Safety Inspector

Chief of Safety and Protection

Corporate Safety Director

Dining Service Inspector

Environmental Health and Safety Manager

Environmental Health Inspector

Environmental Health Safety Manager

Environmental Health Sanitarian

Environmental Health Technologist

Environmental Protection Inspector

Environmental Protection Officer

Ergonomist

Field Health Officer

Food and Drug Inspector

Food Inspector

Furniture and Bedding Inspector

Hazardous Waste Management Specialist

Health and Safety Manager

Health and Safety Technician

Health Care Facilities Inspector

Health Inspector

Health Physics Technician

Health Safety Manager

Health Sanitarian

Industrial Hygiene Technician

Industrial Hygienist

Industrial Safety and Health Specialist

Industrial Safety and Health Technician

Industrial Waste Inspector

Loss Control Consultant

Loss Control Representative

Medical Safety Director

Mortician Investigator

Occupational Safety and Health Inspector

Public Health Inspector

Public Health Service Officer

Quarantine Inspector

Rabies Inspector

Radiation Protection Specialist

Radiological Health Specialist

Restaurant Inspector

Risk Analyst

Risk Control Consultant

Risk Prevention Engineer

Safety Advisor

Safety Consultant

Safety Engineer

Safety Inspector

Safety Instructor

Safety Manager

Safety Person

Safety Specialist

Safety Trainer

Sanitarian

Sanitarian Inspector

Sanitary Inspector

Sanitation Inspector

Sanitation Officer

Tick Inspector

Venereal Disease Investigator

Water Inspector

Work Environment Safety Inspector

National Wages and Employment Info

Median Wages (2008):: $32.11 hourly, $66,790 annual.

Employment (2008):: 59,610 employees