Careers > Occupational Health and Safety Technicians

Occupational Health and Safety Technicians

$57.97K Median Salary 1.8K Job Openings (Annual Projection) 8.9% Job Growth

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About This Career

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.

Reported Job Titles

Advisory Industrial Hygienist, Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH), Construction Safety Consultant, Health and Safety Technician, Industrial Hygiene Consultant, Industrial Hygiene Engineer, Industrial Hygienist, Safety Research Professional

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Skills You'll Need

Click on skills to find related courses.

Abilities

Deductive Reasoning

Inductive Reasoning

Oral Expression

Problem Sensitivity

Oral Comprehension

Written Comprehension

Speech Clarity

Written Expression

Near Vision

Speech Recognition

Category Flexibility

Flexibility of Closure

Information Ordering

Far Vision

Fluency of Ideas

Perceptual Speed

Selective Attention

Knowledge

Education and Training

English Language

Customer and Personal Service

Public Safety and Security

Chemistry

Law and Government

Engineering and Technology

Mathematics

Mechanical

Biology

Administration and Management

Administrative

Computers and Electronics

Building and Construction

Physics

Production and Processing

Design

Personnel and Human Resources

Skills

Active Listening

Critical Thinking

Reading Comprehension

Speaking

Writing

Monitoring

Complex Problem Solving

Active Learning

Instructing

Judgment and Decision Making

Systems Analysis

Coordination

Learning Strategies

Operations Monitoring

Service Orientation

Social Perceptiveness

Time Management

Technology Skills

Data base user interface and query software

Presentation software

Electronic mail software

Analytical or scientific software

Industrial control software

Spreadsheet software

Graphics or photo imaging software

Video conferencing software

Enterprise resource planning ERP software

Office suite software

Cloud-based data access and sharing software

Word processing software

Internet browser software

Tools

Air samplers or collectors

Flowmeters

Respirators

Sound measuring apparatus or decibel meter

Portable data input terminals

Air pollutant samplers

Single gas monitors

Air sampling pumps

Laboratory separators

Anemometers

Spectrofluorimeters or fluorimeters

Chromatographic detectors

Photometer

Inductively coupled plasma ICP spectrometers

Infrared imagers

Flow sensors

Heat tracing equipment

Laboratory balances

Fume hoods or cupboards

Dosimeters

Medical tape measures

Electronic counters

Chemical absorption gas analyzers

Spectrometers

Gas chromatographs

Gas detectors

Respiration air supplying self contained breathing apparatus or accessories

Flame ionization analyzers

Goggles

Vibration testers

Ion analyzers

Radon detectors

Respiratory monitoring kit accessories

Gas detector tubes

Digital camcorders or video cameras

Ultraviolet UV lamps

Pocket calculator

Multi gas monitors

Lux or light meter

Air velocity and temperature monitors

Soil core sampling apparatus

Two way radios

Multimeters

Air compressors

Power blowers

Manometers

Spirometers

Wet scrubbers

Dust collectors

Rotameters

Moisture meters

Digital cameras

Protective gloves

Heat stress monitors

Personal computers

Radiation detectors

Abilities

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).
Oral Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
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 that there is a problem.
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.
Speech Clarity: The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Written Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Near Vision: The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Speech Recognition: The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Category Flexibility: The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
Flexibility of Closure: The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
Information Ordering: The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Far Vision: The ability to see details at a distance.
Fluency of Ideas: The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
Perceptual Speed: The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
Selective Attention: The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.

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.
English Language: Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
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.
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.
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.
Law and Government: Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
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.
Mathematics: Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Mechanical: Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Biology: Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
Administration and Management: Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Administrative: Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
Computers and Electronics: Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Building and Construction: Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
Physics: Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
Production and Processing: Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Design: Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
Personnel and Human Resources: Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

Skills

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.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Instructing: Teaching others how to do something.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Systems Analysis: Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Learning Strategies: Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Operations Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Time Management: Managing one's own time and the time of others.

Technology Skills

Data base user interface and query software: Blackboard software; Database software; Microsoft Access; Yardi software
Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint
Electronic mail software: IBM Notes; Microsoft Exchange; Microsoft Outlook
Analytical or scientific software: Statistical analysis software; TapRooT
Industrial control software: Industrial Scientific iNET; QuestSuite Professional
Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel
Graphics or photo imaging software: SmugMug Flickr
Video conferencing software: Teleconferencing software
Enterprise resource planning ERP software: Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne; Oracle PeopleSoft; Oracle PeopleSoft Financials; SAP software
Office suite software: Microsoft Office software
Cloud-based data access and sharing software: Dropbox; Google Drive; Microsoft SharePoint
Word processing software: 3M Post-it App; Evernote; Google Docs; Microsoft Word
Internet browser software: Web browser software

Tools

Air samplers or collectors: Aerosol meters; Air quality dataloggers; Microbial samplers; Thermal desorption tubes
Flowmeters: Electronic bubble meters; Electronic pump calibrators; Mass flow meters
Respirators: Half-face respirators; Respirator hose masks
Sound measuring apparatus or decibel meter: Octave band analyzers; Sound level meters
Portable data input terminals: Data acquisition equipment; Data loggers
Air pollutant samplers: Particle sensors; Particulate monitors
Single gas monitors: Carbon monoxide sensors; Mercury vapor analyzers
Air sampling pumps: Gilibrators; Personal sampling pumps
Laboratory separators: Electrostatic precipitators
Anemometers: Thermoanemometers
Spectrofluorimeters or fluorimeters: X ray fluorescence XRF analyzers
Chromatographic detectors: Photodetectors
Photometer: Aerosol photometers
Inductively coupled plasma ICP spectrometers: Portable infrared spectrophotometers
Infrared imagers: Infrared analyzers
Flow sensors: Airflow indicators
Heat tracing equipment: Infrared thermometers
Laboratory balances: Electrobalances
Fume hoods or cupboards: Flow hoods
Dosimeters: Passive dosimeters
Medical tape measures: Medical measuring tapes
Electronic counters: Particle counters
Chemical absorption gas analyzers: Passive samplers
Spectrometers: Spectroscopes
Gas chromatographs: Gas chromatographs GC
Gas detectors: Combustible gas detectors
Respiration air supplying self contained breathing apparatus or accessories: Self-contained breathing apparatus
Flame ionization analyzers: Flame ionization detectors FID
Goggles: Safety goggles
Vibration testers: Vibration monitors
Ion analyzers: Photoionization detectors PID
Radon detectors: Radon monitors
Respiratory monitoring kit accessories: Oxygen monitors
Gas detector tubes: Sorbent tubes
Digital camcorders or video cameras: Digital video cameras
Ultraviolet UV lamps: Inspection lamps
Pocket calculator: Handheld calculators
Multi gas monitors: Electrochemical gas monitors
Lux or light meter: Light meters
Air velocity and temperature monitors: Air flow calibrators
Soil core sampling apparatus: Grab samplers
Two way radios:
Multimeters:
Air compressors:
Power blowers:
Manometers:
Spirometers:
Wet scrubbers:
Dust collectors:
Rotameters:
Moisture meters:
Digital cameras:
Protective gloves: Safety gloves
Heat stress monitors:
Personal computers:
Radiation detectors: