Life, Physical, and Social Science · Holland code ICR
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.
Also called: Industrial Hygiene Consultant, Industrial Hygienist, Safety Consultant, Safety Specialist, Chemical Hygiene Officer, EHS Officer (Environmental Health and Safety Officer), Health and Safety Analyst, Industrial Hygienist Consultant.
O*NET 19-5011.00
At a glance
- US median annual pay
- $90,150
- Middle half earn $69,560 to $111,690. BLS OEWS, May 2025.
- Most common education
- Bachelor's Degree
- 74% of workers surveyed by O*NET report this level.
- Preparation needed
- Job Zone 4 of 5
- Considerable preparation. Zone 1 is little or none; zone 5 is graduate-level.
What the work involves
The tasks workers in this occupation rate as most important, from the O*NET survey.
- 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.
- Collaborate with engineers or physicians to institute control or remedial measures for hazardous or potentially hazardous conditions or equipment.
- Investigate the adequacy of ventilation, exhaust equipment, lighting, or other conditions that could affect employee health, comfort, or performance.
Skills and knowledge it leans on
Skills
- Reading Comprehension4.0 / 5
- Active Listening4.0 / 5
- Writing4.0 / 5
- Speaking4.0 / 5
- Critical Thinking3.8 / 5
- Monitoring3.6 / 5
Knowledge areas
- English Language4.0 / 5
- Chemistry3.9 / 5
- Education and Training3.8 / 5
- Mathematics3.8 / 5
- Customer and Personal Service3.7 / 5
- Engineering and Technology3.6 / 5
Importance ratings on O*NET’s 1 to 5 scale. Higher means the occupation depends on it more.
Who tends to enjoy it
How strongly this occupation draws on each of the six Holland interest types, which is the same profile the career interests test compares you against.
- Realistic58
- Investigative66
- Artistic5
- Social41
- Enterprising37
- Conventional62
The same work abroad
Other countries classify jobs differently, so these are the closest matches through the international ISCO-08 standard, not exact equivalents.
European occupation titles (ESCO)
- mine health and safety engineer · DE Ingenieur Arbeitsschutz im Bergbau/Ingenieurin Arbeitsschutz im Bergbau · FR ingénieur de sécurité en exploitation de gisements/ingénieure de sécurité en exploitation de gisements
- health and safety engineer · DE Ingenieur Sicherheit und Gesundheitsschutz/Ingenieurin Sicherheit und Gesundheitsschutz · FR ingénieur hygiène et sécurité/ingénieure hygiène et sécurité
- health and safety officer · DE Arbeitsschutzbeauftragter/Arbeitsschutzbeauftragte · FR intervenant en prévention des risques professionnels/intervenante en prévention des risques professionnels
- construction safety inspector · DE Kontrolleur Baustellensicherheit/Kontrolleurin Baustellensicherheit · FR superviseur sécurité chantier/superviseuse sécurité chantier
- construction safety manager · DE Arbeitsschutzmanagementbeauftragter Bau/Arbeitsschutzmanagementbeauftragte Bau · FR responsable sécurité et protection santé du BTP
- mine safety officer · DE Sicherheitsbeauftragter Bergbau/Sicherheitsbeauftragte Bergbau · FR agent de sécurité des mines/agente de sécurité des mines
Closest UK occupation groups (SOC 2020)
- Environmental health professionals (2483)14,900 employed
- Building and civil engineering technicians (3114)20,100 employed
- Quantity surveyors (2453)45,300 employed
Employment is the UK Annual Population Survey for April 2025 to March 2026, all workers in the group, which can be broader than this one occupation.
Pay across Europe, for the whole group
Median annual earnings of all employees in “Professionals”. This is the broad ISCO group this occupation falls in, not the occupation itself, so treat it as context for the wage level, not as a salary for this job.
| Country | Median pay |
|---|---|
| Belgium | €61,714 |
| Germany | €59,529 |
| Ireland | €56,877 |
| Austria | €55,374 |
| Netherlands | €53,595 |
| Sweden | €43,567 |
| France | €41,515 |
| Spain | €35,735 |
| Italy | €33,649 |
| Portugal | €26,072 |
| Poland | €14,380 |
Eurostat Structure of Earnings Survey, businesses with ten or more employees outside public administration, in euro and not adjusted for the cost of living. Reference years differ between sources: the US, Japan and Europe figures on this page come from different survey years, so compare them as rough levels, not to the euro or yen.
Related careers
- Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors
- Occupational Health and Safety Technicians
- Environmental Compliance Inspectors
- Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health
- Construction and Building Inspectors
- Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health
Is it a fit for you?
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