Life, Physical, and Social Science · Holland code CRI
Occupational Health and Safety Technicians
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.
Also called: Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH), Construction Safety Consultant, Industrial Hygienist, Safety Specialist, Advisory Industrial Hygienist, EHS Advisor (Environmental, Health, and Safety Advisor), Health and Safety Technician (Health and Safety Tech), Industrial Hygiene Consultant.
O*NET 19-5012.00
At a glance
- US median annual pay
- $61,560
- Middle half earn $52,470 to $78,850. BLS OEWS, May 2025.
- Most common education
- Bachelor's Degree
- 48% of workers surveyed by O*NET report this level.
- Preparation needed
- Job Zone 3 of 5
- Medium 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.
- 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.
- Test workplaces for environmental hazards, such as exposure to radiation, chemical or biological hazards, or excessive noise.
- Maintain all required environmental records and documentation.
- Provide consultation to organizations or agencies on the workplace application of safety principles, practices, or techniques.
- Inspect fire suppression systems or portable fire systems to ensure proper working order.
- Verify availability or monitor use of safety equipment, such as hearing protection or respirators.
Skills and knowledge it leans on
Skills
- Active Listening4.0 / 5
- Reading Comprehension3.9 / 5
- Speaking3.9 / 5
- Critical Thinking3.9 / 5
- Writing3.8 / 5
- Monitoring3.3 / 5
Knowledge areas
- Education and Training4.1 / 5
- English Language4.1 / 5
- Public Safety and Security3.8 / 5
- Law and Government3.7 / 5
- Engineering and Technology3.7 / 5
- Mathematics3.7 / 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.
- Realistic73
- Investigative65
- Artistic0
- Social31
- Enterprising27
- Conventional76
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
- Inspectors of standards and regulations (3581)44,300 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 “Technicians and associate 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 | €50,992 |
| Austria | €46,986 |
| Germany | €44,473 |
| Netherlands | €42,448 |
| Ireland | €41,613 |
| Sweden | €41,155 |
| Italy | €34,882 |
| France | €34,816 |
| Spain | €29,757 |
| Portugal | €18,080 |
| Poland | €12,108 |
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.
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