Industrial Safety and Health Technician Job Description, Career as a Industrial Safety and Health Technician, Salary, Employment

Education and Training Varies – see below

Average Salary $42,000 per year

Job Outlook Good

Basic Job Description

Industrial safety and health technicians work with plant managers and supervisors to make sure their factory equipment is working efficiently and their plant is running safely, efficiently and in compliance with legal health, safety and sanitation codes. They also meet with and interview workers to observe how they are performing their duties and making sure they are working in compliance with these codes. Safety and health technicians go through company’s records, such as accident reports, to form statistical data and observe whether or not the work area is safe and suitable for the type of work being performed. They also fill out paperwork regarding any violations of health or safety codes and report them to the proper authorities. Safety and health technicians can also initiate legal action that is taken against a workplace if they are repeatedly found to be in violation of legal health and safety codes.

Education and Training Requirements

To get a job as an industrial safety and health technician, a Bachelor’s degree is preferred by most employers. Technicians obtain a degree in business, engineering or a health science field. Industrial safety and health technicians then go on to become certified through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Certification is not required, but is strongly preferred by anyone who is looking to hire a technician.

Industrial safety and health technicians usually start off by working as an intern or apprentice with an experienced technician. They will go along on inspections with the technicians and help to observe workplaces and fill out paperwork and reports. Internships often turn into full-time positions, and technicians can then go out and inspect companies on their own.

Getting the Job

Industrial safety and health technicians must have good physical strength and the ability to walk around and stand on their feet for several hours at a time while doing an inspection. They should also have good color vision, as many factories have color coded systems, so technicians should be able to effectively read them to understand how they work. Good hearing is also important for a technician so they can depict any abnormal sounds coming from machines that may suggest a safety hazard.

Technicians must also have excellent analytical and problem solving skills. They will need to develop step by step procedures that they use to go through a factory and make sure they are following all the right procedures. Good written and oral communication skills are also important, as they will have to write up any violation reports and inform plant and factory managers about any of these issues. Industrial safety and health technicians must be detail oriented and able to go through procedures several times if necessary to obtain all the right information.

Job Prospects, Employment Outlook and Career Development

Technicians can advance by furthering their education and obtaining additional certifications to work as a government health worker or head of a city or state health department. Industrial safety and health technicians who want to advance in their current position can prove their work by keeping up with the latest safety practices, procedures and developments, helping companies to reduce costs by practicing safer and more effective standards, increasing productivity, and improving the overall morale and company image by educating employees on the importance of safety in the workplace.

Technicians who have a proven positive track record can advance to becoming government inspectors or specialized safety consultants. They can work independently and have companies hire them to come in occasionally to observe their practices and make sure they are running a safe workplace that is in compliance with all the latest health and safety procedures.

Employment outlook is on the rise for industrial safety and health technicians as more regulations and laws are being implemented into the workforce regarding health, safety and sanitation. More companies are also looking to hire people to come in and look over their building on occasion to update them on the latest safety regulations and what they can do better in order to improve their results once they are officially inspected.

Working Conditions and Environment

Industrial safety and health technicians spend most of their workday performing inspections for various factories and shops. They will often have to inspect loud, hot, unsightly or uncomfortable areas that may not be pleasant to work with. They will have to walk through all areas of a factory including equipment areas, employee break rooms, pipe and furnace rooms, and restrooms to check all areas and look for health and safety violations. When technicians are not inspecting buildings, they are working in an office and writing up paperwork needed for reports and investigation records.

Industrial safety and health technicians typically work a set number of hours, but it is not uncommon for them to work long or unusual hours. If a technician has to visit a company that is only open at night or in the evening, they will have to visit them at that time to inspect facilities during working hours.

Salary and Benefits

The average salary of an industrial safety and health technician is about $42,000 per year. Salaries for this career vary quite significantly. Those who have a Bachelor’s degree or certification have the potential to make significantly more. Those who advance to working as a government health inspector will also make more and have job security that comes with working as a government employee.

Industrial safety and health technicians can receive health insurance plans, vacation time and sick leave allowance from their employer. Benefits vary according to employer, but government workers are almost always guaranteed a benefits package along with their salary.

Where to Go for More Information

Board of Certified Safety Professionals
208 Burwash Avenue
Savoy, IL 61874
(217) 359-2686
http://www.cchest.org

Occupational Safety and Health Administration
200 Constitution Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20210
(800) 321-OSHA
http://www.osha.gov