High School Diploma or GED

Bachelor's Degree

Education after high school

Occupational health and safety specialists learn their skills through formal training programs. Specialists need at least a bachelor's degree in a safety-related field. Common areas of study are safety engineering, industrial hygiene, and chemical engineering. Regardless of your major, you should take courses in math and science.

Work experience

Experience as a safety professional may be required for many positions.

On-the-job training

Health and safety specialists learn about laws and inspection procedures on the job. They also are supervised by an experienced worker in the beginning. Supervision may last up to a year.

Military training

Some branches of the military train people to be environmental health and safety specialists. Training lasts 11 to 19 weeks, depending on your specialty. Additional training occurs on the job.

Usually work 40 hours per week. Schedules are typically regular.

May work nights or weekends to meet deadlines.

Travel to different workplaces for inspections.

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY SPECIALIST will:

Work for government agencies

Inspect workplaces to remove health hazards

Deal with workers and business owners

Travel to different workplaces

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY SPECIALIST frequently:

Sit while writing reports.

It is important that OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY SPECIALIST be able to:

Understand the speech of another person.

Speak clearly so listeners can understand.

See details of objects whether they are nearby or far away.

Focus on one source of sound and ignore others.