Occupational health and safety specialists
Career Overview
Occupational health and safety specialists:
- Review, evaluate and monitor health and safety hazards and develop strategies to prevent, control and eliminate accidents and occupational injuries
- Inspect workplace environments, equipment and practices to ensure compliance with organization and government environment, health and safety standards and regulations
- Work throughout the public and private sectors
Job Titles
Duties
Occupational health and safety specialists perform some or all of the following duties:
- Lead workplace audits and investigations of safety concerns, incidents and accidents
- Lead workplace inspections to ensure that equipment, materials and production processes do not present a safety or health hazard to employees
- Develop health and safety programs, including standard operating procedures, policies and training to mitigate risk, optimize worker’s health and safety and foster a positive occupational health and safety culture
- Initiate enforcement procedures on workplaces contravening organization and government health and safety standards and regulations
- Provide training to employers, employees and the general public on issues of workplace safety
- Communicate, engage and influence decision-makers and workers to ensure compliance with health and safety legislation and regulations
Earnings
Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
2,475% Employed Full Time
70%Work in this occupation is typically performed in a structured indoor environment, or an outdoor work environment where the worker is exposed to various weather conditions.
Also, workers may be exposed to chemicals that may endanger health through inhalation, absorption, ingestion, contact with skin or eyes, or potential for fire or explosion; infectious bacteria and viruses as a result of indirect contact with, or direct handling of, infectious materials or micro-organisms that may cause illness; or ionizing radiation such as X-rays and radioactive substances or non-ionizing radiation such as radio frequencies and infrared, ultraviolet or visible light that may affect health adversely.
Career Pathways
Career path information is currently not available.
Related Careers
Occupational Interests
It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.
For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.
Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:
Education, Training and Skills
- A bachelor's degree bachelor's degree or college diploma in occupational health and safety is usually required
- Occupational health and safety officers may require certification with the Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals (BCRSP)
Education programs in B.C.
The following program areas are related to this occupation:
- Environmental/Occupational Health
- Environmental Studies Related (Arts)
- Environmental Studies Related (Science)
- Environmental Studies/Science
Skills
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
Talking to others to share information effectively.
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.
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Being able to solve novel, ill-defined problems in complex, real-world settings.
Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Understanding how new information could be used to solve current and future problems in making decisions.
Labour Market Statistics
Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.
Employment
Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.
Employment
2,475Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 110 | 4.4% |
| Kootenay | 90 | 3.6% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 1,430 | 57.7% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 70 | 2.8% |
| Northeast | 95 | 3.8% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 300 | 12.1% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 380 | 15.3% |
Labour Market Outlook
The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.
Forecasted Job Openings (2024-2034)
1,130Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 20 | 0.0% |
| Kootenay | 40 | 0.4% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 690 | 1.5% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 20 | 0.6% |
| Northeast | 20 | 1.1% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 170 | 1.3% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 170 | 0.9% |
Industry Highlights
Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.
Forecasted Job Openings by Industry
| Industry | Job Openings (2024-2034) |
|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific and Technical Services | 200 |
| Construction | 180 |
| Public Administration | 130 |
| Finance, Insurance and Real Estate | 120 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 100 |
Resources
Resource information is currently not available.
Career Videos
Watch the video below to see what a day in the life of a health and safety consultant is like.
Watch the video below to see what a day in the life of a health and safety consultant is like.
