Occupational Health and Safety

Occupational health and safety specialists and technicians, also known as safety and health professionals or occupational health and safety inspectors, help prevent harm to workers, property, the environment, and the general public. In addition to making workers safer, specialists and technicians aim to increase worker productivity by reducing absenteeism and equipment downtime - and to save money by lowering insurance premiums and workers' compensation payments, and preventing government fines. Some specialists and technicians work for governments, conducting safety inspections and imposing fines. Some specialists, often called loss prevention specialists, work for insurance companies, inspecting the facilities that they insure and suggesting and helping to implement improvements.

Occupational Health and Safety Career Outlook:
According to the BLS, employment of occupational health and safety specialists and technicians is expected to increase 9 percent during the 2006-16 decade, about as fast as the average for all occupations, reflecting a balance of continuing public demand for a safe and healthy work environment against the desire for smaller government and fewer regulations. Emergency preparedness will continue to increase in importance, creating demand for these workers. More specialists will be needed to cope with technological advances in safety equipment and threats, changing regulations, and increasing public expectations. In private industry, employment growth will reflect overall business growth and continuing self-enforcement of government and company regulations and policies.

Occupational Health and Safety Salary:
Median annual earnings of occupational health and safety specialists and technicians were $54,920 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $41,800 and $70,230. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $32,230, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $83,720. Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of occupational health and safety specialists and technicians in May 2006 were:

Most occupational health and safety specialists and technicians work in large private firms or for Federal, State, and local governments, most of which generally offer benefits more generous than those offered by smaller firms.

Safety, Security & Emergency Management / Occupational Safety - Master of Science
The Safety, Security & Emergency Management Master's program at Eastern Kentucky University is the only one of its kind in the nation. This 36-credit program is designed to meet the needs of working professionals in loss prevention, safety management, fire, security, insurance, and human resources. EKU's cutting-edge curriculum, taught by faculty experts, places students at the forefront of their industry and prepares them for executive-level positions.

Occupational Safety - Certificate
EKU's College of Justice & Safety has developed an occupational safety curriculum within the Master of Science in Safety, Security & Emergency Management online degree program. This curriculum can be completed as either a concentration within the 36-hour master's degree program or as a 4-hour certificate program which can be completed independently of the degree program.

• Industrial Safety Management
• Construction Safety
• Corporate Compliance
• Personal/Environmental Hazards