Occupational safety managers inspect workplaces to ensure that employees are working under safe conditions. Occupational safety managers routinely examine facilities and equipment to make sure that everything is running smoothly and safely. They may perform their inspections at mines, construction sites, factories, office buildings, restaurants, or any number of other work settings. Occupational safety managers often focus on implementing new equipment and strategies to increase safety and comfort in workplaces. Additionally, they assess the likelihood of accidents based on statistics and introduce preventative measures to lower risks.

Occupational safety managers also conduct training courses to teach company managers and employees how to keep the workplace clean and safe, perform maintenance, and report unsafe conditions.

Responsibilities

Occupational safety managers are responsible for making detailed observations of working conditions and prescribing prompt action when they discover problems or potentially hazardous situations. Occupational safety managers who work for the government issue fines when an establishment does not meet health and safety codes. They suggest what needs to be changed in order to fix problems and avoid future hazards. Occupational safety managers who work for private firms typically focus on developing and promoting safety strategies. An occupational safety manager must have a keen eye for detail, an extensive knowledge of safety measures, problem solving skills, and the ability to write and speak clearly. Specific responsibilities can vary widely between industries and employers.

Educational Requirements

There are three academic paths to becoming an occupational safety manager: a master’s degree in industrial hygiene, a bachelor’s degree in occupational health and safety, and an associate degree program. After graduating from one of these programs, individuals may choose to obtain certification from a respected occupational health and safety board, though certification is not always required for employment.

The differences between these three educational paths are as follows:

Master’s programs in industrial hygiene and related subjects are offered by colleges and universities and take about six years to complete.
Bachelor’s programs in occupational health and safety are offered by colleges, universities, and some community colleges, and usually take four years to complete.
Associate programs are offered by community colleges, junior colleges, technical schools, and accredited online schools, and typically take about one year to complete.

Areas of Specialization

Occupational safety managers can specialize in three different areas. It is possible to combine specialties, such as ergonomists who choose to work specifically with office employees. The three means of specialization are:

• By work setting, such as factory, mine, or office specialists.
• By specific focus, such as testing air quality versus inspecting machinery.
• By working primarily with people or with equipment.

Below are general job categories for occupational safety managers:

• Governmental occupational safety managers, who are employed by local, state, or national government agencies to perform detailed safety inspections and impose fines when necessary
• Contracted occupational safety specialists, who are hired by companies to perform safety inspections and offer suggestions on how to improve employee safety and health.
• Ergonomists, who focus on implementing comfortable, safe equipment as well as teaching different techniques to maximize comfort and prevent injury.
• Loss prevention specialists, who work for insurance companies to assess and improve the safety of establishments insured by their companies.
• Environmental protection managers, who evaluate the handling and disposal of nuclear waste and other harmful environmental contaminants.

Career Opportunities

There are many career opportunities for qualified occupational safety managers. The list below includes some of the potential professional paths.
Construction Health and Safety Manger
Environmental Protection Officer
Environmental Safety Manager
Ergonomist
Health and Safety Inspector
Health Physicist
Indoor Environmental Health Inspector
Industrial Health Specialist
Industrial Hygienist
Loss Prevention Specialist
Occupational Health and Safety Technician
Safety Trainer
Safety Supervisor

Salary Ranges

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), median annual earnings of occupational safety managers were $54,920 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent of occupational safety managers earned between $41,800 and $70,230. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $32,230, while the highest 10 percent received earnings of more than $83,720. The median annual earnings of occupational safety managers in specific industries in May 2006 were:

• Federal government: $68,890
• Management, scientific, and technical consulting services: $63,130
• General medical and surgical hospitals: $59,200
• Local government: $52,110
• State government: $49,690

Professional Organizations

There are several professional organizations dedicated to occupational health and safety. These organizations provide useful information to practicing and aspiring occupational safety managers.

ABIH – American Board of Industrial Hygiene
www.abih.org

BCSP – The Board of Certified Safety Professionals
www.bcsp.org

NASP – National Association of Safety Professionals
www.naspweb.com

OSH – Occupational Safety and Health Network
www.osh.net

OSHA – Occupational Safety and Health Administration
www.osha.gov

Loss prevention managers typically work in retail stores to prevent theft, property damage, and unsafe practices by employees and customers. Loss prevention managers are responsible for keeping a company’s assets, including workers, out of danger at all times. They may work alone or supervise a team of loss prevention agents. Often, they cooperate with law enforcement agents to detain offender and report illegal activity.

Some loss prevention managers find employment with hotels or offer freelance services to clients. A broader range of clients and companies are beginning to realize the benefits of staffing effective loss prevention professionals.

Responsibilities

Loss prevention managers are responsible for implementing and maintaining effective security programs to minimize a company’s financial losses. They must have a keen eye for detail and a thorough knowledge of criminal behavior in order to stop thefts before they occur. In retail stores, loss prevention managers monitor security cameras and inspect store grounds to protect against customer theft, vandalism, and hazardous behavior, as well as credit card and check fraud. In addition, loss prevention managers carefully investigate stockrooms and back offices to protect against employee theft. They detain shoplifters and dishonest employees, and take appropriate action as prescribed by store policies. This often involves contacting police and aiding in an investigation to make sure justice is served. Loss prevention managers must be comfortable writing reports and appearing in court when necessary.

Educational Requirements

The educational requirements to become a loss prevention manager vary among employers, though there are three basic educational paths that prospective managers might take. Many pursue a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, while some find that an associate’s degree is sufficient to gain employment. Additionally, some loss prevention managers find work with just a high school diploma or GED.

The differences between these three educational paths are as follows:

• Bachelor degree programs in criminal justice are offered by colleges, universities, and accredited online schools. Completing a degree program at a physical college or university typically takes four years. Many online programs, however, can be completed in two years.
• Associate degree programs in criminal justice are offered by junior colleges, community colleges and accredited online schools. Depending on the school, obtaining an associate’s degree may take between one and three years.
• High school diplomas or GEDs are enough to find employment in many retail stores. Loss prevention managers often begin with a career in customer service and learn security skills on-site.

Areas of Specialization

Loss prevention managers can specialize in four different areas, though many can apply their skills and experience to become successful in other specializations. The four means of specialization are:

• By working in a small retail location, taking responsibility for all security duties.
• By managing a specific department or division of a large retail store, corresponding with prevention managers in other departments.
• By working at a hotel to ensure the safety of guests and security of property.
• By working as a freelance detective, taking loss prevention jobs by contract.

Below are general job categories for loss prevention managers:

• Retail store loss prevention specialists, who work independently to maintain security and confront offenders.
• Retail store loss prevention department supervisors, who control safety and security in a certain area of a store. They communicate with other supervisors to maintain overall security.
• Hotel detectives, who protect guests from falling victim to theft. They keep watch over who enters and exits the hotel to preserve guest safety.
• Freelance loss prevention detectives, who advertise their services to a broad range of clients. They may work temporarily in a store to identify potential security risks and advise employees on how to handle them.
• Loss prevention trainers, who teach new loss prevention specialists how to effectively create and enact security policies.

Career Opportunities

There are several career opportunities for loss prevention managers, especially those who have obtained a degree in criminal justice. Below is a list of potential career paths.

Hotel detective
Information systems security manager
Loss prevention trainer
Private detective
Retail department supervisor
Retail loss prevention specialist
Security guard
Security operations supervisor
Store detective

Salary Ranges

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), median annual earnings of Investigation and Security Services personnel were $33,750 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent of personnel reported earning between $24,180 and $47,740. The lowest 10 percent reported earning less than $19,720, while the highest 10 percent earned more than $64,380. This data includes figures for private investigators, who may or may not have specialized in loss prevention. Salary figures for loss prevention managers are difficult to ascertain, as compensation varies greatly between employers.

Professional Organizations

There are many professional organizations that focus on criminal justice, loss prevention management, and security systems technology. Such organizations can provide helpful information for both active and prospective loss prevention managers.

ACFS – Association of Certified Fraud Specialists
www.acfsnet.org

ACJS – Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences
www.acjs.org

ISMA – International Security Management Association
www.isma.org

ISSA – Information Systems Security Association
www.issa.org

JRSA – Justice Research and Statistics Association
www.jrsa.org

NTAC – National Threat Assessment Center
www.secretservice.gov

SPI – Society of Professional Investigators
www.spionline.org

Safety and Security Emergency Managers work in both an office and hands on at a host of crisis, disaster, and emergency scenes. Graduates will be competent in the principles and concepts of organizing an incident command center for man-made and natural disasters. A larger portion of the daily routine for an emergency manager surrounds generating emergency preparedness plans and evacuation procedures for a specified geographic area, or disaster scenario. Safety and Security Emergency Managers can also work as administrators in a governmental county or state entity, or travel to regional areas training the various emergency services department, which serve a community.

Responsibilities

Emergency managers work with, and supervise government staff, and members of the fire, police, and ambulance services to ensure a heightened level of public safety and organized combination of resources during a disaster. The professional first responder spends many hours each day documenting the training and certifications of department staff, as well as monitoring potential crisis scenarios and required security measures to prevent injuries and loss equipment should a disaster occur. A safety and security emergency manager must be well versed in the technology used by emergency service providers, and routinely test the radios and related equipment for quality and durability. Computers and digital cameras are also mainstays for emergency managers, used to share information and photos with other departments and for online training seminars.

Educational Requirements

A safety and security emergency management curriculum is also commonly referred to as emergency and disaster management. Regardless of the degree title wording used by a particular college, the standard courses required to complete the degree are identical in nature. A degree in this field will take approximately four years to complete, dependant upon the number of semester hours a student registers for at the chosen college. Core coursework for this degree consists of natural disaster response, antiterrorism, fire service procedures, deployment of emergency services principles, introduction to forensics, disaster planning, psychology, sociology, chemical disaster procedures, biological hazards, search and rescue training, disposal of weapons and explosives, introduction to forestry services, environmental science, public policy, emergency medical special operations, consequence management, homeland security procedures, disaster incident command, analysis, emergency planning, risk communications, radiological hazards, foundations of hazardous materials, border and coastal security, concepts of quarantine, port and waterway security, weapons of mass destruction principles, and emergency response to terrorism.

Three specified Bachelor of Science degree programs exist for individuals interested in a safety and security emergency management career. In addition to earning a four-year degree in the field, a weapons of mass destruction certification course can also be taken upon graduation.

Areas of Specialization

Safety and Security Emergency Managers can specialize in a specific area in the first responders and related service field. Areas of specialization include:

Emergency and Disaster Management
By working specifically in the disaster preparedness and incident command arena, Managers in this area develop crisis plans and training of a network of emergency agencies and personnel. Grant writing duties are also a common task for this are of emergency management, to secure funds for needed equipment and response vehicles.

Homeland Security
By working in the department of homeland security, as an instructor, border agent team either leader, or an administrator. The emergency manager would be securing a specified area, or training and supervising agents and officers in matters of hazardous materials and counter-terrorism techniques and tactical maneuvers.

Fire Science Management
By working a county or state level emergency management office as an administrator. The primary duties in this area of specialization would be the continuing education of multiple first responder agencies, and the development of evacuation and aid plans for both man-made and natural disasters.

Career Opportunities

The list below is a sampling of possible career paths and titles for Safety and Security Emergency Managers.

• Emergency Management Agency Administrator
• Department of Homeland Security Administrator
• Federal Bureau of Investigation staff or Administrator
• National Fire Academy Instructor
• Forestry Services Administrator or Director
• Urban Search and Rescue Team Leader or Trainer
• Counter-Terrorism Task Force Team Leader
• Hazardous Materials Team Leader or Trainer
• Prevention and Risk Assessment Administrator

Salary Ranges

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) of May 2006, introductory management positions in the protective service field earned a minimum of $20.95 per hour, or an annual income of $70, 860. The top salary in this field, presented to upper-level managers and administrators averaged $114,300 per year. According to the available statistics, the field of safety and security emergency management positions with state and federal governmental agencies are the largest segment in the this degree field. Positions within a socialized governmental agency garner a $75,990 salary annually. Emergency management careers with a federal agency proved a $36.81 per hour wage, totaling a $90,460 annual salary.

Professional Organizations

IAEM -International Association of Emergency Managers
www.iaem.com

NEMA- National Emergency Management Association
www.nemaweb.org

FEMA – Federal Emergency Management
www.fema.gov

AMS – American Department of Homeland Security
www.inhomelandsecurity.com

Safety engineers minimize risk by developing safety and health programs, inspecting and removing dangers in work facilities, and dealing with unsafe situations when they occur. In this profession, the working environments vary greatly by industry and can range from mining to factories and even insurance companies.

Responsibilities

As a safety engineering professional, you’ll be responsible for a wide variety of duties which will vary depending on the industry you work in. Safety engineers need keen analytical skills in order to thoroughly assess a situation and design a solution that minimizes any potential destruction or danger. Safety engineers are also responsible for coordinating work teams as well as incorporating the business needs of an enterprise when working through a safety project. You will be responsible for a great deal of paperwork, including writing reports and project plans. Responsibilities also involve training personnel in new procedures and systems.

Here are some more specific duties a safety engineer performs:

• Identify and develop solutions to safety-related problems
• Analyze specific jobs to identify potential hazards
• Test a company’s products to make sure they are safe
• Develop equipment maintenance procedures and plans
• Develop and implement safety procedures
• Conduct tests and perform studies using proven research methods
• Take emergency calls as assigned
• Investigate accidents
• Analyze data and make conclusions
• Travel to worksites, seminars, trade shows

Educational Requirements

To become a safety engineering professional definitely requires a college education, preferably a BS in science or engineering. Several colleges now offer degrees in occupational safety and health, which is also a good route to take. Currently there are 45 certified college degree programs in health physics, industrial hygiene and safety.

Another strong credential is certification, which is available through the following organizations:

• The Board of Certified Safety Professionalsoffers the Certified Safety Professional (CSP) credential.
• The American Board of Industrial Hygieneoffers the Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) credential.
• The Council on Certification of Health, Environmental, and Safety Technologistsoffers the Occupational Health and Safety Technologists (OHST) credential, sometimes called Certified Loss Control Specialists (CLCS), Construction Health and Safety Technicians (CHST), and Safety Trained Supervisors (STS).
• The Indoor Air Quality Associationoffers the Certified Indoor Environmentalist (CIE) credential.
• The Board of Certification in Professional Ergonomicsoffers the Certified Professional Ergonomist (CPE) and the Certified Ergonomics Associate (CEA) credentials.
• The American Board of Health Physicistsoffers the Certified Health Physicist (CHP) credential.

Areas of Specialization

There are a number of specialties a safety engineer can focus on, including:

• Manufacturing facilities offer a wide range of tasks and duties such as product safety, equipment maintenance, facility design safety, and overall plant safety.
• Insurance companies need safety engineers to review accident reports and help identify causes, trends, and ways to prevention.
• Disaster recovery can occur in any industry and involves putting together and implementing a complete disaster recovery plan, training personnel, and dealing with recovery if necessary.
• The oil industry hires safety engineers to make the inherently dangerous working environment as safe as possible.
• In the construction field, safety engineers are necessary to ensure that nothing is overlooked that could threaten the subsequent safety of the people who will inhabit the building.
• Federal and state governments have many needs for safety engineers to work in a variety of capacities.

Career Opportunities

Here are some of the kinds of opportunities you can expect to find as a safety engineering professional:

Safety Engineer
Safety and Mission Assurance Engineer (NASA)
Process Safety Specialist
Site Safety Supervisor
Construction Safety Specialist
Industrial Hygienist/Health and Safety Manager
Environmental Safety Manager: Waste Water
Environmental Health and Safety Manager
Occupational Safety Trainer
Safety and Health Solutions Specialist

Salary Ranges

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean salary for safety engineers is $54,920 with a low of $32,230 and a high of $83,720. In addition, the predictions for growth in this field are expected to be commensurate with the overall job market.

Professional Organizations

In addition to the credentialing organizations listed above, you can find more information about a career in safety engineering by contacting any of the following professional organizations:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute of Occupational Safety
www.cdc.gov

U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration
www.osha.gov

American Society for Safety Engineers
www.asse.org

National Safety Council
www.nsc.org

Fire Safety professionals work in the area of emergency management to aid with search and rescue efforts, establish incident command centers, organize disaster prevention and planning procedures, provide emergency medical care support stations, and support and supervise structural collapse and firefighting crisis scenarios. Fire safety professionals routinely provide training to both existing and novice firefighters.

Responsibilities

Fire Safety professionals are responsible for a host of leadership and training aspects in the emergency management services arena. Common duties in this field would include instructing and participating in tactical fire scene exercises and disaster situations. The development of evacuation plans for urban commercial facilities and governmental buildings, such as a school, are tasks which fire safety professionals would be well versed in accomplishing. Managing and maintaining fire department response and equipment systems, and inspecting all personnel and fire suppression gear are major components in the fire safety and prevention professional’s field.

Educational Requirements

Multiple options exist for a student to become an educated and trained fire safety professional. Students have the options of obtaining an Associate, Bachelors, or Masters Degree programs. Most institutions of higher learning permit some of the courses to be taken online, or in the evenings to accommodate adult learners who must work while continuing their education.

Associates Degree – The Associate of Applied Science in Fire Science Degree requires 60 credit hours be successfully completed in core fire safety curriculum courses. In addition to the required general courses to earn an Associate Degree, a student in the program must complete technical training in fire prevention, principles of fire behavior, fire protection planning and building aspects in construction, equipment hydraulics and water supply techniques. Students must have a high school diploma or GED to participate in this degree program. Associates of Applied Science in Fire Science Degrees take eighteen months to two years to complete, and are offered at most two year college and technical education training facilities.

Bachelors Degree – A Bachelor of Fire & Safety Engineering encompasses fire-training courses in tactical fire strategies, firefighter safety, leadership and staff management courses, and firefighter principles, foundations, and theory, and practices. Fire Safety students are also expected gain knowledge of the history and progress of fire department services, and the legal duties associated with the responsibilities of providing emergency services. A total of 120 semester hours in the fire management curriculum must be completed in addition to the required general and tier courses at the chosen college. A Bachelor of Fire Science Degree is offered at four-year colleges, and requires three to four years to complete. Many colleges and universities offer credit for the completion of an Associates Degree in the same or related field.

Masters Degree – Students, which hold a Bachelors Degree in a related field, can request admission to the Masters of Science in Executive Fire Service Leadership program. Most, if not all of the required courses are offered online at a host of colleges and universities. The curriculum is focused on courses, which require onsite knowledge of firefighting and fire safety. Courses commonly offered in this type of degree program are related to emergency management strategies and analysis, evaluation of personnel and crisis scenarios, and the development of efficient training and procedures in the fire services. This degree is offered at many four-year colleges, and takes between eighteen months and two years to complete.

Areas of Specialization

Fire Safety professionals can specialize in specific areas of emergency fire service. For example, a fire safety professional could work in an administrative capacity supervising multiple fire departments, or educate new recruits at a training center as an instructor. Below is a sampling of the possible areas of specialization for a fire safety professional.

• Emergency Management – Working as an administrator supervising, training, and evaluating a citywide or regional Department of Emergency Management office. The director or assistant director position entails networking with multiple emergency services departments to establish to disaster plan, organize mock disaster training scenarios, as well as offering and documenting all required training for the designated area.
• Inspector- Working as an inspector as suspicious fire scenes, and determining the cause of both residential and commercial fires. A fire marshal also works in conjunction law enforcement, prosecuting attorney, and insurance brokerages concerning suspicious fires, and the prosecution of criminal cases related to intentional fires.
• Instructor- A fire safety professional can also become a trainer or administrator at a fire educational facility. After earning a degree in the field, a fire safety professional could teach recruits the skills required to become either a volunteer or a professional firefighter.

Below are typical job categories and descriptions for fire safety professionals:

• Fire Services Administrator – Supervise and evaluate various fire safety personnel. Work inside a fire department, or within several departments conducting safety, prevention, and training tasks for all firefighters and emergency medical personnel attached to a given building.
• Fire Department Officer – An advanced degree in fire safety enhances the opportunity for advancement in a firefighter’s rank, leading to a higher wage when awarded a position as an officer with a department.
• Risk Management Supervisor – Work with multiple emergency services to train and conduct evaluations related to accident prevention and equipment safety. Duties would also include training and leading hazardous materials, urban search, rescue, and weapons of mass destruction detection crews.
• Code Inspector – Review and inspect commercial, hospital, and governmental facilities for fire code violations. Conduct scheduled emergency evacuations drills, and develops disaster safety plans and exit routes in each building.
• Government – Work in a governmental department in an advisory, training, or administrative capacity for agencies such as Homeland Security and Emergency Management.

Career Opportunities
Listed below is a sampling of the job titles an individual with a degree in Fire Safety could consider as career possibilities.

• Fire Chief
• Fire Marshal
• Fire Code Inspector
• Fire Academy Instructor
• Fire and Safety Director
• Environmental Health and Safety Manager
• Fire Safety Officer
• Fire Safety Consultant
• Public Safety Officer
• Fire Safety Engineer
• City Planner
• Fire Safety Design Specialist
• Fire Safety Manager
• HAZMAT Instructor
• Urban Search and Rescue Instructor
• Technical Fire Safety Engineer
• Fire Protection Engineer
• Safety Specialist
• Public Safety Director
• Fire Sales Specialist
• Fire Production Manager
• Regional Safety Specialist

Salary Ranges

According to the Bureau of Labor Services (BLS) fire safety professional working in a supervisory position earned $32.42 dollars and hour, or $70,860 annually in 2006. Fire inspectors and investigators earned an average income of $25.50 per hour, or $54,840 on an annual basis. Governmental fire prevention specialists, such as forest fire personnel, earned $15.09 per hour, or $36,400 per year. Firefighters holding a designation as an officer typically earned $21.28, or $45,700 in the most recent year in which statistics are available. Fire Marshals earned $41,190 in 2006, with the 50 percent of recorded workers earning between $29,550 and $54,120. The highest-ranking fire marshals earned $66,140 as of May 2006.

The minimum reported salary for a Fire Chief, according to the BLS is $73,435, with the maximum reported salary averaging $95,271 annually. A fire engineer’s maximum reported pay for the same time period is $56,045. A battalion chief can expect to earn between $62,199 and $78,611 per year.

Professional Organizations

Many professional organizations exist within the fire fighting and emergency services field, to serve personnel with updated state and federal guidelines, continuing education opportunities, and general beneficial information regarding the profession. Listed below are some of the professional organizations, which serve the fire and emergency services field.

FDSO – Fire Department Safety Officers Association -
www.fdsoa.org

NAFI – National Association of Fire Investigators -
www.nafi.org

IAF – International Association of Firefighters -
www.iaff.org