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What is a health and safety coordinator and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted experts
Andy Perry MS, CSP,
Sonja Armbruster
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Health and safety coordinator monitors the working conditions of the company to ensure that all the activities comply with the state and federal safety regulations. You will train the employees in safety procedures and make sure they use the procedures. You will also inspect the working conditions to make sure all products and activities are compliant with the safety regulations and guidelines. The coordinator is in charge of the purchase and orders of the safety gear for the workplace. More importantly, you must stay updated on the new state and federal health and safety regulations and make sure they are implemented.

The health and safety coordinator must have a broad knowledge of the state and federal safety guidelines for the workplace. You must also be knowledgeable about the legal effects of workplace accidents. Plus, you must be familiar with the job site machinery and products. Strong communication skills and the ability to remain calm and cool-headed are also required. The average pay for the post is $54,856 a year.

What general advice would you give to a health and safety coordinator?

Andy Perry MS, CSPAndy Perry MS, CSP LinkedIn profile

Senior Instructor, Website

It is recommended that students seek different internships with a variety of employers, and possibly varied industries, leading up to graduation. Although ISU’s Safety Management program requires one 300-hour internship for graduation, accepting two or three during the undergraduate program provides experience, income, and looks more appealing to employers. Attending local, regional, and national safety conferences, professional development courses, and seeking professional designations and certifications is also helpful to new safety professionals. Conference and courses will better their knowledge about their field, but also allow networking with other safety professionals. New graduates of ISU’s Safety Management program may apply for the Board of Certified Safety Professional’s (BCSP’s) Graduate Safety Practitioner (GSP) designation. The GSP allows them to bypass taking the Associate Safety Professional (ASP) exam as well as saving them the time and money to study/prepare for that exam. The GSP and ASP are a step on the way to the Certified Safety Professional (CSP) credential which is viewed as the gold standard for safety professionals. ISU Safey Management graduates also may apply for the Associate Safety & Health Manager (ASHM) credential through the Institute of Hazardous Materials Management (IHMM). There is also a Student version (ST-ASHM) they may apply for prior to graduation. The ASHM is a step on the way to the Certified Safety & Health Manager (CSHM) credential.
ScoreHealth And Safety CoordinatorUS Average
Salary
4.2

Avg. Salary $53,465

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
7.9

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
5.7
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.23%

Asian 5.72%

Black or African American 9.16%

Hispanic or Latino 14.56%

Unknown 6.20%

White 63.12%

Gender

female 40.53%

male 59.47%

Age - 45
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 45
Stress level
7.9

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.3

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
3.6

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Health and safety coordinator career paths

Key steps to become a health and safety coordinator

  1. Explore health and safety coordinator education requirements

    Most common health and safety coordinator degrees

    Bachelor's

    63.8 %

    Associate

    17.9 %

    Master's

    9.7 %
  2. Start to develop specific health and safety coordinator skills

    SkillsPercentages
    OSHA9.42%
    EHS5.31%
    Environmental Health5.24%
    Rehabilitation3.74%
    Corrective Action3.41%
  3. Complete relevant health and safety coordinator training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New health and safety coordinators learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a health and safety coordinator based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real health and safety coordinator resumes.
  4. Research health and safety coordinator duties and responsibilities

    • Interview, hire, train, and manage all CPR instructors.
    • Manage and implement a regional EHS program for multiple lumber manufacturing facilities.
    • Develop an incentive program to promote and cultivate a safety culture through EHS activities participation.
    • Maintain relationship with governmental agencies and corporate regulatory department staying abreast with OSHA and EPA regulations and standards.
  5. Prepare your health and safety coordinator resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your health and safety coordinator resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a health and safety coordinator resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable health and safety coordinator resume templates

    Build a professional health and safety coordinator resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your health and safety coordinator resume.
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    Health And Safety Coordinator Resume
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    Health And Safety Coordinator Resume
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    Health And Safety Coordinator Resume
    Health And Safety Coordinator Resume
    Health And Safety Coordinator Resume
    Health And Safety Coordinator Resume
  6. Apply for health and safety coordinator jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a health and safety coordinator job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first health and safety coordinator job

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Average health and safety coordinator salary

The average health and safety coordinator salary in the United States is $53,465 per year or $26 per hour. Health and safety coordinator salaries range between $37,000 and $75,000 per year.

Average health and safety coordinator salary
$53,465 Yearly
$25.70 hourly

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Health and safety coordinator reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2023
Cons

It takes time to implement and see the safety culture grow.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2022
Pros

The job role gives me an opportunity to help save people's lives while they also achieve their objectives. In the long run, we all attain fulfillment.

Cons

Some workers refuse to adhere to safety policies even when it is obvious that they could get hurt.


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A zippia user wrote a review on May 2020
Pros

Working with leadership and taking part in creating a safer work environment through physical changes in the plant as well as a heavy focus on behavioral based safety. I enjoy training others and being tasked with difficult questions that require research and a follow up. I'm slowly becoming an expert in specific policies and standards set by our company, government agencies, and other industry standards.

Cons

I've got limited official background in OSH and find it difficult to navigate the corporate environment to find answers at times. Knowing who to include in what meetings and information sharing sessions has been somewhat of a challenge as well.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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