Program safety manager vs safety director

The differences between program safety managers and safety directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a program safety manager and a safety director. Additionally, a safety director has an average salary of $85,687, which is higher than the $81,116 average annual salary of a program safety manager.

The top three skills for a program safety manager include safety program, OSHA and corrective action. The most important skills for a safety director are OSHA, DOT, and safety procedures.

Program safety manager vs safety director overview

	Program Safety Manager	Safety Director
Yearly salary	$81,116	$85,687
Hourly rate	$39.00	$41.20
Growth rate	4%	4%
Number of jobs	100,044	19,507
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	2	2

What does a program safety manager do?

A program safety manager is someone who manages and provides oversight of an organization's safety program. Program safety managers plan, enforce, and conduct preventive care, safety, and compliance training programs. The managers manage and maintain comprehensive environmental health and safety programs at project site locations or premises. They oversee all the aspects of industrial and safety hygiene for compliance with the NFPA, API, and OSHA standards. Also, they conduct hyperbaric chamber fire safety drills for staff response improvement.

What does a safety director do?

A safety director is responsible for maintaining the safety and security of the business and its employees, enforcing strict safety standards, and facilitating safety drills and programs to avoid potential hazards within the office's premises. Safety directors inspect the building's premises, including the office's equipment and other systems, and perform immediate actions even for the smallest inconsistencies. They also create incident and audit reports to discuss with the management and implement or adjust regulations as needed.

Program safety manager vs safety director salary

Program safety managers and safety directors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Program Safety Manager	Safety Director
Average salary	$81,116	$85,687
Salary range	Between $56,000 And $116,000	Between $55,000 And $131,000
Highest paying City	San Bruno, CA	South San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	California	California
Best paying company	NVIDIA	Genentech
Best paying industry	Technology	Construction

Differences between program safety manager and safety director education

There are a few differences between a program safety manager and a safety director in terms of educational background:

	Program Safety Manager	Safety Director
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Stanford University	Stanford University

Program safety manager vs safety director demographics

Here are the differences between program safety managers' and safety directors' demographics:

	Program Safety Manager	Safety Director
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 74.4% Female, 25.6%	Male, 79.8% Female, 20.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 4.7% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.7% Asian, 9.7% White, 69.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%	Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.8% Asian, 9.7% White, 69.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage	4%	4%

Differences between program safety manager and safety director duties and responsibilities

Program safety manager example responsibilities.

Manage the procurement program of personal protective equipment; ensure adequate protection of workers and ensure OSHA compliance.
Collaborate with cross-functional team to successfully achieve initial ISO 14001certification.
Maintain all OSHA data and update company programs to adhere to policy.
Conduct new employee orientation to foster positive attitude toward EHS organizational objectives.
Partner with various departments to ensure relevant EHS training is successfully implement.
Provide oversight and technical guidance to facilities, systems, associate support equipment and operations to ensure adherence to safety guidelines.

Safety director example responsibilities.

Manage institutional compliance with OSHA, EPA, DEP, JCAHO, AOA, NFPA, and other regulatory authorities.
Lead and manage ISO 9001 and ISO 17025 internal, third party, customer and supplier audits for the group.
Manage HSE programs for a national corporation specializing in concrete product manufacturing.
Conduct routine health, safety and environmental inspections in accordance with OSHA 29 CFR 1910, EPA and NFPA standards.
Indoctrinate and train new employees in CPR, and basic first aid.
Teach CPR, first aid, blood borne pathogens and baby sitting classes.

Program safety manager vs safety director skills

Common program safety manager skills

Safety Program, 14%
OSHA, 8%
Corrective Action, 6%
Oversight, 6%
Safety Procedures, 5%
Patient Safety, 4%

Common safety director skills

OSHA, 13%
DOT, 7%
Safety Procedures, 6%
PET, 5%
Patients, 5%
Safety Policies, 4%

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Program Safety Manager
Program Safety Manager vs Safety Director

Updated January 8, 2025

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