Post job

Safety officer vs health and safety manager

The differences between safety officers and health and safety managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a safety officer, becoming a health and safety manager takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a health and safety manager has an average salary of $85,606, which is higher than the $46,336 average annual salary of a safety officer.

The top three skills for a safety officer include OSHA, patients and patrol. The most important skills for a health and safety manager are EHS, corrective action, and safety program.

Safety officer vs health and safety manager overview

Safety OfficerHealth And Safety Manager
Yearly salary$46,336$85,606
Hourly rate$22.28$41.16
Growth rate6%4%
Number of jobs68,48771,325
Job satisfaction5-
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 52%Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Average age4542
Years of experience62

What does a safety officer do?

A safety officer specializes in maintaining a safe and healthy work environment for employees in a building or establishment. Aside from adhering to the safety standards and regulations within a company, a safety officer also has to craft and improve policies that prioritize the physical and mental health of workers. Furthermore, it is essential to implement safety programs by educating workers on various precautionary measures, performing regular inspections of equipment and machines, and ensuring the proper disposal of any hazardous waste materials.

What does a health and safety manager do?

Health and Safety Managers oversee the company's compliance with occupational health and safety guidelines set by both governing bodies and company policies. They create company policies based on guidelines released by regulatory bodies. They also ensure that everyone follows these policies in the office. Health and safety managers are in charge of inspecting the workplace and ensuring no health hazards in the area. They are also in charge of signing off on materials and equipment used in the office to ensure that they are safe to use. Health and Safety Managers train health and safety officers to ensure that the same standard is applied to the department.

Safety officer vs health and safety manager salary

Safety officers and health and safety managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Safety OfficerHealth And Safety Manager
Average salary$46,336$85,606
Salary rangeBetween $29,000 And $73,000Between $62,000 And $117,000
Highest paying CityNew York, NYSan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateNew YorkLouisiana
Best paying companyAmgenThe Walt Disney Company
Best paying industryGovernmentEnergy

Differences between safety officer and health and safety manager education

There are a few differences between a safety officer and a health and safety manager in terms of educational background:

Safety OfficerHealth And Safety Manager
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 52%Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeCalifornia State University - BakersfieldStanford University

Safety officer vs health and safety manager demographics

Here are the differences between safety officers' and health and safety managers' demographics:

Safety OfficerHealth And Safety Manager
Average age4542
Gender ratioMale, 78.8% Female, 21.2%Male, 79.6% Female, 20.4%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 5.6% White, 62.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 12.1% Asian, 9.6% White, 69.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage7%4%

Differences between safety officer and health and safety manager duties and responsibilities

Safety officer example responsibilities.

  • Manage safety coordination with EHS and owner representatives.
  • Manage and facilitate extensive Safety/Security and HAZMAT training for all personnel.
  • Ensure compliance with all applicable regulations to include OSHA and NFPA guidelines.
  • Prepare clients for ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 certification.
  • Maintain cleanliness of all equipment for maintenance and inspections.
  • Give applicants full CDL exam and submit appropriate paperwork to DDS.
  • Show more

Health and safety manager example responsibilities.

  • Lead district to earn distinction as first location in the company to adhere to rigorous EPA guidelines for hazardous materials handling.
  • Lead EHS management systems audits, conduct industrial hygiene evaluations, coordinate MSDS development and deliver EHS site-specific training.
  • Focuse on achieving the highest levels of HSE performance through behavior-base initiatives, auditing, mentoring and expeditiously implementing change.
  • Work with business units to identify opportunities for EHS improvement and develop and implement effective EHS management systems and best practices.
  • Assess payloads to assure compliance with NASA safety requirements.
  • Perform hazard analyses and safety assessments of NASA rocket motor tests, industrial facilities and operations.
  • Show more

Safety officer vs health and safety manager skills

Common safety officer skills
  • OSHA, 8%
  • Patients, 7%
  • Patrol, 6%
  • Safety Procedures, 6%
  • Safety Program, 5%
  • Risk Management, 4%
Common health and safety manager skills
  • EHS, 6%
  • Corrective Action, 5%
  • Safety Program, 5%
  • Continuous Improvement, 5%
  • Management System, 4%
  • EPA, 3%

Browse healthcare practitioner and technical jobs