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The differences between safety officers and safety assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a safety officer and a safety assistant. Additionally, a safety officer has an average salary of $46,336, which is higher than the $38,077 average annual salary of a safety assistant.
The top three skills for a safety officer include OSHA, patients and patrol. The most important skills for a safety assistant are patients, patient care, and patient safety.
| Safety Officer | Safety Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $46,336 | $38,077 |
| Hourly rate | $22.28 | $18.31 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 68,487 | 13,994 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
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.
Safety assistants help safety managers create and execute safety protocols. Typical duties include examining work areas, locating hazardous elements as well as keeping up with safety manuals and guidelines. Also, they interview injured employees, maintain first aid centers, and probe work safety incidents. Additionally, they direct regular audits with safety mentors to make certain that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) policies and procedures are followed. Primary job qualifications include knowledge in safety protocols, detail-oriented, organizational skills, teamwork, and time management. Another important requirement in this field is training in occupational hazards.
Safety officers and safety assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Safety Officer | Safety Assistant | |
| Average salary | $46,336 | $38,077 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $73,000 | Between $27,000 And $53,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Fairbanks, AK |
| Highest paying state | New York | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Amgen | Capco |
| Best paying industry | Government | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a safety officer and a safety assistant in terms of educational background:
| Safety Officer | Safety Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | California State University - Bakersfield | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between safety officers' and safety assistants' demographics:
| Safety Officer | Safety Assistant | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 78.8% Female, 21.2% | Male, 42.6% Female, 57.4% |
| Race ratio | Black 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, 9.2% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 15.0% Asian, 5.8% White, 62.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |