How to hire a safety representative

How to hire a safety representative, step by step

Here's a step-by-step safety representative hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a safety representative job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new safety representative
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a safety representative do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your safety representative job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a safety representative for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect safety representative also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list shows salaries for various types of safety representatives.

   Type of Safety Representative	Description	Hourly rate
   Safety Representative	Occupational health and safety specialists analyze many types of work environments and work procedures. Specialists inspect workplaces for adherence to regulations on safety, health, and the environment... Show more	$15-37
   Public Health Internship	A public health internship provides students with a great learning opportunity to put into practice those educational principles and skills learned in the classroom. They will gain a better understanding and appreciation for the duties and responsibilities of full-time professionals in public health... Show more	$12-26
   Health And Safety Manager	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... Show more	$29-56

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • OSHA
   • Safety Procedures
   • Corrective Action
   • Safety Program
   • Safety Training
   • Safety Audits
   • Safety Regulations
   • Fall Protection
   • CPR
   • Safety Policies
   • Safety Issues
   • Safety Standards
   • Site Safety
   • Incident Investigations

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Complete HAZMAT training and manage squadrons HAZMAT program.
   • Manage the development/execution of the EHS communication and program strategy for this diversify global technology and industrial leader.
   • Maintain the CPR kit program.
   • Administer first-aid and CPR when need.
   • Skil in hazard communication, LOTO, machine guarding, and contractor safety.
   • Insure permits and LOTO procedures are as followed for commissioning, pumps, motors, turbines.

   More safety representative duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your safety representative job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A safety representative salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a safety representative in South Carolina may be lower than in New York, and an entry-level safety representative usually earns less than a senior-level safety representative. Additionally, a safety representative with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average safety representative salary

   $50,717yearly

   $24.38 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level safety representative salary

   $32,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 5, 2025

   Average safety representative salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$73,259	$35
   2	California	$60,470	$29
   3	Virginia	$58,968	$28
   4	Michigan	$53,800	$26
   5	Texas	$52,942	$25
   6	Nevada	$51,569	$25
   7	Ohio	$49,958	$24
   8	Colorado	$49,650	$24
   9	North Carolina	$45,652	$22
   10	New Mexico	$42,854	$21
   11	Illinois	$42,780	$21
   12	Arizona	$41,207	$20
   13	Kansas	$40,736	$20
   14	Florida	$37,145	$18

   Average safety representative salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	ConocoPhillips	$103,433	$49.73
   2	General Motors	$96,686	$46.48	4
   3	Orange County Sanitation District	$82,371	$39.60
   4	OGE Energy	$76,361	$36.71	1
   5	Johnson Controls	$67,186	$32.30	8
   6	Mclaughlin Research Corporation	$65,350	$31.42	1
   7	Clean Harbors	$63,935	$30.74	11
   8	ICONMA	$63,404	$30.48
   9	El Paso Electric	$63,240	$30.40
   10	ArcelorMittal	$62,452	$30.02	1
   11	Traylor Bros	$61,722	$29.67	1
   12	Oldcastle Infrastructure	$60,660	$29.16	31
   13	Baker Concrete Construction	$60,055	$28.87	23
   14	Matrix Service Company	$57,979	$27.87
   15	Performance Contracting	$57,519	$27.65
   16	Omega Morgan	$56,987	$27.40
   17	Valmont Industries	$55,544	$26.70	10
   18	American Humane	$54,706	$26.30	1
   19	New York State Restaurant Association	$53,835	$25.88
   20	American Bridge	$52,876	$25.42	3

4. Writing a safety representative job description

   A safety representative job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a safety representative job description:

   Safety representative job description example

   We are looking for someone who wants to take their consulting expertise to the next level, and partner with our insureds to make a difference. We are hiring a Safety and Risk Control Representative with responsibilities in Boise, ID.
   
   As a member of our safety department, our Safety and Risk Control Representatives are critical to the success of our business development. In this role, you will work alongside the underwriting team to acquire and retain profitable accounts by evaluating risks and exposures. Additionally, you will partner with our current and potential insureds to develop strategies to mitigate risk. You will have the opportunity to put your analytical mindset to work as you evaluate state and regional loss trends. No two days are the same in this role.
   
   Our ideal candidate is willing to travel several times per month to visit insureds. You will have the autonomy to schedule customer visits with your assigned region.
   Qualifications:
   
   * A background or education in insurance, safety, commercial auto risk management, or loss prevention.
   * Adept in networking, building relationships, negotiating, and problem-solving.
   * Enjoy coaching, education, giving public presentations, and approaching work with a consultative approach.
   * Possesses a strong customer service orientation and excellent public speaking skills.
   * Self-starter, organized, analytical, professional, and committed to excellence.
   
   Why work for us?
   
   We offer you a challenging career with a competitive compensation and benefits package, including:
   
   * Comprehensive training program.
   * Paid study materials, exam fees, study day, and monetary awards for professional development.
   * Paid vacation and paid sick leave.
   * Opportunities to impact the organization through participation in committees (Green Team, Fun Committee, etc.).
   * Support for healthy lifestyles through a wellness program and gym subsidies.
   
   Who we are:
   
   For over 65 years, Great West Casualty Company has provided premier insurance products and services to thousands of truck drivers and trucking companies across America. We have regional offices located around the country, and nearly 1,000 professionals are proud to call us an employer of choice. We are dedicated to the success, happiness, and wellness of our employees. If you are looking for a company where your contributions are valued, your continued learning is financially supported, and customer service is a priority, we want to talk to you. Apply today and join one of America's largest insurers of trucking companies as we help keep the nation's economy moving forward one mile at a time.
   
   Must be able to pass a drug screen. To learn more about Great West and our office locations, please visit our website www.gwccnet.com.
   
   Great People.
   
   Great Careers.
   
   Great West Casualty Company.
   
   New Employee PackageFull TimeExempt

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right safety representative for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with safety representatives they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit safety representatives who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your safety representative job on Zippia to find and attract quality safety representative candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as healthcarejobsite, health jobs nationwide, hospitalcareers, medreps.com.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit safety representatives, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new safety representative

   Once you've found the safety representative candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new safety representative first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a safety representative?