Safety representative vs health & safety officer

The differences between safety representatives and health & safety officers 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 representative and a health & safety officer. Additionally, a health & safety officer has an average salary of $56,507, which is higher than the $50,717 average annual salary of a safety representative.

The top three skills for a safety representative include OSHA, safety procedures and corrective action. The most important skills for a health & safety officer are OSHA, site safety, and em-385.

Safety representative vs health & safety officer overview

	Safety Representative	Health & Safety Officer
Yearly salary	$50,717	$56,507
Hourly rate	$24.38	$27.17
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	15,531	115,573
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 51%	Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Average age	45	45
Years of experience	6	6

What does a safety representative do?

A safety representative is responsible for reiterating safety protocols and regulations in the workplace to prevent potential hazards and operational delays. Safety representatives facilitate training and programs for the employees and inform them of any communications related to their safety and wellbeing. They also submit incident reports to the safety manager and provide recommendations to minimize risks and practice emergency drills. A safety representative must have excellent communication and organizational skills to create a safe environment for operations.

What does a health & safety officer do?

A Health and Safety Officer is responsible for ensuring the workplace's safety and security to provide smooth operations and implement safety practices within the premises. They inspect the facilities and equipment's condition and report any failures and defects for immediate resolution. They also facilitate safety training and programs for the employees to reiterate safety protocols and policies for strict compliance. A health and safety officer reviews incident reports, recommend safety and security resolutions and develop safety initiatives.

Safety representative vs health & safety officer salary

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

	Safety Representative	Health & Safety Officer
Average salary	$50,717	$56,507
Salary range	Between $32,000 And $78,000	Between $37,000 And $85,000
Highest paying City	New York, NY	Berkeley, CA
Highest paying state	New York	Alaska
Best paying company	ConocoPhillips	24M Technologies
Best paying industry	Energy	Construction

Differences between safety representative and health & safety officer education

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

	Safety Representative	Health & Safety Officer
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 51%	Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	San Diego State University	-

Safety representative vs health & safety officer demographics

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

	Safety Representative	Health & Safety Officer
Average age	45	45
Gender ratio	Male, 77.5% Female, 22.5%	Male, 79.7% Female, 20.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 5.6% White, 62.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%	Black or African American, 10.1% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 14.7% Asian, 5.8% White, 62.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between safety representative and health & safety officer duties and responsibilities

Safety representative example 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.

Health & safety officer example responsibilities.

Lead cross functional team on FMEA analysis, root cause analysis to improve the existing process.
Provide regulatory guidance of OSHA health and safety regulations and establish site interpretations of those regulations.
Organize students' information for CPR certification and parking registration.
Plan, organize, and host training sessions for CPR certification.
Develop metrics showing departmental and site EHS performances and present monthly findings to executive management.
Conduct internal audits of EHS programs and provide recommendations regarding the effectiveness of internal controls and processes.

Safety representative vs health & safety officer skills

Common safety representative skills

OSHA, 13%
Safety Procedures, 6%
Corrective Action, 5%
Safety Program, 5%
Safety Training, 4%
Safety Audits, 4%

Common health & safety officer skills

OSHA, 12%
Site Safety, 5%
Em-385, 5%
Safety Program, 5%
Fall Protection, 5%
SSHO, 4%

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Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Industry
Safety Representative
Safety Representative vs Health & Safety Officer

Updated January 8, 2025

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