Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between safety representatives and safety engineers 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 representative, becoming a safety engineer takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a safety engineer has an average salary of $74,228, 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 safety engineer are OSHA, safety standards, and safety program.
| Safety Representative | Safety Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $50,717 | $74,228 |
| Hourly rate | $24.38 | $35.69 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 15,531 | 16,617 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 45 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
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.
The duties of a safety engineer depend on one's industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities revolve around overseeing the implementation of the safety policies and regulations in a company by conducting regular inspections and maintenance checks, coordinating with department personnel to gather data, assessing risks, and arranging precautionary measures. A safety engineer must also address issues and concerns, responding to them in a timely and efficient manner. Furthermore, there are instances when they have to lead safety orientations and seminars to maintain a safe and productive environment for everyone.
Safety representatives and safety engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Safety Representative | Safety Engineer | |
| Average salary | $50,717 | $74,228 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $78,000 | Between $49,000 And $110,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New York | North Dakota |
| Best paying company | ConocoPhillips | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Technology |
There are a few differences between a safety representative and a safety engineer in terms of educational background:
| Safety Representative | Safety Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Business | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | San Diego State University | University of Connecticut |
Here are the differences between safety representatives' and safety engineers' demographics:
| Safety Representative | Safety Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 77.5% Female, 22.5% | Male, 81.6% Female, 18.4% |
| 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, 4.8% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.9% Asian, 9.7% White, 69.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 4% |