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The differences between safety specialists and safety technicians 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 specialist, becoming a safety technician takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a safety specialist has an average salary of $57,905, which is higher than the $38,709 average annual salary of a safety technician.
The top three skills for a safety specialist include OSHA, develop corrective action and safety program. The most important skills for a safety technician are OSHA, patients, and customer service.
| Safety Specialist | Safety Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $57,905 | $38,709 |
| Hourly rate | $27.84 | $18.61 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 16,355 | 38,218 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
Safety specialists examine various types of work procedures and environments. They observe if workplaces stick to the regulations on health, safety, and the environment. Also, they create programs to prevent injury or disease to workers and harm to the environment. Their duties include identifying hazards at the workplace and collecting samples of potentially toxic materials for examination. Another task they do is conduct training on emergency preparedness. Additionally, they explore and identify the causes of an accident to determine their preventative measures.
A safety technician is responsible for inspecting the office equipment and machinery, as well as the safety of facilities, avoiding potential hazards in the workplace. Safety technicians also review the company's policies and procedures, ensuring that the operational processes adhere to the internal guidelines and state regulations. They recommend safety training and programs for all employees on safety compliance and stable work conditions. A safety technician must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially on writing incident reports and suggesting practices to maintain a safe working environment.
Safety specialists and safety technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Safety Specialist | Safety Technician | |
| Average salary | $57,905 | $38,709 |
| Salary range | Between $38,000 And $87,000 | Between $28,000 And $52,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | Bethlehem, PA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Chevron | Micron Technology |
| Best paying industry | - | Construction |
There are a few differences between a safety specialist and a safety technician in terms of educational background:
| Safety Specialist | Safety Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | San Diego State University | - |
Here are the differences between safety specialists' and safety technicians' demographics:
| Safety Specialist | Safety Technician | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 69.3% Female, 30.7% | Male, 79.1% Female, 20.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 5.7% White, 62.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% | Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 5.7% White, 62.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |