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Safety specialist skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025
7 min read
Quoted experts
Christine Foster,
Tracey Cekada
Safety specialist example skills
Below we've compiled a list of the most critical safety specialist skills. We ranked the top skills for safety specialists based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 10.6% of safety specialist resumes contained osha as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a safety specialist needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 safety specialist skills for your resume and career

1. OSHA

Here's how safety specialists use osha:
  • Conducted Industrial Hygiene monitoring for specific drug substances, new molecular entities and California/Federal OSHA regulated chemicals.
  • Defined Construction Safety Processes with written operational procedures required by company standards, NASA and OSHA requirements.

2. Develop Corrective Action

Here's how safety specialists use develop corrective action:
  • Perform baseline safety assessments and develop corrective action plans to identify potential hazards and correct them before an injury occurs.
  • Review reported safety event, perform medical record audits, conduct root cause analysis and develop corrective action plans.

3. Safety Program

Safety programs are a series of measures to protect employees from any mishaps and make the work environment safer. Safety programs include checklists, guidelines, and direct procedures that a specific area or department must follow. Safety programs take care of office space safety, maintenance and repairs, and identification of frauds as well.

Here's how safety specialists use safety program:
  • Gathered, analyzed and presented data about ongoing safety programs to senior management including Lab Compliance Inspection results and Waste Disposal.
  • Established and implemented a safety program of employee participation that identified, controlled and eliminated hazards without work slowdowns or delays.

4. Corrective Action

Here's how safety specialists use corrective action:
  • Conducted construction site safety audits to identify improper procedures, checked equipment and facilities for hazardous conditions and recommended corrective actions.
  • Participated in accident and incident investigations to determine root cause and ensure corrective actions have been implemented to prevent further incidents.

5. Safety Regulations

Here's how safety specialists use safety regulations:
  • Monitored and enforced flight, fire and life safety regulations/procedures including flight line vehicle operations and foreign object debris control.
  • Monitored Refinery/Chemical facility operations to identify any safety, construction and operation practices that violate safety regulations and laws.

6. Safety Training

The guidance and skills taught to workers and employees of a company to carry out their duties safely and efficiently are referred to as safety training. The purpose of safety training is to inform workers about the potential and risks associated with this kind of work and to teach them ways to avoid such risks.

Here's how safety specialists use safety training:
  • Conducted/coordinated safety training and audits/inspections.
  • Assisted in monitoring and coordinating general organization's safety programs, including safety inspections, accident investigations, and safety training.

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7. Safety Procedures

Safety procedures are a set of standardized procedures, that ensures minimal to no risk to people, resources, and the work environment. A company follows the step-by-step safety procedures as it they not only keep the customers and the employees safe, but also help in avoiding legal claims.

Here's how safety specialists use safety procedures:
  • Streamlined communication process related to mishap and accident reports, supervisor mishap surveys, safety recommendations, and safety procedures.
  • Participated in corporate safety meetings, updated safety procedures and maintained extensive weekly and monthly records and reports.

8. EHS

Environment, Health, and Safety - EHS is a generic term for laws, rules, regulations, professions, and programs designed to protect the health and safety of the public and the environment from hazards. Its objective is to prevent and reduce accidents, emergencies, and health problems, including in the workplace, as well as the environmental damage that may result from work practices. Organizations must do this to ensure that their activities do not harm anyone.

Here's how safety specialists use ehs:
  • Reviewed and approved EHS documentation, conducted EHS audits and provided a follow-up to ensure audit recommendations are implemented.
  • Coordinated developed, implemented, and evaluated EHS related education and training.

9. Food Safety

Here's how safety specialists use food safety:
  • Maintained SharePoint website for Food Safety/Commercialization knowledge base to implement faster decisions for those supporting store owners and managers.
  • Conducted stringent evaluations and performed food safety audits at assigned retail and wholesale clients.

10. Patients

Here's how safety specialists use patients:
  • Recorded patients' incoming telephone calls regarding medication side-effects.
  • Assisted the patients with getting in gowns and completed a safety check of the patient's clothes and personal items.

11. CPR

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR is a medical procedure that involves chest compression to help a patient breathe. This artificial ventilation helps in keeping the brain function in place and regulates blood throughout the body. CPR is a lifesaving procedure that is used in emergencies.

Here's how safety specialists use cpr:
  • Conduct authorized persons training, awareness training, first aid and CPR training, and powered industrial truck training as required.
  • Maintained database of various certifications: hearing, sight, respiratory and CPR for all personnel assigned to air squadron.

12. PowerPoint

Here's how safety specialists use powerpoint:
  • Developed and maintained training materials using PowerPoint presentations and computer-based training for new and current employees.
  • Worked with Microsoft Word, Excel, & PowerPoint, and quite efficient with QuickBooks.

13. Safety Audits

A safety audit is the periodic evaluation of safety practices within an organization. Information is collected on the efficiency, effectiveness, and reliability of the entire health and safety management system of the company. Its objective is to determine whether or not an organization is complying with appropriate safety regulations and to identify weaknesses in safety programs and processes to identify corrective actions that need to be taken. Safety audits can be performed internally by supervisors and employees or by external auditors.

Here's how safety specialists use safety audits:
  • Planed and conducts health and safety audits and prepared formal assessment reports using established protocols to characterized compliance and risk.
  • Monitored employee participation through safety audits, safety talks, stop card participation and safety presentations using Excel Software.

14. Safety Standards

Here's how safety specialists use safety standards:
  • Determine safety requirements for each industry and provide equipment needed to exceed minimum safety standards, according to OSHA regulations.
  • Trained entry level safety compliance officers in inspection processes and safety standards through development of lesson plans and active participation.

15. Safety Culture

Safety culture is a set of individual and group values, perceptions, attitudes, ways of conducting, and beliefs that employees share about risks within an organization. It is an organizational culture that prioritizes the safety beliefs, values, and attitudes that the majority of people in the organization share.

Here's how safety specialists use safety culture:
  • Developed a safety incentive program to encourage use of personal protective equipment and to foster a group-minded safety culture.
  • Improved the safety culture and increased customer safety awareness by managing the employee and customer safety communications function.
top-skills

What skills help Safety Specialists find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on safety specialist resumes?

Christine Foster

Adjunct Professor, San Jose State University

From a skills perspective, I look for strong written and verbal communication skills. This includes making sure that the resume is grammatically solid and free from spelling errors. This is a first impression, and one that may make the difference between getting an interview or not. Specific experience that is important includes risk assessment/analysis, regulatory interpretation, data analysis, and project management. So much of what we do in occupational safety is assessing risk and then translating that into recommendations that are then managed to execution. Today's safety professional needs to be able to do all of these things well.

What safety specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Tracey Cekada

Chairperson and Professor, Safety Sciences Department, Indiana University of Pennsylvania

There are a number of things you can do to increase your earning potential when starting your career. Research through the Bureau of Labor Statistics and other resources what the state and national average salaries are for your industry. Come prepared to the negotiating table too- be able to highlight what you can offer the company. Additionally, the value that conducting co-ops and internships can provide to you when in school is invaluable. These real-world experiences not only develop your skills, but they help you to form connections that could last a lifetime. All students should be taking advantage of these opportunities.

What type of skills will young safety specialists need?

Alfred LujanAlfred Lujan LinkedIn profile

Assistant Professor, NMSU/Dona Ana Community College

Most fire departments require or prefer candidates with a current Emergency Medical Technician-Basic license at a minimum.

Many fire departments require a minimum of a Firefighter I IFSAC or Pro Board certification, and it is a prerequisite Hazardous Materials Awareness and Operations certification.

What technical skills for a safety specialist stand out to employers?

Tracey SpinatoTracey Spinato LinkedIn profile

Assistant Director, Career Services in Public Health, University of New England, College of Graduate & Professional Studies

I hear a lot of employers speak to the need for professionals who are strong in both written and verbal communication. While communication is critical to all public health fields, it's particularly important when it comes to those working in epidemiology, research, and data--we need public health professionals who can take that information and communicate the findings in a way that is accessible and effective. Writing is also critical to securing grants, so as we see more funding channeled towards public health, those with strong writing skills will be a tremendous asset to any public health organization. There is also a need for professionals who understand health policy--the pandemic has highlighted the need for policies that advocate for public health infrastructure, community health, prevention services, environmental health, and emergency management. Other than that, it's important that public health professionals stay up to date on new technology, statistical software, and social media marketing and communication.

What hard/technical skills are most important for safety specialists?

Jared Reno

Undergraduate Coordinator of The Industrial and Engineering Technology Department, Southeastern Louisiana University

The most important technical skills someone needs to know is:
-One, how to read blueprints and professionally drafted plans. Our industry partners have told us that print reading is a must for all internships and part-time and full-time positions. It is expected that a college graduate of a technical field knows how to read plans
-Basic computer skills using Spreadsheets and Document formats such as Microsoft Word and Excel or Google Docs and Google Sheets. This is crucial for working in any industry but especially Engineering or Industrial practices. These are used to make procedures for safety and production. They are used to evaluate data that has been collected. They are used for organizing information for customers, employees, and manufacturers. The more you know about these programs, the easier your work life will be.
-Basic project management skills are also crucial. Even if you are not the "project manager," you need to have some skills. You need to know how to prioritize more important tasks, you need to know how to manage your time wisely, you need to know how to communicate with multiple people or groups of people.

What soft skills should all safety specialists possess?

Jared Reno

Undergraduate Coordinator of The Industrial and Engineering Technology Department, Southeastern Louisiana University

In industrial and engineering technologies, I believe that the most important soft skill is critical thinking skills like designing aptitudes to fit specific needs, innovating using the resources available to your company, troubleshooting problems in equipment, logistics, and interpersonal disputes. This industry is all about solving problems in new and creative ways, and that is why I think critical thinking skills are the most important.

List of safety specialist skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a safety specialist resume and required skills for a safety specialist to have include:

  • OSHA
  • Develop Corrective Action
  • Safety Program
  • Corrective Action
  • Safety Regulations
  • Safety Training
  • Safety Procedures
  • EHS
  • Food Safety
  • Patients
  • CPR
  • PowerPoint
  • Safety Audits
  • Safety Standards
  • Safety Culture
  • Safety Policies
  • Training Programs
  • Ladders
  • Safety Issues
  • Risk Assessments
  • Occupational Safety
  • Emergency Response
  • Incident Investigations
  • Regulatory Agencies
  • EPA
  • Safety Equipment
  • Regulatory Compliance
  • Safety Inspections
  • Safety Compliance
  • Management System
  • Site Safety
  • Fall Protection
  • Hazardous Materials
  • Safety Data
  • NFPA
  • Data Entry
  • Fire Protection
  • Related Training
  • Local Regulations
  • FDA
  • CFR
  • Incident Reports
  • Health Programs
  • Space Entry
  • Hazardous Waste
  • Federal Regulations

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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