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The differences between safety technicians and safety inspectors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a safety technician, becoming a safety inspector takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a safety inspector has an average salary of $48,765, which is higher than the $38,709 average annual salary of a safety technician.
The top three skills for a safety technician include OSHA, patients and customer service. The most important skills for a safety inspector are OSHA, safety procedures, and safety inspections.
| Safety Technician | Safety Inspector | |
| Yearly salary | $38,709 | $48,765 |
| Hourly rate | $18.61 | $23.44 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 38,218 | 30,193 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
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.
A safety inspector is in charge of performing inspections to ensure that workplaces comply with the company or government's safety standards and regulations. Their responsibilities include inspecting tools and equipment, reviewing documents and specifications, assessing the workforce performances and conditions, observing facilities, and ensuring that employees have protective gear and safety measure knowledge. Moreover, a safety inspector utilizes the findings of their observation to recommend methods that will help workplaces maintain a safe and healthy environment for everyone. They may also investigate workplace incidents to keep them from happening again.
Safety technicians and safety inspectors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Safety Technician | Safety Inspector | |
| Average salary | $38,709 | $48,765 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $52,000 | Between $34,000 And $69,000 |
| Highest paying City | Bethlehem, PA | Sacramento, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Micron Technology | Volkert |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Energy |
There are a few differences between a safety technician and a safety inspector in terms of educational background:
| Safety Technician | Safety Inspector | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between safety technicians' and safety inspectors' demographics:
| Safety Technician | Safety Inspector | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 79.1% Female, 20.9% | Male, 82.1% Female, 17.9% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 10.1% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 14.3% Asian, 5.7% White, 62.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |