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What is a senior safety specialist and how to become one
Safety specialists work in construction sites and busy industrial environments. They are concerned with the safety of the workers in the area. A safety specialist designs, implements, and monitors safety programs. They also ensure that these programs are in line with stipulated guidelines. Senior safety specialists may monitor multiple sites at once or a single large site. They may also coordinate the activity of junior safety specialists.
Senior safety specialists perform risk assessment and safety sweeps and investigate accidents. They uncover the root cause, prevent future accidents, and create reports on the event.
Senior safety specialists also hold training sessions for concerned workers. During these, they teach proper handling of equipment and accident avoidance techniques. These officers may also create relevant training materials.
To become a senior safety specialist, a bachelor's degree is needed in a relevant field. More importantly, applicants need Health and Safety certifications from the relevant body in the state.
What general advice would you give to a senior safety specialist?
Kim Trowbridge
ARI-AHEC Center Director, University of Akron
Avg. Salary $70,067
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 6%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 1.23%
Asian 5.68%
Black or African American 10.13%
Hispanic or Latino 14.35%
Unknown 6.19%
White 62.42%
Genderfemale 26.88%
male 73.12%
Age - 45American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 45Stress level is high
7.1 - high
Complexity level is challenging
7 - challenging
Work life balance is poor
6.4 - fair
Senior safety specialist career paths
Key steps to become a senior safety specialist
Explore senior safety specialist education requirements
Start to develop specific senior safety specialist skills
Skills Percentages OSHA 9.55% Corrective Action 4.18% EHS 4.06% Regulatory Agencies 3.49% Training Programs 3.40% Complete relevant senior safety specialist training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New senior safety specialists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a senior safety specialist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real senior safety specialist resumes.Research senior safety specialist duties and responsibilities
- Manage all asbestos relate incidents/clean-ups.
- Assist all pump stations in interpretation of OSHA regulations and implementation of proper safety procedures.
- Create electrical procedures and training both classroom and hands on to comply with NFPA 70E.
- Participate in internal and external audits including FDA audits and preparing complaint files/records for the audits, accordingly.
Get senior safety specialist experience
Generally, it takes 4-6 years to become a senior safety specialist. The most common roles before becoming a senior safety specialist include safety specialist, safety manager team lead and safety supervisor.Prepare your senior safety specialist resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your senior safety specialist resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a senior safety specialist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
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Build a professional senior safety specialist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your senior safety specialist resume.
Apply for senior safety specialist jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a senior safety specialist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first senior safety specialist job
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Average senior safety specialist salary
The average senior safety specialist salary in the United States is $70,067 per year or $34 per hour. Senior safety specialist salaries range between $45,000 and $108,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do senior safety specialists rate their job?
Senior safety specialist reviews
Flexibility in schedule
Too much travel, i wish i was home more, but i meet alot of wonderful people
You have the satisfaction of keeping the employees safe and you know that higher management gives you support. If you go through an OSHA inspection you are confident that you've done your due diligence.
It takes time to implement and see the safety culture grow.
The job role gives me an opportunity to help save people's lives while they also achieve their objectives. In the long run, we all attain fulfillment.
Updated January 8, 2025
