Health and Safety Engineer

Promote worksite or product safety by applying knowledge of industrial processes, mechanics, chemistry, psychology, and industrial health and safety laws. Includes industrial product safety engineers.

On the job, you would:

Investigate industrial accidents, injuries, or occupational diseases to determine causes and preventive measures.
Conduct research to evaluate safety levels for products.
Evaluate product designs for safety.

Important Qualities

Communication skills. Health and safety engineers must be able to interpret federal and state regulations and their intent so that they can propose proper designs for specific work environments. Health and safety engineers also prepare and present training materials to workers and must be able to describe new regulations and procedures to a variety of audiences.

Creativity. Health and safety engineers produce designs showing potential problems and remedies for them. They must be creative, in order to deal with situations that are unique to a project.

Critical-thinking skills. Health and safety engineers must be able to identify hazards to humans and property in the workplace or in the home before those hazards cause material damage or become a health threat.

Observational skills. Health and safety engineers must observe and learn how operations function so that they can identify risks to people and property. This requires the ability to think in terms of overall processes within an organization. Health and safety engineers can then recommend systemic changes to minimize risks.

Problem-solving skills. In designing solutions for entire organizational operations, health and safety engineers must take into account processes from more than one system at the same time. In addition, they must try to anticipate a range of human reactions to the changes they recommend.

Personality

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Characteristics of this Career
		97%	Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
		88%	Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
		88%	Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
		81%	Self-Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
		81%	Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
		81%	Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
		80%	Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
		79%	Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
		78%	Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
		78%	Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
		77%	Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
		75%	Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
		74%	Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
		73%	Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
		65%	Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
		55%	Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Strengths
		86%	Investigative - Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.
		72%	Realistic - Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.
		67%	Conventional - Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Values of the Work Environment
		72%	Working Conditions - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
		72%	Support - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
		67%	Achievement - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
		67%	Independence - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
		61%	Recognition - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
		61%	Relationships - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.

Aptitude

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Abilities \| Cognitive, Physical, Personality
		78%	Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
		76%	Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
		75%	Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
		75%	Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
		75%	Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
		75%	Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
		75%	Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
		72%	Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
		70%	Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
		67%	Flexibility of Closure - The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
		66%	Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
		66%	Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
		64%	Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
		61%	Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
		60%	Mathematical Reasoning - The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
		58%	Originality - The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
		56%	Visualization - The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
		53%	Far Vision - The ability to see details at a distance.
		53%	Perceptual Speed - The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
		52%	Selective Attention - The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Skills \| Cognitive, Physical, Personality
		65%	Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
		60%	Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
		60%	Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
		59%	Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
		59%	Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
		55%	Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
		55%	Science - Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
		55%	Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
		55%	Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
		54%	Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
		52%	Operations Analysis - Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
		52%	Systems Evaluation - Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.

Job Details

Responsibilities

Investigate safety of work environment.

Research product safety.

Teach safety standards or environmental compliance methods.

Update technical knowledge.

Advise others on health and safety issues.

Maintain operational records or records systems.

Document design or operational test results.

Research product safety.

Investigate safety of work environment.

Explain engineering drawings, specifications, or other technical information.

Evaluate designs or specifications to ensure quality.

Prepare procedural documents.

Investigate safety of work environment.

Testify at legal or legislative proceedings.

Investigate safety of work environment.

Test facilities for environmental hazards.

Advise others on health and safety issues.

Develop safety standards, policies, or procedures.

Confer with technical personnel to prepare designs or operational plans.

Research human performance or health factors related to engineering or design activities.

Investigate the environmental impact of projects.

Develop safety standards, policies, or procedures.

Confer with other personnel to resolve design or operational problems.

Confer with technical personnel to prepare designs or operational plans.

Design industrial equipment.

Fabricate devices or components.

Inspect facilities or sites to determine if they meet specifications or standards.

Monitor work environment to ensure safety or adherence to specifications.

Inspect safety equipment to ensure proper functioning.

Inspect equipment to ensure safety or proper functioning.

Install safety or support equipment.

Direct installation activities.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent
		97%	Electronic Mail - How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
		93%	Face-to-Face Discussions - How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
		92%	Telephone - How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
		82%	Importance of Being Exact or Accurate - How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
		82%	Contact With Others - How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
		81%	Freedom to Make Decisions - How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
		81%	Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results - What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
		81%	Work With Work Group or Team - How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
		77%	Responsible for Others' Health and Safety - How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?
		76%	Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets - How much does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets?
		76%	Structured versus Unstructured Work - To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?
		75%	Indoors, Environmentally Controlled - How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
		73%	Frequency of Decision Making - How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
		73%	Time Pressure - How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
		69%	Letters and Memos - How often does the job require written letters and memos?
		67%	Coordinate or Lead Others - How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job?
		62%	Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled - How often does this job require working indoors in non-controlled environmental conditions (e.g., warehouse without heat)?
		61%	In an Enclosed Vehicle or Equipment - How often does this job require working in a closed vehicle or equipment (e.g., car)?
		61%	Deal With External Customers - How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?
		59%	Spend Time Sitting - How much does this job require sitting?
		58%	Responsibility for Outcomes and Results - How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?
		57%	Consequence of Error - How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not readily correctable?
		56%	Level of Competition - To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures?
		56%	Sounds, Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable - How often does this job require working exposed to sounds and noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable?
		56%	Outdoors, Exposed to Weather - How often does this job require working outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions?
		52%	Public Speaking - How often do you have to perform public speaking in this job?
		84%	Duration of Typical Work Week - Number of hours typically worked in one week.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Tasks & Values
		88%	Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
		85%	Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
		82%	Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
		82%	Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
		80%	Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials - Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
		77%	Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
		77%	Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
		75%	Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
		75%	Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
		75%	Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
		75%	Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
		74%	Analyzing Data or Information - Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
		74%	Providing Consultation and Advice to Others - Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
		74%	Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
		72%	Working with Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
		71%	Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
		70%	Communicating with People Outside the Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
		69%	Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
		65%	Coaching and Developing Others - Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
		64%	Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
		63%	Developing Objectives and Strategies - Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
		62%	Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information - Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
		62%	Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates - Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
		62%	Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
		61%	Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
		60%	Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
		59%	Developing and Building Teams - Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
		57%	Performing Administrative Activities - Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
		56%	Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others - Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
		54%	Selling or Influencing Others - Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.

What Health and Safety Engineers Do

Health and safety in the workplace is a major concern of health and safety engineers.

Health and safety engineers develop procedures and design systems to protect people from illness and injury and property from damage. They combine knowledge of engineering and of health and safety to make sure that chemicals, machinery, software, furniture, and other products will not cause harm to people or damage to property.

Duties

Health and safety engineers typically do the following:

Maintain and apply knowledge of current health and safety policies, regulations, and industrial processes
Review plans and specifications for new machinery and equipment to make sure that they meet safety requirements
Identify and correct potential hazards by inspecting facilities, machinery, and safety equipment
Evaluate the effectiveness of various industrial control mechanisms
Ensure that buildings or products comply with health and safety regulations, especially after an inspection that required changes
Install safety devices on machinery or direct the installation of these devices
Review employee safety programs and recommend improvements

Health and safety engineers also investigate industrial accidents and injuries to determine their causes and to determine whether the incidents were avoidable or can be prevented in the future. They interview employers and employees to learn about work environments and incidents that lead to accidents or injuries. They also evaluate the corrections that were made to remedy violations found during health inspections.

Health and safety engineering is a broad field covering many activities. The following are examples of types of health and safety engineers:

Fire prevention and protection engineers conduct analyses and make recommendations regarding the potential fire hazards of buildings, materials, and transportation systems. They also design, install, and maintain fire prevention and suppression systems and inspect systems to ensure that they meet government safety regulations. Fire prevention and protection engineers must be licensed and must keep up with changes in fire codes and regulations.

Product safety engineers, sometimes called product compliance engineers, develop and conduct tests to make sure that various products are safe and comply with industry or government safety regulations. These engineers work on a wide range of products, from nuclear submarine reactors and robotics to cell phones and computer systems.

Systems safety engineers identify and analyze risks and hazards associated with system designs in order to make them safe while ensuring that the systems remain operational and effective. They work in many fields, including aerospace, and are moving into new fields, such as software safety, medical safety, and environmental safety.

For information on health and safety engineers who work in mines, see the profile on mining and geological engineers.

Work Environment

Health and safety engineers held about 22,000 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of health and safety engineers were as follows:

Manufacturing	28%
Government	15
Construction	12
Engineering services	8
Management, scientific, and technical consulting services	6

Health and safety engineers typically work in offices. However, they also must spend time at worksites when necessary, which sometimes requires travel.

Work Schedules

Most health and safety engineers work full time.

Getting Started

Education:

How to Become a Health and Safety Engineer

Health and safety engineers inspect facilities, machinery, and safety equipment to identify and correct potential hazards.

Health and safety engineers typically need a bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline or in environmental health and safety. Some employers prefer to hire candidates who have practical experience, so cooperative-education programs may be valuable as well.

Education

Entry-level jobs for health and safety engineers typically require a bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline, such as chemical, mechanical, industrial, or systems engineering, or in environmental health and safety. Bachelor’s degree programs typically include classroom, laboratory, and field studies in applied engineering. Engineering students interested in becoming health and safety engineers also should take courses in occupational safety and health, industrial hygiene, ergonomics, or environmental safety. Employers may prefer to hire graduates of engineering programs accredited by a professional association such as ABET.

Some colleges and universities offer cooperative-education programs that allow students to gain practical experience while completing their education. Students also may choose to participate in an internship.

A few colleges and universities offer 5-year accelerated programs through which students graduate with both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree. A master’s degree allows engineers to enter the occupation at a higher level, from which they can develop and implement safety systems.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

Licensure is not required for entry-level positions as a health and safety engineer. A Professional Engineering (PE) license, which allows for higher levels of leadership and independence, can be acquired later in one’s career. Licensed engineers are called professional engineers (PEs). A PE can oversee the work of other engineers, sign off on projects, and provide services directly to the public. State licensure generally requires

A degree from an ABET-accredited engineering program
A passing score on the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam
Relevant work experience, typically at least 4 years
A passing score on the Professional Engineering (PE) exam

The initial FE exam can be taken after one earns a bachelor’s degree. Engineers who pass this exam are commonly called engineers in training (EITs) or engineer interns (EIs). After meeting work experience requirements, EITs and EIs can take the second exam, called the Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE).

Each state issues its own licenses. Most states recognize licensure from other states, as long as the licensing state’s requirements meet or exceed their own licensure requirements. Several states require continuing education for engineers to keep their licenses.

Health and safety engineers can earn professional certifications, including the following:

The Board of Certified Safety Professionals offers the Certified Safety Professional (CSP) certification, the Occupational Health and Safety Technologist (OHST) certification, and the new Associate Safety Professional (ASP) certification
The American Board of Industrial Hygiene awards the Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) certification
The American Society of Safety Professionals offers a Certificate in Safety Management (CSM)
The International Council on Systems Engineering offers a program leading to designation as a Certified Systems Engineering Professional (CSEP)

Job Outlook

Employment of health and safety engineers is projected to grow 4 percent from 2022 to 2032, about as fast as the average for all occupations.

About 1,300 openings for health and safety engineers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment

Health and safety engineers will be needed to help protect people from potential hazards. As new regulations are created, organizations are expected to rely on these engineers for help in complying with requirements that safeguard people from illness and injury and property from damage.

Contacts for More Information

For information about general engineering education and career resources, visit

American Society of Safety Professionals

Technology Student Association

For more information about accredited engineering programs, visit

ABET

For more information about the Professional Engineer license, visit

National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying

National Society of Professional Engineers

For information about protecting worker health, visit

American Industrial Hygiene Association

For information about certification, visit

American Board of Industrial Hygiene

American Society of Safety Professionals

Board of Certified Safety Professionals

International Council on Systems Engineering

Similar Occupations

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of health and safety engineers.

Occupation	Job Duties	Entry-Level Education	Median Annual Pay, May 2022
Construction and Building Inspectors	Construction and building inspectors ensure that construction meets building codes and ordinances, zoning regulations, and contract specifications.	High school diploma or equivalent	$64,480
Fire Inspectors	Fire inspectors detect fire hazards, recommend prevention measures, ensure compliance with state and local fire regulations, and investigate causes of fires.	See How to Become One	$65,800
Industrial Engineers	Industrial engineers devise efficient systems that integrate workers, machines, materials, information, and energy to make a product or provide a service.	Bachelor's degree	$96,350
Mining and Geological Engineers	Mining and geological engineers design mines to safely and efficiently remove minerals for use in manufacturing and utilities.	Bachelor's degree	$97,490
Occupational Health and Safety Specialists and Technicians	Occupational health and safety specialists and technicians collect data on, analyze, and design improvements to work environments and procedures.	See How to Become One	$75,240

Health and Safety Engineer

What they do:

On the job, you would:

Important Qualities

Personality

Characteristics of this Career

Strengths

Values of the Work Environment

Aptitude

Abilities | Cognitive, Physical, Personality

Skills | Cognitive, Physical, Personality

Job Details

Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent

Tasks & Values

What Health and Safety Engineers Do

Duties

Work Environment

Work Schedules

Getting Started

How to Become a Health and Safety Engineer

Education

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

Job Outlook

Employment

Contacts for More Information

Similar Occupations