What Does an Environmental Health and Safety Specialist Do?
Any employer can say it puts safety first. To prove it, a company or campus needs people who inspect work areas, train staff and fix hazards before anyone gets hurt, then keep the records that show an inspector the work was done. Environmental health and safety specialists do that work, along with the chemical and waste paperwork, in factories, warehouses, labs and hospitals.
Also known as: Health and Safety Officer, Safety Coordinator, Health and Safety Specialist, Environmental Safety Coordinator, Environmental Safety Specialist
Environmental Health and Safety Specialist Duties and Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of an environmental health and safety specialist include:
- Inspect shops, labs and warehouses for unguarded machines, blocked exits and chemical storage problems.
- Teach lockout/tagout, confined space, forklift and fall protection classes to new and returning staff.
- Investigate injuries and near misses, interview witnesses and recommend fixes that stop repeats.
- Keep the OSHA injury and illness log and prepare the yearly summary for posting.
- Manage the hazardous waste program, from lab pickups to the manifests signed at shipment.
- Check fire extinguishers monthly and flush eyewash stations and safety showers on schedule.
- Evaluate workstations and lifting tasks for ergonomic strain and suggest practical changes.
- Update written safety programs as rules change and walk supervisors through what is new.
- Maintain the chemical inventory and safety data sheet library for each building.
- Coordinate fire drills and emergency plans with building managers and local responders.
Required Skills and Qualifications
To succeed as an environmental health and safety specialist, you will need the following skills and qualifications:
- OSHA general industry standards
- EPA and state hazardous waste rules
- OSHA outreach training or equivalent
- Associate Safety Professional (ASP) or CSP as a goal
- Incident investigation and root cause methods
- Training delivery that holds a room's attention
- EHS software and Excel for records
- A firm but friendly approach on the shop floor
Education and Training
BLS lists a bachelor's degree as typical for occupational health and safety specialists, usually in occupational safety, environmental science or a related field. Experience as a safety coordinator in a plant could lead to a specialist post. Certifications may also help.
Salary and Job Outlook
Typical pay: $69,560 - $111,690 per year, with a median of $90,150.
The range covers the middle half of earners nationwide. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Occupational Health and Safety Specialists.
According to BLS, growth for occupational health and safety specialists is projected at nearly 19 percent for the period from 2025 to 2035. Roughly 17,100 jobs a year are expected to open up across the group. Specialists who can cover both safety and environmental rules tend to have the widest choice of jobs, especially in manufacturing and on campuses.
Outlook source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, Occupational health and safety specialists.