MightyRecruiterHealth safety specialists play a critical role in circumventing unnecessary tragedies, injuries and health hazards from occurring in the workplace. Their primary responsibility is to thoroughly inspect and analyze workplace environments, conditions and practices to identify potential dangers. Using extensive field work, research and investigation, they develop procedures to protect workers and the environment. Other tasks include performing compliance tests, investigating accidents and implementing protocols for emergency situations.
As you begin to articulate your health safety specialist job description, it is imperative to establish the importance of problem-solving skills. Other critical competencies include communication, attention to detail and an understanding of technology.
Health safety specialists must also have and maintain physical stamina to support the need for frequent travel assignments and exposure to difficult environments. By referencing this resource, you can confidently select the right material to use in your own professional health safety specialist job description.
Health Safety Specialist Job Summary
As a health safety specialist at our headquarters, you will have the opportunity to help create a workplace that is safe, compliant and conducive to successful growth. You will have the chance to use communication to conduct trainings and ensure employee understanding of critical protocols. Using sophisticated testing equipment, you will be able to identify and analyze potentially harmful toxins, materials and conditions to develop improved procedures for optimal workplace safety. Working as part of a synergistic team, you will think critically to find and solve problems. If you are someone who is detail oriented and committed to bettering the workplace, this could be the perfect job for you.
Job Responsibilities
- Inspect workplace environments, activities and conditions to verify compliance with federal laws, regulations and requirements
- Suspend activities or the use of dangerous materials until alternative solutions have been developed, tested and implemented
- Collect samples and data of elements such as dust, toxic waste, vapors and gases to determine adequate exposure levels and design right-to-know clauses for employee reference
- Run audits on ventilation, noise protection, lighting and exhaust equipment to ensure that all are functioning properly and working efficiently to create optimal safety for employees
- Investigate accidents to identify root problems, eliminate existing dangers and develop solutions that will reduce the risk of other accidents from occurring
- Organize programs for medical monitoring and employee safety, and conduct educational trainings to instruct all workers on proper workplace behavior and activity
- Maintain a database of present materials that are hazardous or toxic to guarantee each is properly handled during use and disposed of later on
- Develop emergency preparedness plans and create employee resources to direct workers in potentially dangerous situations
Job Skills & Qualifications
Reqiured:
- Bachelor’s degree in health science or related field
- Critical thinking and problem solving skills
- Physical strength and stamina
Preferred:
- Familiarity with the testing equipment used in analysis of hazardous materials
Health Safety Specialist Job Responsibilities
When writing a health safety specialist job description, the responsibilities section is one of the most important. You should make this section the longest and include the most information in it. This is what candidates will use to decide whether or not the job is appealing, so you should make sure they can get a good understanding of the expectations if you hire them. However, if the health safety specialist job responsibilities are too long, it may be intimidating. To avoid this, aim for between six and eight bullet points.
Just like the rest of your health safety specialist job description, getting the format correct is important. Begin every bullet point with a strong action verb. This makes it easier for readers to understand the actions they will be responsible for. Use the following examples to help choose effective verbs.
- Evaluate working conditions to identify unsafe situations or equipment
- Oversee operations, ensuring all workers fully understand safety policies and that they do not take dangerous actions
- Manage the safety policy, making modifications as necessary to keep it relevant with changing production standards
- Investigate accidents to identify what the cause was and what actions will prevent similar accidents in the future
Health Safety Specialist Job Specifications
Sometimes, companies neglect the qualifications and skills section of the health safety specialist job description. While it is true that it should be the shortest section, this does not mean it plays an insignificant role. The information tells potential candidates if they qualify, which directly affects how many people apply. As you know, your goal is to avoid receiving too many or too few applications so you can find a talented employee without having to sort through numerous unqualified candidates.
One of the best ways to tackle the section that details the health safety specialist job specifications is to categorize the requirements into mandatory and preferred qualities. Minimum education and working experience is commonly mandatory, while skills and work ethics are usually preferences. By speaking with the hiring manager or someone already in this position, you can determine which qualities are absolutely necessary and which are not deal-breakers.
Review these sample qualification entries before starting on your own health safety specialist job description to strengthen it and improve your chances of finding talented professionals.
- Bachelor’s degree in health and safety required, master’s degree preferred
- Five years working experience in manufacturing management required
- Strong perception and evaluation abilities
- Excellent communication skills, both written and oral
