Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for a Health and Safety Specialist

🎯 Role Definition

A Health and Safety Specialist is the on-the-ground champion for an organization's safety culture. This role is pivotal in ensuring a safe and healthy work environment, going far beyond simple rule enforcement. You are a proactive partner to both leadership and employees, responsible for developing, implementing, and sustaining comprehensive health and safety programs.

This position involves a dynamic blend of hands-on field observation, strategic program development, and engaging employee training. As a Health and Safety Specialist, your expertise will be crucial in interpreting complex regulations (like OSHA and EPA), conducting thorough risk assessments, investigating incidents to find root causes, and implementing corrective actions that prevent recurrence. You are a coach, an investigator, a compliance expert, and a strategist, all rolled into one. Ultimately, your success is measured by the reduction of workplace incidents and the strength of the safety-first mindset you help to build across the entire organization.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

This role is a fantastic stepping stone for a rewarding career in Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS). It provides a solid foundation in the core principles of occupational safety and compliance.

Entry Point From:

Safety Coordinator or EHS Technician
Operations Supervisor with a strong safety focus
Recent graduate from an Occupational Health & Safety program

Advancement To:

Senior Health and Safety Specialist
Health and Safety Manager or EHS Manager
Corporate Safety Director

Lateral Moves:

Environmental Specialist or Compliance Specialist
Industrial Hygienist
Risk Manager or Insurance Loss Control Consultant

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

As the organization's safety keystone, you will be entrusted with a wide range of critical duties. Your day-to-day will be varied and impactful, focusing on proactive prevention and robust response.

Develop, implement, and continuously improve comprehensive health and safety programs, policies, and procedures to ensure full compliance with local, state, and federal regulations (e.g., OSHA, EPA).
Conduct regular and thorough workplace safety inspections and audits to proactively identify potential hazards, unsafe work practices, and areas of non-compliance.
Lead detailed incident investigations for all workplace accidents, injuries, illnesses, and near-misses, utilizing root cause analysis techniques to determine underlying causes and implement effective corrective and preventative actions (CAPAs).
Design, deliver, and track engaging safety training programs for new hires and existing employees on critical topics such as emergency response, hazard communication, lockout/tagout, confined space entry, and personal protective equipment (PPE).
Serve as the primary point of contact and professional representative for the company during regulatory agency inspections, inquiries, and audits, ensuring all documentation is prepared, organized, and accurate.
Manage the company's Hazard Communication Program, including the diligent maintenance and accessibility of Safety Data Sheets (SDS) and ensuring proper chemical labeling and storage protocols are followed.
Perform and formally document job hazard analyses (JHAs) and risk assessments for various tasks and processes, collaborating closely with operational teams to engineer out or mitigate identified risks.
Act as a visible champion for a proactive safety culture by actively engaging with employees at all levels, promoting safety awareness, and fostering an environment of open communication about safety concerns.
Oversee the complete lifecycle of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), from selection and procurement to inventory management and ensuring its proper use through training and fit-testing.
Develop, regularly review, and update site-specific emergency action plans; coordinate and document emergency response drills, such as fire and evacuation drills, to ensure site preparedness.
Maintain and analyze key safety performance metrics (e.g., TRIR, DART, leading indicators) to track progress against goals, identify negative trends, and prepare insightful reports for senior management.
Lead and facilitate productive site safety committee meetings, driving actionable outcomes and empowering employee involvement in the continuous improvement of the safety program.
Conduct ergonomic assessments of workstations, production lines, and manual job tasks to reduce the risk of musculoskeletal disorders and recommend practical, cost-effective improvements.
Manage workers' compensation claims in close partnership with Human Resources, guiding the process and facilitating a safe and structured return-to-work program for injured employees.
Review and approve contractor safety plans and pre-qualification documents, ensuring that all third-party personnel adhere to company and regulatory safety standards while on-site.
Provide expert guidance and technical support to management, supervisors, and staff on all matters related to occupational health, safety, and environmental compliance.
Stay current with emerging EHS regulations, proposed legislative changes, industry best practices, and new safety technologies to continuously improve the organization's safety management system.
Develop and manage the site's industrial hygiene program, which may include coordinating monitoring for exposure to chemical, physical, and biological hazards (e.g., noise, air quality, chemical vapors).
Take ownership of specific, high-risk safety programs such as Lockout/Tagout (LOTO), machine guarding, electrical safety, and fall protection, ensuring they are robustly implemented and regularly audited for effectiveness.
Prepare and submit all required environmental and safety regulatory reports to local, state, and federal agencies accurately and before deadlines.
Manage the site's hazardous and non-hazardous waste streams, ensuring proper characterization, storage, and disposal in compliance with EPA and DOT regulations.
Act as a key EHS resource during the design, procurement, and installation phases of new equipment or processes to ensure safety-by-design principles are integrated from the start.

Secondary Functions

Serve as an active member of cross-functional project teams, providing EHS input for new processes, equipment, and facility modifications.
Support the broader EHS or Operations department with special projects and initiatives as they arise.
Mentor junior safety personnel, safety committee members, or interns, sharing knowledge and best practices.
Liaise with the Facilities and Maintenance teams to ensure safety-related work orders and infrastructure improvements are prioritized and completed effectively.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

OSHA/EPA Regulations: Deep, practical knowledge of relevant safety and environmental standards (e.g., OSHA 29 CFR 1910, EPA 40 CFR) and the ability to translate them into workplace practice.
Incident Investigation & Root Cause Analysis: Proficiency in structured investigation techniques (e.g., 5 Whys, Fishbone, TapRooT®) to move beyond immediate causes to systemic failures.
Risk Assessment & Job Hazard Analysis (JHA): A systematic and analytical approach to identifying hazards, assessing risk levels, and implementing effective controls.
EHS Management Systems: Experience implementing or maintaining formal safety management systems, such as ISO 45001 or VPP, is highly valuable.
Industrial Hygiene Fundamentals: Foundational knowledge of anticipating, recognizing, evaluating, and controlling occupational health hazards like noise, chemicals, and airborne contaminants.
Ergonomics Principles: The ability to conduct ergonomic risk assessments for both office and industrial environments and recommend practical solutions.
Emergency Response Planning: Skill in developing and implementing site-specific plans for fires, chemical spills, medical emergencies, and other critical events.
Safety Training & Adult Learning: Proven ability to develop and deliver effective, engaging training content to diverse audiences, from the shop floor to the boardroom.
Regulatory Reporting: Experience in accurately compiling data and submitting reports to agencies like OSHA (e.g., 300A Log) and the EPA.
Data Analysis & Metrics Tracking: The ability to manage, analyze, and interpret safety data (both leading and lagging indicators) to drive decisions and demonstrate performance.

Soft Skills

Communication & Interpersonal Skills: Excellent ability to communicate clearly and persuasively with all levels of the organization, from front-line workers to senior executives.
Attention to Detail: A meticulous approach to inspections, investigations, and documentation is absolutely essential.
Problem-Solving: A practical and creative mindset for identifying issues and developing effective, sustainable solutions.
Influence & Leadership: The ability to influence action and build consensus without direct authority; leading by example to foster a strong safety culture.
Adaptability & Composure: The capacity to remain calm and make sound decisions under pressure, especially during incident response.
Proactive & Self-Motivated: A "get-it-done" attitude with the ability to manage your own time and prioritize tasks effectively.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

A Bachelor's degree from an accredited university or college.

Preferred Education:

A Bachelor's or Master's degree in a relevant field of study.
Professional certification such as Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Associate Safety Professional (ASP), or Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH).

Relevant Fields of Study:

Occupational Health and Safety
Environmental Science
Safety Engineering
Industrial Hygiene
A related technical or scientific field

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

3-7 years of direct experience in an Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) role.

Preferred:

Experience within a manufacturing, construction, logistics, or other industrial environment is often highly preferred.
Demonstrated experience in developing and implementing safety programs from the ground up.