Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Occupational Health Coordinator

🎯 Role Definition

The Occupational Health Coordinator is a hands-on, cross-functional professional responsible for administering and continuously improving employee health services and medical surveillance programs that protect workforce health, ensure regulatory compliance (OSHA, CDC, HIPAA), and support timely return-to-work outcomes. The ideal candidate coordinates clinical activities, liaises with internal departments and external medical providers, manages confidential health records, analyzes health and exposure data to identify trends, and delivers training and communications that reinforce workplace safety and wellness.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Occupational Health Technician / Medical Assistant supporting employee health clinics
Registered Nurse (RN) with experience in employee health, ER, or clinic settings
Safety Specialist or Environmental Health Technician with exposure program experience

Advancement To:

Occupational Health Manager / Employee Health Program Manager
Health & Safety Manager or Director of Occupational Health and Safety
Wellness & Absence Management Lead / Workers' Compensation Program Manager

Lateral Moves:

Workers' Compensation Specialist / Case Manager
Wellness Program Coordinator or Health Promotion Manager
Industrial Hygiene Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Coordinate and administer comprehensive medical surveillance programs (e.g., hearing conservation, respiratory protection, bloodborne pathogens, lead, silica, and solvent exposure programs) to ensure early detection, compliance, and mitigation of occupational health risks.
Manage pre-employment, periodic, and return-to-work medical screenings including physical exams, drug and alcohol testing, fit testing for respirators, and immunization verification to maintain workforce readiness and regulatory compliance.
Act as the primary liaison with occupational health clinics, external physicians, audiologists, industrial hygienists, and laboratory vendors to schedule evaluations, facilitate timely results, and implement provider recommendations.
Maintain and manage confidential employee medical records in compliance with HIPAA and company privacy policies, ensuring secure storage, accurate tracking, and lawful disclosure only to authorized parties.
Oversee workers’ compensation intake coordination: receive injury reports, facilitate prompt clinical assessment, support case managers, and follow through on medical restrictions and return-to-work plans.
Review clinical reports and exposure monitoring data, summarize findings for managers and safety committees, and recommend corrective actions, engineering controls, or process changes to reduce exposure risk.
Implement and coordinate employee vaccination programs (influenza, COVID-19, hepatitis B, tetanus) and track vaccination status, declination forms, and adverse event follow-up as required by company policy or regulation.
Develop, update, and maintain occupational health policies, procedures, and program documentation to reflect current regulations (OSHA, CDC, state/local requirements) and industry best practices.
Coordinate fitness-for-duty evaluations and reasonable accommodation processes in partnership with HR, occupational medicine providers, and legal counsel to support safe placement and compliance with the ADA.
Conduct triage and initial case management for workplace injuries and acute medical incidents, coordinate first aid response, escalate to emergency services when necessary, and document incident details for follow-up.
Provide case coordination for long-term injury or illness cases, tracking prognosis, work restrictions, modified duty placements, and facilitating communication among employees, supervisors, clinicians, and insurers.
Lead or support workplace health promotion and disease prevention initiatives (wellness clinics, health risk assessments, ergonomic checkups) that improve employee well-being and reduce absenteeism.
Perform periodic audits of occupational health programs and recordkeeping practices to identify gaps, document corrective action plans, and prepare the organization for internal or regulatory inspections.
Train and educate supervisors and employees on occupational health topics (exposure prevention, proper use of PPE, reporting procedures, and post-exposure protocols) and develop clear job-specific health communications.
Administer and document respiratory protection programs including medical questionnaires, clearance, fit testing, and training to ensure employees are qualified and equipment is used correctly.
Manage vendor relationships and service contracts for occupational health services (mobile clinics, screening labs, vaccine providers), negotiating service levels, maintaining service schedules, and verifying billing accuracy.
Lead incident investigations relating to occupational illness or exposures, collect relevant medical and exposure information, identify root causes, and recommend immediate and preventive corrective actions.
Monitor and report key occupational health KPIs and metrics (injury/illness trends, lost-time cases, vaccination rates, screening completion rates) to leadership and safety committees to inform strategic decisions.
Ensure timely and accurate reporting to regulatory agencies, insurers, and internal stakeholders (e.g., OSHA 300/301 support, workers’ compensation filings, public health reporting) as required.
Coordinate ergonomics assessments and recommend workstation adjustments or job modifications in partnership with ergonomics specialists and supervisors to prevent musculoskeletal injuries.
Maintain inventory and oversight of clinic supplies and emergency medical equipment (AEDs, first aid kits, vaccines), ensuring cold chain management and calibration/testing schedules are met.
Support occupational exposure surveillance for hazardous substances, assist with biological monitoring programs, and ensure appropriate follow-up for abnormal results including referral to occupational medicine providers.
Provide confidential counseling and referrals for employees with health-related performance concerns, substance use issues, or work-related stress and coordinate with EAP or medical providers as appropriate.
Prepare and deliver clear, data-driven summaries and program reports for leadership, highlighting trends, program effectiveness, and resource needs to support budget and staffing decisions.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory analysis of employee health trends, immunization coverage, and screening completion rates to enable data-driven program improvements.
Contribute to the occupational health program roadmap by identifying opportunities for automation, digital recordkeeping improvements, telehealth integration, and better vendor coordination.
Collaborate with HR, safety, facilities, and business units to translate operational health needs into actionable program enhancements and implementation plans.
Participate in cross-functional project teams, sprint planning, and agile activities when implementing new occupational health systems, EHR integrations, or vendor onboarding.
Assist in developing educational materials, e-learning modules, and internal communications optimized for readability and accessibility across the organization.
Support periodic budget tracking, invoice reconciliation, and cost optimization initiatives to ensure occupational health services deliver value and scale with organizational needs.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

In-depth knowledge of occupational health regulations and standards (OSHA recordkeeping, bloodborne pathogens standard, respiratory protection, medical surveillance requirements).
Experience administering medical surveillance programs, immunization clinics, and pre-employment/fit-for-duty screening workflows.
Proficiency with occupational health electronic medical record systems, health data reporting tools, and basic data analysis (Excel, SQL familiarity preferred).
Case management skills for workers’ compensation and return-to-work coordination, including medical restrictions interpretation and accommodation planning.
Understanding of industrial hygiene principles, exposure monitoring, and familiarity with common workplace hazards (chemical, biological, ergonomic, noise).
Competence in respiratory protection program administration (medical clearance, fit testing, and training).
Strong documentation practices and knowledge of HIPAA/confidentiality requirements for handling protected health information.
Experience coordinating with external healthcare providers, labs, and vendors and managing service-level agreements.
Ability to conduct incident investigations and synthesize medical and exposure data into actionable recommendations.
Familiarity with immunization logistics, cold-chain management, and vaccine adverse event follow-up protocols.
Certification or training such as Certified Occupational Health Nurse (COHN), Occupational Health and Safety Technologist (OHST), or equivalent is preferred.
Comfortable interpreting medical reports and translating clinician recommendations into workplace accommodations and operational changes.

Soft Skills

Exceptional written and verbal communication skills for communicating complex clinical information to non-clinical stakeholders.
Strong attention to detail and organizational skills to manage multiple cases, confidential records, and compliance deadlines.
High degree of empathy, cultural sensitivity, and ability to maintain trust while handling sensitive health matters.
Problem-solving and critical-thinking skills to assess exposures, identify root causes, and propose pragmatic solutions.
Collaboration and stakeholder management—ability to build effective relationships with HR, safety, operations, and external providers.
Time management and prioritization skills in a fast-paced environment with competing urgent medical and program needs.
Discretion and integrity when handling confidential employee health information and sensitive workplace incidents.
Training and presentation skills for delivering health and safety education to diverse employee populations.
Adaptability and continuous improvement mindset to refine programs based on data, regulatory change, and organizational growth.
Leadership aptitude for guiding cross-functional initiatives and mentoring junior occupational health or clinic staff.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Associate degree in Nursing (ADN) or relevant allied health field; OR a Bachelor's degree in Public Health, Occupational Safety, Nursing, or Environmental Health.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Health, Public Health, or Environmental/Industrial Hygiene.
Active RN license preferred for clinical coordination roles; certifications like COHN/COHN-S, OHST, CSP, or CCP desirable.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Occupational/Environmental Health
Nursing (Occupational Health or Community/Public Health focus)
Public Health or Health Administration
Industrial Hygiene, Safety Science
Human Resources (with occupational health concentration)

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

2–6 years of progressive experience in occupational health, employee health clinics, or related safety/medical roles; healthcare or clinic experience strongly preferred.

Preferred:

3–5+ years managing occupational health programs or serving as a primary coordinator for medical surveillance, workers’ compensation, and return-to-work processes.
Demonstrated experience with OSHA regulatory requirements, HIPAA-compliant recordkeeping, vendor management, and cross-functional stakeholder engagement.