How To Become an Occupational Health and Safety Technician

What degree do you need

One of the most common questions that we always get is what major or degree do I need to become OHS Technicians or what courses do I need to take.

We also asked OHS Technicians what did they major in college or university and here are the top 5 most popular majors that came up.

Occupational health and safety technicians typically enter the occupation through one of two paths. Some technicians learn through on-the-job training; others enter with postsecondary education such as an associate’s degree or certificate. Some employers may prefer to hire technicians who have earned an associate’s degree or certificate in courses such as respiratory protection, hazard communication, and material handling and storage procedures.

How hard is it

You may need some previous work-related skill, knowledge or experience to be an Occupational Health and Safety Technician. For example, an electrician must complete three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.

Careers in this difficulty category will usually need 1 or 2 years of on-the-job training and informal training with experienced workers. These careers usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Similar careers include hydroelectric production managers, travel agents, electricians, court reporters, and medical assistants.

License and certifications

Certification is not required to become an Occupational Health and Safety Technicians; however, many employers encourage it.

Skills required

We asked other OHS Technicians if they could only have 5 skills, what would they be. Here is what they said.

Knowledge required

Just like any other job, you will need certain know-hows to excel at your job. OHS Technicians are generally very knowledgeable in these 5 key areas.

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