Occupational Health and Safety Technicians
Also called: Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH), Construction Safety Consultant, Industrial Hygienist, Safety SpecialistCollect data on work environments for analysis by occupational health and safety specialists. Implement and conduct evaluation of programs designed to limit chemical, physical, biological, and ergonomic risks to workers.
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What the data says: AI could halve the time on 15 of its 26 tasks, yet jobs are projected to grow 19.4% by 2035. How to think about this →
About this projection
BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”
It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”
On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”
Recent conditions
- In 2024, 2.2% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Occupational health and safety specialists and technicians”
- From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 9.0 hires for every 10 job openings in transportation, warehousing, and utilities, which employs about 32% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS
One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.9.0 this industry7.3 all industries
Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
Tap a state for its figures.
Median pay in every state
| State | Median | Middle half earn | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $55,010 | $49,600 to $70,810 | 880 |
| Alaska | $80,760 | $56,150 to $108,060 | 140 |
| Arizona | $65,480 | $56,760 to $78,700 | 440 |
| Arkansas | $50,840 | $48,110 to $58,650 | 510 |
| California | $61,360 | $54,920 to $83,080 | 2,650 |
| Colorado | $73,110 | $59,580 to $84,300 | 400 |
| Connecticut | $68,310 | $61,290 to $97,510 | 130 |
| Delaware | $62,310 | $62,310 to $80,750 | 150 |
| Florida | $59,140 | $51,770 to $62,920 | 1,000 |
| Georgia | $63,290 | $52,880 to $80,480 | 1,210 |
| Guam | $39,710 | $38,620 to $49,020 | 140 |
| Idaho | $60,670 | $53,490 to $83,370 | 240 |
| Illinois | $65,960 | $59,240 to $88,870 | 1,790 |
| Indiana | $60,150 | $52,380 to $62,690 | 1,660 |
| Iowa | $58,300 | $49,000 to $68,580 | 290 |
| Kansas | $59,740 | $48,620 to $73,600 | 480 |
| Kentucky | $61,120 | $54,940 to $84,690 | 650 |
| Louisiana | $57,930 | $45,610 to $81,480 | 780 |
| Maine | $64,240 | $62,560 to $76,740 | 140 |
| Maryland | $64,670 | $52,680 to $89,970 | 280 |
| Massachusetts | $68,730 | $55,160 to $89,920 | 290 |
| Michigan | $67,310 | $57,400 to $88,020 | 450 |
| Minnesota | $74,400 | $60,330 to $83,840 | 270 |
| Mississippi | $61,230 | $48,850 to $77,790 | 360 |
| Missouri | $64,490 | $56,560 to $79,900 | 270 |
| Montana | $41,420 | $37,440 to $63,680 | 60 |
| Nebraska | $59,180 | $49,070 to $82,410 | 200 |
| Nevada | $61,770 | $50,790 to $81,230 | 440 |
| New Hampshire | $62,630 | $57,890 to $67,990 | 50 |
| New Jersey | $66,930 | $55,600 to $85,680 | 270 |
| New Mexico | $79,490 | $60,550 to $120,610 | 790 |
| New York | $69,640 | $57,610 to $78,680 | 1,410 |
| North Carolina | $61,760 | $53,060 to $75,950 | 720 |
| North Dakota | $56,000 | $43,420 to $67,140 | 150 |
| Ohio | $65,000 | $60,870 to $78,090 | 1,310 |
| Oklahoma | $56,470 | $39,470 to $69,450 | 370 |
| Oregon | $65,000 | $60,460 to $81,140 | 230 |
| Pennsylvania | $61,640 | $50,440 to $70,940 | 1,020 |
| Puerto Rico | $35,890 | $30,000 to $45,060 | not published |
| Rhode Island | $84,640 | $65,840 to $106,290 | 60 |
| South Carolina | $58,490 | $49,500 to $73,650 | 420 |
| Tennessee | $55,090 | $50,240 to $62,920 | 310 |
| Texas | $57,980 | $49,580 to $70,300 | 4,420 |
| Utah | $57,340 | $49,300 to $72,990 | 280 |
| Vermont | $61,960 | $55,620 to $69,740 | 80 |
| Virginia | $62,380 | $52,330 to $83,260 | 840 |
| Washington | $104,910 | $70,400 to $110,930 | 570 |
| West Virginia | $81,470 | $65,790 to $90,690 | 320 |
| Wisconsin | $64,440 | $57,970 to $76,170 | 640 |
| Wyoming | $68,250 | $52,940 to $74,140 | 80 |
Nationally: $61,560. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this
How AI touches the work
What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.
AI could halve the time on 15 of its 26 tasks
| AI rating | Its main tasks | Share of Claude conversations May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Not much | Evaluate situations or make determinations when a worker has refused to work on the grounds that danger or potential harm exists. | Not published |
| Not much | Supply, operate, or maintain personal protective equipment. | Not published |
| Not much | Test workplaces for environmental hazards, such as exposure to radiation, chemical or biological hazards, or excessive noise. | Not published |
| AI alone | Provide consultation to organizations or agencies on the workplace application of safety principles, practices, or techniques. | Not published |
| Not much | Verify availability or monitor use of safety equipment, such as hearing protection or respirators. | Not published |
| AI + software | Prepare or review specifications or orders for the purchase of safety equipment, ensuring that proper features are present and that items conform to health and safety standards. | Not published |
See all 26 tasks
| AI alone | Plan emergency response drills. | Not published |
| AI alone | Maintain all required environmental records and documentation. | Not published |
| AI alone | Recommend corrective measures to be applied based on results of environmental contaminant analyses. | Not published |
| AI + software | Review records or reports concerning laboratory results, staffing, floor plans, fire inspections, or sanitation to gather information for the development or enforcement of safety activities. | Not published |
| Not much | Prepare or calibrate equipment used to collect or analyze samples. | Not published |
| Not much | Inspect fire suppression systems or portable fire systems to ensure proper working order. | Not published |
| AI + software | Conduct worker studies to determine whether specific instances of disease or illness are job-related. | Not published |
| Not much | Train workers in safety procedures related to green jobs, such as the use of fall protection devices or maintenance of proper ventilation during wind turbine construction. | Not published |
| AI + software | Examine credentials, licenses, or permits to ensure compliance with licensing requirements. | Not published |
| AI + software | Collect data regarding potential hazards from new equipment or products linked to green practices. | Not published |
| AI + software | Maintain logbooks of daily activities, including areas visited or activities performed. | Not published |
| AI + software | Educate the public about health issues or enforce health legislation to prevent disease, to promote health, or to help people understand health protection procedures and regulations. | Not published |
| AI alone | Prepare documents to be used in legal proceedings, testifying in such proceedings when necessary. | Not published |
| Not much | Help direct rescue or firefighting operations in the event of a fire or an explosion. | Not published |
| Not much | Conduct interviews to obtain information or evidence regarding communicable diseases or violations of health or sanitation regulations. | Not published |
| AI alone | Confer with schools, state authorities, or community groups to develop health standards or programs. | Not published |
| AI + software | Collect data related to ecological or human health risks at brownfield sites. | Not published |
| Not much | Test or balance newly installed HVAC systems to determine whether indoor air quality standards are met. | Not published |
| Not much | Examine practices at green building sites to determine whether adherence to green building standards alters risks to workers. | Not published |
| AI + software | Perform tests to identify any potential hazards related to recycled products used at green building sites. | Not published |
Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 0 of the 26 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.
Where people already use AI
The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 26 tasks fall under 19 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.
- #5 Provide information or assistance to the public
- #26 Research healthcare issues
| Work activity | This occupation's tasks under it | People asked AI for help in 10,000 conversations |
AI did it for them in 10,000 conversations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monitor operations to ensure compliance with regulations or standards | |||
| Test sites or materials for environmental hazards | |||
| Research healthcare issues | |||
| Advise others on healthcare or wellness issues | |||
| Inspect facilities or equipment | |||
| Prepare health or medical documents | |||
| Provide information or assistance to the public | |||
| Interview people to obtain information |
Show all 19 activities
| Intervene in crisis situations or emergencies | |||
| Develop contingency or emergency response plans | |||
| Train others on health or medical topics | |||
| Follow standard healthcare safety procedures to protect patient and staff members | |||
| Replenish inventories of materials, equipment, or products | |||
| Direct security or safety activities or operations | |||
| Develop public or community health programs | |||
| Assess compliance with environmental standards or regulations | |||
| Maintain health or medical records | |||
| Prepare medical equipment or work areas for use | |||
| Maintain medical equipment or instruments |
How people in this work use Claude
What people in this work made with Claude % of conversations
- An explanation or answer79%
- A document or report4%
- Marketing or social media content3%
- Advice or a recommendation2%
- Teaching material1%
How they worked with Claude
11% of these conversations were about work. Anthropic Economic Index, May 2026.
How to read this
Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for occupational health and safety technicians specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.
The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.
More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude
High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs
BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.
Career moves into and out of this occupation
From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.
Where people moved next
of 24,772 moves out
- 1 Occupational Health and Safety Specialists High +18.5% 10%
- 2 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 9%
- 3 Management Analysts Very high +10.1% 4%
- 4 General and Operations Managers High +5.0% 3%
- 5 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Moderate +3.8% 2%
Where people moved in from
of 28,141 moves in
- 1 Occupational Health and Safety Specialists High +18.5% 7%
- 2 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 6%
- 3 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Moderate +3.8% 2%
- 4 General and Operations Managers High +5.0% 2%
- 5 Human Resources Specialists Very high +6.4% 2%
Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).
Education and training for the occupation
O*NET survey of workers in this occupation
- 10% high school
- 5% postsecondary certificate
- 10% some college
- 19% associate's
- 48% bachelor's
- 5% post-bachelor's certificate
- 5% master's
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 21 people answered.
Census survey (American Community Survey)
- 3% less than high school
- 17% high school
- 17% some college
- 13% associate's
- 32% bachelor's
- 15% master's
- 1% professional degree
- 1% doctorate
Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Occupational health and safety specialists and technicians” · 1,011 people surveyed.
Why the two can differ
O*NET asks about 20 people in each occupation, which makes its shares uncertain, but it reports the exact occupation and counts certificates. The Census survey reaches thousands, but it groups some occupations together and counts degrees only. More in the Guide
Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Occupational health and safety specialists and technicians”
6 programs, such as Process Safety Technology/Technician, Environmental Toxicology and Radiation Protection/Health Physics Technician.
See all
- Process Safety Technology/Technician
- Environmental Toxicology
- Radiation Protection/Health Physics Technician
- Environmental Health
- Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene
- Patient Safety and Healthcare Quality
Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023
68.1% this occupation
45.3% all occupations
| By kind | This occupation | All occupations |
|---|---|---|
| a license | 19.0% | 19.1% |
| a certification | 7.6% | 5.8% |
| an educational certificate | <0.5% | 2.8% |
Share of jobs whose employer requires it. BLS doesn't say which credential. How to read this
Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor
- Certification Finder ↗ certifications CareerOneStop lists for this occupation
- Training Finder ↗ schools and programs, nationwide; narrow the place there
- License Finder ↗ licenses by state
- Apprenticeship Finder ↗ DOL lists 2 registered apprenticeships in this occupation (Occupational Health and Safety Technician (NOF); Public Health). Apprenticeship.gov can't be linked to one occupation, so search for “Occupational Health and Safety Technicians” there.
These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide
BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS
See it online, and explore any career: https://www.pathmosaic.com/card/19-5012.00