- A safety manager's job differs depending on the nature of the company. A safety manager in a manufacturing or production environment focuses on the safe operation of equipment and machines. A company that requires the use of hazardous materials in its operations depends on the safety manager to establish guidelines for the safe storage and handling of chemicals. In workplaces that are mainly administrative, a safety officer concentrates on maintaining healthy air quality, providing safe floors and stairwells, and ensuring ergonomically designed furniture and office equipment is used. Certain work environments may require a safety officer to monitor all of these operations.
- The primary duty of a safety manager is to guarantee guidelines regarding employee safety are followed by all personnel. She must have a clear understanding of policies and procedures regarding environmental safety and health programs and alert all employees when the guidelines are changed or expanded. If employees fail to comply with the guidelines, the safety manager must retrain them. When accidents occur, she is required to file incident reports for her company's files as well as with governing agencies. If upgraded equipment or machinery is mandated, she is required to investigate options and make recommendations to the company.
- The work environment for a safety officer depends on the nature of the business. It can involve long walks around plants on a daily basis to monitor operations. In places where production and manufacturing operations are minimal or nonexistent, her job may require inspecting and assessing the conditions of office environments and equipment. Availability to respond to emergencies 24 hours a day is required to be a safety officer.
- This position requires the applicant to have a bachelor's degree. The preferred degrees for safety officer candidates include those with concentration in basic or applied science, industrial hygiene, environmental science or a related discipline. Certification by a state, local or federal agency is frequently required for this job.
- According to Salary.com, the median salary for a safety officer in the United States in 2009 was about $115,000. This varies according to the range of responsibilities, the experience of the applicant and the economic environment. Advancement is possible if a company expands its operations and creates a senior safety officer position. Safety officers may need to seek out larger companies with more complex job requirements to advance their careers.
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