Make It Illinois!

Summary Report for:
29-9012.00 - Occupational Health and Safety Technicians

Collect 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.

Sample of reported job titles: Industrial Hygienist, Construction Safety Consultant, Safety Manager

View report: Summary Details Custom

Tasks

Maintain all required records and documentation.
Supply, operate, and maintain personal protective equipment.
Verify that safety equipment such as hearing protection and respirators is available to employees, and monitor their use of such equipment to ensure proper fit and use.
Prepare and calibrate equipment used to collect and analyze samples.
Evaluate situations where a worker has refused to work on the grounds that danger or potential harm exists, and determine how such situations should be handled.
Test workplaces for environmental hazards such as exposure to radiation, chemical and biological hazards, and excessive noise.
Prepare and review specifications and orders for the purchase of safety equipment, ensuring that proper features are present and that items conform to health and safety standards.
Report the results of environmental contaminant analyses, and recommend corrective measures to be applied.
Review physicians' reports, and conduct worker studies in order to determine whether specific instances of disease or illness are job-related.
Examine credentials, licenses, or permits to ensure compliance with licensing requirements.

Knowledge

Public Safety and Security — Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

Education and Training — Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

English Language — Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Engineering and Technology — Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

Law and Government — Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

Building and Construction — Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

Customer and Personal Service — Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Mathematics — Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Mechanical — Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

Psychology — Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

Skills

Active Listening — Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Reading Comprehension — Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Speaking — Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Instructing — Teaching others how to do something.

Critical Thinking — Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Persuasion — Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.

Active Learning — Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Monitoring — Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Writing — Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Learning Strategies — Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.

Abilities

Oral Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

Oral Comprehension — The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Problem Sensitivity — The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

Written Comprehension — The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Inductive Reasoning — The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

Deductive Reasoning — The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

Speech Clarity — The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

Speech Recognition — The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

Written Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

Near Vision — The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

Work Activities

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards — Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material — Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.

Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Training and Teaching Others — Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.

Documenting/Recording Information — Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge — Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Interacting With Computers — Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

Work Context

Electronic Mail — How often do you use electronic mail in this job?

Telephone — How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?

Face-to-Face Discussions — How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?

Duration of Typical Work Week — Number of hours typically worked in one week.

Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets — How much does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets?

Contact With Others — How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?

Freedom to Make Decisions — How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?

Letters and Memos — How often does the job require written letters and memos?

Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results — How do the decisions an employee makes impact the results of co-workers, clients or the company?

Work With Work Group or Team — How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?

Job Zone

Title	Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Overall Experience	Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed 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.
Job Training	Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers.
Job Zone Examples	These occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include funeral directors, electricians, forest and conservation technicians, legal secretaries, interviewers, and insurance sales agents.
SVP Range	(6.0 to < 7.0)
Education	Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree. Some may require a bachelor's degree.

There is 1 recognized apprenticeable specialty associated with this occupation:
Public Health

To learn about specific apprenticeship opportunities, please consult the U.S. Department of Labor State Apprenticeship Information website.

For general information about apprenticeships, training, and partnerships with business, visit the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship website.

Interests

Interest code: CR

Conventional — Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Realistic — Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Investigative — Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Work Styles

Dependability — Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.

Integrity — Job requires being honest and ethical.

Concern for Others — Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.

Cooperation — Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.

Initiative — Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.

Adaptability/Flexibility — Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.

Analytical Thinking — Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.

Attention to Detail — Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.

Leadership — Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.

Self Control — Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.

Work Values

Relationships — Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.

Support — Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.

Achievement — Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

Wages & Employment Trends

National

Median wages (2008)	$21.81 hourly, $45,360 annual
Employment (2006)	10,000 employees
Projected growth (2006-2016)	Faster than average (14% to 20%)
Projected need (2006-2016)	4,000 additional employees

State & National

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2008 wage data and 2006-2016 employment projections . "Projected growth" represents the estimated change in total employment over the projections period (2006-2016). "Projected need" represents job openings due to growth and net replacement.