Health and Safety Engineer Responsibilities

Engineering is a vast and growing field comprising of several branches of operation, one of which is health and safety engineering. It is also known as safety engineering and focuses on the safety of products and processes in a working environment. A health and safety engineer is responsible for developing new solutions to identify and minimize potential threats or risks. In order to carry out his/her job responsibilities effectively, the engineer must be educated, experienced and highly trained.

The job of health and safety engineers requires meticulous planning and implementation of safety programs to prevent unsafe working condition. These engineers generally work with various organizations for designing and installing safety devices. Such engineers use their knowledge in prevention of disease or injury, or any kind of damage to the property.

Responsibilities and Duties of a Health and Safety Engineer

• Provide health and safety measures in a working environment
• Support staff with the identification of environmental aspects and determining the project objectives and target
• Identify and evaluate the unsafe environment and practices
• Identify the root causes of safety and industrial hygiene
• Develop hazard control processes, methods and programs
• Recommend solutions to issues that need improvement
• Advise several ways of controlling potential threats
• Monitor implementation of safety plans according to plans and objectives
• Monitor and track safety systems by using computer systems and spreadsheets
• Communicate plans and strategies across the entire business unit from time to time
• Maintain and manage equipment and processes related to each project of health and safety
• Suggest several preventive methods and practices like recycling, waste disposal, pollution control, etc.
• Collaborate with other levels of engineering staff, quality assurance, quality improvement, regulatory compliance specialists, etc.
• Measure and audit the effectiveness of hazard control programs
• Prepare future safety plans based on past experiences and facts
• Work in compliance with ISO 14000/ 14001 standards and practices

Key Qualifications Required for Health and Safety Engineer

• Possess immense knowledge of health and safety engineering processes and practices
• Ability to manage and control all types of health and safety issues
• Aware of ISO environment regulations and principles
• Evaluate the probable physical and chemical hazards and take essential steps to minimize them
• Ability to research and apply the best industrial and working practices to provide effective services
• Abreast with new changes in laws and regulations
• Ability to work in teams and lead a project
• Outstanding organizational and interpersonal skills
• Strong management and multitasking ability
• Strong command over verbal and written communication
• Ability to provide and implement plans, objectives and standards timely

Education Required

Health and safety engineers must have a bachelor’s degree in any branch of engineering, viz. electrical, chemical, mechanical, industrial, or any other engineering discipline. An accredited program in safety engineering is good enough to get an entry level job of a health and safety engineer. Obtaining specialized training and certification from a recognized institute will have an added advantage.

Salary Structure

The average expected salary of a health and safety engineer in the US was $ $78,250 per year or $36.26 per hour, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2010, while a recent survey by Payscale in July 2012 declares that the average salary ranges between $43,278 and $95,891 per year.

Work Environment

Health and safety engineers typically work in an office environment. However, certain projects or programs may require travel and visits to work sites.

Job Outlook

According to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of health and safety engineers is expected to grow up to 13 percent by 2020. It is projected that the manufacturing and engineering companies will use their services more in the coming years. However, it has been witnessed that opportunities are also opening up in other areas too like health care.

There is a huge prospect in the field of health and safety engineering contributing to a great advancement in your career. If you are confident in carrying out a health and safety engineer responsibilities and have the required qualifications, you may apply for this position without any doubt.