Occupational Safety and Health

Overview

The Occupational Safety and Health, Associate of Science degree is designed to provide students the academic foundation for understanding hazardous materials management, construction safety, OSH safety training and accident investigation, for workplace safety and health standards. The Occupational Safety and Health specialist implements mandated health and safety regulations in an effort to control occupational accidents and diseases, property losses and injuries due to unsafe working conditions. The scope of this position includes the identification of physical hazards and the design and implementation of remediation, the evaluation of potential toxic agent risk to the employer, the development of safety management and employee training/management programs. The demand for occupational safety and health specialists has grown over the past 10 years. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, federal, state and local government job growth will continue through 2022.

Career Opportunities

The safety and health practitioner may specialize in general workplace safety, construction, fire and property protection, transportation, chemical and radiological safety, emergency response, systems or product design. The Associate in Science degree in Occupational Safety and Health is designed for direct job entry and/or career enhancement. Completion of the degree may be used to provide work experience credit toward OHST (Occupational Health and Safety Technician) certification requirements. Completion of the degree may be used to provide work experience credit toward CSP (Certified Safety Professional) certification requirements. Career opportunities include Safety Manager, Safety Technician, Safety Specialist, Safety Officer, Industrial Hygienist, Safety Professional – Construction, Safety Professional – Manufacturing, Safety Professional – Metals, Field Safety and OSHA Specialist, and Safety and Environmental Manager.

Program Learning Outcome(s)

Upon completion of this program, students will be able to:

1. Apply a working knowledge of mathematics and the sciences to conduct experiments and to analyze and interpret data to solve safety and health-related issues in the workplace.
2. Design programs to control, eliminate, and prevent occupational disease or injury caused by chemical, physical, radiological, and biological agents or ergonomic factors.
3. Prepare emergency response and fire prevention plans that meet regulatory requirements.

Occupational Safety and Health (AS): Program Requirements