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Boston Career Explorer

Life, Physical, and Social Science

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.

Also called: Advisory Industrial Hygienist, Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH), Construction Safety Consultant, EHS Advisor (Environmental, Health, and Safety Advisor), Health and Safety Technician (Health and Safety Tech), Industrial Hygiene Consultant

Median pay in Greater Boston
$76,820
$36.93/hr
Jobs in Greater Boston
220
Massachusetts 2024–2034
+5.4%
40 openings a year
Typical U.S. entry requirement
High school diploma or equivalent
plus Moderate-term on-the-job training

Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.

Pay range in Greater Boston

Yearly pay in Greater Boston by percentile
10th25thMedian75th90th
$55,030$62,240$76,820$92,970$107,630

10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.

What you’d do

  • Evaluate situations or make determinations when a worker has refused to work on the grounds that danger or potential harm exists.
  • Supply, operate, or maintain personal protective equipment.
  • 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.
  • Test workplaces for environmental hazards, such as exposure to radiation, chemical or biological hazards, or excessive noise.
  • Maintain all required environmental records and documentation.
  • Provide consultation to organizations or agencies on the workplace application of safety principles, practices, or techniques.

AI and this job

AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.

Moderate exposure59 of 100

The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:

  • AIOE 56
  • Language-model AIOE 55
  • GPTs-are-GPTs 67

Observed AI use today: Little or none (Anthropic Economic Index)

AI exposure is moderate, but observed AI use is little or none so far. AI tools may help with record keeping and with summarizing test data. Testing workplaces, handling protective equipment, training workers, and deciding if a work refusal is justified rely on people. Federal projections expect more demand for safety work.

Likely to change

  • Maintaining environmental records and documents
  • Summarizing hazard test data

Still relies on people

  • Testing workplaces for hazards in person
  • Training workers and judging work refusals

What federal projections say

“Demand change - share increases as employers increasingly prioritize worker health and safety. This will be largely driven by an increased focus on employee well-being, the introduction of new technologies in the workplace, and a greater prevalence of climate-related hazards.”
BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, factors affecting this job (U.S.)

Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.

Next steps from here

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    High school diploma or equivalent

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Training near Boston

College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).

0 programs near Boston (plus 3 graduate)

No programs below a master’s degree near Boston map to this job. Tick the box above to see graduate programs.

Related occupations

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