How to hire occupational health and safety technicians
A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.
Job description template
Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.
[Job title] at [Company name] [City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range] About the role [Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.] What you will do • Evaluate situations or make determinations when a worker has refused to work on the grounds that danger or potential harm exists. • Inspect fire suppression systems or portable fire systems to ensure proper working order. • Maintain all required environmental records and documentation. • Provide consultation to organizations or agencies on the workplace application of safety principles, practices, or techniques. • Supply, operate, or maintain personal protective equipment. • Test workplaces for environmental hazards, such as exposure to radiation, chemical or biological hazards, or excessive noise. • 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. • Verify availability or monitor use of safety equipment, such as hearing protection or respirators. What you bring • [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any] • [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: High school diploma or equivalent] • Strong active listening, critical thinking, reading comprehension, speaking, writing and monitoring skills • Working knowledge of education and training, English Language, public safety and security and law and government • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $29.59 an hour ($61,560 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for occupational health and safety technicians
Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.
- Tell me about a time you had to evaluate situations or make determinations when a worker has refused to work on the grounds that danger or potential harm exists. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to inspect fire suppression systems or portable fire systems to ensure proper working order. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to maintain all required environmental records and documentation. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to provide consultation to organizations or agencies on the workplace application of safety principles, practices, or techniques. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to understand a request or problem that was explained poorly. How did you make sure you got it right?
- Describe a decision at work where the obvious answer was wrong. How did you work out the better choice?
- Tell me about written instructions, a policy or a manual you had to follow closely. How did you make sure you followed it correctly?
- Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?
Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.
What occupational health and safety technicians do
- Evaluate situations or make determinations when a worker has refused to work on the grounds that danger or potential harm exists.
- Inspect fire suppression systems or portable fire systems to ensure proper working order.
- Maintain all required environmental records and documentation.
- Provide consultation to organizations or agencies on the workplace application of safety principles, practices, or techniques.
- Supply, operate, or maintain personal protective equipment.
- Test workplaces for environmental hazards, such as exposure to radiation, chemical or biological hazards, or excessive noise.
- 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.
- Verify availability or monitor use of safety equipment, such as hearing protection or respirators.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for occupational health and safety technicians
- Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent (BLS)
- Training on the job: Moderate-term on-the-job training (BLS)
- Job outlook: +19.4% over ten years, much faster than average · about 3,800 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay occupational health and safety technicians
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| Washington | $104,910 |
| New Mexico | $79,490 |
| New York | $69,640 |
| Illinois | $65,960 |
| Ohio | $65,000 |
| Louisiana | $57,930 |
| Alabama | $55,010 |
| Arkansas | $50,840 |
See occupational health and safety technicians pay in every state
Related hiring guides
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Post a job freePay by areaJob duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.