Scope of a Safety Professional
Safety professionals have education, training, experience and knowledge of
• physics,
• chemistry,
• biology,
• physiology,
• statistics,
• mathematics,
• computer science,
• engineering mechanics,
• industrial processes,
• business,
• construction
• and psychology. 
Professional safety studies include
• industrial hygiene and toxicology,
• design of engineering hazard controls,
• fire protection,
• ergonomics,
• system and process safety,
• safety and health program management,
• accident investigation and analysis,
• product safety,
• construction safety,
• education and training methods,
• measurement of safety performance,
• human behavior,
• environmental safety and health,
• and safety, health and environmental laws, regulations and standards. 
Many safety professionals have backgrounds or advanced study in other disciplines, such as management and business administration, engineering, education, physical and social sciences and other fields. Others have advanced study in safety.
Safety professionals are found in manufacturing, insurance, risk management, government, education, consulting, construction, healthcare, engineering and design, waste management, petroleum, facilities management, retail, transportation and utilities.
Protecting America's work force, the general public and the environment from injury and illness in today's age of technological and scientific advancement has become one of the most challenging and rewarding career fields available.
Safety professionals utilize technical knowledge, skill and expertise along with management abilities developed through years of education and practical experience.
The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) identifies the four primary functions of the safety professional as follows:
• Anticipate, identify and evaluate hazardous conditions and practices.
• Develop hazard control designs, methods, procedures and programs.
• Implement, administer and advise others on hazard controls and hazard control programs.
• Measure, audit and evaluate the effectiveness of hazard controls and hazard control programs.
Safety Career Opportunities
As you might expect, the opportunities for careers in safety are nearly limitless. Typical job titles include:
• Safety Specialist,
• Safety Inspector,
• Compliance Officer,
• Safety Manager,
• Safety Director
• Safety Administrator.
• Environmental Health and Safety Manager
Related fields include industrial hygiene, fire protection, risk management, security, environmental engineering and loss control.
