Environmental Health and Safety Specialist (EHS Specialist)
Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and InspectorsDescription
Develop, implement, and monitor environmental, health, and safety programs to ensure regulatory compliance and reduce operational risk. Apply knowledge of industrial processes, environmental regulations, and occupational health to prevent injuries, illnesses, and environmental releases across worksites.
- • Investigate workplace incidents, injuries, near misses, and occupational illnesses to determine causes and preventive actions.
- • Conduct EHS audits and inspections of facilities, equipment, and work practices to ensure regulatory compliance.
- • Conduct or coordinate industrial hygiene monitoring for air contaminants, noise, heat stress, or radiation.
- • Develop, deliver, and track EHS training on topics such as OSHA/EPA regulations, hazard recognition, and use of PPE.
- • Maintain current knowledge of OSHA, EPA, DOT, and state regulations and applicable industry standards.
- • Recommend engineering, administrative, and PPE controls to mitigate physical, chemical, ergonomic, and environmental hazards.
- • Report, document, and communicate findings from investigations, inspections, and environmental testing.
- • Review equipment, processes, and changes through management of change to identify EHS impacts and requirements.
- • Manage chemical inventories, safety data sheets, and hazard communication labeling.
- • Evaluate hazards associated with chemical use, storage, and waste to prevent releases and exposures.
- • Verify adequacy and closure of corrective and preventive actions for EHS findings and violations.
- • Interpret EHS regulations and company policies for employees, supervisors, and contractors.
- • Participate in emergency preparedness planning and conduct drills with internal teams and external responders.
- • Develop and maintain site EHS policies, procedures, permits, and standard operating instructions.
- • Compile, analyze, and report EHS metrics, including injury rates, leading indicators, and environmental performance.
- • Coordinate with occupational health, ergonomics, and medical providers to assess risks and manage cases.
- • Provide technical EHS guidance to operations, maintenance, engineering, and project teams.
- • Manage hazardous waste and universal waste programs, manifests, and vendor compliance under RCRA.
- • Administer stormwater, wastewater, and air compliance programs, including sampling, inspections, and recordkeeping.
- • Prepare and submit required regulatory reports, such as OSHA logs, Tier II, TRI, and emission inventories.
- • Oversee contractor safety, permit-to-work, lockout/tagout, confined space, and hot work processes.
- • Support design review and commissioning to verify machine guarding and other safety requirements are met.
- • Lead job safety analyses and risk assessments to identify and control task-level hazards.
- • Maintain liaison with regulatory agencies, fire departments, and emergency responders to facilitate compliance and response.
- • Participate in selection, fit testing, and management of PPE, including respiratory protection.
- • Support continuous improvement of EHS management systems (e.g., ISO 14001 and ISO 45001).
Related specializations
Interview options
Interview options
Interviewee gender
Interviewee accent
Interview time
Related Pathways
Management & Entrepreneurship
View
Source
Tasks & skills:
O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
Learn more
Sources & Standards:
This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
