Online Certificate Programs in Occupational Safety

Certificate programs in occupational safety can be earned through an entirely online format. Students enrolled in this program learn about the basics of workplace safety and the safety responsibilities of employers as outlined by the law. This certificate proves useful for any industrial management position and provides adequate credentials to be employed as an occupational health and safety technician.

Online Certificate Programs in Occupational Safety Overview

Occupational Safety Certificates can be obtained in an online format from several schools. The certificate can be earned as part of a larger associate's degree or as a stand-alone program. An Occupational Safety Certificate is pursued by some as continuing education (following completion of a bachelor's degree) for the purpose of providing industrial managers with safety and health training. Others view the certificate as the first step towards a career as a safety professional. Students of this program acquire fundamental safety knowledge, learn about how to prevent health hazards in the workplace and capably handle their managerial safety responsibilities.

Program Information and Requirements

An Occupational Safety Certificate is generally composed of 12-20 credit hours. Some schools offer the certificate program entirely online, but others offer approximately 50-75% of the courses online and require the rest be taken on-campus. The online materials are presented through a digital information system such as AccessPlus. Courses are generally conducted asynchronously, which means that students can view lectures and complete assignments at any time of the day as long as certain deadlines are met. Students interact with their instructors and peers by posting questions to message boards, discussing the materials in chat rooms and sending e-mails.

Common Occupational Safety Courses

The curriculum for an Occupational Safety Certificate program is usually derived from the curriculum of an associate's or bachelor's degree in occupational safety. Sometimes it is the same as a higher-level degree but without the general education courses. Typical subjects and classes include:

Fleet Safety Course

This course examines the components of a safe, reliable and economical fleet of vehicles such as semi-trucks or school buses. Topics emphasized include accident prevention along with vehicle engineering, hazardous materials handling, driver training and vehicle inspecting. Rules and regulations involving the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are examined as they pertain to fleet safety.

Safety and Health Laws Course

Statutes and legislation involving workplace health and safety is the focus of this class. A thorough exploration is undertaken of the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act and the regulations and jurisdiction of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Other legal topics studied include worker's compensation, the general duty clause, workplace liability and the legal responsibilities of employers.

Industrial Hygiene Course

The physical, biological and chemical hazards inherent in the workplace and their effect on worker health are examined. The history, foundations, regulations and calculations of industrial health and the associated agencies are studied in depth. Various methods for preventing and handling workplace hazards are analyzed. Different types of equipment for worker protection are identified and appraised for their effectiveness.

Career Information

An Occupational Safety Certificate provides useful instruction for anyone in the industrial management field such as construction managers and production managers. These careers generally require a bachelor's degree in a business, engineering or construction-related field as well. A career as an occupational health and safety technician is attainable with only an occupational safety certificate.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that in May of 2009, there were 10,070 people employed as occupational health and safety technicians with a yearly average salary of $47,280 (www.bls.gov). The BLS also reported that there were 204,760 people employed as construction managers and 147,250 people employed as industrial production managers (www.bls.gov). These careers yield yearly average salaries of $93,290 and $93,650 respectively. The BLS predicts an occupational growth of 14% for occupational health and safety technicians and 17% for construction managers, but an eight percent decrease for industrial production managers.

Continuing Education

Associate's, bachelor's and master's degree programs in occupational safety are also available entirely online. Earning an associate's degree provides a more direct route to a career as an occupational health and safety technician. A bachelor's degree is required to become an occupational health and safety specialist, a career that can yield approximately $17,000 more per year than an occupational health and safety technician.