Occupational Safety & Health

Occupational Safety & Health Technician degree transfers to Central Washington University

For Immediate Release

May 11, 2006

Due to private and public employers' need for trained workers, Pierce College and Edmonds Community College now offers a two–year Occupational Safety and Health Technician Associate of Applied Science–T Degree. The degree transfers to Central Washington University–Lynnwood's Bachelor of Science program in Safety and Health Management.

Occupational safety and health specialists work with engineers and physicians to identify and control conditions that may affect employee health and instruct employees about occupational health and accident prevention. They work for public agencies such as utilities, schools and federal and state agencies as well as in a private industries including hospitals, manufacturing firms and scientific research companies to evaluate the health and safety of employees.

More trained technicians are needed to replace retiring workers. Updated skills are also required to respond to homeland security and emergency preparedness issues. Nationwide, employment of occupational health and safety specialists and technicians is expected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations through 2014, reflecting the continuing public demand for a safe and healthy work environment. Industry growth and the trend for more self–enforcement will also create jobs for technicians.

In the Puget Sound, 50 employers across a variety of public and private industries reported the need to hire about 30 full–time safety and health technicians over the next five years, according to a college labor market survey. In addition, the college's advisory board members noted the need for the new degree.

“Safety is to a company what the immune system is to the human body,” said Gordon Mandt, safety/loss control representative, Washington Employer's Group and advisory board member. “Without a strong safety immune system companies can't survive in the long run.”

This unique Occupational Safety and Health Technician degree was developed as a joint program between Pierce College and Edmonds Community College to better serve the greater Puget Sound region.

This summer get online and learn about Incident Investigation.

For more information, call Pierce College at (253) 912–3622 or Edmonds Community College at (425) 640–1712.