Construction Safety Officer Programs

Construction safety courses help managers reduce risks of accidents. Degree in construction safety is not offered as a standalone degree. However, construction safety coursework is part of many construction management degree programs. Third-party training companies offer individual courses for people who already work in the industry.

Construction management courses give students insight into safe building guidelines set by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OHSA) along with state and federal agencies. During their education, students learn how to manage building projects to prevent industrial accidents that impact workers and the public.

Construction Safety Officer Duties

A construction safety officer is a management position in a construction company that ensures that all construction workers follow safety rules and regulations. This position requires a minimum of 3 years of field experience in the construction industry. Many companies require an academic degree.

Construction Safety Officer performs various duties:

The construction safety officer is responsible for adopting and implementing the company’s health and safety program. Part of this duty is to ensure that the program complies with Occupational Safety and Health Administration and American National Standards Institute regulations, which are published by the local and federal government. These regulations and programs cover areas including attire and proper signs.

Construction safety officers identify health and safety concerns that apply to each construction site. If someone brings a concern to the attention of the construction safety officer, the officer must investigate it and then administer the proper procedure to correct the concern.

A company must maintain the proper documents, standing operating procedures and manuals required by the local, state and federal governments. The construction safety officer audits the documents and ensures that the items are up to date and in order.

Construction safety officers communicate with the government, company management and workers about the required health and safety rules and regulations.

The construction safety officer must report any on-the-job accident or safety violation to the proper authorities, including instances involving workers’ compensation. When an employee of the company is injured on the job, the construction safety officer will investigate the accident and handle any workers’ compensation claims.

Construction safety officers teach new construction workers and current employees proper safety and health procedures. Companies require the construction safety officer to conduct annual employee training sessions to update workers on safety procedures and responsibilities, as well as the importance of reporting a safety concern or injury.

Undergraduate Programs

Colleges and technical schools offer degrees that incorporate coursework in construction safety in both associate’s and bachelor’s degrees. One-year certificates allow students to major in construction safety, but for the two- and four-year degrees, students more commonly must choose majors such as occupational health and safety and construction management. The certificates and degrees give students the information necessary to work in the risk management arena of the construction industry by creating a healthy work site.

A bachelor’s degree program can even provide you the basic skills to work in a management position or to continue your education in a master’s degree program. A 4-year program allows you to take industrial hygiene, fire science and construction safety prerequisites required to enroll in a Master of Science program.

Bachelor of Science in Occupational Safety and Health programs provide you with the skills to anticipate and prevent the most common safety issues. These include those related to physical injuries, chemicals, air quality, fatigue, biological contaminants and occupational injuries. You can also learn about Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) standards that apply to construction sites.

An online associate’s degree program will introduce a student to construction safety, hazardous materials management, safety equipment and accident prevention. A student will learn about fire prevention, environmental laws and waste management, all of which have general applications within and outside the construction industry.

Graduate Programs

Master’s and doctoral programs in engineering and construction management focus on construction safety within the coursework.

Graduate courses that apply to safety issues include:

• Construction contract law
• Construction materials
• Construction engineering
• Project management
• Safety management
• Quality management
• and Environmental impact.

If you earn a master’s degree, you can work as a safety director for construction, industrial and manufacturing companies. Online training at the master’s degree level also prepares you to work as a risk manager, safety engineer, safety director or environmental health and safety coordinator. Graduate programs are specifically designed for construction and other safety professionals with industry experience looking to enhance their career prospects.

As a graduate student, you can expect to study business practices, management and ergonomics. You can also expect to complete coursework that covers advanced aspects of:

• Construction
• Safety systems planning
• Hazardous materials handling
• and Safety engineering.

Employment

If you get a construction management degree, you’ll be able to find job as a project manager or owner/operator for a construction company of any size. This and other degrees (occupational safety degrees) also prepare students to work for OSHA or other agencies as site inspectors or consultants. Graduates may work as private consultants with engineers, government entities and large construction firms. They may inspect premises, advise builders how to comply with safety regulations and train others about occupational health and safety issues.