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Occupational Safety & Health Technician

Public Sector

Collect data on work environments for analysis by occupational health and safety specialists. Implement and conduct evaluation of programs designed to limit chemical, physical, biological, and ergonomic risks to workers.

You can enter this career straight after SPM. A degree is optional, not required.

Public Safety & Defence

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Evaluate situations or make determinations when a worker has refused to work on the grounds that danger or potential harm exists.
  2. 2Supply, operate, or maintain personal protective equipment.
  3. 3Maintain all required environmental records and documentation.
  4. 4Test workplaces for environmental hazards, such as exposure to radiation, chemical or biological hazards, or excessive noise.
  5. 5Train workers in safety procedures related to green jobs, such as the use of fall protection devices or maintenance of proper ventilation during wind turbine construction.
  6. 6Provide consultation to organizations or agencies on the workplace application of safety principles, practices, or techniques.
  7. 7Inspect fire suppression systems or portable fire systems to ensure proper working order.
  8. 8Verify availability or monitor use of safety equipment, such as hearing protection or respirators.
  9. 9Prepare or review specifications or orders for the purchase of safety equipment, ensuring that proper features are present and that items conform to health and safety standards.
  10. 10Recommend corrective measures to be applied based on results of environmental contaminant analyses.
  11. 11Prepare or calibrate equipment used to collect or analyze samples.
  12. 12Help direct rescue or firefighting operations in the event of a fire or an explosion.
  13. 13Conduct worker studies to determine whether specific instances of disease or illness are job-related.
  14. 14Plan emergency response drills.
  15. 15Examine credentials, licenses, or permits to ensure compliance with licensing requirements.
  16. 16Review records or reports concerning laboratory results, staffing, floor plans, fire inspections, or sanitation to gather information for the development or enforcement of safety activities.
  17. 17Educate the public about health issues or enforce health legislation to prevent disease, to promote health, or to help people understand health protection procedures and regulations.
  18. 18Prepare documents to be used in legal proceedings, testifying in such proceedings when necessary.
  19. 19Collect data regarding potential hazards from new equipment or products linked to green practices.
  20. 20Maintain logbooks of daily activities, including areas visited or activities performed.
  21. 21Test or balance newly installed HVAC systems to determine whether indoor air quality standards are met.
  22. 22Confer with schools, state authorities, or community groups to develop health standards or programs.
  23. 23Collect data related to ecological or human health risks at brownfield sites.
  24. 24Conduct interviews to obtain information or evidence regarding communicable diseases or violations of health or sanitation regulations.
  25. 25Perform tests to identify any potential hazards related to recycled products used at green building sites.
  26. 26Examine practices at green building sites to determine whether adherence to green building standards alters risks to workers.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • CIH
  • CHST
  • OHST
  • EHS Advisor
  • Safety Tech
  • Safety Officer
  • Safety Trainer
  • EHS Coordinator
  • Ergonomics Tech
  • Life Safety Tech

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. 2

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. Typical entry

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. 4

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. 5

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationBachelor's degree

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

EnglishDraws directly on English Language — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
History (Sejarah)Draws directly on Law and Government — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Additional MathematicsDraws directly on Mathematics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
MathematicsDraws directly on Mathematics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
PhysicsDraws directly on Engineering and Technology — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • Education and Training83%
  • English Language82%

    English

  • Public Safety and Security76%
  • Law and Government74%

    History (Sejarah)

  • Mathematics74%

    Additional MathematicsMathematics

  • Engineering and Technology74%

    PhysicsAdditional MathematicsDesign & Technology (RBT)

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
  • Contact with other peopleContact most of the time
  • Dealing with customers or the publicHigh
  • Leading or coordinating othersHigh
  • Indoors, air-conditionedOften
  • Outdoors, in all weatherOften
  • Time walking or movingA little
  • Hands-on work with tools or objectsA little

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

25%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

Growing role in the US

US Bureau of Labor Statistics data, not Malaysian. Shown because it's the only forward-looking demand estimate we have for this job.

Pay in Malaysia

We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.

Where to check:

  • JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
  • DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
  • SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post
See pay for a related career: Agronomist / Agriculture Officer

Check what you may qualify for

Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.

Check my eligibility Not sure yet? Take the quiz

How to get here

Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.

Asasi / Foundation

One-year runway into a specific university: public via UPU or private direct entry.

12 months

Diploma

Skill-first qualification. Work after, or enter degree Year 2. Polytechnics keep it affordable.

2.5–3 years

Related careers

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About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: Occupational Health and Safety Technicians

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org

Programmes that lead here

Programmes from the official UPU (KPT) and MQA catalogues whose field of study typically leads to this career. Matched by field, not a job guarantee.

Public universities (UPU)

Private institutions (MQA-accredited)

Search the programme catalogue