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Health & Safety Engineer

Engineering

Promote worksite or product safety by applying knowledge of industrial processes, mechanics, chemistry, psychology, and industrial health and safety laws. Includes industrial product safety engineers.

Mechanical EngineeringPublic Safety & Defence

What you'd do all day

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

  1. 1Investigate industrial accidents, injuries, or occupational diseases to determine causes and preventive measures.
  2. 2Conduct research to evaluate safety levels for products.
  3. 3Evaluate product designs for safety.
  4. 4Conduct or coordinate worker training in areas such as safety laws and regulations, hazardous condition monitoring, and use of safety equipment.
  5. 5Maintain and apply knowledge of current policies, regulations, and industrial processes.
  6. 6Recommend procedures for detection, prevention, and elimination of physical, chemical, or other product hazards.
  7. 7Report or review findings from accident investigations, facilities inspections, or environmental testing.
  8. 8Evaluate potential health hazards or damage that could occur from product misuse.
  9. 9Evaluate adequacy of actions taken to correct health inspection violations.
  10. 10Interpret safety regulations for others interested in industrial safety, such as safety engineers, labor representatives, and safety inspectors.
  11. 11Review plans and specifications for construction of new machinery or equipment to determine whether all safety requirements have been met.
  12. 12Participate in preparation of product usage and precautionary label instructions.
  13. 13Interview employers and employees to obtain information about work environments and workplace incidents.
  14. 14Provide expert testimony in litigation cases.
  15. 15Review employee safety programs to determine their adequacy.
  16. 16Conduct or direct testing of air quality, noise, temperature, or radiation levels to verify compliance with health and safety regulations.
  17. 17Provide technical advice and guidance to organizations on how to handle health-related problems and make needed changes.
  18. 18Develop industry standards of product safety.
  19. 19Maintain liaisons with outside organizations, such as fire departments, mutual aid societies, and rescue teams, so that emergency responses can be facilitated.
  20. 20Plan and conduct industrial hygiene research.
  21. 21Compile, analyze, and interpret statistical data related to occupational illnesses and accidents.
  22. 22Design and build safety equipment.
  23. 23Write and revise safety regulations and codes.
  24. 24Confer with medical professionals to assess health risks and to develop ways to manage health issues and concerns.
  25. 25Check floors of plants to ensure that they are strong enough to support heavy machinery.

Also known as

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

  • Engineer
  • EHS Intern
  • EHS Engineer
  • EVA Engineer
  • HSE Engineer
  • Safety Tester
  • EHS Specialist
  • HSE Specialist
  • EHS Coordinator
  • Safety Engineer

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. 3

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. Typical entry

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. 5

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

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).
PhysicsDraws directly on Engineering and Technology — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Additional MathematicsDraws directly on Engineering and Technology — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Design & Technology (RBT)Draws directly on Engineering and Technology — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
InventionDraws 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.

  • English Language78%

    English

  • Engineering and Technology77%

    PhysicsAdditional MathematicsDesign & Technology (RBT)

  • Administration and Management75%

    BusinessEconomics

  • Public Safety and Security74%
  • Customer and Personal Service74%
  • Law and Government73%

    History (Sejarah)

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 discussionsAlmost never
  • Contact with other peopleNo contact
  • Dealing with customers or the publicNot at all
  • Leading or coordinating othersNot at all
  • Handling conflict situationsAlmost never
  • Indoors, air-conditionedAlmost never
  • Outdoors, in all weatherAlmost never
  • Noisy environmentAlmost never

Where this job is heading

Newer tasks O*NET has flagged for this occupation, a hint at how the role is changing.

  • Develop or modify building codes and fire codes.
  • Perform testing on fire protection equipment or building features, such as fire doors or smoke control systems.
  • Review building plans to verify compliance with fire and building codes.

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.

40%

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.

On Malaysia's official shortage list

TalentCorp and ILMIA's Critical Occupations List — evidence of a real hiring shortage in Malaysia right now.

Engineering Professionals (Excluding Electrotechnology) Not Elsewhere Classified · Shortage indicators met: 4/12

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: Mechanical Engineer

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.

Matriculation

One or two years, heavily subsidised with allowance. Competitive, quota-based entry.

12–24 months

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: Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors

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