Environmental Health and Safety Coordinator

Career Guide

An Environmental Health and Safety Coordinator helps prevent workplace injuries and environmental incidents by supporting safety programs, training, inspections, and reporting. The role works closely with operations and leaders to improve compliance, reduce risk, and strengthen a safety-first culture.

Key Responsibilities

Support workplace safety programs and day-to-day safety activities
Run safety orientations and recurring training sessions
Conduct site inspections and document findings
Help investigate incidents and near misses
Track corrective actions to closure
Maintain safety records and required documentation
Support emergency preparedness and drills
Monitor use of personal protective equipment
Assist with environmental compliance tasks
Support waste handling and spill response practices
Prepare basic safety reports and trend summaries
Coordinate with managers on hazard controls and safe work practices
Support contractor safety onboarding and oversight
Help with audits and internal safety reviews

Top Skills for Success

Communication

Training Delivery

Organization

Attention to Detail

Problem Solving

Stakeholder Management

Safety Inspections

Incident Investigation

Risk Assessment

Corrective Action Management

Hazard Recognition

Safety Data Tracking

Regulatory Compliance

Environmental Compliance

Audit Support

Career Progression

Can Lead To

Environmental Health and Safety Specialist

Environmental Health and Safety Generalist

Environmental Health and Safety Advisor

Safety Specialist

Environmental Specialist

Compliance Specialist

Transition Opportunities

Environmental Health and Safety Manager

Safety Manager

Environmental Manager

Risk Manager

Quality Manager

Operations Manager

Common Skill Gaps

Often Missing Skills

Advanced Incident InvestigationBehavior Based SafetyIndustrial Hygiene BasicsEnvironmental Permitting BasicsAudit LeadershipSafety Program DesignChange ManagementData Analysis

Development SuggestionsBuild capability by leading one improvement project end to end, such as a machine guarding review or a spill prevention refresh. Ask to co-lead an incident investigation and present the findings to site leadership. Strengthen reporting by learning a simple trend method and creating a monthly dashboard with leading and lagging indicators.

Salary & Demand

Median Salary Range

Entry LevelUSD 45,000 to 60,000

Mid LevelUSD 60,000 to 80,000

Senior LevelUSD 80,000 to 105,000

Growth Trend

Steady demand. Hiring remains strong in manufacturing, logistics, construction, utilities, healthcare, and organizations with larger safety and compliance needs.

Companies Hiring

Major Employers

AmazonFedExUPSTeslaBoeingGeneral ElectricSiemensJohnson ControlsExxonMobilChevronDow3MCaterpillarUnitedHealth GroupHCA Healthcare

Industry Sectors

ManufacturingWarehousing and LogisticsConstructionUtilities and EnergyHealthcareFood and BeverageChemicalsTransportationPublic Sector

Recommended Next Steps

Review job descriptions in your target industry and list the top recurring requirements

Create a portfolio of safety outputs such as training materials, inspection checklists, and investigation summaries

Request to shadow a safety manager during an audit or incident investigation

Complete an entry-level safety credential that aligns with your region and industry

Practice delivering a short safety talk and gather feedback to improve clarity and confidence

Set up a tracking system for corrective actions and show closure rates over time

Learn your organization’s key safety metrics and propose one improvement to data quality

Network with local safety groups and attend one event per quarter