August 17, 2001—A study by the National Research Council has found that the current supply of occupational safety and health professionals—between 75,000 and 125,000—seems to be adequate for current employer demand, but does not fulfill the need among the growing number of employees in small firms, temporary jobs, and transient jobs in construction and agriculture.
The report, “Safety Work in the 21st Century: Education and Training Needs for the Next Decade’s Occupational Safety and Health Personnel,” says that the number of graduates in occupational medicine and nursing are too low to replace existing practitioners. The number of masters-level graduates in safety is “extremely low,” but appears to be offset by employers’ preference for hiring students with undergraduate degrees.
The report offers several recommendations to federal and state agencies, educational institutions, employers, unions, and other stakeholders to correct the problem.
To browse the report, visit the National Academy Press Web site.
Based on a report from Safety Currents
