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Inspector, Safety Officer
In Canada, the federal government groups and organizes occupations based on a National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. This alis occupation may not reflect the entire NOC group it is part of. Data for the NOC group can apply across multiple occupations.
The NOC system is updated every 5 years to reflect changes in the labour market. Government forms and labour market data may group and refer to an occupation differently, depending on the system used.
Here is how this occupation has been classified over time.
2006 NOC
2006 NOC-S
2011 NOC
2016 NOC
2021 NOC
2023 OaSIS
Occupational health and safety (OHS) officers work for federal and provincial governments. Alberta’s Occupational Health and Safety Act [pdf] authorizes occupational health and safety officers to inspect, investigate, inquire about, or conduct tests in workplaces to ensure they comply with the Occupational Health and Safety Code [pdf].
OHS officers inspect workplaces to ensure equipment, materials, and production processes do not present a safety or health hazard. They inspect a wide variety of workplaces such as construction sites, offices, and mines. They may specialize in inspecting a particular type of workplace.
When inspecting workplaces, OHS officers:
OHS officers enforce health and safety laws and regulations. They:
They also facilitate change to improve the health and safety culture. OHS officers:
For more details about the duties of an OHS officer, see the Occupational Health and Safety Act [pdf].
For information about OHS specialists employed by companies, see the Occupational Health and Safety Advisor occupational profile.
Occupational health and safety officers usually are responsible for a territory or a specific industrial process. They may travel often. Working hours depend on the types of workplaces they inspect. They may need to work overtime, particularly after an incident or a hazardous situation has been identified.
Occupational health and safety officers spend most of their time in the field. They may be exposed to potentially dangerous situations. Officers routinely need to enter confined spaces, climb ladders, and work in dusty conditions. When not in the field, they work in offices located at central or regional headquarters. Some may need to attend court hearings.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2023 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
To find out how well this occupation fits your work personality types, complete the Work Personalities Quiz in Find Your Fit.
Click or tap a personality type for its description.
Find other alis occupations that match this occupation’s work personalities.
To identify or change your work personalities, complete the Work Personalities Quiz in Find Your Fit.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2023 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
Occupational health and safety specialists
2023 OaSIS: 22232.00
The graph below shows how well your scores match the overall abilities for this occupation.
The closer your ability scores are to the center, the more they match this occupation’s. The further away they are, the less they match this occupation’s.
The lower your ability scores are compared to the occupation’s, the more challenging the occupation will likely be for you. The higher your ability scores are compared to the occupation’s, the less challenging the occupation will likely be for you.
To find out how well this occupation fits your abilities, complete the Abilities Quiz in Find Your Fit.
The 49 abilities are grouped into 5 abilities sets: Critical Thinking, Numbers and Patterns, Physical Activity, Mind-Body Coordination, and Senses.
Some abilities are more relevant to an occupation than other abilities. Individual abilities that are not relevant to an occupation are greyed out.
To fill in or change the values for your abilities, complete the Abilities Quiz in Find Your Fit.
Critical Thinking includes 9 abilities related to identifying and solving problems, thinking of ideas, and communication, such as speaking and writing.
This is how well your scores match the set of Critical Thinking abilities for this occupation:
Numbers and Patterns includes 10 abilities related to math, memorizing, and multitasking. It also includes how we perceive patterns, shapes, and distances.
This is how well your scores match the set of Numbers and Patterns abilities for this occupation:
Physical Activity includes 9 abilities related to strength, balance, flexibility, coordination, and endurance.
This is how well your scores match the set of Physical Activity abilities for this occupation:
Mind-Body Coordination includes 9 abilities related to movement control and how we react to signals. It also includes fine motor skills, such finger and hand dexterity and hand-eye coordination.
This is how well your scores match the set of Mind-Body Coordination abilities for this occupation:
Senses includes 12 abilities related to seeing, hearing, and speaking.
This is how well your scores match the set of Senses abilities for this occupation:
Occupational health and safety officers need:
They should enjoy:
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
This chart shows which job skills are currently in highest demand for this occupational group. It was created using this occupation's 100 most recent Alberta job postings, collected between Mar 28, 2023 and Oct 08, 2025.
Review these skills to learn:
| Tasks: Inspect workplaces for safety or health hazards | 73 |
|---|---|
| Tasks: Ensure health and safety regulations are followed | 72 |
| Tasks: Develop and implement health and safety plans | 67 |
| Attention to detail | 60 |
| Construction Specialization: Excellent oral communication | 56 |
| Computer and Technology Knowledge: MS Excel | 55 |
| Tasks: Provide information/training to employers, employees and general public | 54 |
| Tasks: Investigate workplace accidents or illnesses | 54 |
| Construction Specialization: Team player | 54 |
| Construction Specialization: Excellent written communication | 51 |
Occupational health and safety officers must have 1 of the following:
They must also have related work experience. The number of years of experience required depends on the type of educational credential they hold. Those working for the provincial government need to be eligible for appointment as a peace officer.
Occupational health and safety officers must have a thorough understanding of legislation relating to safety standards. They need to stay informed about:
The following schools offer programs or courses that are related to this occupation but are not required to enter the field.
To expand or narrow your program options, visit Post-Secondary Programs and start your search with:
Completing a program does not guarantee entrance into an occupation. Before enrolling in an education program, prospective students should look into various sources for education options and employment possibilities. For example, contact associations and employers in this field.
Certification as an occupational health and safety (OHS) officer is not required in Alberta. However, it may be an asset when seeking employment.
The Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals offers the designation Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP). To apply, you need:
If you are applying with a bachelor’s degree, you must also show that you have completed sufficient professional development in OHS. (Contact the BCRSP for information about how this is evaluated.)
Other organizations that offer certification include the following:
For related industry-specific certifications, talk to practising OHS officers or potential employers in the industry.
Source: 2021-2025 Alberta Regional Occupational Demand Outlook
Occupational health and safety officers work for federal and provincial governments.
Officers usually advance to technical advisor or management positions through competition. Advancement depends on the individual’s initiative, management skills, educational background, work experience, and expertise.
This section shows the industries where the majority of people in this occupation work. The data is based on the 2016 Census.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.
Inspectors in public and environmental health and occupational health and safety
2016 NOC: 2263
75.6% of people in this occupational group work in:
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.
This section shows the Alberta job market condition, or short-term demand forecast, for this occupation over a 3-year period. It also shows the number of people employed in the occupation.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2021 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.
Source: 2024-2026 Alberta Short-Term Employment Forecast
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.
To see data for all occupations, visit Occupations in Demand.
This section shows the employment outlook for this occupation in Alberta over a 5-year period.
Employment outlook is influenced by a wide variety of factors including:
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.
Source: 2021-2025 Alberta Regional Occupational Demand Outlook
Annual growth is from 2021 to 2025. New positions created each year are in addition to job openings created by employment turnover.
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.
Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next few years.
Earnings for occupational health and safety officers vary considerably depending on their education, experience, and location.
Salaries for provincial occupational health and safety officers range from $80,822 to $100,751 (Source: Government of Alberta, 2022 estimates).
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2021 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
Unless otherwise noted, the data shown here is for all industries and all regions in Alberta.
All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production), and other forms of compensation.
To see the full survey data for this NOC group, visit the wage profile.
Other wage sources
To make an informed wage and salary decision, research other wage sources [pdf] to supplement this data.
High Reliability, represents a CV of less than or equal to 6.00% and 30 survey observations and/or represents 50% or more of all estimated employment for the occupation.
| Wages* | Low (5th percentile) | High (95th percentile) | Average | Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting | $21.00 | $55.74 | $34.89 | $31.92 |
| Overall | $24.04 | $79.80 | $43.02 | $40.87 |
| Top | $25.12 | $86.54 | $48.87 | $48.08 |
Swipe left and right to view all data. Scroll left and right to view all data.
* All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production) and other forms of compensation.
Pay brackets for hourly wages
| ALL INDUSTRIES | $86,139 |
|---|---|
| Oil & Gas Extraction | $110,884 |
| Utilities | $103,546 |
| Construction | $78,253 |
| Manufacturing | $86,120 |
| Wholesale Trade | $71,162 |
| Retail Trade | $48,696 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | $67,954 |
| Finance, Insurance, Real Estate, Leasing | $63,622 |
| Professional, Scientific & Technical Services | $93,172 |
| Business, Building and Other Support Services | $60,292 |
| Educational Services | $86,696 |
| Health Care & Social Assistance | $88,037 |
| Other Services (Repair, Personal Services and Related) | $79,900 |
| Public Administration | $101,258 |
Alberta Construction Safety Association (ACSA) website: www.youracsa.ca
Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals (BCRSP) website: www.bcrsp.ca
Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP) website: www.bcsp.org
Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) website: www.ccohs.ca
ECO Canada website: www.eco.ca
National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH) website: www.nebosh.org.uk
Get information and referrals about career, education, and employment options from Alberta Supports.
Updated Mar 23, 2023. The information contained in this profile is current as of the dates shown. Salary, employment outlook, and educational program information may change without notice. It is advised that you confirm this information before making any career decisions.
