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Industrial Hygienist, Investigator, Occupational Hazards Specialist, Occupational Health and Safety Specialist, Physical Scientist
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 hygienists work to prevent illness, disease, and injury arising in the workplace. They do this by anticipating, recognizing, evaluating, controlling, and re-evaluating workplace hazards. They may check work environments and processes for health and safety hazards related to:
Specific duties and responsibilities may vary a great deal from one job to another. In general, occupational hygienists observe processes, procedures, and operating conditions inside and outside worksites to identify and evaluate hazards. They also:
Occupational hygienists also may design, implement, and manage health and safety programs. They may advise managers and employees about regulations, standards, legal compliance, risk assessment, and risk reduction. They may also:
Work settings and hours vary widely in this profession. Occupational hygienists work in offices, laboratories, and industrial plants, which may operate 24 hours a day. They must use protective gear when observing work processes or conducting tests in industrial plants. In some cases, the work may involve climbing ladders or accessing industrial plant equipment in confined spaces. Travel to remote facilities may be required.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2006 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
Interest in co-ordinating information to evaluate physical, chemical and biological hazards and stresses in the workplace; may participate in emergency response planning
Interest in consulting to suggest changes to work environments and processes; and in providing information to workers and managers or employers on how to reduce the risks of injury or illness from specific occupational hazards
Interest in handling equipment to conduct research; and in controlling physical, chemical and biological hazards
To identify or change your interest codes, complete the Interests Exercise in CAREERinsite.
The interest code helps you figure out if you’d like to work in a particular occupation.
It’s based on the Canadian Work Preference Inventory (CWPI), which measures 5 occupational interests: Directive, Innovative, Methodical, Objective, and Social.
Each set of 3 interest codes for this NOC group is listed in order of importance.
A code in capital letters means it’s a strong fit for the occupation.
A code in all lowercase letters means the fit is weaker.
To fill in or change the values for your abilities, complete the Abilities Exercise in CAREERinsite.
A Quick Guide
You are born with abilities that help you process certain types of information and turn it into action. These abilities influence which skills you can learn more easily.
The abilities or aptitudes shown for this NOC group come from the General Aptitude Test Battery (GATB). The GATB measures 9 aptitudes. It groups them into 3 categories: mental, visual, and physical.
The abilities scores range from 1 to 5, with 5 being stronger.
Occupational hygienists need:
They should enjoy analyzing problems, consulting with others, and taking a methodical approach to their work.
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 39 most recent Alberta job postings, collected between Oct 27, 2021 and Apr 05, 2024.
Review these skills to learn:
| Health benefits: Health care plan | 25 |
|---|---|
| Health benefits: Dental plan | 24 |
| Health benefits: Vision care benefits | 23 |
| Green Job: Involves duties and responsibilities that lead to positive environmental outcomes | 16 |
| Tasks: Report and document investigations and conclusions/recommendations | 15 |
| Construction Specialization: Team player | 11 |
| Other benefits: Learning/training paid by employer | 11 |
| Other benefits: Team building opportunities | 11 |
| Long term benefits: Other benefits | 11 |
| Health benefits: Disability benefits | 11 |
Most occupational hygienists start with a bachelor’s degree in science or engineering. They take further education directly related to occupational hygiene. This may be a master’s degree or university certificate in occupational hygiene or health and safety.
Suitable 4-year bachelor’s degree programs are offered by post-secondary schools throughout Alberta. Admission requirements vary. In general, they include a competitive average (ranging from 60% to 80% depending on the program) in English Language Arts 30-1 and 4 other appropriate Grade 12 subjects, such as 30-level math and science courses.
Many post-secondary schools offer university transfer programs. These allow students to apply up to 2 years of study toward university bachelor’s degree programs. It is up to the student to ensure the courses they choose will be accepted for credit at the school to which they wish to transfer.
Ryerson University in Toronto offers a 4-year bachelor’s degree program with a specialization in occupational health and safety.
The following universities offer master’s-level training focusing on occupational hygiene:
For more information on occupational health and safety programs offered in Canada, visit the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety website.
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 search for programs related to this occupation, visit Post-Secondary Programs.
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 is not required in Alberta, but it can be an asset when seeking employment. It can help to register with:
Applicants for these designations must have a suitable combination of education and work experience, and pass a qualifying exam. To qualify for the ROH examination, graduates of general occupational health and safety certificate programs must have more work experience than applicants with a graduate degree in occupational hygiene.
Source: 2019-2023 Alberta Regional Occupational Demand Outlook
Occupational hygienists work for:
Experienced hygienists may be promoted to management positions or start their own consulting firms. Those with doctoral degrees may take on more demanding research duties or senior management positions.
Industry and government often work cooperatively on health and safety issues. Opportunities exist for occupational hygienists to work on industry-wide and even international projects through industry groups.
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.
In the 4161: Natural and applied science policy researchers, consultants and program officers occupational group, 75.5% of people work in:
Employment outlook is influenced by a wide variety of factors including:
In Alberta, the 4161: Natural and applied science policy researchers, consultants and program officers occupational group is expected to have a below-average annual growth of 1.6% from 2019 to 2023. In addition to job openings created by employment turnover, 78 new positions are forecasted to be created within this occupational group each year.
Note
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 example, only some of the new positions to be created will be for this occupation. It also applies to other data for the NOC group such as number of people employed.
Source: 2019-2023 Alberta Regional Occupational Demand Outlook
Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next few years.
For information about current collective agreements in the public and not-for-profit sectors, see the Health Sciences Association of Alberta (HSAA) website.
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.
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 | $25.00 | $65.00 | $40.41 | $38.67 |
| Overall | $33.16 | $74.78 | $50.28 | $49.22 |
| Top | $34.31 | $100.84 | $62.90 | $58.36 |
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 | $95,293 |
|---|---|
| Oil & Gas Extraction | $124,968 |
| Construction | $49,181 |
| Manufacturing | $132,716 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | $105,721 |
| Professional, Scientific & Technical Services | $90,208 |
| Educational Services | $88,648 |
| Health Care & Social Assistance | $71,152 |
| Public Administration | $91,008 |
American Board of Industrial Hygiene (ABIH) website: www.abih.org
Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety website: www.ccohs.ca
Canadian Registration Board of Occupational Hygienists (CRBOH) website: www.crboh.ca
Get information and referrals about career, education, and employment options from Alberta Supports.
Updated Mar 31, 2019. 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.
