Who here is in safety???
 

I have the opportunity to take a safety cours,,e (OSHA 500) i believe...its a 30 hoour course put on bya guy in the industry...he says there will be plenty of job opportunity once completed....I'm coming from the NDT inspection field...I've been looking into this career change for a while and safety is deff where i want to head...this 4 day 30 houur course seems to be the easiest/fastest way in the door from what the class instructor tells me....so my question is can it really be this simple? Also if it is are there plenty of opportunities here in La in the field? Thanks for any info.

Plenty of opportunity for safety in Louisiana. The democrats will never take the "foot off of the neck" of the energy sector and the republicans want to be energy independent. Its hard to find any "deregulation" compared to what the government agencies hammer down our throat.

Multi billion dollars being spent around the Lake Charles area in the next 10 yrs and the oilfield is not showing signs of slowing down.

Just remember, there are many avenues you can specialize within the industry, find one that you "have fun with" and grow from there.

If you make it down to Lafayette area, swing on by my office for a visit. We are always looking for quality guys to hire. We are currently accepting resumes. PM me if you want more detail.

Good Luck!

I wear my seat belt -- if that counts:grinpimp:

Wish I could get into the safety field. And get out of law enforcement to some extent! Good luck

My dad is a pipeline safety coordinator for Sunland. In the past few months they have sent him to several different safety classes similar to the one you mentioned. Haven't raised his pay or anything, but it gives him the opportunity for advancement when the time comes.


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Lol why not

i just sent you a PM hope it went through because it is not showing as sent in my outbox

Do it man...never too late

If you need any info I can talk to my dad. You may not be interested in pipelining but most of the classes are pretty general safety classes.


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Just curious, what in the safety field interests you? What do you like to do? The Health, Safety, and Environmental field is very broad and there can be specialization, but most positions require a good general knowledge of all facets of HSE. It can be a very challenging field because it is so varied and can be very technical depending on the position. Understanding how to read and apply environmental regs, air permits, water discharge permits, hazwaste management, risk management, OSHA, BSEE, Coast Guard, state regulations. You have to like to read a lot, you have to like working and leading people that sometimes don't want to follow. You have to have a passion to help others and protect people and able to stick to what is right no matter the push back. You have to protect your employees and protect your management. It is a lot of responsibility and can be highly stressful. But if you're still saying yeah, I like the sound of those challenges, then it can be very rewarding!

The training can't hurt, but many looking for safety people are looking for experience or in case of entry level positions, look for formal education. A lot of safety guys get there start by being medics offshore and performing clerical safety tasks. I don't know your situation, salary needs and age, but my advice for you is that if you want to get into the HSE field, work on your education, at least a Associate degree in safety or related field. If you can do it while holding down a job that would be great. Maybe your company will pay for your education. Again, the class can't hurt, but even if you land a job, I'm not sure what the salary would be compared to what you are used to. And if you land a job with the 30 hour class, you will still need to get educated in HSE on the technical and management side.

BTW, I am a Safety Manager with an Environmental degree and hold certifications as Occupational Health and Safety Technologist (OHST), and Certified Safety Professional (CSP). I'm willing to advise anyone who is seeking this field. Recently had to go through 50 resumes to find someone suitable for a 2-3 year experience job, so we need good smart, dedicated, talented AND educated HSE guys and gals. Good luck buddy! PM me if you want to come by my office to discuss the how to move forward. Don't have any openings but would love to point you in the right directions.

[QUOTE=irokcj5;710790]Just curious, what in the safety field interests you? What do you like to do? The Health, Safety, and Environmental field is very broad and there can be specialization, but most positions require a good general knowledge of all facets of HSE. It can be a very challenging field because it is so varied and can be very technical depending on the position. Understanding how to read and apply environmental regs, air permits, water discharge permits, hazwaste management, risk management, OSHA, BSEE, Coast Guard, state regulations. You have to like to read a lot, you have to like working and leading people that sometimes don't want to follow. You have to have a passion to help others and protect people and able to stick to what is right no matter the push back. You have to protect your employees and protect your management. It is a lot of responsibility and can be highly stressful. But if you're still saying yeah, I like the sound of those challenges, then it can be very rewarding!

The training can't hurt, but many looking for safety people are looking for experience or in case of entry level positions, look for formal education. A lot of safety guys get there start by being medics offshore and performing clerical safety tasks. I don't know your situation, salary needs and age, but my advice for you is that if you want to get into the HSE field, work on your education, at least a Associate degree in safety or related field. If you can do it while holding down a job that would be great. Maybe your company will pay for your education. Again, the class can't hurt, but even if you land a job, I'm not sure what the salary would be compared to what you are used to. And if you land a job with the 30 hour class, you will still need to get educated in HSE on the technical and management side.

BTW, I am a Safety Manager with an Environmental degree and hold certifications as Occupational Health and Safety Technologist (OHST), and Certified Safety Professional (CSP). I'm willing to advise anyone who is seeking this field. Recently had to go through 50 resumes to find someone suitable for a 2-3 year experience job, so we need good smart, dedicated, talented AND educated HSE guys and gals. Good luck buddy! PM me if you want to come by my office to discuss the how to move forward. Don't have any openings but would love to point you in the right directions.[/QUOTE




I just sent you a lengthy PM hope you got it.



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replied.

I agree with what IROKCJ5 said.. Education, Certifications which I have about 12 of, then on the job field experience.. Which I have 25 yrs worth.. Still learn everyday.

Specialties are very diverse and can be highly specialized.

x1000

Spend the 2200 bucks and go get your COSS in Baton Rouge

Just curious why that is a better option...the instructor of this one says its the exact same thing a s COSS except only 650 bucks and 4 days sstraight rather than over several Saturdays

COSS classes can be done during week days straight through. When you have a COSS cert you are allowed to do more audit work, as well as on site safety oversight. Only thing you can get above COSS w/o degree is CSP, and they are paying the same money for both. If I was going to tell a new guy what to go for, COSS would be the route I would go. More oppurtunities and after some expierence in the field, you are able to chase the "safety manager" jobs which gets you into the administrative world $$$$.

My last guy got his in 2 weeks
FYI

Also - reach out to WT Retrievers. He can give you some imput also.

I'm in EHS with a large independent on the GOM Shelf. I'll agree with much of what has already been said. I'd be happy answer any questions, PM me if I can answer any for you.

I am in the safety field been in for four years working for a pipeline and oilfield company. just did my osha 500 not too long ago and it wasn't bad at all but like some of the others have said I learn something new everyday and try to get as many certs as possible. Currently trying to find something that pays better and that will be stable don't mind traveling either.

Also in the safety world here, I have a couple of degrees, including MS in Occupational Safety and Health. Before that I learned the regulations well and still learning today. The COSS is a good way to go, and the OSHA 500 is also good. Learn the 1904 and the 1910 of the 29 CFR. This will help get you in the door. I started by luck just out of the Navy, was in explosive safety, little different than Occupational, however that opened some doors, then learned about the civian side of things then got the degrees, I have several certifications, and nearing the CSP. Dragging my feet, as my company does not push that, and I am very content with where I am at and dont plan to leave soon.
The field is demanding and most cultures are not too cooperative with safety as change inevitable to have safety culture. The greatest attribute to success in safety is being a coach and not persecute folks for incidents.
A very good book that is a good rule of thumb to work by in safety, an oldie but applies, Dale Carnegie, 'How to Win Friends and Influence People'.

All folks I have hired, I certainly look for experience, and some education, technical and formal. A key ingredient I really am after is motivation, and personality. The safety cop mentality is a tough one to shake, and that is unfortunately the label that is most often placed on safety professionals.

Lastly, keep this in mind, I use as my rule of thumb to approach all situations, "No one likes to be told when they are doing something wrong".

Do yourself a favor and get plenty of real field experience in all the trades. Nothing worse than a safety person with a bunch of letters behind their name and not knowing sh*t about the real world. Experience, knowledge and the ability to effectively communicate is the key.

End up a safety cop and you will live job to job, contractor to contractor. No respect and you will be looked upon with disdain.

I have worked in refineries and chemical plants...nuke plants and pipelines.from louisiana to mpntana and about 10 states in between ..doing every thing from welding to pipefitting to building scaffold to what i do no x ray and inspection....i have a ton of real world experience...just ready to move on to something i will enjoy doing for the rest of my life.....


thank yall for the great responses i appreciate all of it