Will AI replace occupational health and safety technicians?

Unlikely, though parts of the work are changing. About 58m of an 8-hour shift goes to tasks touched by robots. The other 7h 2m (88%) stays with people. Separately, BLS expects about 19.4% more of these jobs by 2035 (all jobs: +3.5%).

None of this job's tasks show regular AI use yet. That can mean the work is hands-on or in person, or simply that it rarely comes up in AI usage data.

For some tasks, yes. Robots have done 4 of this job's tasks in workplaces like this one, about 58m of a typical shift. 4 more tasks have only been done in factory setups built around the machine, so they stay with people here. For 2 physical tasks, no robot has shown it can do the work yet.

• Verify availability or monitor use of safety equipment, such as hearing protection or respirators. (32m a shift; e.g. Boston Dynamics Spot with Orbit AI visual inspection, in use)
• Inspect fire suppression systems or portable fire systems to ensure proper working order. (13m a shift; e.g. Spot (with Spot CAM+IR, EAP, MUVE C360), in use)
• Collect data regarding potential hazards from new equipment or products linked to green practices. (6m a shift; e.g. Boston Dynamics Spot with FLIR MUVE C360 gas sensor and Spot CAM+IR (MFE Inspection Solutions integration), in use)
• Collect data related to ecological or human health risks at brownfield sites. (6m a shift; e.g. Spot with FLIR MUVE C360 and CAM+IR, Enhanced Autonomy Payload, in use)

7h 2m of a typical shift, or 88%, goes to tasks with no AI or robot evidence yet. No AI usage or robot deployment has shown up for these so far. The biggest:

• Test workplaces for environmental hazards, such as exposure to radiation, chemical or biological hazards, or excessive noise. (1h 10m a shift)
• Maintain all required environmental records and documentation. (45m a shift)
• Supply, operate, or maintain personal protective equipment. (38m a shift)
• Provide consultation to organizations or agencies on the workplace application of safety principles, practices, or techniques. (32m a shift)
• Recommend corrective measures to be applied based on results of environmental contaminant analyses. (32m a shift)

Much of it comes down to where and how the work happens. In-person, hands-on and high-stakes work is where AI and robots have made the least headway so far. In the official O*NET survey of people in this job:

• 81% carry high or very high responsibility for other workers' safety
• 63% say a mistake would be very or extremely serious
• 62% say dealing with the public is very or extremely important

On Indeed, job postings in the Scientific Research & Development sector are at 84% of their February 2020 level (all U.S. postings: 104%), up 19.9% from a year earlier, as of Oct 9, 2026. BLS separately expects about 3,800 openings a year in this job through 2035. Across all U.S. postings, 7.3% now mention AI skills. Sector postings cover more than this one job and move for many reasons besides AI.

The median pay is about $61,560 a year ($29.59 an hour), 21% above the median for all U.S. jobs ($50,980). Most people in this job earn between $46,280 and $100,160 a year; that range covers the middle 80%. Pay figures are from BLS, May 2025, and vary a lot by state and employer. Pick a state to compare:

BLS projects growth of 19.4% from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% growth for all jobs. That's about 37,000 jobs in 2035. It expects about 3,800 openings a year, mostly from people retiring or changing careers. These projections don't single out AI as a cause.

About 31,000 people in the U.S., roughly 0.02% of all workers (BLS, May 2025). That makes it the 477th largest of the 796 jobs on this site. BLS expects about 37,000 in 2035.

The most common requirement is a bachelor's degree: about 48% of people in the job said so in the official O*NET survey. O*NET rates the job at level 3 of 5 for preparation, which usually means: vocational school or associate's degree. Requirements vary by state and employer, especially for licensed work.

These come from the job's official skill ratings and from the tasks that AI and robots touch least today. Building them keeps you strong in the parts of the work that still need a person:

• Skills that matter more here than in most jobs: Negotiation, Active Listening, Writing, Critical Thinking
• Get strong at the parts of the job that stay with people (listed above), which take 7h 2m of a typical shift
• Tools employers list: Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Excel

These use similar skills. Matches come from 109 official ratings of skills, knowledge and work activities, and each needs the same or less preparation unless the official list relates the jobs directly:

• Health and Safety Engineers (41m touched, $115k median pay)
• Occupational Health and Safety Specialists (1h 20m touched, $90k median pay)
• Environmental Engineers (17m touched, $107k median pay)

Each task carries its own evidence label. For this job: 4 with robots in real deployments, 22 with no AI or robot evidence found. The minutes per task are estimates, not measured hours, and "no evidence" doesn't prove a task is safe.