- Occupational Safety AS
Degrees & Certificates
Occupational Safety and Health
Associate in Science
The Associate of Science in Occupational Safety and Health degree program is designed to provide students the academic foundation for understanding hazardous materials management, construction safety, OSH safety training and accident investigation, for workplace safety and health standards. The Occupational Safety and Health specialist implements mandated health and safety regulations in an effort to control occupational accidents and diseases, property losses and injuries due to unsafe working conditions. The scope of this position includes the identification of physical hazards and the design and implementation of remediation, the evaluation of potential toxic agent risk to the employer, the development of safety management and employee training/management programs. The demand for occupational safety and health specialists has grown over the past 10 years. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, federal, state and local government job growth will continue through 2022.
Career Opportunities
The safety and health practitioner may specialize in general workplace safety, construction,
fire and property protection, transportation, chemical and radiological safety, emergency
response, systems or product design. The Associate in Science degree in Occupational
Safety and Health is designed for direct job entry and/or career enhancement. Completion
of the degree may be used to provide work experience credit toward OHST (Occupational
Health and Safety Technician) certification
requirements. Completion of the degree may be used to provide work experience credit
toward CSP (Certified Safety Professional) certification requirements. Career opportunities
include Safety Manager, Safety Technician, Safety Specialist, Safety Officer, Industrial
Hygienist, Safety Professional – Construction, Safety Professional – Manufacturing,
Safety Professional – Metals, Field Safety and OSHA Specialist, and Safety and Environmental
Manager.
| Course | Units |
|---|---|
| BIO 20 (Contemporary Human Biology) | 3 |
| CHEM 30A (Intro and Applied Chemistry I) | |
| or CHEM 1A (General College Chemistry I) | 4-5 |
| CIS 50 (Intro to Computing Info Tech) | 3 |
| FST 54 (Fire Prevention Technology) | 3 |
| OSH 50 (Intro Occupational Safety/Hlth) | 3 |
| OSH 60 (Elements of Industrial Hygiene) | 3 |
| OSH 62 (Physical Hazards) | 3 |
| OSH 67 (Comp Regulatory Requirements) | 3 |
| PHYS 10 (Descriptive Physics) | 3 |
| RADS 40A (Radiation Safety) | 2 |
| RADS 40B (Emergency Response and Monitoring) | 1 |
| RADS 40C (Safety Controls and Regulation) | 1 |
| Course | Units |
|---|---|
| CHEM 1B (General College Chemistry II) | 5 |
| CHEM 30B (Intro and Applied Chemistry II) | 4 |
| MATH 40 (Statistics and Probability) | 4 |
| Course | Units |
|---|---|
| BIO 30 (Intro to College Biology) | 4 |
| BIO 40 (Humans and the Environment) | 3 |
| BIO 50 (Anatomy and Physiology) | 4 |
| Course | Units |
|---|---|
| PSYC 1 (General Psychology) | 3 |
| Units Category | Units |
|---|---|
| Total Units in the Major | 39-42 |
| Additional General Education and Elective Units | 15-18 |
| Total Units | 60 |
See Las Positas College General Education Pattern for Associate of Science Degree for listing of areas and courses. Double counting courses in GE and the major is permissible. The number of units that may be double counted will depend on the entry point to the degree program and the optional course(s) taken. Consult with an adviser or a counselor to plan the courses necessary to achieve your academic goal.