Safety Engineer

Safety, Health, and the

Environment
ITEC 3305

What is an engineer?
An engineer is someone who can take a
simple idea and see through it to the
bottomless pits of messy, complexity that
lies underneath. Sean McGrath, CTO,
Propylon

An engineer who errs may harm

hundreds
Engineers can make a significant contribution to
safety.
Correspondingly, they can cause, inadvertently
or through incompetence, accidents that result in
serious injury and property damage.
The engineer has more potential to affect safety
in the workplace than any other person does.

Dr. Raj Desai, Ch. 27 Lecture Notes

Safety engineer
The title safety engineer is sometimes a
misnomer because it implies that the person is a
degreed engineer. This may not be the case, as
typically the title is given to the person who has
overall responsibility for the companys safety
program.
This person is responsible for the traditional
aspects of the safety program such as preventing
mechanical injuries; falls, impact and acceleration
injuries; heat and temperature injuries; electrical
accidents; fire related accidents and so on.

Dr. Raj Desai, Ch. 27 Lecture Notes

 If engineering is one of the most important

aspects of safety, and there are positions
titled safety engineer, why are there no
formal degrees in safety engineering?
What follows is a sample curriculum for a
B.S. in Safety Engineering, as well as
sample minors for further specialization.

Fall (First Year)

Spring

Calculus I

Calculus II

Principles of Chemistry I

Principles of Chemistry II

P. of Chemistry I Lab

P. of Chemistry II Lab

English 1302

US History 1877 to Present

US History to 1877

Local and State Government

American Government

Oral Communications

Fall (Second Year)

Spring

Calculus III

Calculus IV

Engineering Physics I

Engineering Physics II

E. Physics I Lab

E. Physics II Lab

Statistical Analysis I

Statistical
Analysis II

CAD

Materials Science

AC/DC Circuits

Differential
Equations

Fall (Third
Year)

Spring

Engineering Economics

Hazardous Materials
Management

Occupational
Ergonomics

Legal Aspects of Safety and

Health

Engineering Elective

Training and
Development

Engineering Elective

Introduction to Fire
Prevention

Fundamentals of Occupational Safety

and Health

OSHA Standards

Fall (Fourth Year)

Spring

Risk Management

Safety Project Management

Accident Investigation

Safety Theories and Practices

Process Safety

Toxicology

Safety Elective

Industrial Hygiene

Safety Elective

Organizational Theory and Behavior

Minor in Mechanical Engineering

Option

Introduction to Mechanical Engineering

Thermodynamics I
Thermodynamics II
Mechanics I
Mechanics II
Dynamics
Introduction to Design
Introduction to Design Lab

Minor in Electrical Engineering

Option

Introduction to Electrical Engineering

Engineering and Computer Programming
Fundamentals of Electrical Engineering
Electronics I
Electronics II
Electromagnetic Theory I
Electromagnetic Theory II

Minor in Industrial Engineering

Option

Principles of Industrial Automation

Engineering Design Production
Operations Research I
Operations Research II
Work Analysis and Design
Engineering Design for People

Minor in Petroleum Engineering

Option

Physical Geology
Physical Geology Lab
Structural Geology
Geology of Hydrocarbons
Introduction to Petroleum Engineering
Petroleum Development Methods
Petroleum Production Methods
Formation Evaluation
Petroleum Property Evaluation

Certifications
Graduates would be eligible to take the Fundamentals of
Engineering Exam, given by the National Council of
Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES).
After passing the FE, the engineer would have to gain 4
years of real world experience; then they would be
eligible to take the Principles and Practices of
Engineering Exam.
After passing the PE/PS, the engineer would obtain their
Professional License.
The Professional License allows the safety engineer to
render consultation services to whoever may be
interested.
Graduates could also take the exam given by the Board
of Certified Safety Professionals of America.

 Questions?