fallout from chemical disasters becoming more frequent
There have been two significant chemical related disasters in the news in the past few weeks. One in California and another here in Washington State where I live. The one in Washington happened in a smaller and basically rural county. These events can occur almost anywhere at fixed facilities, as these were, or during transportation on roads and rail networks.
Hopefully as the information being shared below states, companies are learning that their risk and safety management staffing are critical elements to their safe operations.
I got the following information from Trace One
As workplace safety rules grow more complex and industrial hazards remain in the national spotlight, a new analysis from Trace One examines where workplace safety managers may be overseeing the largest share of workers—and where safety staffing appears stretched the thinnest.
The report comes amid renewed attention on industrial and chemical safety following recent high-profile incidents, including the deadly paper mill tank rupture in Washington and the large-scale chemical emergency in Southern California that triggered evacuations over explosion concerns.
While these professionals are responsible for protecting workers inside factories, warehouses, plants, construction sites, and other job environments, their role can also extend far beyond the workplace itself. Safety managers help oversee hazard communication, emergency planning, chemical handling, regulatory compliance, and risk mitigation efforts that can directly affect surrounding communities, nearby residents, infrastructure, and environmental safety when failures occur.
Researchers analyzed workplace safety manager employment data across all 50 states and nearly 300 metropolitan areas to identify where workplace safety professionals oversee the largest number of workers relative to staffing levels. The report ranks locations based on the ratio of workplace safety managers to employees—a metric designed to highlight where oversight burdens may be the highest.
Key Findings
Workplace safety manager jobs are growing quickly. Employment rose 165% from 2010 to 2025, far outpacing 22% growth across all U.S. jobs.
Demand is expected to keep rising. BLS projects occupational health and safety specialist and technician employment to grow 12% from 2024 to 2034, compared with 3% for all occupations.
The manufacturing industry employs the most safety managers, but mining and utilities rely on them most heavily. Manufacturing employs 30,200 workplace safety managers, while mining has the highest concentration at 83.8 per 10,000 workers, followed by utilities at 52.7.
Pay growth has lagged broader wage growth. Workplace safety manager wages rose 37.9% from 2010 to 2025, compared with 50.7% for all U.S. workers.
Oversight burdens vary widely by location. Rhode Island has the fewest safety managers relative to its workforce—5.2 workplace safety managers per 10,000 workers—while Wyoming has the most (23.5).
Metro rankings reflect local industry mix. Miami, FL has the fewest workplace safety professionals relative to its workforce among large metros (5.8 per 10,000 workers), while Houston, TX—with its large energy and industrial base—has the highest concentration at 21.9.
The full report covers safety manager staffing levels in nearly 300 metropolitan areas and all 50 U.S. states. We’ve also included a link to high-resolution, downloadable graphics at the bottom of this email.
Feel free to cite the findings, use the graphics in your coverage, or republish the report in full. If you need additional data or a quote from our team, just let me know. If you reference the analysis, please credit Trace One and link to the full report: https://www.traceone.com/resources/plm-compliance-blog/where-workplace-safety-managers-have-the-highest-oversight-burden
