OHS managers are enjoying a massive boom in salary, according to specialist recruitment firm safesearch, with major regional projects helping drive the nation-wide increase in demand for specialised OHS workers.

OHS Managers, who were earning 33% less than their more senior OHS National Managers a year ago, are now outperforming them by 4%, according to the survey.

The survey, supported by the Safety Institute of Australia, of over 1,000 OHS individuals at 116 predominantly ASX 200 companies, found that OHS Managers are now earning an average of $6,843 more than senior city based National Managers. It also revealed that project roles are increasingly demanding with strict timeframes requiring long hours of work often in complex environments.

Julie Honore, Managing Director of safesearch, said “The pay disparity is causing increased frustration for city-based senior managers who have worked their way up the corporate ladder to a national management role, as their indirect reports are in many cases out-earning them.

“Nevertheless, companies have a need for individuals who have built a reputation for ‘delivering’, and those candidates are being retained and handsomely rewarded across the board.

“In order to earn their premium we are seeing increased demand for strong communication skills, an ability to respond to complex circumstances and increasingly demanding workloads, alongside traditional project and technical experience.”

Nearly 65 per cent of respondents to the survey also said they found it ‘harder’ or at least ‘as difficult’ to recruit quality candidates as they did the previous year, despite an increased availability of people due to softening in the resources sector.