Occupational describes anything related to a person's job or profession. When you hear about occupational hazards, those are the specific dangers that come with particular types of work: firefighters face the occupational hazard of smoke inhalation, while dentists deal with the occupational hazard of back pain from bending over patients all day.

Schools sometimes have occupational therapists who help students develop skills needed for daily activities and schoolwork, like holding a pencil correctly or organizing their materials. The word occupational in this context refers to the activities people do in daily life, including schoolwork, and the skills those activities require.

A carpenter's occupation is building things with wood. A teacher's occupation is educating students. When something is occupational, it connects directly to the specific demands, risks, or characteristics of that work. Occupational training teaches the particular skills needed for a job, while occupational safety focuses on keeping workers protected from the unique dangers of their profession.