Safety & Occupational Health Specialist
Works in a regulatory and enforcement capacity in order to ensure compliance with the applicable criteria adopted or developed by the VA. Recognizes, evaluates, controls, and eliminates hazards encountered in the operation and maintenance of the Medical Center and its supporting facilities. Provides support to the Construction Safety Program regarding construction areas. Serves as a staff advisor to the Safety Manager and assists with providing guidance, technical assistance, and advice to various management officials and personnel located at the Medical Center in order to ensure the effective application of the program. Under the direction of the Safety Manager, plans, organizes, and administers a series. of comprehensive inspections of the Medical Center's inpatient care areas, laboratory, area areas, engineering shops, and administrative offices, in addition to community homes, nursing homes, medical foster homes, Grant per Diem homes, and residential board and care homes. Provides reports regarding compliance issues and violations of safety and fire protection mandates, in compliance with the applicable guidelines and regulations developed by the Veterans Affairs Central Office (VACO), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), The Joint Commission (TJC), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (GARF), and other agencies. Issues notices of unsafe working conditions to management when discovered during inspections and recommends methods for the abatement of hazards and the correction of unsafe conditions or practices. Identifies, evaluates, and recommends means for controlling a wide variety of safety issues associated with occupational or patient care activities. Responds to and investigates employee, patient, or visitor complaints relating to safety issues, taking action to mitigate imminent danger situations and interceding when threatening condition exists. Investigates and analyzes accidents and safety reports from the Medical Center's Services, evaluating the causal factors and environmental conditions that led to the accidents. Identifies, controls, and eliminates hazardous environmental conditions and mechanical risk to personnel by following standards and directives for addressing construction, fire, and building safety. Prepares annual, statistical, and/or investigative reports as required by the Medical Center Director, the Safety Manager, the Industrial Hygienist, and the Chief of the FMS. Conducts and monitors safety, occupc1tional health, TJC, GARF, emergency management, and fire protection training for Medical Center staff members as required by applicable regulations. Evaluates and reports on safety related training performed at the Medical Center. Assists with the preparation, updating, monitoring, and reporting of occupational health issues related to employee accidents/injuries/illnesses, as reported in the Automated Safety Incident Surveillance and Tracking System (ASISTS) computer package. Assists the Safety Manager with maintaining OSHA required injury reports and with creating monthly and annual accident reports for the Environment of Care (EOG) and Accident Review Board (ARB) committees. Serves as a purchase card holder and complies with the applicable acquisition regulations, both Federal and local, which include but are not limited to regulations concerning BA, small business, Javits Wagner O-Day Act, and mandatory sources. Maintains responsibility for planning, coordinating, analyzing, organizing, evaluating/monitoring, and administering a comprehensive Construction Safety program, in accordance with the applicable regulations and guidelines concerning the safety of patients, employees, and visitors. Works directly with Engineering staff members and Contract Officer Representatives (CORs) in a regulatory and enforcement capacity in order to ensure compliance with the applicable criteria adopted or developed by the VA. Recognizes, evaluates, analyzes, controls, and eliminates hazards related to construction projects. Responds to and investigates complaints related to construction safety issues, interceding when threatening conditions exist. Conducts, analyzes, and implements the Interim Life Safety Measures as required. Conducts, evaluates, and reports on construction safety training for Medical Center staff members, as required by TJC, OSHA, and NFPA regulations/mandates, which include fire drills. Performs other directly related duties assigned. Work Schedule:
Monday - Friday, 8am - 4:
30pm. Must have the flexibility to work outside the normal tour of duty which may include weekends and holidays. Position Description/PD#:
Safety & Occupational Health Specialist/PD8154 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives:
Not Authorized To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/13/2020. Time-In-Grade Requirement:
Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS9 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note:
Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. You may qualify based on your experience/education as described below:
Individual Occupational Requirements:
Undergraduate and Graduate Education:
Major study -- safety or occupational health fields (safety, occupational health, industrial hygiene), or degree in other related fields that included or was supplemented by at least 24 semester hours of study from among the following (or closely related) disciplines:
safety, occupational health, industrial hygiene, occupational medicine, toxicology, public health, mathematics, physics, chemistry, biological sciences, engineering, and industrial psychology OR
Experience:
In or related to safety and occupational health that provided the specific knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include:
Managing safety or occupational health program elements. Developing and recommending safety and occupational health policy to higher levels of management. Applying safety and occupational health laws, regulations, principles, theories, practices, and procedures to advise on or resolve technical matters dealing with occupational safety and health requirements. Developing safety and occupational health standards, regulations, practices, and procedures to eliminate or control potential hazards. Developing or implementing programs to reduce the frequency, severity, and cost of accidents and occupational illnesses. Analyzing or evaluating new and existing jobs, processes, products, or other systems to determine the existence, severity, probability, and outcome of hazards. Designing or modifying workplaces, processes, products, or other systems to control or eliminate hazards. Inspecting or surveying workplaces, processes, products, or other systems for compliance with established safety and occupational health policies or standards and to identify potential new hazards. Training of workers, supervisors, managers, or other safety and occupational health personnel in safety or occupational health subjects. Work in occupational fields such as industrial hygienist, safety engineer, fire prevention engineer, health physicist, and occupational health nurse. In addition to the individual occupational requirements above, you must also qualify for the GS-09 grade level based on your experience and/or education as described below:
Specialized
Experience:
You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-07 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to:
Developing safety and occupational health standards, regulations, practices, and procedures to eliminate or control potential hazards; Developing or implementing programs to reduce the frequency, severity, and cost of accidents and occupational illnesses; Analyzing or evaluating new and existing jobs, processes, products, or other systems to determine the existence, severity, probability, and outcome of hazards; Designing or modifying workplaces, processes, products, or other systems to control or eliminate hazards developing and recommending safety and occupational health policy to higher levels of management; applying safety and occupational health laws, regulations, principles, theories, practices and procedures to advise on or resolve technical matters dealing with occupational safety and health requirements; analyzing or evaluating new and existing jobs. OR Education:
Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a Master's or equivalent degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related. OR, Combination:
Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond a master's degree, that is required for the next lower grade level (GS-07). Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note:
A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Condition of Employment . As a condition of employment, the incumbent must submit to and pass a physical examination, pulmonary function testing, respirator certification and must be fitted to wear a respirator. Physical Demands. The work of this position requires, on a regular and recurring basis; on-site visits throughout the Medical Center and moderate physical exertion, such as when transporting equipment (weighing up to 50 lbs.), climbing, standing, walking, crawling, and bending. The work requires the incumbent to have good hearing, eyesight, color and depth perception, and the use of all limbs. Work Environment. The work of this position is frequently performed in both a normal office setting, which is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated, and within a wide variety of other Medical Center/patient care areas, laboratories, shops, construction sites, and areas with possible exposures to operating machines, equipment, hazardous materials, high noise levels, confined spaces, dust, and chemicals. Exposures to such hazards necessitate the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), such as an N95 mask, and. Universal Precautions. Required to travel off-site to conduct inspections and to attend meetings, seminars, or other activities related to the position. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https:
//www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.
Estimated Salary: $20 to $28 per hour based on qualifications.
Monday - Friday, 8am - 4:
30pm. Must have the flexibility to work outside the normal tour of duty which may include weekends and holidays. Position Description/PD#:
Safety & Occupational Health Specialist/PD8154 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives:
Not Authorized To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/13/2020. Time-In-Grade Requirement:
Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS9 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note:
Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. You may qualify based on your experience/education as described below:
Individual Occupational Requirements:
Undergraduate and Graduate Education:
Major study -- safety or occupational health fields (safety, occupational health, industrial hygiene), or degree in other related fields that included or was supplemented by at least 24 semester hours of study from among the following (or closely related) disciplines:
safety, occupational health, industrial hygiene, occupational medicine, toxicology, public health, mathematics, physics, chemistry, biological sciences, engineering, and industrial psychology OR
Experience:
In or related to safety and occupational health that provided the specific knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include:
Managing safety or occupational health program elements. Developing and recommending safety and occupational health policy to higher levels of management. Applying safety and occupational health laws, regulations, principles, theories, practices, and procedures to advise on or resolve technical matters dealing with occupational safety and health requirements. Developing safety and occupational health standards, regulations, practices, and procedures to eliminate or control potential hazards. Developing or implementing programs to reduce the frequency, severity, and cost of accidents and occupational illnesses. Analyzing or evaluating new and existing jobs, processes, products, or other systems to determine the existence, severity, probability, and outcome of hazards. Designing or modifying workplaces, processes, products, or other systems to control or eliminate hazards. Inspecting or surveying workplaces, processes, products, or other systems for compliance with established safety and occupational health policies or standards and to identify potential new hazards. Training of workers, supervisors, managers, or other safety and occupational health personnel in safety or occupational health subjects. Work in occupational fields such as industrial hygienist, safety engineer, fire prevention engineer, health physicist, and occupational health nurse. In addition to the individual occupational requirements above, you must also qualify for the GS-09 grade level based on your experience and/or education as described below:
Specialized
Experience:
You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-07 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to:
Developing safety and occupational health standards, regulations, practices, and procedures to eliminate or control potential hazards; Developing or implementing programs to reduce the frequency, severity, and cost of accidents and occupational illnesses; Analyzing or evaluating new and existing jobs, processes, products, or other systems to determine the existence, severity, probability, and outcome of hazards; Designing or modifying workplaces, processes, products, or other systems to control or eliminate hazards developing and recommending safety and occupational health policy to higher levels of management; applying safety and occupational health laws, regulations, principles, theories, practices and procedures to advise on or resolve technical matters dealing with occupational safety and health requirements; analyzing or evaluating new and existing jobs. OR Education:
Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a Master's or equivalent degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related. OR, Combination:
Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond a master's degree, that is required for the next lower grade level (GS-07). Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note:
A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Condition of Employment . As a condition of employment, the incumbent must submit to and pass a physical examination, pulmonary function testing, respirator certification and must be fitted to wear a respirator. Physical Demands. The work of this position requires, on a regular and recurring basis; on-site visits throughout the Medical Center and moderate physical exertion, such as when transporting equipment (weighing up to 50 lbs.), climbing, standing, walking, crawling, and bending. The work requires the incumbent to have good hearing, eyesight, color and depth perception, and the use of all limbs. Work Environment. The work of this position is frequently performed in both a normal office setting, which is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated, and within a wide variety of other Medical Center/patient care areas, laboratories, shops, construction sites, and areas with possible exposures to operating machines, equipment, hazardous materials, high noise levels, confined spaces, dust, and chemicals. Exposures to such hazards necessitate the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), such as an N95 mask, and. Universal Precautions. Required to travel off-site to conduct inspections and to attend meetings, seminars, or other activities related to the position. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https:
//www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.
- Department:
0018 Safety and Occupational Health Management - Salary Range:
$54,976 to $71,470 per year
Estimated Salary: $20 to $28 per hour based on qualifications.
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