Department Safety Officer

City of Long Beach•Long Beach, CA

About The Position

The City of Long Beach is hiring an unclassified, at-will management-position Department Safety Officer in the Human Resources Department. The position reports to the City's Safety Manager and administers occupational safety programs for the Energy and Environmental Services Department. It works with field and office staff to promote safe working conditions and develops, communicates, and implements the department's emergency management plan and occupational safety and health programs in accordance with applicable federal, state, and City requirements, policies, and industry standards. The Department Safety Officer analyzes employee injury trends and develops programs to reduce injuries and lost productive time. The role identifies cost-effective solutions to operational issues involving technical or regulatory challenges, assesses departments' training needs, and delivers or coordinates training. As the department's lead for occupational safety and health, the officer works with the City Safety Manager to support a consistent Citywide safety program and serves as a liaison with regulatory agencies on department matters. The position also provides consultation and support to department managers and staff on safety investigations, documentation, incident reporting, and compliance. The ideal candidate is a hands-on leader with field and technical knowledge, strong communication and presentation skills, and the ability to build effective partnerships across the organization.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, or qualifying experience substituted for education on a year-for-year basis.
Five years of progressively responsible experience working with safety operations and overseeing safety programs.
One year of full-time experience in a supervisory or lead capacity.
Knowledge of Cal/OSHA and occupational safety laws, regulations, programs, policies, and requirements, including general industry and construction safety standards.
Knowledge of applicable environmental regulations and the principles and methods of safety, training, incident investigation, hazard identification and correction, and prevention of employee injury and illness.
Understanding of Cal/OSHA procedures and practices.
Basic understanding of HIPAA principles.
Knowledge of business letter writing, report preparation, and business writing.
Knowledge of modern office procedures, methods, and equipment, including computers and networked and cloud-based software systems.
Knowledge of supervision, training, and performance evaluation principles and pertinent federal, California, and local laws, codes, and regulations.
Ability to conduct employee group training and train employees on new processes and procedures.
Ability to connect, coordinate, and contribute to occupational safety and workplace culture.
Strong interpersonal skills, including tact, patience, and courtesy, and the ability to establish effective working relationships with managers and employees at all organizational levels, public officials, and others.
Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, orally and in writing, with excellent writing, grammar, and document-formatting skills.

Nice To Haves

Coursework in occupational safety.
A certification from the Board of Certified Safety Professionals, such as Associate Safety Professional (ASP), Certified Safety Professional (CSP), or Construction Health and Safety Technician (CHST).
Bilingual skills in Spanish, Khmer, and/or Tagalog for positions interacting with the public.

Responsibilities

Administer occupational safety programs for the Energy and Environmental Services Department and help ensure compliance with Cal/OSHA standards and regulations.
Develop and implement departmental safety programs, procedures, policies, and emergency management plans in accordance with applicable requirements and best practices.
Perform hazard assessments and coordinate Job Hazard Analysis reviews and updates with workgroup managers.
Analyze incident data and injury trends, report findings, and recommend corrective actions and programs to reduce injuries and lost productive time.
Identify departmental safety training needs; develop and deliver training classes or coordinate training with external vendors.
Establish and coordinate required safety training for water treatment and distribution, sewer, and natural gas distribution employees.
Organize and monitor occupational safety meetings and training effectiveness; represent the department at Citywide safety meetings and functions.
Respond to serious employee incidents and be on call for other occupational safety-related emergencies.
Maintain departmental Cal/OSHA records and communicate safety-related legislation, requirements, and program updates to staff.
Act as the department liaison with Cal/OSHA, Fed/OSHA, DOT, SCAQMD, and other regulatory agencies on relevant matters.
Work with the City Safety Manager to support compliance with Citywide Safety Programs and Policies.
Coordinate with the department's Personnel Division on employee injuries and incident reporting.
Support department managers with occupational safety investigations, documentation, and compliance.
Communicate and coordinate with City personnel, vendors, contractors, customers, other departments, and outside organizations to facilitate work and resolve issues.
Attend and conduct meetings, provide consultation to administrators and staff, and keep the City Safety Manager and other staff informed about open issues.
Apply budgeting, accounting, financial recordkeeping, and reporting principles.