Safety and Occupational Health Specialist

Veterans Health Administration • Albany, NY

4d • Onsite

About The Position

The Safety and Occupational Health Specialist plans, schedules, and conducts difficult inspections at establishments and worksites where hazardous work processes, materials, or unsafe environmental conditions may affect a substantial number of employees. The specialist performs safety surveillance audits and inspections, investigates hazards and accidents, secures immediate corrective action for imminent dangers, and recommends measures to eliminate or control risks. The position also develops safety policies, procedures, training, campaigns, and educational materials; supports safety committees; evaluates workplace changes; and provides administrative and data-management support for the safety program. The specialist maintains training and historical safety records, analyzes trends, and works with personnel and managers to ensure compliance with applicable safety requirements. The position is full-time, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and is not virtual. It may require walking, climbing, and crawling in medical center areas and responding to varying physical demands when investigating accidents or potential hazards.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship is required.
• Meet the Individual Occupational Requirement for the Safety and Occupational Health Management Series, 0018, through qualifying education, specialized experience, or an applicable certification as described in the announcement.
• Meet the GS-11 specialized experience requirement: one year equivalent to at least GS-09, including relevant experience with safety codes and regulations, interpreting criteria for workplace conditions, safety and occupational health concepts, medical center facilities, identifying environmental hazards and hazardous agents, changing work procedures without hindering activity, and analyzing and applying policy; or qualify through the stated education or combination route.
• For the education route at this grade, have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, three full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, or a related LL.M.; education may also be combined with experience as specified in the announcement.
• Current Federal employees and certain former Federal employees must meet the time-in-grade requirement of 52 weeks at GS-09 for a GS-11 position and submit supporting SF-50 documentation.
• Complete the application, questionnaire, and required online assessment.
• Register for Selective Service if applicable to males born after December 31, 1959.
• Pass a background/security investigation and complete the online onboarding process and acceptable-identity-document requirements.
• Participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program as a Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel requirement.
• Serve the required one-year probationary period or two-year trial period, as applicable.
• Be able to walk, climb, and crawl in medical center areas as needed and meet varying physical demands during accident or hazard investigations.
• Submit transcripts if education is used to qualify; qualifying education must be from an institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Foreign education requires a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with the transcript.

Responsibilities

• Plan, schedule, and conduct inspections and safety surveillance audits in establishments and worksites with hazardous processes, materials, or environmental conditions.
• Obtain immediate corrective action for conditions posing imminent danger to life or limb.
• Investigate hazardous conditions, equipment, and practices; analyze hazard severity and recommend elimination, correction, or protective measures.
• Ensure corrective actions are initiated and consult with specialists and managers about work-process changes and risk controls.
• Investigate or assist with investigations of accidents and mishaps, obtain witness statements, photograph scenes, document injuries and circumstances, estimate property damage, and prepare findings and recommendations.
• Develop and implement safety promotional and educational campaigns tailored to general goals and local needs.
• Select and distribute safety promotion materials, publish standards in training manuals, and establish or support safety committees.
• Research safety and occupational health promotional resources, update bulletin boards, and disseminate information through contemporary communication methods.
• Determine campaign and training priorities; develop or adapt materials; conduct technical training; and provide guidance to safety committees and operating officials.
• Ensure accident-prevention committee information and guidance reaches pertinent parties.
• Keep current with advances in safety and occupational health knowledge and technical practices.
• Develop supplements to higher-authority guidelines and write procedures implementing technical safety standards, codes, and requirements.
• Conduct analytical surveys and studies of safety programs and review organizational safety policies, procedures, and regulations.
• Work with personnel to establish realistic safety requirements and ensure compliance with applicable directives and regulations.
• Evaluate workplace technological changes and recommend appropriate safety measures.
• Develop plans that anticipate potential difficulties and offer alternative solutions and approaches.
• Provide administrative support for the safety program or assigned program segment.
• Maintain training records, notify supervisors when training is due, schedule training across shifts, and conduct training when requested or required.
• Create and conduct area-specific safety hazard initiatives as needed.
• Maintain historical safety records and identify trends or changing conditions that may warrant revised procedures.
• Assist in planning, organizing, directing, and controlling safety information used in databases; ensure data integrity and accurate, standards-compliant input.
• Establish workflow processes and quality-control measures for safety data management.
• Determine data needs, processing requirements, and technical expertise required to manage accident records.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Federal employees and their families have access to a comprehensive federal benefits package; specific benefits depend on position eligibility.
• VA may offer newly appointed federal employees credit for qualifying job-related non-federal experience or active-duty uniformed military service when determining annual leave accrual, subject to prior request and approval.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree