Safety & Occupational Health Specialist

Veterans Health Administration • Tucson, AZ

2d • Onsite

About The Position

This position is with the Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, Southern Arizona VA Health Care System (SAVAHCS), Engineering Service, Safety and Occupational Health Department. The specialist supports the development, coordination, implementation, and management of safety, fire prevention, and occupational health programs for the main hospital.

The work includes independently surveying and inspecting assigned areas, workplaces, equipment, and fire protection systems for hazards and compliance with applicable regulations and codes. The specialist provides inspection reports, maintains safety and fire inspection records and hazardous-material documentation, coordinates quality surveillance of contractor work, and recommends or initiates corrective actions. The position also supports the Safety Manager and Industrial Hygienist with program development, procedures, training, and safety campaigns.

Work schedule: Full-time, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM–4:30 PM. Compressed schedule is not authorized. Telework is not authorized, and the position is not virtual.

Physical work includes frequent inspections and surveys in patient-care areas, laboratories, warehouses, vehicles, industrial shops, grounds, community-based clinics, and nursing homes. Duties may involve prolonged walking, standing, reaching, and bending; negotiating narrow passages, rooftops, and crawlspaces; and climbing, running, jumping, crawling in confined spaces, or exposure to fire situations. Agility and dexterity are required.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship.
• Meet the applicable Individual Occupation Requirement through qualifying education, specialized experience, or an accepted certification. Qualifying education includes a major in safety or occupational health fields, or a related degree supplemented by at least 24 semester hours in specified related disciplines.
• For GS-7, meet the grade-level requirement through one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-5, one full year of graduate-level education, superior academic achievement, or an allowable combination of experience and education.
• For GS-9, meet the grade-level requirement through one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-7, a master's or equivalent graduate degree, two years of progressively higher-level graduate education, an LL.B. or J.D., or an allowable combination of experience and education.
• Current or former federal employees subject to time-in-grade rules must meet the applicable 52-week requirement by the announcement closing date and submit supporting SF-50 documentation.
• Submit transcripts if using education to qualify; only education or degrees from appropriately accredited institutions may be used.
• Selected applicants must complete required onboarding and background/security investigation requirements; applicants selected for testing-designated VA employment are subject to pre-appointment urinalysis.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is required for VA Health Care Personnel.
• Serve the applicable one-year probationary period or two-year trial period.
• Meet the physical demands of frequent inspections, including prolonged walking, standing, reaching, and bending; navigating narrow passages, rooftops, and crawlspaces; and potentially climbing, running, jumping, crawling in confined spaces, and exposure to fire situations.
• Demonstrate competencies including attention to detail, customer service, flexibility, influencing/negotiating, integrity/honesty, interpersonal skills, learning, reading comprehension, reasoning, self-management, stress tolerance, and teamwork.

Responsibilities

• Conduct surveys and inspections of assigned areas to assess work practices and environments for safety and health hazards and verify that fire protection devices and safety equipment function properly.
• Inspect work areas and equipment for compliance with EPA, NFPA, OSHA, The Joint Commission, VA, and other applicable regulations and codes within established timeframes.
• Inspect contract nursing homes, halfway houses, homeless shelters, and other work areas in accordance with NFPA 101, Life Safety Code, and applicable codes; provide timely and accurate reports.
• Inspect and test fire extinguishing equipment, fire safety systems, and fire suppression systems.
• Coordinate and perform quality surveillance of related work completed by contractors.
• Inspect construction sites for compliance with VA, Joint Commission, and OSHA requirements, including requirements concerning exits, stairs, floor-load capacity, aisle space, sprinkling systems, flammable- and volatile-liquid storage tanks, and scaffolding.
• Assist with maintaining hazardous-material inventories and documentation.
• Maintain required records of fire and safety inspections and tests.
• Recommend and implement remedies by submitting work orders or purchase requests or initiating contract services.
• Assist the Safety Manager and Industrial Hygienist in developing, coordinating, and implementing programs; prepare policies and procedures; and revise safety instructions and guides.
• Conduct general safety and industrial equipment safety training, identify external training opportunities, and use varied training and communication materials.
• Promote safety campaigns through oral presentations at local safety committee meetings and by posting safety displays.

Benefits

• Federal employee benefits package available to the employee and family, subject to position and eligibility rules.
• Eligible selected applicants may request credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work or military service; approval is required and not guaranteed.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed