Senior Environmental Health & Safety Specialist

The University of Kansas Health System•Kansas City, KS

15d

About The Position

Serves all internal and external customers by providing high quality care with courtesy and compassion. Demonstrates accountability for own actions and decisions. Develops policies, procedures, and standards; complies with Corporate Responsibility Program. Assumes responsibility for risk and safety issues associated with position. Holds others accountable for following Hospital Safety Policies and Procedures. Participates in performance improvement activities. Assist Manager with managing costs of supplies, equipment, and staff. Takes responsibility for own learning and development needs. Participates as a member of a team to achieve organizational and department goals. Brings ideas/concerns to Manager; actively participates in department decision-making. This position will oversee and manage one or more components of the Environmental, Health and Safety Program and provide support to the operations of the Hospital. Ensure that all practices are compliant with local, state and federal regulatory requirements. Manage the development and coordination of related training programs. Practice safe working techniques and re-enforce the safety policies, guidelines, and procedures as set out by the University of Kansas Hospital. Ensure that contractor personnel working on the property follow the University of Kansas Hospital policies and safety requirements. Ensure inspections by regulatory agencies are coordinated and deficiencies are minimized and corrected. Oversee compliance, manage and maintain The Joint Commission Statement of Conditions and other assigned Programs. Recommend and implement related corrective action items. Maintain working relationships with Regulatory Agencies and chair or co-chair assigned Environment of Care committee(s). Travel to the University of Kansas Health System sites as required, to perform any additional Environmental health and safety duties as assigned. Maintain department filing systems regarding occupant safety. Responsible for coordinating and managing assigned regulatory programs including compliance. Responsible for conducting incident investigations as assigned by the Environmental, Health and Safety Manger. Responsible for independently conducting inspections to ensure safety compliance including construction sites. Coordinate hazardous material activities including collection of hazardous waste for disposal and radioactive material use and disposal. Conduct inspections at hazardous waste generation sites to ensure compliance with EPA regulations. Conduct periodic inspections of hazardous materials to assess for safe use and storage. Ensures the accuracy of proper logs, inventories, documentation, and manifests as required. Formulates and implements operational procedures to ensure workplace safety. Consults with other Hospital Departments and advises them on all safety matters. Responsible for development of reports related to Hospital safety program. Investigates and resolves safety events that occur including resolution and root cause analysis and development of corrective actions and engineering controls to prevent reoccurrence. Monitors safety program operations to ensure compliance with all regulatory and accrediting agencies, all laws, codes, standards and regulations. Initiates any corrective action and intervenes as appropriate when conditions are present that pose an immediate threat to life or health or pose a threat of danger/damage to equipment or buildings. Coordinate life safety activities such as performing ILSM inspections. Participate in fire drills. Conduct periodic ILSM compliance inspections. Track corrective life safety deficiencies identified during drill and inspections through to completion. Assist Director and Manager with hands-on fire extinguisher classes. Develops and provides appropriate training to Hospital management and staff regarding safety response, hazardous materials handling, and spill cleanup. Coordinate data collection activities and provide the Environment of Care staff with charts and graphs that will be utilized to interpret safety related data for compliance and performance improvement activities. Assists Hospital departments with safety policies, procedures, and practices to comply with regulatory agencies. Partner to integrate with departments in establishing an overall system and structure for safety, reporting and response. Develops work schedules, employee schedules and supervision of others in the completion of assigned duties and tasks. Evaluates Vendor services, makes recommendations to Manager that will improve outcomes, compliance or increase operating efficiencies." Must be able to perform the professional, clinical and or technical competencies of the assigned unit or department. These statements are intended to describe the essential functions of the job and are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities. Skills and duties may vary dependent upon your department or unit. Other duties may be assigned as required.

Requirements

Bachelors Degree in Chemistry, Safety, Industrial Hygiene, Environmental, Emergency Preparedness or related field from an accredited college or university.
7 or more years of related experience in Environmental, Health and Safety role.
Fluent English - Read, write and speak English.
Knowledge of safety related regulations for planning, developing, training, and implementing in a health care setting or similar environment preferred.
Knowledge of the incident command system preferred.
Demonstrated skills in organizational theories, management techniques, methods, and principles preferred.
Knowledge of chemical compounds and components, chemical handling, labeling and Safety Data Sheets preferred.
Sound judgment to ensure operational activities related to Environmental health and safety preferred.
Ability to provide leadership and a high degree of professionalism and personal presence to the organization and community preferred.
Maintain excellent working relationships with all levels of the organization and in community settings preferred.
Ability to analyze data and provide feedback for planning purposes and response preferred.
Proficient computer skills in all Microsoft products and department specific programs preferred.
Hazardous waste training shall be provided to employee within six months of the date the employee filled this position, and a review of this training provided every 12 months thereafter.
Employee shall be supervised until training is completed.
The training shall consist of a review of proper management of both satellite accumulation containers and storage containers, how to conduct an adequate weekly inspection of the hazardous waste storage containers, how to review and prepare a hazardous waste manifest, and recordkeeping requirements.

Nice To Haves

Master's Degree in Chemistry, Safety, Industrial Hygiene, Environmental, Emergency Preparedness or related field from an accredited college or university.
Safety related certification (ASP, CSP, and REM).

Responsibilities

Oversee and manage one or more components of the Environmental, Health and Safety Program and provide support to the operations of the Hospital.
Ensure that all practices are compliant with local, state and federal regulatory requirements.
Manage the development and coordination of related training programs.
Practice safe working techniques and re-enforce the safety policies, guidelines, and procedures as set out by the University of Kansas Hospital.
Ensure that contractor personnel working on the property follow the University of Kansas Hospital policies and safety requirements.
Ensure inspections by regulatory agencies are coordinated and deficiencies are minimized and corrected.
Oversee compliance, manage and maintain The Joint Commission Statement of Conditions and other assigned Programs.
Recommend and implement related corrective action items.
Maintain working relationships with Regulatory Agencies and chair or co-chair assigned Environment of Care committee(s).
Travel to the University of Kansas Health System sites as required, to perform any additional Environmental health and safety duties as assigned.
Maintain department filing systems regarding occupant safety.
Responsible for coordinating and managing assigned regulatory programs including compliance.
Responsible for conducting incident investigations as assigned by the Environmental, Health and Safety Manger.
Responsible for independently conducting inspections to ensure safety compliance including construction sites.
Coordinate hazardous material activities including collection of hazardous waste for disposal and radioactive material use and disposal.
Conduct inspections at hazardous waste generation sites to ensure compliance with EPA regulations.
Conduct periodic inspections of hazardous materials to assess for safe use and storage.
Ensures the accuracy of proper logs, inventories, documentation, and manifests as required.
Formulates and implements operational procedures to ensure workplace safety.
Consults with other Hospital Departments and advises them on all safety matters.
Responsible for development of reports related to Hospital safety program.
Investigates and resolves safety events that occur including resolution and root cause analysis and development of corrective actions and engineering controls to prevent reoccurrence.
Monitors safety program operations to ensure compliance with all regulatory and accrediting agencies, all laws, codes, standards and regulations.
Initiates any corrective action and intervenes as appropriate when conditions are present that pose an immediate threat to life or health or pose a threat of danger/damage to equipment or buildings.
Coordinate life safety activities such as performing ILSM inspections.
Participate in fire drills.
Conduct periodic ILSM compliance inspections.
Track corrective life safety deficiencies identified during drill and inspections through to completion.
Assist Director and Manager with hands-on fire extinguisher classes.
Develops and provides appropriate training to Hospital management and staff regarding safety response, hazardous materials handling, and spill cleanup.
Coordinate data collection activities and provide the Environment of Care staff with charts and graphs that will be utilized to interpret safety related data for compliance and performance improvement activities.
Assists Hospital departments with safety policies, procedures, and practices to comply with regulatory agencies.
Partner to integrate with departments in establishing an overall system and structure for safety, reporting and response.
Develops work schedules, employee schedules and supervision of others in the completion of assigned duties and tasks.
Evaluates Vendor services, makes recommendations to Manager that will improve outcomes, compliance or increase operating efficiencies.