What are the responsibilities and job description for the Safety and Occupational Health Specialist position at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs?
Summary
This position is located at the VA Medical Center in Sioux Falls - SD. The Safety and Occupational Health Specialist supports safety and health staff in regulatory compliance - research - training - program development - accident prevention and safety surveys in a healthcare environment.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position at the GS-11 grade level - you must meet one of the following requirements: Specialized Experience: At least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-9) in the Federal Service that has given you the particular knowledge - skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of this position. Qualifying specialized experience includes: 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. NOTE: Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must clearly indicate the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. ~OR~ Education: Successfully completed a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree. The major study must be in safety or occupational health fields (safety - occupational health - industrial hygiene) - or a 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. This education must have been obtained at an accredited college or university. NOTE: If you select this option - you must submit a copy of your transcript with your application. Education cannot be credited without documentation. ~OR~ Combination: Equivalent combinations of specialized experience and graduate-level education (beyond the second year or master's level) - as described above. The education portion must have provided the knowledge - skills - and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. Education must have been obtained at an accredited college or university. NOTE: If you select this option - you must submit a copy of your transcript with your application. Education cannot be credited without documentation. 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/. Physical Requirements: The position is sedentary for long periods but is frequently required to make site visits to conduct surveys; these require prolonged standing - walking - climbing - bending - stooping - stretching - reaching - and other physical movement. Because the position is often exposed to fire code inspections - construction sites - and hazardous materials - high levels of physical coordination - balance - and good health are required.
Duties
This position is located at the VA Medical Center in Sioux Falls - SD. The Safety and Occupational Health Specialist supports safety and health staff in regulatory compliance - research - training - program development - accident prevention and safety surveys in a healthcare environment.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position at the GS-11 grade level - you must meet one of the following requirements: Specialized Experience: At least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-9) in the Federal Service that has given you the particular knowledge - skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of this position. Qualifying specialized experience includes: 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. NOTE: Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must clearly indicate the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. ~OR~ Education: Successfully completed a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree. The major study must be in safety or occupational health fields (safety - occupational health - industrial hygiene) - or a 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. This education must have been obtained at an accredited college or university. NOTE: If you select this option - you must submit a copy of your transcript with your application. Education cannot be credited without documentation. ~OR~ Combination: Equivalent combinations of specialized experience and graduate-level education (beyond the second year or master's level) - as described above. The education portion must have provided the knowledge - skills - and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. Education must have been obtained at an accredited college or university. NOTE: If you select this option - you must submit a copy of your transcript with your application. Education cannot be credited without documentation. 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/. Physical Requirements: The position is sedentary for long periods but is frequently required to make site visits to conduct surveys; these require prolonged standing - walking - climbing - bending - stooping - stretching - reaching - and other physical movement. Because the position is often exposed to fire code inspections - construction sites - and hazardous materials - high levels of physical coordination - balance - and good health are required.
Duties
- ***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION - YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION*** **Please be advised this occupation is currently undergoing a classification consistency review that may result in a change in title - series - and/or grade if determined by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
- A consistency review is required for this position as a result of an OPM appeal related to the occupation
- A \"consistency review\" is the process that involves a classification review of positions performing work that is identical or related to an OPM appeal to ensure they are classified consistently and in accordance with OPM standards
- If a reduction in grade occurs - you could be eligible for grade and/or pay retention.** Duties may include - but are not limited to the following: Working with supervisors - union officials - and safety and occupational health committees to eliminate or control hazardous operations or conditions
- Performing nonsupervisory work in one or more of the following areas: Inspecting: Observing workplace conditions and employee performance patterns to identify hazards - detect risks - and determine causal relationships
- developing abatement recommendations for safety and occupational health hazards
- Investigating: Searching for clues - studying variables - questioning witnesses - and retracing sequences to uncover the sources of reported injuries and illnesses
- Recording: Assuring the validity of data collected - accurate documentation of occurrences and data summaries - and maintenance of program information
- Analyzing: Examining available data to identify possible sources of losses experienced - determining critical factors prior to occurrence - and recommending alternatives to eliminate or minimize losses from injuries and illnesses
- Reporting: Defining terminology - writing summaries and preparing summary documentation related to safety and occupational health
- Promoting a wide variety of training activities designed to achieve awareness of safety hazards and corresponding preventive procedures
- Preparing written procedures for implementation of safety - including life safety - fire protection - and occupational health policies
- Performing other related duties as assigned
- Work Schedule: Monday-Friday - 8:00am-4:30pm Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Telework: This position may be authorized for telework
- Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.
Salary : $61,722 - $97,087