Facilities Safety Officer

Company Description USA Health is an academic health system dedicated to transforming medical care, education, and research to improve the health of people in Mobile, AL and the surrounding region. Through a network of hospitals, specialty institutes, physician practices, and the USA College of Medicine, USA Health provides convenient access to advanced treatments and innovative therapies. Its team of physicians, residents, fellows, nurses, and advanced care providers delivers high volumes of clinic visits, outpatient procedures, emergency care, and births each year, making it a leading regional provider. USA Health combines cutting-edge patient care with first-class training experiences for future physicians and scientists, offering a dynamic environment for healthcare professionals who want to make a meaningful impact.

Role Description

• Coordinates Facilities Management safety and regulatory compliance activities in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local requirements, accreditation standards, adopted building and fire codes, and hospital policies.
• Maintains working knowledge of requirements established by organizations and authorities having jurisdiction, including, as applicable: The Joint Commission, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, National Fire Protection Association, State and local fire authorities, State health department (ADPH), Facility Guidelines Institute, Environmental Protection Agency.
• Assists Facilities Management leadership with the implementation and ongoing evaluation of the hospital’s Environment of Care, Life Safety, Utility Systems Management, and related safety programs.
• Reviews regulatory updates, code changes, survey findings, and industry guidance to identify potential impacts on Facilities Management operations.
• Provides technical guidance to Facilities Management employees regarding safety requirements, departmental procedures, and regulatory expectations.
• Conducts and documents routine Environment of Care, life safety, and facility safety inspections throughout hospital buildings, support buildings, and off-site locations.
• Identifies unsafe conditions, regulatory deficiencies, and physical-environment risks, including: Fire and smoke barrier penetration, fire and smoke door deficiencies, obstructed or compromised means of egress, improper storage practices, electrical safety concerns, damaged ceilings, walls, or building components, missing or inaccurate equipment and utility labeling, improper use of extension cords or temporary wiring, inadequate access to fire-protection equipment, construction-related hazards, other conditions affecting patient, employee, or visitor safety
• Initiates work orders, corrective-action plans, interim measures, or escalation processes for identified deficiencies.
• Tracks deficiencies from identification through completion and verifies that corrective actions are appropriately documented and effectively implemented.
• Assists with inspections and testing documentation for fire alarm systems, sprinkler systems, fire pumps, fire extinguishers, emergency generators, automatic transfer switches, utility systems, and other life-safety or critical building systems.
• Supports the development, implementation, and documentation of Interim Life Safety Measures when required by construction activities, system impairments, identified deficiencies, or other conditions.
• Assists with fire watch implementation and documentation when fire-protection or life-safety systems are impaired.
• Coordinates the Facilities Management departmental safety program and promotes a culture of safety, accountability, and regulatory readiness.
• Conducts or coordinates safety training for Facilities Management employees, including training related to: Lockout/tagout, electrical safety, confined-space entry, hazard communication, personal protective equipment, fall protection, ladder and scaffolding safety, hot-work procedures, respiratory protection, safe lifting and material handling, bloodborne pathogen awareness, infection-control precautions, emergency response procedures, construction and maintenance safety
• Maintains departmental safety-training records, inspection records, permits, competency documentation, and other required compliance documentation.
• Conducts job hazard analyses and risk assessments for Facilities Management work activities.
• Investigates or assists with the investigation of employee injuries, safety events, property damage, utility failures, and near-miss incidents involving Facilities Management operations.
• Identifies contributing factors and recommends corrective actions to reduce the likelihood of recurrence.
• Monitors departmental use of personal protective equipment and safe work practices.
• Participates in departmental safety meetings, huddles, employee orientation, and annual education activities.
• Reviews construction, renovation, demolition, repair, and maintenance activities for potential safety, life-safety, infection-control, and operational risks.
• Participates in preconstruction risk assessments, infection-control risk assessments, and interim life-safety evaluations as assigned.
• Conducts construction-site inspections to evaluate: Dust and debris containment, negative-pressure controls, egress and exit access, fire-barrier integrity, hot-work compliance, utility shutdown controls, temporary electrical installations, contractor safety practices, access restrictions and signage, housekeeping and material storage
• Coordinates with project managers, contractors, Infection Prevention, Safety, Security, and clinical departments to address identified construction-related risks.
• Verifies that required permits, inspections, shutdown notifications, risk assessments, and closeout documentation are completed.
• Assists with reviewing contractor compliance with hospital safety policies and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Supports hospital emergency-management activities related to utility failures, severe weather, fire, flooding, infrastructure failures, hazardous conditions, and other emergencies.
• Participates in emergency exercises, drills, after-action reviews, and corrective-action planning.
• Assists with the development and maintenance of Facilities Management emergency procedures, utility-failure response plans, and departmental continuity plans.
• Supports communication and coordination during planned and unplanned utility interruptions.
• Assists in evaluating the effectiveness of emergency power, water, medical gas, HVAC, communication, and other critical utility contingency procedures.
• May serve in an assigned Hospital Incident Command System role during emergencies or exercises.
• Assists with preparation for accreditation surveys, regulatory inspections, fire-marshal inspections, insurance inspections, and other external reviews.
• Participates in survey activities by retrieving documentation, accompanying surveyors, documenting observations, and coordinating immediate corrective actions.
• Maintains organized and survey-ready documentation related to inspections, testing, training, deficiencies, corrective actions, permits, risk assessments, and safety programs.
• Assists with the development of plans of correction and evidence-of-compliance documentation following surveys or inspections.
• Monitors corrective-action deadlines and provides status reports to Facilities Management leadership.
• Prepares reports, dashboards, summaries, and presentations regarding safety findings, compliance trends, outstanding deficiencies, and departmental performance.
• Participates in applicable hospital committees and workgroups, including the Environment of Care Committee, Emergency Management Committee, and construction-related meetings.
• Presents Facilities Management safety findings, performance data, risks, and corrective-action updates to committees and leadership as assigned.
• Collaborates with clinical and support departments to resolve physical-environment and safety concerns.
• Serves as a Facilities Management liaison to hospital Safety, Emergency Management, Infection Prevention, Security, Clinical Engineering, Environmental Services, and other departments.
• Promotes effective communication between Facilities Management leadership, supervisors, frontline employees, contractors, and hospital departments.
• Demonstrates professional conduct and maintains confidentiality in accordance with hospital policies.
• Uses sound judgment when addressing urgent or high-risk safety concerns and promptly escalates issues that could affect patient care, life safety, regulatory compliance, or hospital operations.
• Maintains knowledge of hospital policies, departmental procedures, safety standards, and emergency-response expectations.
• Operates hospital vehicles or travels between hospital facilities and off-site locations when required.
• Completes all mandatory department, educational and hospital requirements
• Adheres to current Infection Control and Safety Standards
• Regular and prompt attendance
• Ability to work schedule as defined and overtime as required
• Related duties as assigned

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in a related field and 5 years of safety experience. Required
• Directly related safety experience may substitute on a year-for-year basis for the required education Preferred
• FEMA National Incident Management System or Hospital Incident Command System training within 180 Days Required
• Certified Healthcare Facility Manager (CHFM), Certified Healthcare Safety Professional (CHSP), Certified Healthcare Constructor (CHC), Certified Safety Professional (CHP) Preferred
• OSHA 10-Hour or OSHA 30-Hour Construction or General Industry certification Preferred
• Infection Control Risk Assessment or construction infection-control training Preferred
• Fire Inspector, Life Safety, Emergency Management, or related certification Preferred
• Comparable combination of education and experience may substitute for the above requirements.