Safety & Occupational Health Specialist

Summary The Safety & Occupational Health Specialist position is physically located at the VA Hudson Valley Health Care System in Montrose, NY, with responsibilities extending to community care homes, nursing homes and satellite clinics within the network. The primary purpose of this position is to ensure a safe environment for patients, staff and visitors by implementing and monitoring comprehensive safety programs. Duties ***THIS

Is Not a Virtual

POSITION,

You Must Live Within or Be Willing to Relocate Within

A Commutable Distance of the Duty

LOCATION*** Duties include but may not be limited to the following: Conducts safety and fire protection surveys and recommends measures to eliminate or control hazardous practices and conditions which may cause mishaps; Performs periodic on-site surveys for assigned organizations; Inspects construction projects to determine compliance with applicable occupational safety standards, including Interim Life Safety requirements; location of exits and stairs; floor load capacity; aisle space; adequacy of sprinkler systems; safety features on storage tanks containing flammable and volatile liquids; and adequacy of scaffolding erected to facilitate painting of buildings; Assists in the development, implementation, and documentation of Interim Life Safety Measures (ILSM) when protection or safety is affected by construction; Conducts and leads safety rounds as part of the facility's comprehensive safety program; Prepares required safety reports and recommendations and follows up on corrective actions and compliance issues; Reviews all accident reports to determine root cause; Performs analysis of trends in accidents and identifies areas where improvements can be made in safety; Reviews all service safety plans to ensure compliance with JCAHO requirements and hospital policy; Advises supervisors and safety representatives of appropriate safety measures to control or eliminate hazardous operating processes or environmental conditions; Prepares and revises safety instructions and guides that are relevant to current or planned contractor and medical center employees; Has delegated authority to investigate fires, motor vehicle collisions, and other accidents involving damage or loss to government-owned property, personal injury, or death to employees and/or visitors in accordance with VA Directive 7700; Provides technical safety training to supervisors and employees using a wide variety of materials, publications, exhibits, protective devices, and visual aids; Serves as the primary point of contact for the facility's Lockout/Tagout program in compliance with OSHA 29 CFR 1910.147 and applicable VA directives; Conducts annual reviews of Lockout/Tagout procedures for accuracy and ensures procedures are posted at equipment locations and organized digitally; and Performs other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday

• Friday, 8:00am
• 4:30pm Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved Qualifications

To Qualify for This Position at the

GS-9 GRADE LEVEL,

You Must Meet at Least One the Following

CRITERIA: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: One (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-7) in Federal Service that has equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the duties of a Safety & Occupational Health Specialist, GS-9. 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. Performs other related duties as assigned. NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. ~OR~

Substitution of Education for

EXPERIENCE: A master's or equivalent degree OR successful completion of two (2) full years of graduate level education leading to a masters or equivalent graduate degree. The major study must be in safety or occupational health field (safety, occupational health, industrial hygiene), or a degree in another related field 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: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. ~OR~

Combination of Experience and

EDUCATION: An equivalent combination of successfully completed graduate level education (beyond the first year) and specialized experience, as described above, which meets the total experience requirements for this grade level. NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. 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 Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. NOTE: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: