Definition
Performs professional level work planning, directing and promoting a safety and occupational health program in a state agency or institution; regularly inspects facility for actual or potential hazards and violations of state/federal occupation health and safety laws, regulations, and accreditations; reports findings to administrators and conducts educational programs; performs related work as required.
Work Examples
Develops and implements safety policies, interprets safety laws, rules and regulations and prepares related reports; complies with federal/state regulations regarding processing of accident/safety reports.
Conducts fire prevention and safety inspections of department/institutional facilities to identify hazardous conditions and potential safety hazards; prepares inspection reports.
Investigates injuries, accidents, and incident reports to determine probable cause and prepare recommendations for correcting unsafe conditions and reporting to management.
Maintains fire, accident, and incidents reports to ensure to validate accuracy of data for use in program evaluation; analyzes accident/injury reports to identify potential/actual hazards so they can be corrected and personnel informed about safety precautions.
Investigates employee/resident complaints of alleged health and safety hazards; reports findings to management officials, supervisors, and employees; recommends corrective action.
Utilizes risk management strategies to promote proactive approaches to protect health, safety and well-being for agency employees/residents.
Completes and maintains hazardous chemical inventory and up-to-date Material Safety Data Sheets.
Facilitates annual inspection of the facility by the State Fire Marshall’s office or other relevant fire prevention entities; escorts and/or provides needed assistance in the conduct of such inspections.
Develops and conducts training programs on occupational health and safety for employees and updates as necessary; promotes program by speaking to interested parties on a request basis about health and safety topics.
Coordinates planning, development, with information dissemination and training of agency staff regarding disaster preparedness; collaborates with lead agencies to ensure continuity of operations related to disaster preparedness; organizes, leads, and maintains documentation of drills/exercises in flood, tornado, or other disaster emergencies.
Operates sound level meters, combustible gas indicators, and related testing and sampling equipment used in inspections.
Competencies Required
Knowledge:
- Law and Government – Laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
- Customer and Personal Service – Principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- Production and Processing – Raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
- Design – Design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
- Building and Construction – Materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
- Mechanical – Machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
- Engineering and Technology – Practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
- Chemistry – The chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
- Physics – Physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
- Public Safety and Security – Relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
- English Language – The structure and content of the English language, including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Mathematics – Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
- Clerical Procedures – Word processing, managing files and records, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
Abilities:
Law and Government – Understand and adhere to applicable laws, legal codes, administrative rules, and regulations.
Written Expression – Communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Written Comprehension – Read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Speech Clarity – Speak clearly so others can understand.
Speech Recognition – Identify and understand the speech of another person.
Deductive Reasoning – Apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Inductive Reasoning – Combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions.
Information Ordering – Arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Problem Sensitivity – Tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Perceptual Speed – Quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
Flexibility of Closure – Identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
Skills:
Active Listening – Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking – Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Monitoring – Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Reading Comprehension – Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Speaking – Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Writing – Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Active Learning – Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Judgment and Decision Making – Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Learning Strategies – Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Instructing – Teaching others how to do something.
Systems Evaluation – Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
Systems Analysis – Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
Service Orientation – Actively looking for ways to help people.
Quality Control Analysis – Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Complex Problem Solving – Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Minimum Qualification Requirements
Applicants must meet at least one of the following minimum requirements to qualify for positions in this job classification:
Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in industrial hygiene, environmental health, occupational safety, engineering, or human resources management.
Four years of full-time work experience in human resources/safety administration (i.e. development and implementation of a safety program, accident prevention, loss control, facility inspection, employee training).
A total of four years of education and/or full-time experience (as described in number two), where thirty semester hours of accredited college or university coursework in industrial hygiene, environmental health, occupational safety, engineering, or human resources management equals one year of full-time experience.