Safety and Occupational Health Specialist

Summary

These position are with the U. S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Boston Region. These positions are located in Andover MA Area Office; Springfield MA Area Office; and Providence RI Area Office.

• The full performance level of these positions are at the GS-12 grade level.
• Positions are in the Bargaining Unit.
• Selectee will be expected to report to the office listed above.

Duties

Major Duties include but are not limited to the following:

GS-09:

• Assists in conducting and/or participates in opening and closing conferences with management officials employees and employee representatives reviewing hazards or unsafe working conditions.
• Conducts specific (targeted) outreach activities and provides information on OSHA legislation regulations and compliance activities to a variety of different audiences.
• Assists in planning and conducting portions or limited inspections or compliance reviews in establishments and worksites.
• Assists in conducting monitoring and evaluation by analyzing select portions of plan changes programs procedures inspections citations and reports to determine compliance with approved occupational safety standards and programs.

GS-11:

• Conducts occupational safety and health inspections within a variety of agricultural construction general industry and maritime business establishments to ensure employer compliance with federal OSHA standards.
• Conducts investigations involving one or more fatalities injuries serious accidents or other unsafe conditions.
• Prepares for inspections to become familiar with work processes operations and standards applicable to the workplace to be inspected.
• Conducts opening conferences with management officials and employee representatives concerning the nature and purpose of the inspection the procedures which will be followed and employee discrimination rights.
• Participates in Agency efforts to obtain warrants and to subpoena witnesses and documents if necessary.
• Analyses injury and illness data and reviews establishments occupational safety and health programs.

GS-12:

• Conducts opening conferences with management officials employees and employee representatives concerning the nature and purpose of the inspection and the procedures which will be followed.
• Conducts closing conference with employer reviewing hazards identified and violations cited.
• Conducts specific (targeted) outreach activities and provides information on OSHA legislation regulations and compliance activities to a variety of different audiences.
• Conducts investigations of accidents which may involve one or more fatalities a large number of injuries or serious accidents or other unsafe conditions.
• Plans schedules and conducts inspections either individually-determined as assigned or based on complaints received from employees and/or union representatives in establishments and worksites where there is a strong probability of encountering Hazardous work processes and materials and unsafe environmental conditions.
• Inspects worksites machine and equipment operations environmental conditions work practices protective devices and equipment and safety procedures.
• Reviews safety activities for evidence of compliance with prescribed safety requirements.
• Proposes fiscal penalties.
• Assists agency attorneys in the preparation of contested cases for hearing before administrative law judges; testifies under examinations conducted by attorneys representing the agency and the employer.
• Conducts interviews reviews documents and researches various sources of information such as equipment manuals consensus standards interpretations of standards court decisions.
• Identifies violations and hazards and recommends abatement methods common to the work processes and operations.
• Documents inspections to support a legally sufficient case.

As the employee progresses the assignments will become more difficult and complex with less supervision.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen.
• Must be at least 16 years old.
• Requires a probationary period if the requirement has not been met.
• Candidate required to obtain the necessary security/investigation level.
• Requires medical exam and must maintain physical requirements.
• Requires a valid drivers license and ability to operate a motor vehicle.
• Requires drug test prior to appointment at the GS-11 and GS-12.
• You will be required to lift items weighing up to 25 pounds.
• Requires the use of personal protective equipment (PPE).

Qualifications

You must meet the Basic Requirements listed in the Education Requirements section and the Specialized Experience to qualify for Safety and Occupational Health Specialist as described below.

Education

For information about the Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR) please see Education section of this announcement.

Minimum Qualifications:

For the GS-09: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position and that is typically in or related to the work of the position. Examples of specialized experience include:

• 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.
• Analyzing or evaluating new and existing jobs processes products or other systems to determine the existence severity probability and outcome of 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.

OR

Substitution of Experience: Two years of graduate education or a Masters degree in safety or occupational health fields (safety occupational health industrial hygiene) or 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.

For the GS-11: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position and that is typically in or related to the work of the position. Examples of specialized experience include:

• 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.
• Designing or modifying workplaces processes products or other systems to control or eliminate hazards.
• Training of workers supervisors managers or other safety and occupational health personnel in safety or occupational health laws regulations principles theories practices and procedures to advise on or resolve technical matters dealing with occupational safety and health requirements.

OR

Substitution of experience: Three years of progressively higher level related graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in safety or occupational health or related fields.

For the GS-12: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11. Examples of specialized experience include:

• Applying safety and occupational health laws regulations principles theories practices and procedures to advise on or resolve unusual and often complicated technical matters dealing with occupational safety and health requirements.
• Analyzing or evaluating new and existing safety inspection jobs processes products or other systems to determine the existence severity probability and outcome of 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.
• Designing or modifying workplaces processes products or other systems to control or eliminate hazards or

Training of workers supervisors managers or other safety and occupational health personnel in safety or occupational health subjects.

No substitution of education for experience at the GS-12 level.

Education

Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR):

Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study -- safety or occupational health fields (safety occupational health industrial hygiene) or 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.

OR

Experience

Specialized Experience (for positions above GS-5): Experience in or related to safety and occupational health that provided the specific knowledge skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include:

• 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.

OR

Certificates : Certification as a Certified Safety Professional (CSP) Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) or Certified Health Physicist (CHP) or similar certification that included successful completion of a written examination meets the requirements for GS-5. Applicants may also qualify for higher grade levels based on their education and/or applicant falsely claiming an academic degree from an accredited school will be subject to actions ranging from disqualification from federal employment to removal from federal service.

If your education was completed at a foreign college or university you must show comparability to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States and comparability to applicable minimum coursework requirements for this position. Click Evaluation of Foreign Education for more information.

Additional information

Applicants must meet all legal and regulatory requirements. Reference the Required Documents section for additional requirements.

The mission of the Department of Labor (DOL) is to protect the welfare of workers and job seekers improve working conditions expand high-quality employment opportunities and assure work-related benefits and rights for all workers.

Refer to these links for more information: GENERAL INFORMATION REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES

As a condition of employment all personnel must undergo a background investigation for access to DOL facilities systems information and/or classified materials before they can enter on duty: BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION

This position is inside the bargaining unit. If the duty location is within the Washington D.C. metropolitan area the position will be included in the Local 12 AFGE bargaining unit. If the duty location is outside the Washington D.C. metropolitan area the position will be included in the NCFLL bargaining unit.

For more information click Career Ladder Promotion Information

For more information click Telework Position Information. This is not a remote work position. The selectee will report to an assigned DOL office location on a regular basis and is eligible for participation in telework as determined by management in accordance with DOL policy.

Based on agency needs additional positions may be filled using this vacancy.

The Department of Labor may use certain incentives and hiring flexibilities currently offered by the Federal government to attract highly qualified candidates. Click for more information on Pay Leave and Workforce Flexibilities.

The Fair Chance Act (FCA) prohibits Federal agencies from requesting an applicants criminal history information before the agency makes a conditional offer of employment. If you believe a DOL employee has violated your rights under the FCA you may file a complaint of the alleged violation following our agencys complaint process Guidelines for Reporting Violations of the Fair Chance Act.

Note: The FCA does not apply to some positions specified under the Act such as law enforcement or national security positions.

All applicants tentatively selected for this position will be required to submit to screening for illegal drug use prior to the appointment.

All Department of Labor employees are subject to the provisions of the Drug-Free Workplace Program under Executive Order 12564 and Public Law 100-71.

Recruitment incentives may be offered at managements discretion.

Persons who are deaf hard of hearing blind or have speech disabilities please dial 711 to access telecommunications relay services.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government passionate about the ideals of our American republic and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Required Experience:

IC