Site Safety Officer

Site Safety Officer

The NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) enriches the environment and protects public health for all New Yorkers by providing 1.1 billion gallons of high quality drinking water, managing wastewater and stormwater, and reducing air, noise, and hazardous materials pollution. DEP is the largest combined municipal water and wastewater utility in the country, with nearly 6,000 employees. DEP's water supply system is comprised of 19 reservoirs and 3 controlled lakes throughout the system's 2,000 square mile watershed that extends 125 miles north and west of the City. The Bureau of Water Supply seeks to hire an Associate Public Health Sanitarian I for a position within the Strategic Services unit, Drinking Water Operations (DWO) Directorate, located in Valhalla, New York.

The Bureau of Water Supply Drinking Water Operations Strategic Services unit is responsible for providing Risk Management Program (RMP), Process Safety Management (PSM) and Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) resources to achieve compliance objectives for all BWS Drinking Water Operations employees and facilities. Under direction, of the Associate Public Health Sanitarian Supervisor I, the Associate Public Health Sanitarian I will serve as Site Safety Officer and will be responsible for directing programs to enforce the Health Code, Occupational Safety and Health Agency (OSHA) regulations, other Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) rules and assist in planning and executing special projects and surveys governing health and safety in the BWS workplace. Specific duties include:

• Under direction, provides support and technical assistance on health and safety matters to ensure that assigned facilities maintain Environmental, Health and Safety (EH&S) compliance with Federal, State and Local regulations, laws and codes, and Agency and Bureau policies and guidelines.
• Ensure that all staff reporting to the assigned facilities have information on, and access to, tools and skills required to conduct their job duties in a safe and environmentally responsible manner by acting as a technical resource person, doing research, reviews report of inspections, and make recommendations on future health and safety actions.
• Conduct in service training programs and gives technical guidance to subordinate staff in facility inspections.
• Perform routine highly difficult and complex safety and health investigations to verify that assigned facilities and field staff maintain environmental, health and safety (EH&S) compliance with Federal, State and Local regulations, law and codes, and Agency and Bureau policies and guidelines.
• Inspect construction of facilities for conformance with environmental conditions regulations and with approved plans and specifications.
• Maintain technical knowledge, license and certifications as may be necessary to perform all job assignments. Attend required training and EHS meetings to maintain knowledge of current programs and directives.
• Interpret Risk Management Program (RMP), Process Safety Management (PSM) regulations and Environmental Health Safety Code requirements and DEP policies/ regulations to facilities and their application to proposed methods, processes and equipment.
• Coordinate with facility personnel to access Risk Management Program (RMP), Process Safety Management (PSM) Mechanical Integrity activities (maintenance and inspection records) in the Computerized Maintenance and Management Systems.

Some of the physical activities performed by Associate Public Health Sanitarians and environmental conditions experienced are stooping, climbing and lifting actions in order to view pertinent areas or obtain samples from premises being inspected. Some inspections require the Associate Public Health Sanitarian to work with instruments that operate with a sealed radioactive source; other inspections require protective equipment be worn, i.e., face masks, respirators, coveralls, gloves, etc. Associate Public Health Sanitarians carry their own equipment, which may be bulky, and normally travel from site to site by public transportation. Special Working Conditions: Associate Public Health Sanitarians may be required to work shifts including nights, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.

Preferred Skills:

• A Motor Vehicle Driver License valid in the State of New York. This license must be maintained for the duration of employment.
• MS Office including Word, Excel, Teams, One Drive, Power Point, and EHS databases.
• NYC DEP EHS Policies and Procedures
• OSHA Law and Regulation
• US EPA RCRA Hazardous Waste Regulations
• US DOT Hazardous Material Transportation Regulations
• Excellent interpersonal and team liaison approach skill set
• Ability to effectively support the supervisor of a major Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) organizational segment.
• Regulatory Research
• Technical Writing and Database Manipulation
• Communication Skills and Training
• Time Management
• Ability to provide safety reviews and inspections.
• Research regulatory standards to maintain compliance with EHS matters.
• Performs incident investigation and enact appropriate recommendations
• Noise meters and air monitoring meters.

Abilities Required:

• Interpersonal skills adequate to communicate with and liaison with personnel within the Directorate, Bureau and Agency, regarding EHS program compliance.
• Ability to use basic industrial hygiene instrumentation and tools.
• Research and interpretation abilities adequate to understand and apply relevant EHS laws, standards and policies in the workplace and communicate them to Responsible Individuals, the supervisory chain and others.
• Aptitude to perform basic mathematical and statistical calculations.
• Capacity to write, review, edit and provide comments on technical reports and safety plans.
• Able to use basic industrial hygiene instrumentation and tools.
• Capability to perform basic mathematical and statistical calculations.
• Capacity to write, review, edit and provide comments on technical reports and safety plans.
• Able to operate a motor vehicle in the performance of assigned duties to make frequent site visits to all facilities.
• Interpersonal and communication skills adequate to work with facility staff and EHS team members in order to engage them to provide recommendations for continuous improvement and on-going education processes.

Records and Reports:

• Provide a weekly bullet summary of highlights on issues of significance and concerns and regulatory non-conformances to the Chief of DWO EHS South.
• Prepares required reports concerning chemical usage including EPCRA /SARA and Subpart Z annually in conjunction with and on behalf of Facility Responsible Individuals.
• Provides regular summary reports on incident investigation reports related to spills, releases, injuries/illnesses, and near misses as they occur.
• Conduct Noise Assessments, Job Hazard Analysis and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Assessments for staff and facilities and report the summary of these assessments using formatting specified by the Bureau EHS or Agency Policy.
• Assist Facility Responsible Individuals and other key staff with the development and writing of technical documents such as Emergency Action Plans (EAP), Safe Work Plans (SWP) and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) as they apply to EHS matters.
• Assist Facility Responsible Individuals with the technical research and assembly and submittal of Agency and other EHS facility pre-audit requirements.

Hours/Shift: 40 Hours per week. May be required to work shifts including nights, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays

Work Location: 465 Columbus Ave Valhalla NY 10595 Valhalla is a hamlet in the Town of Mount Pleasant, Westchester County, NY approximately 28 miles from mid-town Manhattan.