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.

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Duties

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***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

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• Physical Requirements: Work requires regular inspections of buildings, grounds, and construction sites, including walking, standing, climbing ladders, and entering confined spaces. Occasional lifting of moderately heavy items (e.g., safety equipment) may be required. Personal protective equipment is used as necessary.
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements ( Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Required Documents" below for details.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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:

Additional information

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.

Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 80 or more before any Veterans preference points) for this vacancy. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at

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.

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.