Safety & Occupational Health Specialist

***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 facilitys 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 facilitys 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

• 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 drivers 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 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.

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 masters 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 Managements website at

Required Experience:

IC