"Alerted.org

Summary The incumbent is the Safety and Occupational Health Specialist at the Kerrville Division (KD), and serves as a recognized expert in safety, occupational health and ergonomics, life safety, and fire protection. The incumbent has the responsibility for developing policies, goals, and plans for execution of activities; evaluating programs; and providing advice to field activities, private contracting companies, and other Agencies which have participating or related programs. Responsibilities Duties may include but are not limited to: Identifies and requisitions test equipment to be used in performing tasks. Performs analysis using standard methods to determine the nature and degree of physical hazards in the workplace. The incumbent calibrates and uses a variety of instrumentation to assess workload and forces, such as force and torque testing instrumentation. Prepares notes and assessments, gauging the effectiveness of the program, which directs the future of the program. Responsible for comprehensive safety oversight of all Kerrville facilities and grounds. Designs field surveys/test to uncover possible hazards. Completes routine inspections and assessments for the prevention of hazards. Walks hallways with regularity to ensure paths of egress are maintained. Inspects the Clean and Dirty Utility rooms in each clinical unit to ensure compliance is maintained, and recommends remediation to the Nurse Manager for corrections. Performs risk management consultation. Develops safety checklists for use by a variety of customers in a variety of situations to minimize hazards by proactive risk management. Employs checklists in completing assessments and gauging compliance, and for training and demonstration of a functioning and effective risk management program. Conducts risk assessments if new equipment, processes, or tasks are introduced, or if the safety of established processes comes under question, either from employees or supervisors, as a new area of focus from HCS leadership, or if identified as a potential hazard through health care industry or occupational health channels. Resolves difficult and complex technical, project management, and organizational problems using innovative and original approaches. Provides expert technical advice and guidance to senior management officials in the appropriate application of technology to VHA's mission as it relates to safety issues. Implements and monitors OSHA goals for Safety Management and Occupational Health procedures. Reports safety hazards, accidents and injuries. Demonstrates knowledge of the reporting procedure involving safety issues relating to patients. Studies incidents for awareness of environmental factors, referring patient incidents to Patient Safety and the Safe Patient Handling Coordinator, and manages a joint effort to eliminate contributing hazards. Develops and implements outreach programs and events to increase public awareness of nationally recognized safety events such as National Safety Month, National Public Health Week, Fall Prevention Awareness Week, Drive Safely Work Week, etc. Develops the governing policy memorandum, Safety Training Requirements, making changes as needed, and completing a comprehensive update before the 5-year expiration of the policy. Cooperatively works with federal, state, and local environmental and occupational safety and health organizations in areas of mutual interest. Develops and directs training sessions for HCS personnel when changes in equipment, processes, accepted practices, standards, or directives occur. Performs inspections of new construction to ensure compliance with all applicable codes, standards, and HCS policy requirements. Reviews pre-construction engineering plans and drawings for adherence to ergonomic principles in areas such as built-in desks and work surfaces, recommending revision when proposed work surface dimensions fail to support ergonomic requirements. Manages the process for Pre-Construction Risk Assessments (PCRA) and Infection Control Risk Assessments (ICRA), and monitors compliance during scheduled construction rounds and unscheduled walk-throughs. Supports the GEMS Program, including scheduling pick-up and disposition of regulated wastes. Responsible for promoting a culture of safety and fully cooperates in efforts to improve patient safety and eradicate potential events, including the reporting of events resulting in actual or potential injury to a patient. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Safety & Occupational Health Specialist/PD03308O Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification 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) As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial 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 period or trial period, 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, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/03/2025. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-9 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. Individual Occupational Requirements: Education: 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: 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. In addition to the above IOR, you must qualify with grade requirements below: GS-9 Grade Requirements: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-7 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes: Knowledgeable of safety and occupational health principles, practices, procedures and standards applicable to a full range of complex safety and occupational health management responsibilities at a multi-facility health care system and requiring the planning, organizing, directing, operating and evaluation of a safety and occupational health program related to modern medical care and compliant with the Joint Commission; Knowledgeable of medical fire and construction standards, methods, practices, techniques, materials, equipment, and utility systems sufficient to determine compliance with life safety standards and devise hazard control measures applicable to health care facilities and supporting buildings; managing the implementation of construction safety programs and reduces the potential for injuries and illnesses to patients, employees, and visitors from unsafe construction activities conducted by contractors and VA employees, including operations and maintenance crews and permanent construction crews; AND directing all construction safety program activities and recommends and implements interim life safety measures (ILSM) as needed. OR Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D. Major Study 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. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED) OR Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED). You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Accident Investigation Compliance Inspection Risk Management Problem Solving Communication Technology Application Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: 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. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. QUALIFICATIONS SECTION CONTINUED IN THE EDUCATION SECTION OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT: Education QUALIFICATIONS SECTION CONTINUED: Physical Requirements: The work environment of the Safety and Occupational Health Specialist requires regular and frequently recurring periods of standing, walking, bending, crouching, climbing ladders, working on roofs or in basements, working in chemical laboratory environments, including pushing and pulling carts to transport equipment, supplies, and/or hazardous materials, and standing and walking during training sessions and safety awareness activities such as safety fairs. There will be some periods of sedentary work while managing administrative duties. The incumbent organizes and executes training, public demonstrations, and safety fairs, which may include hands-on fire extinguisher training, set up and knock down of display tables for educational fair events such as Earth Day and America Recycles Day, and "stock room" type actions that accompany the Swap-It office supply and fixtures "swap meet" hosted by Safety Service several times per year (receiving, cleaning, arranging, and distributing items). The incumbent is required to lift or carry moderately heavy loads. Pushing/pulling a cart carrying supplies, training materials, and/or equipment is required. When conducting EOC rounds, the incumbent leads walking tours through inspection areas weekly. This includes descending and ascending stairs. EOC rounds also include walking tours of exterior spaces like the campus grounds, parking areas, smoking shelter, and the shipping/receiving dock. The incumbent leads rounds through interior spaces including administrative offices, maintenance and operations machine shop areas, patient care areas that may require donning of gloves, gowns, etc., for infection precautions, or exposure to hazards in dirty utility rooms. Certification for respiratory protection may be required. Physical capability and good balance and dexterity may be required to navigate areas such as construction areas, interstitial spaces, mechanical rooms, and rooftops while executing duties. The incumbent is also required to answer numerous phone calls and manage these interruptions with patience, since many calls are to lodge complaints and report issues, or may be communications from disgruntled employees. Good eyesight and hand dexterity for reading and computer work are necessary. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. Education: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application. 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: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or 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. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. 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.