Safety and Occupational Health Specialist @ Veterans Health Administration

Job Summary

The Safety and Occupational Health Specialist plans, schedules, and conducts difficult inspections in establishments and worksites where there is a strong probability of encountering hazardous work processes and materials, and unsafe environmental conditions, involving a substantial number of employees.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/27/2026. 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-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-9. 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.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Individual Occupational Requirement: The Safety and Occupational Health Management Series, 0018, has an Individual Occupational Requirement that must be met in addition to the Specialized Experience. 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 Specialized 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.

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 experience. In addition to the Individual Occupational Requirement, you must also meet the Specialized Experience below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Experience and working knowledge of safety code regulations such as OSHA, JCAHO, NFPA, other state, city, and local county codes. Experience interpreting and adapting criteria to actual working conditions, practices, and various environments. Experience of safety and occupational health concepts. Experience working in the field of medical center facilities. Experience and skill in constantly updating environmental hazards to employees, identifying potentially hazardous agents, and skill in altering work procedures without hindering work activity.

Ability to analyze, interpret policy, and apply policy. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related 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 a master's degree.

Physical

Requirements

Incumbent must have the ability to walk, climb, and crawl in all Medical Center Areas as the need arises. Faces varying physical demands while investigating accidents or potential hazards. 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/.

Major Duties

• The incumbent plans, schedules, and conducts difficult inspections in establishments and worksites where there is a strong probability of encountering hazardous work processes and materials, and unsafe environmental conditions, involving a substantial number of employees.
• Duties include, but are not limited to: Conducts safety surveillance audits and inspections on a frequent basis according to the required standards and regulations and depending on the degree of hazard.
• Obtains immediate corrective action of conditions, which are of imminent danger to life or limb.
• Investigates hazardous conditions, equipment, practices, etc. to identify and analyze the nature and severity of hazards and possible remedial actions (i.e., elimination, correction, or protection).
• Ensures corrective actions are initiated and consults with subject matter specialists and managers about changes in work processes and proposed methods to eliminate unnecessary risks and control hazardous conditions.
• As required, investigates or assist investigators in investigating accidents/mishaps, obtains witness statements, photographs the accident scene, records circumstances and extent of injuries, estimates cost of property damages, and prepares a report of findings which includes recommendations to correct unsafe acts or conditions which caused the accident.
• Performs as an experienced specialist in safety work that involves a combined approached to unusual or complex safety and occupational health management issues.
• Plans, develops, and implements safety promotional and educational campaigns containing aspects of difficult issues that are designed to meet both general and specific goals of reducing accidental occurrences and meet unique local situations.
• Promotes safety campaign and education materials; selects appropriate medium for use in promoting safety; ensures that safety standards are published in appropriate training manuals; and establishes necessary safety committees.
• Researches various sources of information for promotional items and campaigns to initiate and maintain interest in accident prevention and occupational health for at-work and off-the-job employee activities.
• Updates educational and promotional informational bulletin boards and disseminates information via contemporary communication means to all assigned areas.
• Determines areas for emphasis; develops or adapts material for safety campaigns and training courses and conducts technical training for personnel; assists operating officials in establishing safety committees, participates in committee meetings, and provides technical guidance and assistance.
• Ensures the distribution of information and guidance developed by accident prevention committees is distributed to all pertinent parties.
• Remains abreast of recent advances in safety and occupational health knowledge and technical know-how.
• Develops and prepares supplements to guidelines developed by higher authority and initiates written procedures implementing technical safety standards, codes, and safety requirements for a variety of operations or activities within the serviced area.
• Conducts comprehensive analytical surveys and/or studies of serviced safety programs.
• Reviews safety policies, procedures, and regulations published by serviced organizations.
• Works closely with all personnel in the establishment of realistic safety requirements and compliance with applicable directives and regulations.
• Evaluates technological changes in the workplace and recommends appropriate safety measures for possible application.
• Proposes plans that are well-developed and account for potential difficulties with alternative solutions and approaches.
• Provides necessary administrative support for the assigned safety program or program segment.
• Maintains records of all area training; notifies supervisors when training is due; schedules training to include all shifts; and conducts training when requested or required.
• Creates and conducts area-specific safety hazard initiatives when needs dictate.
• Maintains long-term historical safety records and notes trends or changing conditions that warrant revision of safety procedures.
• Assists in the planning, organizing, directing, and controlling information used in safety databases.
• Ensures data integrity, manages data input, and guides operations in the accuracy and conformity of established standards.
• Works independently to establish workflow processes and implements necessary measures to assure quality control.
• Determines data needs, data processing requirements, and technical expertise needed in support of data management of accident records.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Full-time, Monday - Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Safety and Occupational Health Specialist/PD06750A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

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 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 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) 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, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.