Summary
The Safety & Occupational Health Manager performs a variety of functions related to the identification, evaluation, and control of safety and health hazards and to the promotion of healthful and safe working conditions. The work includes surveys; coordination with other health and safety specialists; administration of occupational, life, and fire safety programs; review of design plans for hazard control, investigation of causative agents for occupational hazards; and education/training.
Duties
Major duties include, but are not limited to: Developing local policies, regulations, and policies pertaining to facility safety, GEMS, and emergency management, as well as mission statements, performance standards and functional and organizational charts as they apply to the service. Evaluating new policies and directives to determine the impact on Safety, GEMS, and Emergency Management Services. Planning, organizing, coordinating, analyzing, and administrating a series of comprehensive inspections of the Medical Center's facilities in patient care areas, laboratory areas, engineering shops, offices, as well as community nursing homes, Adult Day Care Centers, Grant and Per Diem facilities and residential board and care homes. S/he provides management with reports on compliance and violations of safety, industrial hygiene, environmental and fire protection mandates, in compliance with the guidelines and regulations developed by VA Central Office (VACO), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), National Institute for Safety and Occupational Health (NIOSH), The Joint Commission (T JC), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and other agencies. S/he issues notices of unsafe working conditions to management when inspection findings warrant and recommends methods for hazard abatement and the correction of unsafe conditions or practices. Managing, planning, developing and implementing various Safety, GEMS, and Emergency Management Service related projects and programs affecting the medical center, and its CBOCs and satellite operations. The incumbent is required to give technical interpretations of complex regulations to his/her staff as well as various services within the RJDVAMC system. Accurate interpretations of these regulations and directives are essential. Ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local regulations concerning the management of hazardous materials and wastes, and universal waste from the point of entry into the facility to its final disposal. This includes overseeing industrial hygiene evaluations, asbestos monitoring, lead abatement, hazardous waste disposal, medical surveillance, permitting, (Material) Safety Data Sheets, and training. Analyzing new or proposed legislation, directives or measures to determine the impact on medical center operations, funding, workload, and resources. Identifying and developing data required for use in the management and direction of these and related programs. Overseeing and providing technical assistance for projects to resolve emergency management problems, including but not limited to emergency preparedness drills, decontamination procedures and training of personnel in all aspects of decontamination of personnel; recalling personnel using the cascade system; facilitating Interaction between the facility and the community by means of the Local Emergency Preparedness Committee Overseeing and providing technical expertise for the design, modification, operation and maintenance of the facility and infrastructure to ensure compliance with safety, environmental and emergency management requirements. Overseeing the execution of the facility safety and fire prevention program, including preparation of all policies, reports, safety, occupational health and fire prevention-related correspondence. Overseeing the environmental management programs throughout the health care facility. The incumbent ensures compliance with all provisions and regulations of this program and initiates or completes corrective actions as needed. Planning, conducting or directing special studies concerned with emergency response compliance problems which require the development or modification of protective devices or the evaluation of control measures for a specific operation, such as decontamination team response to hazmat or WMD incidents. Often serves as team leader during drills. Formulates annual budget and exercises financial management responsibilities for all fund control points of the Service and develops workload and cost data for the preparation of the medical center budget in relationship to the fund control points. Develops both long and short-range plans for the Safety, GEMS, and Emergency Management by coordinating the administration needs of the Service. Incumbent is responsible for making and implementing decisions directly affecting patient care. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:30a-4:00p or 8:00a-4:30p Telework: This position may be authorized for ad-hoc telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Safety and Occupational Health Manager/PD105430 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved 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 Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required. 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.
Education
There is no educational substitution at this grade level. 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/.
How you will be evaluated
Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following Competencies for this position: Accountability Customer Service Decisiveness Flexibility Interpersonal Skills Problem Solving Resilience Your 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. 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. IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. 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. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator.