Safety & Occupational Health Specialist

This position is within the Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, at the Southern Arizona VA Health Care System (SAVAHCS), Engineering Service, Safety and Occupational Health Department. The primary responsibility of this role is to support the development, coordination, implementation, and management of safety, fire prevention, and occupational health programs for the main hospital.

Include but are not limited to: Incumbent independently conducts surveys and inspections at assigned areas to assess work practices and environments conditions for safety and health hazards, and to ensure fire protection devices and safety equipment are working properly. Surveying work areas and inspecting equipment for compliance with EPA, NFPA, OSHA, The Joint Commission, VA, and all other applicable regulations and codebooks, within established timeframes. Inspecting contract nursing homes, halfway houses, homeless shelters, and other work areas in accordance with the latest edition of NFPA 101, Life Safety Code, and other applicable codes. Providing timely and accurate reports of these inspections. Inspecting and testing fire extinguishing equipment, fire safety and fire suppression systems. Coordinating and performing quality surveillance of related work completed by contractors. Inspecting construction sites for compliance with VA, the Joint Commission and OSHA regulations with regard to exits and stairs, floor load capacity, aisle space, adequacy of sprinkling systems, safety features on storage tanks containing flammable and volatile liquids, and the adequacy of scaffolding erected to facilitate painting of buildings, etc. Assists with maintaining hazardous material inventories and documentation. Maintains required records of fire and safety inspections and tests. Recommends and implements appropriate remedies by submitting work orders, purchases requests, or initiating contract services. Assists Safety Manager and Industrial Hygienist in developing, coordinating and implementing programs, prepares polices and procedures; revises safety instructions and guides. Conducts general safety training, industrial equipment safety training; identifies external training opportunities for additional training, using a wide variety of materials, publication, exhibits, protective devies, and visual aids; promotes safety campaigns through oral presentations at local safety committee meetings, posting safety displays. Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. Work Schedule: Full-time, Monday thru Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM Compressed/Flexible: Compress schedule not authorized. Telework: This position is not authorized for telework. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Safety & Occupational Health Specialist/PD11354O Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Nor approved. Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized. Physical Requirements: The incumbent frequently inspects and surveys patient-care areas, laboratories, warehouses, vehicles, industrial shops, grounds, community-based clinics, and nursing homes, necessitating prolonged periods of walking, standing, reaching, and bending. Incumbent negotiates narrow passages, rooftops, and crawlspaces. Climbing, running, jumping, crawling in confined spaces, and exposure to fire situations may be required. The work requires a degree of agility and dexterity.

You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. 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 or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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: 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/.