Occupational Health and Safety Specialist

Department

• OPS DSS Occupational Health
• About the Department

Environmental Health and Safety (EHS), led by the Executive Director of EHS, reports to the Associate Vice President for the Safety and Security division. Safety and Security includes the University of Chicago Police Department (UCPD), Emergency Management Operations, Transportation and Parking Services, Environmental Health and Safety, and Security Systems.

Environmental Health and Safety provides a safety framework, subject matter expertise, emergency response, and management of safety support activities for the University in its entirety including numerous off-site facilities (e.g., Press Warehouse, Gleacher Center, Court Theatre Production Center, multiple commercial real estate locations, Ricketts Lab, Fossil Lab, Hyde Park Labs, leased spaces), Medical Center Facilities on the Hyde Park campus, and multiple affiliates (e.g., UC Charter Schools, Marine Biology Lab, Child Development Centers) to ensure operations are conducted safely and in accordance with regulatory standards and institutional guidelines while also serving in a consultative role to other partners (e.g., Argonne National Lab, Fermi National Lab).

• Environmental Health and Safety contributes to the UChicago institutional safety infrastructure via partnerships with other administrative support units including Facilities Services, Physical Plant, Office of Research Safety, the Medical Center Environmental Health and Safety Office, Emergency Management, University of Chicago Police Department, Risk Management, Office of Legal Counsel, Commercial Real Estate Operations, and Campus and Student Life.
• Job Summary

Environmental Health and Safety (EHS), led by the Executive Director of EHS, reports to the Associate Vice President for the Safety and Security division. Safety and Security includes the University of Chicago Police Department (UCPD), Emergency Management Operations, Transportation and Parking Services, Environmental Health and Safety, and Security Systems. The Occupational Health and Safety Specialist reports to the Senior Occupational Health and Safety Specialist for Environmental Health and Safety. This position requires frequent reporting directly to the Assistant Vice President of Facilities Operations.

Environmental Health and Safety provides a safety framework, subject matter expertise, emergency response, and management of safety support activities for the University in its entirety including numerous off-site facilities (e.g., Press Warehouse, Gleacher Center, Court Theatre Production Center, multiple commercial real estate locations, Ricketts Lab, Fossil Lab, Hyde Park Labs, leased spaces), Medical Center Facilities on the Hyde Park campus, and multiple affiliates (e.g., UC Charter Schools, Marine Biology Lab, Child Development Centers) to ensure operations are conducted safely and in accordance with regulatory standards and institutional guidelines while also serving in a consultative role to other partners (e.g., Argonne National Lab, Fermi National Lab).

Environmental Health and Safety contributes to the UChicago institutional safety infrastructure via partnerships with other administrative support units including Facilities Services, Physical Plant, Office of Research Safety, the Medical Center Environmental Health and Safety Office, Emergency Management, University of Chicago Police Department, Risk Management, Office of Legal Counsel, Commercial Real Estate Operations, and Campus and Student Life.

The Facilities Services Occupational Health and Safety Specialist is responsible for developing, managing, improving, and serving as the occupational health and safety subject matter expert and solely dedicated to Facilities Services Operations to ensure compliance with occupational health and safety programs while coordinating regulatory compliance efforts. This role ensures a safe and compliant working environment within Facilities Services Operations by providing technical guidance, training, and inspective/risk analysis of occupational health and safety hazards and related operational issues that may arise.

Facilities Services Operations includes various shops including carpenters, painters, electricians, engineers, groundskeepers, inventory clerks, locksmiths, mechanics, roofers, sheet metal workers, and central utility plant workers.

The programs which fall under the purview of the Occupational Health and Safety unit include, but are not limited to the following: hazard communication, respiratory protection, confined spaces, hearing conservation, lockout tagout, fall protection, machine guarding, shop and theatre safety, aerial lifts, cranes, powered industrial lifts, exposure assessments, indoor air quality/mold investigations, bloodborne pathogens, heat and cold stress, ergonomics, ladder and scaffold safety, electrical safety, and personal protective equipment.

Responsibilities

• •Develops, implements, and supports occupational health and safety policies and procedures within Facilities Services Operations.
• •Provides expert opinions to interpret internal or external University issues and recommends best practices to address occupational health and safety concerns related to Facilities Services Operations impact on the entirety of campus.
• •Independently manages schedule to complete work requests and operational work.
• •Leads a cross-functional team in the development of a risk matrix applicable throughout all units within the Facilities Services division while engaging with other divisions to identify and quantify facility related risk.
• •Applies specialized depth and/or breadth of expertise in conducting risk assessments, delivering safety training, recommending effective safety measures, evaluating turnover of construction and renovation projects to create innovative solutions to improve safety and reduce injuries.
• •Utilizes expertise to collaborate with Environmental Health and Safety team members in designing, developing, and deploying complex EHS initiatives and projects to ensure they align with Facilities Services Operations fiscal year goals and improve processes and services.
• •Communicates complex concepts involving multiple stakeholders that are influenced by a range of factors, including inherited circumstances, funding limitations, and restricted spatial parameters.
• •Manages ongoing review, audit, and reporting process of safety programs where they are deemed the subject matter expert.
• •Solicits improvement ideas from Environmental Health and Safety leadership and staff and other University stakeholders. Ensures solutions meet business needs and requirements.
• •Develops project charters, prioritizes and creates implementation plans, and seeks approval from Senior Occupational Health and Safety Specialist and department leadership.
• •Works with stakeholders and other technical teams to collect business and technical requirements and design/deliver solutions.
• •Creates and updates technical documentation of standard operating procedures as needed.
• •Addresses sensitive issues by anticipating potential objections using tact and diplomacy to influence others to adopt a different point of view by conveying the significance and impact of issues that may be outside of the expertise of others ultimately guiding the group in the creation of well-informed solution that considers all aspects of occupational health and safety.
• •Establishes priorities for safety training by leveraging in-depth knowledge of each group within Facilities Services Operations. Tailors training and meetings to accommodate differences in union contracts, start and break times, and the specific hazards unique to each group. Provides expertise to managers, directors, and senior directors in prioritizing and addressing safety concerns.
• •Understands the operational workload, impact of non-standard shifts, demands from campus stakeholders, and awareness of seasonal demands while deploying safety initiatives and