Safety and Occupational Health Specialist

Summary

The Safety & Occupational Health Specialist 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: Develop, plan, implement, and manage a comprehensive occupational safety and fire protection program. Direct the development of facility occupational, life, and fire safety policies, programs and procedural documentation. Conduct in-depth surveys and evaluations of working conditions/environments to determine the nature and magnitude of hazardous exposures and the effectiveness of existing control measures. Participate in review of plans for new or modified facilities, processes, and materials for the evaluation of the adequacy of hazards. Ensure compliance with various guidelines and standard for the health care system. Ensure employees are appropriately protected from emerging hazards. Conduct education and training for the health care system staff and for other personnel on specific occupational, life, and fire safety program requirements. Advise top leadership, supervisors, managers, and safety committees of appropriate measures to control or eliminate potential hazards. Compose correspondence in response to all inquiries, deficiencies, or action plans regarding matters pertaining to the occupational, life, and fire safety programs. Develop policies, programs, and procedures designed to improve safety conditions and thereby reduce the incidence of injuries. Monitor contracts and scheduled work for fire suppression and protection systems. Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Safety and Occupational Health Specialist/PD23516A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/13/2026. 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-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11. 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. Individual Occupational Requirement - 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. You may qualify based on your experience as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-11) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Qualifying specialized experience includes what is stated above, as well as: recognizing potential hazards associated with a variety of operations and processes; conducting surveys/inspections of working conditions to determine nature of hazardous exposures; analyzing findings to recommend or develop corrective/control measures; auditing for compliance with established guidelines; developing policies to improve safety conditions; and preparing training concerning occupational, life, and/or fire safety. 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/. Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination. Investigations and surveys involve moderate physical exertion, including carrying equipment, climbing, standing, walking, and bending, as well as use of personal protective devices and occasional work in confined spaces. Work Environment: The work involves exposures to all the hazards and discomforts including chemicals, noise, dust, aerosols, fumes, and operating equipment. Protective clothing or equipment, including respiratory protection, may be necessary. Much of the work is performed in an office setting, although exposure to industrial hazards is expected multiple times weekly during walk-through surveys conducted individually or conducted as part of a larger study. Work is self-directed at this level.

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.