Safety and Occupational Health Specialist

Employee will serve as a Safety and Occupational Health Specialist located at the Southwest Consolidated Mail Outpatient Pharmacy (CMOP), Veterans Healthcare System in Tucson, AZ. THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION The primary purpose of this position includes the responsibility for the day-to-day administration and execution of the facility safety and fire prevention program, including preparation of all policies, reports, safety, occupational health and fire prevention-related correspondence. Duties will include, but may not be limited to the following: Ensures that inspection and testing of all fire protection equipment and systems is accomplished in accordance with codes and policies. Ensures that inspections of fire extinguishers throughout the facility and testing of the fire alarm system are conducted on an ongoing basis and directs overall program. Investigates lost-time accidents and fire incidents. Prepares analyses of accident and injury trends for review and action by the facility Safety Committee. Reviews all accident reports for completeness, accuracy and adequacy of corrective actions. Conducts accident investigations and checks and analyzes accidents, illnesses, hazardous conditions and code deficiencies for the purpose of informing management and meeting report schedules. Accident investigations consist of visiting the accident scene and interviewing staff and visitors as needed, investigating the cause of the accident, and making recommendations on how they can be prevented. Compiles reports on accident statistics. Schedules hazard evaluations of any identified hazards and reviews all reports of hazards for completeness, accuracy and adequacy of corrective actions. Conducts general and fire safety training classes for all employees, including special supervisory training classes in fire and occupational safety. Designs and executes an employee awareness program in safety, and informing services of employees trained. Schedules, conducts and documents fire drills and emergency preparedness drills in all areas of the facility. Acts as co- chair of Emergency Preparedness Committee and follows up on deficiencies found during Emergency Preparedness Drills. Conducts workplace inspections throughout the facility and storage areas. Performs other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Various work schedules are available, due to operational necessity and at the discretion of the supervisor. Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved Telework: This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Applicants must meet at least one of the following minimum qualification requirements to qualify for this Safety and Occupational Health Specialist GS-11 position. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Requires one full year of specialized 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. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-9) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Qualifying specialized experience includes: 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. NOTE: Resume(s) must clearly support the qualifying experience to receive credit. We will not make assumptions regarding experience. For additional position details, please review the announcement duties section. OR SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR EXPERIENCE (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED): 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. Education must include a Major study in 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 COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED): Equivalent combinations of successfully completed graduate education (in excess of 2 years) and experience as described above may be used to meet total qualification requirements. 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/. 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. PHYSICAL DEMANDS/WORKING ENVIRONMENT: This position involves the performance of inspection activities which requires frequent extensive walking, standing, bending, climbing, crouching, reaching and lifting of a variety of moderately heavy items such as large metal lids on storage containers. Approximately fifty percent of the incumbent's work is performed in an office setting, and fifty percent of the incumbent's work is performed inspecting. The incumbent must observe the normal safety precautions as set by this CMOP at all times. Additionally, the CMOP is a light industrial pharmacy and warehouse. This position will be exposed to automated, moving conveyors, automated prescription filling systems, sharp-edges, vibrations from machinery, periodic loud noises and dust. This position may be exposed to hazardous materials and processes, requiring the use of personal protective equipment. The selectee may occasionally be required to climb, work from ladder or scaffolding, subject to danger of falling. 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. 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) • See "Required Documents" below for details. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary 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, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. IMPORTANT: 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/.