OSH Safety Compliance Officer I

Agency Dept of Labor Division Occupational Safety , Health Admin Div Job Classification Title OSHA Safety Officer I (S) Position Number 60013149 Grade NC16 About Us The North Carolina Department of Labor is charged by statute with promoting the health, safety and general well-being of the workers in the state. The laws and programs the Department administers affect every worker in the state. The Department is organized into three primary divisions which carry out the Department's principle regulatory, enforcement and promotional programs, and the administrative operations. The three primary divisions have divisions, bureaus and offices under each, which carry out the specific and specialized portions of the NCDOL mission. The Department employs approximately 385 employees. To learn more about the NC Department of Labor, please visit our website at https://www.labor.nc.gov/. Description of Work This posting will close at 11:59 p.m. the night before the end date. This position may be filled as Safety Compliance Officer (SCO) Trainee if there are no fully qualified SCOI candidates in the applicant pool. The hiring salary for a SCO Trainee is $55,823. The hiring salary for a fully qualified SCOI is $61,000. The Occupational Safety and Health Division (OSH Division or OSHNC) of the Department of Labor, under the direction of the North Carolina Deputy Commissioner of Labor, is the lead state agency with the responsibility of fostering safe and healthy workplaces for more than four million employees and migrant workers in more than two hundred seventy-five thousand workplaces in North Carolina by educating, developing, and enforcing compliance to safety, health, and agriculture laws, rules, regulations, and standards. OSH Compliance Bureaus: OSH Compliance, comprised of the East and West Bureaus, conducts inspections to identify safety and health hazards that are in violation of OSHA standards, documents those violations, and then issues the appropriate citations and penalties per established procedures. The Compliance inspectors identify corrective measures for each hazard and work closely with the employer to ensure implementation of those measures. They investigate safety & health complaints filed by employees as well as accidents, fatalities, and catastrophic events in the workplace, and assist with training & outreach activities statewide. This position is located in the Raleigh OSHA field office. Safety Compliance Officer (SCO) position requires identifying workplace hazards (and potential hazards); recommending citations for alleged violations and making appropriate referrals; inspecting a variety of establishments; performing safety and health hazard assessments; evaluating employer's hazard abatement efforts; preparing reports, investigating fatalities, accidents and complaints as required by the Occupational Safety and Health Act. No more than a 50-mile commute to the Raleigh OSHA Field Office is required. A valid Driver's License is required. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities / Competencies The SCO with an understanding of industrial engineering concepts, must be knowledgeable and decisive inconsistently applying the OSHNC standards. The SCO must be a self motivated professional who has outstanding time management and databasemanagement skills and must be physically, mentally and emotionally capable of conducting independentinspections. The SCO must have excellent documentation and writing skills to write legally defensible reports and must beproficient in keyboarding using word processing programs, i.e. Wordperfect and Microsoft Word. The SCO musthave excellent verbal communication skills. Duties include speaking with complainants, employers, state and localagencies (including law enforcement) and NCDOL personnel. The SCO will be required to evaluate and make recommendations on unusual problems. Valid driver's license is required. Minimum Education and Experience Requirements Some state job postings say you can qualify by an equivalent combination of education and experience. If that language appears below, then you may qualify through EITHER years of education OR years of directly related experience, OR a combination of both. See oshr.nc.gov/experience-guide for detail. SCO I: Bachelor's degree preferably with a major in occupational safety, industrial management or technology, industrial engineering, industrial arts, engineering operations, or a closely-related curriculum from an appropriately accredited institution and two years of experience in occupational safety and health inspections; or Associate s degree in industrial safety and health technology, or a closely-related curriculum from an appropriately accredited institution and four years of experience in occupational safety and health inspections; or an equivalent combination of education and experience. SCO Trainee: Bachelors degree preferably with a major in occupational safety, industrial management or technology, industrial engineering, industrial arts, engineering operations, or a closely-related curriculum from an appropriately accredited institution; or Associate s degree in industrial safety and health technology, or a closely-related curriculum from an appropriately accredited institution and two years of experience in occupational safety and health inspections; or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Applicants enrolled in an applicable bachelors or masters degree program will be considered if all degree requirements will be completed by the end of the current semester. Any offer of employment will be contingent upon the applicant providing an official transcript or other proof the degree has been conferred prior to the first day of employment. For applicants that earned a foreign degree: foreign degrees require an official evaluation for U.S. equivalency and must be submitted to Human Resources for verification. This documentation should be attached to your application to receive credit for your degree. There are several organizations that perform this specialized service. Applicants can use any service of their choosing. The National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) has several options on their website that can provide credential verification: https://www.naces.org/members. If you are the selected candidate for the position, you will be required to submit a 10-year CERTIFIED driving record as a condition of employment. In addition, all new hires to the agency will be subject to a pre-employment drug test. This job posting is for one position only. In order to be considered for other vacancies, you must apply for each one. To apply for this position, please click APPLY link above. SEE ATTACHED RESUME WILL RESULT IN AN INCOMPLETE APPLICATION. To receive credit, all experience must be included in the work history sections. Any information omitted from the application but included in the resume will not be considered for qualifying credit. Faxed applications will not be accepted. Persons eligible for veteran preference must submit a copy of Form DD-214. NCDOL uses the Merit-Based Recruitment and Selection Plan to fill positions subject to the State Personnel Act with the most qualified applicants. When a salary range or recruitment range is posted, the actual salary will be based on relevant competencies, knowledge, skills and abilities, internal equity and budgetary considerations pertinent to the advertised position. All post-high school degrees must be from appropriately accredited institutions. The State of North Carolina is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Due to the volume of applications received, we are unable to provide information regarding the status of your application over the phone. To check the status of your application, please log in to your account. Processing applications will take an average of 6 8 weeks due to the high volume of applications received. It is not necessary to contact the Human Resources Office to check the status of an application. Upon the closing date, applications are "Under Review" and will be screened by Human Resources for the most qualified applicants. For technical issues with your application, please call the NeoGov Help Line at 855-524-5627. If there are any questions about this posting other than your application status, please contact: NC Department of Labor Human Resources Division Kyla Virden 919-707-7732 Knowledge Skills and Abilities/Management Preferences 1.(5%) Pre-inspection Activities When an inspection assignment is received by the Safety Compliance Officer I (SCO I) from the Compliance District Supervisor, the SCO I will complete the following: Research the employer to be inspected to become familiar with the operation(s) involved, the processes used in the operation(s), and the potential exposures and hazards associated with the operation(s) Communicate with the complainant(s), when appropriate Coordinate a simultaneous site visit with a Health Compliance Officer, when appropriate Calibrate and maintain all sampling equipment that might be required in making the inspection Obtain necessary measuring/sampling equipment (e.g. sound level meter, velometer, etc.) that might be required in making the inspection 2.(20%) Inspection Activities During any inspection, the SCO I conducts an opening conference with the top management official at the employers establishment. After the opening conference, the SCO I conducts the walk-around portion of the inspection, taking photos, taking measurements, and documenting findings. The SCO I must be able to obtain the cooperation of employer management personnel and employees when conducting an inspection. The SCO I usually works alone when conducting an inspection and fully and thoroughly documents all inspection activities. The SCO I must be technically capable of recognizing and evaluating potentially hazardous exposures and conditions in all types of workplaces. The SCO I must have a thorough knowledge of occupational hazards and have the ability to identify occupational safety hazards to either achieve abatement and to refer the health hazards to a Compliance District Supervisor to assign to a Health Compliance Officer to investigate. Thorough interviews are conducted with employer representatives and employees to augment the inspection results and observations. The SCO I conducts a closing conference with the appropriate management and employee representatives to delineate inspection results and explain their rights and responsibilities. 3.(65%) Inspection Report A written report of each inspection is submitted to the Compliance District Supervisor for review. Reports must be of such clarity and detail that they are legally correct so they are a strong basis for any legal action between the Department of Labor and the employer. An inspection report must clearly describe the events of an inspection in terms that are easily understood as well as defensible in a court of law to resolve any legal action taken by the Department of Labor or the employer. Measurements and calculations of must be documented in all inspection reports. Reports must identify the source of all hazards, employee exposure, employer knowledge of the hazardous condition, and specific recommendations for the implementation of corrective action. Reports are prepared in accordance with the FIS in OSHA Express (OE). As part of the reporting process the SCO I will recommend citations, gravity-based penalties, warranted reductions of the gravity-based penalties, violations of particular standards. The report must support all these recommendations. 4.(5%) Post-Inspection Activities When an inspection results in citation(s) that are contested by the employer, a hearing is scheduled before a member of the Occupational Safety and Health Review Board. The SCO I who conducted the inspection will be required to testify at the hearing, using their inspection report. The SCO I will coordinate pre-hearing conferences with the attorney responsible for the contentment and will provide additional documentation requested by the attorney or the Compliance District Supervisor. 5.(5%) Additional Professional Activities. The SCO I is expected to develop and use professional judgment in implementing the instructions in the FIS. Since workplace safety and health is a dynamic field, guidelines, procedures, rules, regulations, policies, and laws are subject to change and the SCO I must be aware of these changes and the impact they have on employers and employees. Most changes are transmitted from the Division of Occupational Safety and Health to the SCO I through the FIS. In addition, legal decisions in other states and sampling technique modifications are examples of topics for which the SCO I must remain current in order to conduct effective inspections. To aid in acquiring and maintaining a high level of technical and professional competency, the SCO I should actively participate in professional organizations and seek certification by The American Society of Safety Engineers. The SCO I aids in the training of compliance officers and performs other job-related duties as assigned by the Compliance District Supervisor. II.B. Other Position Characteristics: 1. Accuracy Required in Work: The SCO I must maintain accuracy during all phases of an inspection. Accurate measurements and observations must be made when conducting inspections in a workplace to correctly assess employee exposures. 2. Consequence of Error: Errors in inspections increase the probability of on-the-job accidents, injuries, illnesses, and fatalities. Such errors also have direct economic impact on employers through costs associated with lost work time and worker compensation. Also, there may be direct economic impact on the employer for unnecessary abatements if the SCO I improperly applies the standards. Mistakes may have litigation consequences if the inspection is not a proper, careful review of the workplace. 3. Instructions Provided to Employee: The SCO I receives training to maintain technical and professional competency. The training is outlined in Operational Procedures Notice (OPN) 64 and the employees development plan and is directed by an SCO II mentor and is the responsibility of their supervisor. 4. Guides, Regulations, Policies, and References Used by Employee: 29 CFR 1910 Occupational Safety and Health Standards for General Industry 29 CFR 1926 Occupational Safety and Health Standards for Construction 29 CFR 1928 Occupational Safety and Health Standards for Agriculture 29 CFR 1915 Occupational Safety and Health Standards for Shipyards 29 CFR 1917 Occupational Safety and Health Standards for Marine Terminals Occupational Safety and Health Act of North Carolina (NCGS 95, Article 16) Labor Laws Administered by the North Carolina Department of Labor US and NC Bureau of Labor Statistics Annual Surveys US Department of Labor Recordkeeping Guidelines North Carolina OSH Database Industrial Commission Database Employment Security Commission Database Secretary of State Office Database Title III, Emergency Planning and Right to Know Act of 1986 North Carolina Hazardous Chemicals Right to Know Act (NCGS 95, Article 18) NFPA National Electrical Code American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Standards National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standards NFPA-101 Life Safety Code Title 13 of the North Carolina Administrative Code American Society or Testing Materials (ASTM) Manual American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) Threshold Limit Values (TLV) American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Standards Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) for Streets and Highways North Carolina Workers Compensation Laws Safety and Health Program Committees (NCGS 95, Article 22) Office of State Human Resources Workplace Safety Manual Integrated Management Information System (IMIS) Forms Manual OSH Field Information System (FIS) Migrant Housing Act of North Carolina Pattys Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology Applied Occupational & Environmental Hygiene North Carolina Mine Safety Rules North Carolina Motor Vehicle Laws North Carolina Building Codes 5. Supervision Received by Employee: The SCO I receives work assignments and general supervision from a Compliance District Supervisor. In addition, an SCO II may assist the Compliance District Supervisor with the supervision of the SCO I. 6. Variety and Purpose of Personal Contacts: The SCO I works with a wide variety of individuals in performing their work. The diverse personal contacts include small employers, corporate safety and health directors, company presidents, organized labor representatives, employees, legal counsel, special interest groups, federal agency representatives, state agency representatives, OSH Review Commission hearing officers, judges, and other Dept. of Labor staff. The purpose of these contacts is to gather or disseminate information to accomplish the result of ensuring safe and healthy workplaces. 7. Physical Effort: The physical effort required of an SCO I could best be described as a light to moderate work effort. Occasional heavy work rates will be required when carrying sampling equipment and/or when the inspection requires extensive climbing of stairs and ladders. 8. Work Environment and Conditions: The SCO I is assigned to a field office. Time is spent in field activities that involve evaluating potential employee exposure to a variety of environmental hazards at applicable workplaces in North Carolina. Examples of these hazards include hot and cold weather, toxic aerosols and liquids, microbiological agents, cancer causing agents, high and low temperature extremes, noise, and radiation. Adverse conditions or environments requiring special consideration or skills may include: varied walking surface conditions, such as uneven terrain, stump holes, slipping hazards, tripping hazards; elevated conditions requiring extensive climbing of ladders, stairs and ability to function comfortably at elevated level; entry into restricted spaces such as room hatches, manholes, ladder cages, etc.; extreme temperature environments and adverse weather conditions; poisonous plants, insects and reptiles; biological hazards; multi-lingual work forces; and, carrying heavy equipment. 9. Machines, Tools, Instruments, Equipment, and Materials Used: The SCO I must be able to use the following equipment and will use the equipment during inspections: tape measure, sound level meter, velometers, air gauge, digital camera, pH paper, scientific calculator, heat stress monitors, pH meters, oxygen level meter, explosive gas meter, detector tubes, common ergonomic measurement tools, , a variety of direct reading instruments and circuit tester. Also, the SCO I needs to understand how to read blueprints for process management evaluations and how to use the Internet. 10. Visual Attention, Mental Concentration, and Manipulative Skills: Close visual attention and intense mental concentration is required at all times. Average manipulative skills are required. 11. Safety of Others: The work of the SCO I is to ensure the provision of safe and healthy workplaces for affected employees and employers in the state, so this requires the SCO I be aware of these conditions at all times. 12. Dynamics of Work: Changes in processes and technological innovations result in new or different standards to address new hazards in workplaces. Legislative and/or policy changes cause a reassessment of hazards and how to determine violations or penalties. Program changes within the Department of Labor occur to meet emerging needs. Frequent change also occurs in regard to the FIS. Minimum Education and Experience Some state job postings say you can qualify by an equivalent combination of education and experience. If that language appears below, then you may qualify through EITHER years of education OR years of directly related experience, OR a combination of both. See the Education and Experience Equivalency Guide for details. Bachelors degree preferably with a major in occupational safety, industrial management or technology, industrial engineering, industrial arts, engineering operations, or a closely related curriculum from an appropriately accredited institution and two years of experience in occupational safety and health inspections; or Associate degree in industrial safety and health technology, or a closely related curriculum from an appropriately accredited institution and four years of experience in occupational safety and health inspections; or an equivalent combination of training and experience. EEO Statement The State of North Carolina is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and dedicated to providing employees with a work environment free from all forms of unlawful employment discrimination, harassment, or retaliation. The state provides reasonable accommodation to employees and applicants with disabilities; known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions; and for religious beliefs, observances, and practices. Recruiter: Kyla Virden Recruiter Email: KYLA.VIRDEN@LABOR.NC.GOV North Carolina State Government is one of the states largest employers, with over 76,000 employees all working toward a common goal: a safer and stronger North Carolina. We are a large organization comprised of various agencies, offices, and universities, each providing important public services. Eligible state employees are entitled to comprehensive benefits, including a variety of leave options, professional development opportunities, insurance, and more. To learn more about the benefits of being a North Carolina state employee, visit the N.C. Office of State Human Resources' website. Permanent, temporary, and time-limited state government jobs can be found from the mountains to the coast. Find your next opportunity today! State Application Resources/Frequently Asked Questions Valuing Education and Experience The State of North Carolina values the knowledge and experience of our jobseekers and current state employees. Approximately 91 percent of state job classifications allow experience to be substituted for education or do not require a post-secondary degree. Learn more about how you may qualify for a position through education or directly related experience, or a combination of both, with the Education and Experience Equivalency Guide. Introduce yourself to our recruiters and we'll get in touch if there's a role that seems like a good match. If you are already a state employee, please search for jobs by clicking here.