OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY SPECIALIST 1 - 08182026- 80178

Location: Chattanooga, TN – Department of Labor & Workforce Development, Hamilton County

Full-time position with a monthly salary of $4,057.00 ($48,684.00 annually).

Qualifications

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in safety, industrial engineering, sciences, or a related field.
• OR an associate degree in safety, industrial engineering, sciences, or a related field and at least two years of occupational safety and health experience.
• OR an associate/two-year degree in safety, industrial engineering, sciences, or a related field, one year of occupational safety and health experience, and completion of TOSHA's 12-month internal apprenticeship program.

Necessary Special Qualifications:

• Must possess a valid vehicle operator’s license.

Overview

Under immediate supervision, this entry-level role involves professional occupational safety inspection work of routine difficulty. The position focuses on learning to perform safety and health inspections in compliance with Tennessee OSHA (TOSHA) regulations.

Responsibilities

• Learns to handle complaints, settle disputes, and resolve grievances and conflicts.
• Provides guidance on technical issues to support regulatory compliance in public and private sector facilities.
• Develops communication skills for written correspondence, phone conversations, and in-person interactions with diverse individuals.
• Gains proficiency in using Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook), Adobe Acrobat, and agency-specific systems for case management, inspections, and reporting.
• Learns to conduct workplace inspections to identify hazards and potential safety or health violations.
• Develops skills in prioritizing work, meeting deadlines, and performing administrative tasks.
• Participates in staff meetings and training sessions.
• Gathers and evaluates information to assess compliance with laws, regulations, and standards, determining violations or non-violations.
• Researches and reviews occupational safety/health standards, directives, interpretations, and manuals (e.g., Field Operations Manual, Consultation Policies and Procedures Manual) to stay current on trends.
• Learns and applies proper use, maintenance, and calibration of safety and health equipment during inspections.
• Promotes and markets the On-Site Consultation Program to employers to encourage voluntary compliance and improve workplace safety.
• Performs other duties as assigned to support the division’s mission and operations.

Skills

Competencies:

• Customer Focus
• Manages Complexity
• Action Oriented
• Interpersonal Savvy
• Nimble Learning

Knowledges:

• Building and Construction
• Mechanical
• Customer and Personal Service
• English Language
• Active Learning and Listening
• Monitoring
• Reading Comprehension
• Writing
• Critical Thinking

Abilities:

• Inductive Reasoning
• Written Comprehension
• Problem Sensitivity
• Speech Clarity
• Limb and/or Full Body Flexibility

Tools & Equipment:

• Computer/Printer
• Safety and Health-Related Equipment
• Personal Protective Equipment
• Telephone/Cell Phone
• Motor Vehicle