Safety Officer

Position Information

New Hanover County is seeking an experienced Safety Officer to join our Risk Management team. In this role, you'll lead countywide safety initiatives by developing and implementing safety programs, ensuring compliance with federal and state regulations, providing OSHA and other required safety training, managing workers' compensation and liability claims, and supporting ADA compliance.

Essential Duties

• Serves as a resource to employees and management and addresses safety questions and concerns.
• Identifies hazardous equipment and operations, recommends solutions to minimize hazards, and assists in re-engineering processes.
• Captures ongoing safety and health projects and ensures contractor safety compliance.
• Conducts inspections and surveys on occupational health conditions, such as noise, dust, lead and carbon monoxide levels, asbestos, inorganic toxic metals, organic vapors, nuisance fumes and ergonomics.
• Stands in for inspections from outside organizations and entities.
• Identifies potential threats to employee safety; and selects and implements the most effective systems for protecting staff.
• Keeps county employees current on best security practices; and recommends actions to prevent threats in the system’s weak areas.
• Reviews camera footage to approve to be released to the general public.
• Develops and implements OSHA-mandated safety and health training programs for employees.
• Develops and maintains records of employee training, industrial hygiene monitoring, accidents, workers compensation claims, etc.
• Provides required training, i.e., lock-out, tag-out, blood borne pathogens, right-to-know, first aid, CPR, fork-lift operation, etc.
• Investigates workplace accidents and makes recommendations for corrective action.
• Establishes and updates policies and procedures for compliance with federal and state OSHA regulations.
• Administers the County’s worker’s compensation program.
• Coordinates compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
• Serves as advisor of the County’s Employee Safety Committee.
• Serves as back-up to Risk Management Specialist and when the Risk Management Specialist is unavailable, reviews, investigates, and processes initial auto liability, auto collision and general liability claims to include interviewing involved parties, photographing and measuring accident scenes, analyzing claim merits and coverage issues, monitoring claim activity through the settlement, and negotiating claims' settlements up to deductible amounts.
• Provides clear and accurate responses to coverage, safety, and other risk management related questions.
• Performs work with regular and predictable attendance consistently meeting the scheduling needs as required by the county.
• Performs work during emergency/disaster situations.
• Performs other duties of a similar nature or level.

Knowledge and Skills Required

• Knowledge of applicable federal and state workplace safety and environmental regulations (NCOSHA); technical aspects of environmental health and safety; industrial hygiene methods; NFPA and American National Standards Institute standards; worker’s compensation system; and basic mechanical operations.
• Skilled in preparing and presenting training programs; conducting inspections; performing necessary industrial hygiene surveys; preparing policies and procedures; developing safety programs; monitoring safety in workplaces; investigating and reporting workplace accidents; using computers and related software applications; and communication, interpersonal skills as applied to interaction with coworkers, supervisor, the general public, etc. sufficient to exchange or convey information and to receive work direction.

Qualifications

• Required Education and Experience: Associate’s Degree in Industrial Hygiene, Industrial Engineering, Occupational Safety and Health, or related field, and five (5) years of related industrial hygiene or safety administration experience; or an equivalent combination of training and experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the specific position as listed above.
• Licenses/Certifications:
• Valid Driver's License and good driving record required at time of application.
• Valid North Carolina Driver’s License required by first date of employment with good driving record.
• OSHA 30 Hour Compliance for General Industry, within six (6) months of employment.
• OSHA 30 Hour Compliance for Construction, within six (6) months of employment.
• National Safety Council Driving Instructor Certification must be attained, as determined by supervisor, following successful completion of introductory period.

Other Information

• Living in New Hanover County, NC: New Hanover County offers an exceptional quality of life with its picturesque coastal location. Enjoy the stunning beaches, water activities, and a variety of recreational opportunities right at your doorstep. Immerse yourself in the vibrant local culture, indulge in diverse dining experiences, and explore historical landmarks. The county is known for its strong sense of community, excellent schools, and a thriving arts scene. With a focus on good governance and a commitment to customer service, New Hanover County provides an ideal environment for both personal and professional growth.
• Next Steps: Applicants referred to the department will receive an email requesting important information pertinent to the position applied for. All updates regarding an application can be viewed through your applicant portal.
• New Hanover County is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
• New Hanover County offers a competitive benefits package designed to encourage and support your health, well-being and productivity to include - Employer paid 401k deferred compensation contributions (5% for sworn law enforcement and 2.5% for all other benefits eligible positions); Retirement plan through the NC Retirement system; Paid sick and personal leave + 13 paid holidays per year; Paid parental leave; Paid community services leave to give back to our community; Education leave to obtain a degree within your line of work; Medical, dental, vision insurance + many other insurance options; Employee assistance program; 100% employer paid long term disability; Onsite, employer-paid health and wellness center which includes a nurse practitioner and physical therapist; Professional development trainings & leadership initiatives; Opportunities to make a difference in your community; And so much more!
• Benefit options for eligible positions include medical, dental, elective supplemental insurance options including short-term disability, vision, flexible spending accounts, voluntary term life, cancer, accident, and critical illness policies. Employees who elect medical and dental insurance within the specified timelines provided during on-boarding, will have coverage effective on their date of hire. For more information about New Hanover County benefit options, including our benefit rates, please click here.
• Please check out our careers page at www.nhcgov.com/careers for more information on why New Hanover County is a great place to work.
• Note: All positions listed as temporary, casual part time, volunteer, and intern are not eligible to receive benefits. Part-time position with fewer than 20 scheduled hours per week will not include benefits.

Next Steps

Indicate your highest education level from the choices below: High School Diploma or GED Associate's degree Bachelor's degree Master's degree None of the above
Indicate the length of your professional work experience ensuring compliance with OSHA or other federal and state workplace safety regulations: No experience 1-2 years of experience 3-4 years of experience 5 or more years of experience
Do you have experience developing or conducting workplace safety training programs (such as OSHA, defensive driving, hazards, or similar safety training)? Yes
No

Do you have experience managing workers' compensation claims, workplace accident investigations, or other employee safety-related claims?
Do you have professional experience administering or supporting ADA compliance and accommodations? Yes
No

Do you have a valid North Carolina Driver's license? Yes
No
n/a - already have NC DL

Have you had your driver's license suspended or revoked for any reason in the last three years? Yes
No

Have you had 2 or more driving violation tickets in the previous 12 months or 3 or more in the previous 25 months? Yes
No

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