Supervisory Safety and Occupational Health Specialist (Area Director).

About the Role

The Supervisory Safety and Occupational Health Specialist (Area Director) is responsible for ensuring safe and healthful working conditions for workers within an assigned geographical area. This role oversees safety and occupational health programs covering a range of industrial activities, including general and heavy construction, wood products, chemical production, textile mills, paper milling, rubber and plastic products, foundries, primary metal operations, metal fabrication, alcohol production, and maritime industries (shipbuilding, repairing, longshoring). These industries involve high-hazard and high-risk operations with exposures to chemicals and physical agents where standards, regulations, or precedents may be lacking, controversial, or contested (e.g., asbestos, cotton dust, lead, silica, noise, fiberglass).

Responsibilities

• Oversee safety and occupational health programs for high-hazard and high-risk industries, addressing exposures to chemicals and physical agents with unclear or contested standards.
• Provide leadership, guidance, and advice to safety and occupational health representatives on interpreting legislation, regulations, and standards to meet Federal requirements and improve service to workers.
• Assign work to subordinates based on priorities, complexity, and employee capabilities.
• Evaluate the work performance of subordinates.
• Advise, counsel, or instruct employees on work and administrative matters.
• Resolve employee complaints; refer group grievances or serious unresolved complaints to higher-level supervisors.
• Identify developmental and training needs of employees and arrange for necessary training.
• Improve production and increase the quality of work directed.
• Review and approve serious disciplinary actions involving nonsupervisory subordinates.

Requirements

• Must be at least 16 years old.
• Must be a U.S. Citizen.
• Required to obtain the necessary security/investigation level.
• Requires a probationary period if not previously completed.
• Subject to financial disclosure requirements.
• Requires a valid driver’s license.
• Requires a supervisory probationary period if not previously completed.

Qualifications

This position has an Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR):

• Education: Undergraduate or graduate degree in safety, occupational health, industrial hygiene, or a related field supplemented by at least 24 semester hours in disciplines such as safety, occupational health, industrial hygiene, occupational medicine, toxicology, public health, mathematics, physics, chemistry, biological sciences, engineering, or industrial psychology.
• Experience: For positions above GS-5, experience in or related to safety and occupational health that provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of the position. Examples include:
  • Managing safety or occupational health program elements.
  • Developing and recommending safety and occupational health policy.
  • Applying safety and occupational health laws, regulations, and practices to resolve technical matters.
  • Developing standards, regulations, or procedures to control hazards.
  • Implementing programs to reduce accidents and occupational illnesses.
  • Analyzing jobs, processes, or systems to identify hazards.
  • Designing or modifying workplaces to eliminate hazards.
  • Inspecting workplaces for compliance with safety standards.
  • Training personnel in safety or occupational health subjects.
  • Work experience in fields such as industrial hygiene, safety engineering, or occupational health nursing.
• Certificates: Certification as a Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH), Certified Health Physicist (CHP), or similar certification that included a written examination meets the requirements for GS-5. Higher grade levels may require additional education and/or experience.

Applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-13 level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience includes:

• Overseeing team operations and providing technical or administrative guidance.
• Managing safety or occupational health enforcement/compliance programs.
• Making recommendations on OSHA standards or developing new standards and procedures.

Foreign education must demonstrate comparability to education received in accredited U.S. institutions. There is no substitution of education for specialized experience at the GS-14 level.

Additional Information

As a condition of employment, all personnel must undergo a background investigation for access to Department of Labor (DOL) facilities, systems, and information. Supervisors have heightened responsibilities for advancing government ethics, serving as models of ethical behavior, and ensuring subordinates understand their ethical obligations. This position is subject to confidential financial disclosure requirements under the Ethics in Government Act of 1978. Employees are required to complete an annual Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450).

The DOL may use incentives and hiring flexibilities to attract highly qualified candidates. The Fair Chance Act prohibits requesting an applicant’s criminal history before a conditional offer of employment. All DOL employees are subject to the Drug-Free Workplace Program under Executive Order 12564 and Public Law 100-71.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position held (full-time, part-time, or intermittent). Contact the hiring agency for more information on specific benefits offered.