Safety and Occupational Health Specialist

Overview

The Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO) directs the worldwide overseas building program for the Department of State. Working with other offices and bureaus, foreign affairs agencies, and Congress, OBO’s challenge is to set worldwide priorities for the design, construction, acquisition, maintenance, use, and sale of real properties and the use of sales proceeds.

Safety, Health, and Environmental Management Division (OBO/OPS/SHEM) plans, coordinates, and administers the Department’s overseas safety, health, and environmental management (SHEM) program-to include policy development, program assessments, training, environmental health and safety hazard identification, and investigation of major mishaps, injuries, and environmental incidents.

Responsibilities

• The Safety and Occupational Health Specialist directs, coordinates, plans, administers, and evaluates a comprehensive program of overseas facilities occupied by Department employees and family members and serves as an advisor to program managers, analyzing and resolving diverse, high safety risk hazards.
• Plans, organizes, administers, and conducts a scheduled series of comprehensive surveys of office buildings, laboratories, printing plants, residences, warehouses, and other facilities to determine nature and extent of SHEM hazards and exposure.
• Plans, organizes, administers, and conducts a scheduled series of comprehensive technical, programmatic, and operational oversight assessments of office buildings, printing plants, maintenance shops, warehouses, residences, and other facilities to determine nature and extent of SHEM hazards and exposures at posts to develop solutions for hazard abatement.
• Works with post management to provide direction for hazard abatement and identifies avenues to fund such efforts. Estimates the cost of implementing recommendations or changes and establishes priority relative to corrective action.
• Educates personnel at all staffing levels and their families on SHEM matters to ensure understanding of the basis and criticality of SHEM program implementation, along with education on identifying and eliminating or controlling risk. Educates post officials to enable them to perform their functions and meet responsibilities.
• Trains employees in applicable safety, health, and environmental topic areas.
• Enters collected data into database applications based on posts visited, and tracks post SHEM program implementation using the system.
• Prepares reports and makes recommendations for hazard abatement that account for technical and cultural aspects, logistical challenges, and economic constraints for a broad range of operational, worksite, and residential situations.
• Recommends and specifies equipment to protect employees and the public from safety and occupational health hazards.
• Investigates employee and resident suggestions or complaints regarding safety, health, and environmental hazards. Recommends methods to eliminate or alleviate concerns.
• Develops and maintains statistical data relative to loss prevention. Analyzes mishap statistics and investigative reports to compare incident rates, evaluates economic loss due to damaged property, severity of injuries sustained and environmental conditions surrounding mishaps; isolates casual factors and devises measures to control hazards detected.

Qualifications

• Must be a U.S. citizen.
• Possesses practical knowledge to independently develop new, innovative alternative solutions/ recommendations to address technical/programmatic/policy/operational issues at posts in a geographically dispersed work environment. This knowledge is applied to develop or extend, recommend, and carry out significant hazard control techniques that will minimize or eliminate unsafe and unhealthy activities and conditions directly affecting the safety and health of personnel and their families overseas.
• Knowledge of practical engineering methods and controls to mitigate or eliminate safety and health hazards.
• Utilizes various guidelines such as OSHA standards and technical publications, ANSI standards, EPA technical documents, laws, and regulations, as well as NSC and ASSE references. Guidelines may provide only part or perhaps none of the information required to meet job objectives, particularly in overseas operations where innovative solutions may be required to reduce risk.
• Strong organizational, interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills.
• Must be able to work in a collaborative, team environment.
• Advanced knowledge of and experience with administrative and program management functions.
• Working knowledge of MS Office suite and/or other general office applications.
• Ability to develop and present training that encompasses the broad spectrum of the health, safety, and