Safety and Health Specialist - Community Hospital and Clinic Safety Division

 

Primary Purpose of Organizational Unit: The Occupational and Environmental Safety Office (OESO) provides the focus for the administration of all safety and environmental programs to Duke University, Duke University Medical Center, and Duke University Health System.  OESO has the responsibility for developing institutional safety and environmental plans and policies; providing information and training to meet all regulatory requirements; providing technical consultation and guidance; conducting exposure and risk assessments; conducting safety and environmental audits; monitoring compliance with all safety and environmental policies; and investigating accidents, injuries, spills, environmental releases, and reported unsafe conditions.

 

Specific to the Community Hospital and Clinic Safety Division: The Community Hospital and Clinic Safety Division is responsible for developing, organizing, directing, and monitoring activities that minimize occupational health and safety risks and assure compliance with applicable regulations and accreditation bodies for Duke Raleigh Hospital, Duke Regional Hospital, and associated clinics.  The Division accomplishes these objectives through the anticipation, recognition, evaluation, and control of safety and health hazards and through coordination with the other specialized Divisions within OESO.

 

Primary Purpose of Position:  This position is responsible for the anticipation, recognition, evaluation, and control of safety and health hazards for OESO’s, Community Hospital and Clinic Safety Division, to ensure compliance with federal, state and local regulations.  Responsibilities include developing, organizing, directing, supporting, and monitoring activities that minimize occupational health and safety risks and maintain compliance with applicable regulations.  This includes surveillance, reports of the results of the surveys, data collection, assurance of compliance, training as needed, development of site-specific safety plans, and review of employee exposures, injuries, and accidents. This position reports directly to the Director of the Community Hospital and Clinic Safety Division of the OESO.

 

General Duties and Responsibilities

In addition to the primary duties, the Safety and Health Specialist will:

 

• Assist in the occupational safety and health functions and relevant accreditation functions for the Community Hospital and Clinic Safety Division.  Be accountable for developing and implementing policies, procedures, and systems related to the occupational safety and health programs within the Division.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge and understanding of new or anticipated regulations or compliance interpretations that may affect or impact the Division.  Prepare analyses and strategies for review by OESO Management.
• Assist the oversight entities to assure compliance with all appropriate Federal, State, and local regulations and standards such as OSHA, EPA, DOE, DOT, NRC, RCRA, FIFRA, TOSCA, CERCLA, TJC, and CMS. 
• Provide leadership and direction to technical personnel of the Community Hospital and Clinic Safety Division
• Identify personnel, institutional and material resources needed to accomplish objectives. 
• Establish, maintain cooperative relations, work effectively as a member of a team, and communicate effectively with other Duke organizational units.
• Review planned expansion, modifications, or closures of facilities that impact areas of the Division’s oversight.
• Serve as a representative on the respective safety committees for Duke Raleigh Hospital, Duke Regional Hospital, and other affiliated community sites, as needed.
• Assist with comprehensive safety and hygiene audits of Duke Departments. Will be able to recognize some deficiencies and hazards independently and will be able to research findings to determine extent of possible hazards.
• Perform tasks related to various environmental management functions, such as on-site management of hazardous wastes, spill response, hazardous materials treatment or recycling, and environmental compliance program support.
• Perform sampling to evaluate personnel exposures and engineering controls.
• Perform accident investigations and work with departments to correct safety hazards and develop preventative procedures.
• Perform Job Hazard Assessment and, after consultation with more experienced employee, recommend measures to control exposures, including substitution of less hazardous materials, personal protective equipment (PPE), work practice changes, and some engineering controls.
• Assist with preparing training classes and materials and deliver training courses that have already been developed.
• Write reports documenting observations, sampling results, and recommendations for supervisor's review. Assist with writing reports t