Title:  Journey Occupational Health & Safety Specialist

Purpose

Prevents and controls occupational health and safety hazards within SMUD's work environments by supervising and performing the planning, development, implementation, and evaluation of Continuous Improvement Safety, Loss Control/Prevention, and Occupational Health efforts that proactively protect employees, the public and the environment. Assist in advancing the organization's health and safety initiatives by developing more complex programs and providing specialized training, with an emphasis on ergonomic practices and mitigating workplace risks.

Nature and Scope

There are four (4) levels in this job classification series that have similar job content but with progressively more challenging degrees and levels of skill, responsibility, knowledge, experience, and qualification requirements:

Flex classifications (that permit progression from lower-level classes to higher level classes without examination based upon assessment of an individual's experience and performance) within the series: 

• Entry: Incumbent acquires knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the tasks associated within the series but are not yet demonstrating these at the Journey level.
• Journey: Incumbent is demonstrating the required skills and knowledge to independently perform the full scope of the job

Non-Flex classifications (that promote from lower-level classes to higher level classes and require an examination, such as an interview, based upon individual experience and performance) within the series.  

• Senior: Advanced journey level resource who is responsible for advanced assignments, as dictated by the work needing to be performed; may serve in a lead and/or supervisory capacity.
• Supervisor: Working supervisor directing the work of a functional team.

Entry to Journey: Incumbents at the entry level are required to successfully “progress” to the journey level within 60 months of appointment to remain within the job series.

Seniors and Supervisors must be hired through a promotional process and do not automatically progress from lower levels in the series.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Participates in the evaluation of SMUD’s work environments and the design of programs.
• Helps enforce compliance with state and federal regulations.
• Manages tasks on contracts.
• Reviews and assesses current and proposed legislation, litigation, arbitration, and regulations or regulatory changes specific to assigned projects/programs for awareness of impending changes and assessment of SMUD compliance.
• Takes on one to two lead roles on projects/programs.
• Investigates employee accidents and unsafe working conditions; studies possible causes and recommends remedial action where necessary.
• Develops and presents Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) training programs to small and large audiences of SMUD employees.
• Assists in identifying potential health and safety hazards in existing or future systems, equipment, facilities, or processes; reviews the causes or effects of such hazards and evaluates the probability and severity of accidents that may result; develops plans to eliminate the hazards.
• Informs SMUD’s workforce of health and safety plans to prevent and control hazards and to help enforce compliance with state and federal regulations; sets up and conducts training sessions for management, supervisors and workers on health and safety practices and regulations.
• Assists in determining the effectiveness of safety plans and improvements and the necessity, if any, for modifications and/or new plans; monitors the progress of safety plans after implementation.
• Supports SMUD’s Safety Management System (SMS).
• Performs other related duties as needed; schedules, hours and locations may fluctuate based on business needs.

Required Education

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in occupational health and safety, risk management, behavioral sciences, public/business administration, or a related field or equivalent experience. If no degree, seven or more (7+) years of experience are required.

Required Experience Qualifications

• Three or more (3+) years of progressively responsible relevant work experience as an Occupational Health and Safety Specialist or Technician, with specific experience performing related occupational health and safety tasks and duties.

Required Licenses/Certificates

Must possess and maintain a valid California Driver’s License (CDL) and a satisfactory driving record (not more than two moving violations in the last two years).

Knowledge Of

• Industry trends, fundamentals, procedures, policies, standards, and practices regarding occupational health and safety;
• Practices and processes in conducting safety, loss control/prevention, and occupational health audits, inspections and self-assessments;
• Regulatory processes on the federal, state and local levels to effectively represent SMUD in health and safety concerns;
• Methods and techniques for report preparation and writing;
• Techniques and practices for problem research and resolution;
• Methods and techniques for record keeping;
• Standard operating procedures for modern office equipment including a computer and applicable software;
• English grammar, punctuation and vocabulary standards.

Skills To

• Plan, develop, implement, and administer OHS programs on one’s own;
• Conduct OHS audits, inspections and assessments;
• Interpret, assess and apply pertinent policies, procedures, regulations, and requirements relative to OHS fields;
• Promote regulatory awareness among business unit managers;
• Recommend changes to work processes to reduce risk and work closely with others for the implementation of changes;
• Conduct trend assessments of incident and other performance data;
• Identify and evaluate problems and recommend solutions;
• Develop and provide training as needed;
• Apply applicable laws, codes, standards, and regulations;
• Use a wide variety of electronic equipment and software relevant to tasks;
• Work on one’s own on projects of minor to moderate complexity;
• Display sound decision making and problem-solving skills within broadly established guidelines;
• Communicate effectively orally and in writing internally/externally;
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships internally/externally;
• Generate reports utilizing SMUD’s Safety Management System.

Desirable Qualifications

• Field safety experience, preferably in an electric utility setting.
• Experience conducting workplace safety inspections in the field and at facilities to ensure safe work practices and program compliance during normal and emergency conditions.
• Experience collaborating with field and office staff to discuss safety concerns, and observations, requiring corrective action(s) and follow up.
• Construction safety experience.
• Knowledge/Experience of Behavior Based Safety.
• Safety Management Systems experience, including data analysis and interpretation.
• Experience writing and delivering regulatory safety training in a variety of settings including both classroom and hands on experience.
• Experience implementing safety programs and delivering safety meeting content to various types of audiences (i.e., field, professional, and executive).
• Experience with Joint Labor Management Safety Committees (JLMSC).
• Ability to collaborate with business unit supervisors on health and safety matters.
• Experience developing new safety programs/initiatives to meet new regulations related to employee health and safety.
• Maintains and applies knowledge of current policies, regulations, and industry processes to help keep programs up to date and ensure processes are implemented correctly.
• Understanding and experience implementing the hierarchy of controls to reduce employee exposures.
• Experience leading incident investigations to identify root causes and corrective actions.
• Collaborates with trade and professional organizations to promote goals and objectives in the health and safety areas that affect the Company's business.
• Understanding of basic industrial hygiene principles and experience collecting samples, analyzing results and writing reports.

Physical Requirements