Senior Safety Specialist



Senior Safety Specialist

Salary

$76,835.20 - $103,521.60 Annually

Location

CA, CA

Job Type

Full-Time Regular

Job Number

8809GE-0821-017 (O)

Department

County Executive Office

Opening Date

08/23/2021

Closing Date

10/12/2021 11:59 PM Pacific

CAREER DESCRIPTION

SENIOR SAFETY SPECIALIST

Please note that this recruitment will be closing tonight October 12, 2021, at 11:59 PM (PST).


In addition to performance-based merit increases, this position is scheduled to receive salary range increases on the following dates:

Effective July 1, 2022 - 3.5% increase

 Salary may be negotiable within the range listed above, based on position requirements and successful candidate's qualifications, subject to appropriate authorization.

This recruitment will be open to the public for a minimum of five (5) business days and will remain open on a continuous basis until 11:59 PM (PST) on the day the County's needs are met. Applicants are encouraged to apply immediately as this recruitment may close at any time without further notice. 

This recruitment will establish an open eligible list that will be used to fill current and future Senior Safety Specialist positions and may also be used to fill positions in similar and/or lower classifications throughout the County of Orange. 

THE COUNTY
The County of Orange is a regional service provider and planning agency whose core businesses include public safety, public health, environmental protection, regional planning, public assistance, social services, and aviation. 

Click here for more information. 

THE DEPARTMENT
The County of Orange, Office of Risk Management is part of the County Executive Office (CEO). The Office preserves and protects the human and capital assets of the County of Orange to allow County departments and agencies to meet their missions without unnecessary cost. It operates as an "insurance company" for the County of Orange and manages numerous programs. The Safety and Loss Prevention Program strives to ensure a safe environment for County employees and members of the public who visit County facilities and receive County services. Safety staff work to support efforts to ensure that all state and federal requirements are met or exceeded.

THE OPPORTUNITY
The Risk Management Office seeks an experienced Senior Safety Specialist professional who has the drive to learn, take initiative and has enthusiasm for changing culture. The Senior Safety Specialist will possess deeper technical skills than expected of a Safety Specialist and is expected to conduct advanced level project-related work.

Primary responsibilities may include the following:
  • Act as the primary liaison for the County's safety division in proactively managing and implementing countywide initiatives to maintain compliance with regulatory and county safety standards
  • Lead and coordinate the roll-out/implementation of assigned countywide safety projects or tasks such as enterprise database systems, contractor safety programs, Americans with Disability Act Title II initiatives, training development and Industrial Hygiene programs. Conduct complex safety assessments, including for high hazard activities
  • Review, develop and update the countywide safety plans and programs, safety policies and procedures
  • Analyze data to evaluate and track trends, program effectiveness, root-causes and identifies opportunities for improvement
  • Collaborate and analyze organizational needs to improve and address gaps in training and safety courses, designing relevant content and developing measurable training strategies and delivery methods using latest learning theories
  • Provide assistance leading safety program audit teams
  • Assist in training and mentoring Safety Specialists
DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS AND CORE COMPETENCIES 
The ideal candidate will possess an Associate's degree and at least one (1) year of supervisory experience. Although not required, candidates who possess Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH), Associate Safety Professional (ASP), or a Certified Safety Professionals (CSP) certification(s) will be highly desirable. 

In addition to the minimum qualifications, the ideal candidate will have extensive knowledge and/or experience in the following core competencies:

Technical Experience | Technical Knowledge
  • Federal, state, and local occupational safety rules, regulations, standards and guidelines (e.g. Occupational Safety and Health Administration [OSHA], National Fire Protection Association [NFPA], American National Standards Institute [ANSI], National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health [NIOSH])
  • Complex or sophisticated safety principles in one or more high hazard industry subjects (such as lock-out/tag-out, confined space entry, machine guarding and other high hazard industry subjects)
  • Adult learning principles and techniques for developing training materials, aids and safety standards
  • Trends and innovations related to workplace safety programs
  • Functions of governmental agencies and their roles pertaining to safety regulations and standards
  • Safety principles, practices and procedures
  • Loss control methods, principles and techniques
  • Investigative techniques such as root cause analysis (RCA)
  • OSHA, Cal/OSHA, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and related governmental codes and regulations
  • Accident investigation techniques; accident/incident recordkeeping techniques
  • Instructional program design, principles and techniques
  • Technologies as they relate to safety programs
  • Techniques for gathering, compiling, analyzing and presenting information verbally and in writing
  • Safety, health and environmental compliance and auditing
  • Mathematical calculations; statistical analysis; report preparation
  • Use current technologies to create graphics, present ideas and arguments, and data to support recommendations
  • Establish and maintain effective recordkeeping systems
  • Travel to locations within the County or to other jurisdictions using county-approved means of transportation as required for some assignments
  • Office practices, procedures and equipment, including computers and applicable software applications such as word processing, spreadsheets and databases

Strategic Planning | Analytical Skills

  • Conduct needs assessment, analyze data and/or situations, draw from logical conclusions and recommend effective courses of action
  • Perform quantitative and qualitative analysis, including financial analysis as it relates to injury and illness costs
  • Write full reports using logical approaches to gathering data, analyzing information, presenting problems and recommending solutions
  • Read, analyze, interpret and apply more complex safety regulations, standards and requirements
  • Perform job functions independently, objectively and within set timeframes
  • Conduct inspections and identify hazardous conditions; perform RCA
  • Identify areas of particular risk and develop programs to reduce risk
  • Skilled at program auditing processes
  • Project management

Relationship Building | Interpersonal Skills

  • Identifying with the larger organizational team and the role required; sharing resources, responding to requests from other parts of the organization, and supporting the agency's agenda
  • Establish and maintain effective working relationships; work with others to find mutually agreeable solutions to problems; use persuasion, influence and diplomacy to obtain cooperation and reach mutually agreeable objectives
Leadership Skills
  • Techniques and characteristics to lead a group of individuals
  • Developing and building teams
  • Coaching, developing and instructing
  • Understand individual strengths/roles
  • Promote positivity and "can do" attitude to achieve common goals
  • Share knowledge and respect the knowledge of others to meet team and department goals

Oral | Written Communication Skills 

  • Organizing and delivering public presentations that effectively inform or persuade diverse audiences. Summarizing and presenting information to management or a "non-technical" audience both verbally and in written form
  • Effectively communicate in English orally and in writing, including the ability to communicate technical information in a clear and understandable manner
  • Writing clearly and concisely and demonstrating proofreading and editing skills, composing informative memos, e-mails, formal correspondence, reports, and other documents

 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS 
Click here to learn more about the minimum qualifications and the physical & mental requirements as well as the environmental & working conditions for the Senior Safety Specialist.

License Required: 
Possession of a valid California Driver's License, Class C or higher will be required at time of appointment and must be maintained throughout employment.

RECRUITMENT PROCESS
Human Resource Services (HRS) screens all application materials for minimum qualifications. After screening, qualified applicants will be referred to the next step in the recruitment process. All applicants will be notified via email of their status in the process.  

Application Screening (Refer/Non-Refer)
Applications and supplemental responses will be screened for qualifications that are highly desirable and most needed to successfully perform the duties of this job. Only those applications exhibiting qualifications as listed in the job bulletin will be referred to the next step.  

Structured Oral Interview | Oral Exam (Weighted 100%)
Candidates will be interviewed and rated by a panel of job knowledge experts. Each candidate's rating will be based on responses to a series of structured questions designed to elicit the candidate's qualifications for the job. Only the most successful candidates will be placed on the eligible list.  

Eligible List
Once the assessment has been completed, HRS will establish an eligible list of candidates. Candidates placed on the eligible list may be referred to a selection interview to be considered for present and future vacancies.

Based on the Department's needs, the selection procedures listed above may be modified. All candidates will be notified of any changes in the selection procedure.

Please note: The information you provide on your application and/or response to the supplemental questions may be used as a scoring device, so please be thorough and complete in your response. "See Resume" is not a qualifying response and will not be scored in lieu of the required information.   

Veterans Employment Preference Policy (VEPP)
The County is committed to providing a mechanism to give preferential consideration in the employment process to veterans and their eligible spouses and will provide eligible participants the opportunity to receive interviews in the selection process for employment and paid internship openings. 

Please click here to review the policy.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Please see below for important information regarding COVID 19 related requirements.
 
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve and laws, regulations, and policies regarding COVID-19 are subject to change.   The County of Orange is required to comply with any State or County Public Health Orders which may apply as follows:

  • Workers who provide services in certain Medical or High-Risk Settings, may be required to provide proof of full vaccination from COVID-19 or to wear a mask and undergo weekly COVID-19 testing.
  • Workers who provide services in certain Health Care Facilities or correctional facility or detention center where health care is provided, may be required to provide proof of vaccination.  (Workers may be exempt from this requirement based on religious beliefs or a qualifying medical reason; however, if exempted worker will be required to mask and undergo weekly COVID-19 testing.)
The position for which you are applying may be required to adhere to any applicable State or County Order.  You will receive notification of any requirement as it applies to a position.

EMAIL NOTIFICATIONEmail is the primary form of notification during the recruitment process. Please ensure your correct email address is included in our application and use only one email account.

NOTE: User accounts are established for one person only and should not be shared with another person. Multiple applications with multiple users may jeopardize your status in the recruitment process for any positions for which you apply.
 

Candidates will be notified regarding their status as the recruitment proceeds via email through the GovernmentJobs.com site. Please check your email folders, including spam/junk folders, and/or accept emails ending with "governmentjobs.com" and "ocgov.com." If your email address should change, please update your profile at http://www.governmentjobs.com
 
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: Click here for additional Frequently Asked Questions.

For specific information pertaining to this recruitment, please contact Ivonne Nunez at (714) 347-8385 or inunez@css.ocgov.com

EEO INFORMATION

Orange County, as an equal employment opportunity employer, encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.

Non-Management Benefits
In addition to the County's standard suite of benefits, such as a variety of health plan options, annual leave and paid holidays--we also offer an excellent array of benefits such as a Health Care Reimbursement Account, 457 Defined Contribution Plan and Annual Education and Professional Reimbursement. Employees are provided a Retirement Plan through the Orange County Employees Retirement System (OCERS).

 

Please go to the following link to find out more about Defined Benefit Pensions and OCERS Plan Types/Benefits.
http://www.ocers.org/active-member-information


Click here for information about benefits offered to County of Orange employees.

 

01
INSTRUCTIONS: The information you provide will be used to evaluate your qualifications for the position. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of completing these questions. If you have no experience, write "no experience" for the appropriate question. Responses of "See Work History" or copying and pasting of work experience are not qualifying responses and will not be accepted in lieu of required information. By selecting yes below, you acknowledge that you have read and understand this application requirement.
  • Yes
02
Select the answer that best describes your level of experience and education related to the knowledge and abilities required for this position:

PLEASE NOTE: If you are using education to substitute for experience, you must provide a legible copy of your unofficial or official transcript showing coursework directly related to the competencies and attributes required of the position. Applicants with college coursework completed outside the United States MUST submit an equivalency report from an accredited credential evaluation service. Please attach the supporting documentation to your application.

  • I have at least two (2) years of experience as a Safety Specialist (previous title - Safety and Training Officer) with the County of Orange.
  • I have at least five (5) years of experience directly related to implementing and coordinating safety programs.
  • I have at least four (4) BUT LESS THAN five (5) of years of experience directly related to implementing and coordinating safety programs AND a Bachelor's degree in occupational health or industrial hygiene.
  • I have at least three (3) BUT LESS THAN four (4) years of experience directly related to implementing and coordinating safety programs and abilities AND a Master's degree in occupational health or industrial hygiene.
  • None of the above
03
Education as Substitute for Experience: If you are substituting some experience with a Bachelor's or Master's degree in occupational health or industrial hygiene (if you have selected the third or the fourth option in question #2), please list any college-level or above degree coursework that you have completed. *A diploma or transcript MUST be attached in order to receive credit.*

1. The name of the college or university, and

2. The type of degree awarded and the major

If not applicable, write N/A.

04
Which of the following Safety and Training related certification(s) do you currently possess? Check all that apply. Please ensure to attach a copy of your certificate(s).

  • Associate Safety Professional (ASP)
  • Certified Safety Professional (CSP)
  • Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH)
  • None of the above
05
Which of the following do you have experience and working knowledge of? (Please mark all that apply.)
  • Lockout / Tagout
  • Confined Space Entry
  • Machine Guarding
  • Industrial Hygiene
  • Enterprise Database Systems
  • Contractor Safety Programs
  • Continuous Improvement Initiatives
  • Aerosol Transmissible Disease (ATD)
  • Bloodborne Pathogens
  • Strategy Development
  • Respiratory Protection
  • Electrical Safety
  • Ergonomics
  • None of the Above
06
Please describe your experience with each of the items you selected above. Include in your response, please specify how you have (a) applied it in your previous roles as it relates to this position and (b) your knowledge and experience regarding the topic(s). Generic responses will not be accepted – please be detailed. If you do not possess any of the experience in Question 5, please write "N/A".
07
Describe your supervisory and/or leadership experience in detail. In your response, please include length of time and scope of duties. If no experience, type "n/a".

Required Question

Agency
County of Orange
Address
400 W CIVIC CENTER DRIVE

Santa Ana, California, 92701
Phone
714-834-2555