OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY CONSULTANT APPRENTICE
DEFINITION:
Under the close supervision of a supervisory official in a state department, institution, or agency, as an apprentice, learns to conduct either on-site safety enforcement inspections to identify workplace hazards or occupational safety consultation visits to assist employers in developing and implementing an effective safety program and in expediting compliance with the standards, rules, and regulations of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and/or the Public Employees Occupational Safety and Health Act (PEOSHA); does other related duties as required.
NOTE: The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed.
EXAMPLES OF WORK:
As an apprentice and productive worker:
Learns how to conduct general inspections, assigned program visits and/or field consultation visits with employers to require occupational safety compliance; learns to develop an effective safety program and to identify and recommend solutions to existing unsafe occupational conditions in accordance with the rules, regulations, and standards of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and/or the Public Employees Occupational Safety and Health (PEOSH) regulations, Right-to-Know, and other applicable standards.
Learns to plan and conduct safety enforcement inspections at public employer facilities. Learns to submit a corresponding case file and report to the supervisor for the issuance of an Order to Compliance (OTC) to the employer.
Learns to plan and conduct on-site and off-site education and training of management and employees in the aspects of industry-specific model safety and health programs, development of forms and procedures, self-inspection procedures, jobs hazard analyses, employee notification systems, as well as training and education relevant to hazard control, personal protective equipment, handling and storage of hazardous materials, emergency procedures, and all other aspects of an effective safety and health program.
Learns the necessary techniques to identify unsafe conditions as they apply to the workplace including machinery, handling and storing materials, construction practices, electrical usage, and fire hazards.
Learns to conduct follow-up inspections and visits to ensure abatement of serious hazardous condition(s) or reviews documentary evidence certifying the elimination of the violations.
Learns to compile data about the individual on-site visits relevant to occupational safety principles involved with the hazards common to an industrial workplace and makes determinations on findings consistent with OSHA standards.
Learns to interpret the technical language and application of federal and state safety laws, and OSHA rules, regulations, and standards to employers. Studies applicable laws to provide explanations to employers on which regulations and standards apply to the individual workplace.
Learns how to assist employers in the development and implementation of hazard control, loss prevention and accident control systems, risk analysis, and occupational safety and health trend analyses.
Learns how to conduct an opening conference with employers advising them of the inspection process and on-site consultation program content and regulations; learns to perform plant or workplace walk-throughs to identify problem areas. Learns how to initiate a closing conference to provide the employer with a verbal summary to advise them of all violations identified and to answer pertinent questions.
Learns how to develop and initiate preparatory activities prior to consultative visits in the aspects of reviewing appropriate work processes and associated hazards, and applicable federal and state codes and regulations.
Learns how to prepare written reports of consultation visits for the employer which contains program assessments, action plans, identification of specific safety hazards, whether hazards are serious or not, number of instances of hazards and their location, reference to OSHA Standards for each occupational safety hazard, and suggested means for eliminating the conditions. Learns how to prepare an Order to Comply (OTC) detailing the safety standard violation, its location, a brief description of the hazard(s), and a date by which the violation must be abated.
Learns how to advise employers about any unsafe conditions, how to discuss options for alleviation, and how to offer the method or means to effect elimination of the condition, if feasible.
Learns how to conduct interviews with employees and/or union representatives.
Learns how to promote the availability of programs to small businesses.
May assist in special studies, investigations, and research projects relevant to occupations safety; learns how to compile and interpret the information acquired through such studies.
May participate as a witness in administrative or legal proceedings as required by OSHA.
Reviews literature and keeps current with new developments in the field of occupational safety. Learns how to develop and compile data to serve as informational materials concerning the on-site consultation service.
Learns to prepare technical correspondence and clear, scientifically sound, accurate, and factual reports containing findings, interpretations, conclusions, and recommendations.
Learns how to maintain an itinerary of priority visits to be conducted.
Learns how to maintain an up-to-date OSHA Field Operations Manual, and other records, files, and equipment.
Will be required to learn how to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
REQUIREMENTS:
NOTE: Applicants must meet one of the following or a combination of both experience and education. Thirty (30) semester hour credits are equal to one (1) year of relevant experience.
Four (4) years of professional experience in the identification, analysis and/or solution of workplace safety hazards involving the application of Federal OSHA and/or nationally recognized safety standards.
OR
Possession of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
NOTE: “Professional experience” refers to work that is analytical, evaluative, and interpretive; requires a range of basic knowledge of the profession’s concepts and practices; and is performed with the authority to act and make accurate and informed decisions.
LICENSE:
Appointees will be required to possess a driver’s license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform the essential duties of the position.
KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES:
Ability to learn the techniques to be used in the development and establishment of safety and health programs.
Ability to learn occupational safety hazards.
Ability to learn techniques employed in hazard assessments.
Ability to learn principles, objectives, standards, and techniques of accepted occupational safety practices and their application to specific situations.
Ability to learn about loss control, risk assessment, and accident prevention methods, procedures, and systems currently used in an industrial setting.
Ability to learn techniques employed to educate and train employers, employees, and union representatives in industrial safety.
Ability to learn industrial equipment and hazardous conditions that could be causative factors of occupational injury.
Ability to learn solutions which may be used to abate safety hazards.
Ability to learn the calibration of direct-reading equipment.
Ability to learn to develop effective work methods.
Ability to learn to conduct or assist with the necessary on-site consultation visits in accordance with OSHA guidelines.
Ability to learn to tailor solutions to problems and fit them to the needs of both small and large employers.
Ability to learn to demonstrate to various employers the cost effectiveness of making safety and health issues an operative goal.
Ability to pass a Respirator Medical Clearance Examination, Respirator Fit Test, and maintain the ability to wear an elastomeric half or full-face respirator, if required. Alternative forms of respiratory protection may be used, if recommended by the physician or other licensed health care provider (PLHCP).
Ability to learn to work in potentially hazardous environments while utilizing required personal protective equipment (PPE).
Ability to pass a fitness for duty medical examination, if required.
Ability to lift up to 50 pounds.
Ability to learn to effectively negotiate standard industrial walking-working surfaces such as stairways, ladders, catwalks, scaffolding, as necessary to access all areas requiring inspection.
Ability to learn to work and communicate effectively with employers and coworkers.
Ability to learn to maintain necessary equipment.
Ability to learn to apply accepted principles and standards of occupational safety to on-site consultations.
Ability to learn to provide feasible and warranted solutions to identified safety hazards in the workplace.
Ability to learn to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
Ability to learn to respond to queries from the public and either assist directly or refer to appropriate agencies or sources.
Ability to learn to interpret and apply OSHA standards, rules, and regulations.
Ability to learn to prepare written reports of consultation visits and the means of eliminating hazardous conditions.
Ability to learn to present evidence of a concise and coherent nature at hearings or legal proceedings.
Ability to learn to explain pertinent OSHA regulations, rules, and standards.
Ability to learn to interpret technical language and explain the application of OSHA standards to employers.
Ability to learn to take necessary action upon determining that a workplace may have a hazard which could reasonably cause death or serious physical harm.
Ability to learn to prepare clear scientifically sound, accurate and factual reports, containing findings, interpretations, conclusions, and recommendations.
Ability to learn to maintain required records, reports, files, manuals, and equipment.
Ability to learn how to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
Ability to read, write, speak, understand, and communicate in English sufficiently to perform the duties of the position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication.
Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible if they can perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.
ADVANCEMENT:
Appointees who successfully complete the twenty-four (24) month training period will be eligible for advancement to the Occupational Safety Consultant 1 title in accordance with the New Jersey Civil Service Commission procedures. The inability of an employee in this apprentice title to attain a level of performance warranting advancement to Occupational Safety Consultant 1 shall be considered as cause for separation.
NOTE: To be successful in the Occupational Safety Consultant title series, appointees will be required to complete a specialized training course as an apprentice for Compliance Safety and Health Officers conducted by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
This job specification is applicable to the following title code:
