This position is located with Department of Labor, Mine Safety and Health Administration, Enforcement, Warrendale District in Albany, NY. This position serves as a Safety Specialist and authority on related issues and problems encountered in the mining industry. The incumbent is responsible for matters pertaining to specialty aspects of mining activities and conducts comprehensive safety and health investigations and inspections as required. This position is inside the bargaining unit.

Duties

As an Authorized Representative (AR) of the U.S. Secretary of Labor, the incumbent performs the following duties to enforce the mine safety and health laws and promote safety and health in the mining industry. Participates in investigations involving all safety related functions, operations and facilities. Provides expert advice and recommendations to the District Manager on matters related to mine health and safety in the District, with emphasis on safety program, policy, and procedures areas. Monitors and assists the inspectorate in the application of new or revised safety policies or procedures affecting sampling, evaluation of analytical results and determining compliance. Provides expert technical assistance to the District Manager, District staff, field offices and industry concerning the identification of known and/or potential safety hazards. May serve as a Safety expert on teams investigating safety related accidents. Reviews, evaluates, and makes recommendations concerning the adequacy of all safety-related functions, operations, and facilities. Analyzes and suggest revisions of approval of plans submitted by mines for their compliance with current rules and regulations and keep supervisors informed through statistics, suggestions, and advice on plans and revisions. Promotes safety and health among mine operators and workers by directing and participating in safety and health training programs. Assists mine operators in the planning of modifications to improve and/or correct deficiencies in the operation. Counsels and instructs mine operators and workers on appropriate safety and health procedures, practices, and techniques. Responsible for matters pertaining to specialty aspects of mining activities and conducts comprehensive safety and health investigations and inspections. Serves as a MSHA spokesperson and authority on safety issues for the district. Testifies at judicial hearings regarding notices of violations and orders of withdrawal issues during inspections or investigations. Advises mine operators and other Federal and State Inspectors of new or unusual safety methods and/or other significant safety issues and technological developments. Evaluates and discuss the acceptability of new mine safety and health methods and equipment with manufacturers and miner operators. Gives advice and assistance relating to those mines, systems and processes for with health and/or safety issues are undetermined, or where common practices have not been effective and pinpointing and resolving problems. Independently conducts a wide variety of on-site safety and health inspections and investigations of mines, preparation plants and related facilities.Prepares written reports of inspections and investigations, issuing citations and orders for violations found during examinations.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen.
• Must be at least 16 years old.
• Candidate required to obtain the necessary security/investigation level.
• Requires a probationary period if the requirement has not been met.
• Appointment to this position may require a background investigation.
• Requires a valid driver's license.
• Requires medical exam and must maintain physical requirements.
• Subject to pre-employment and random drug tests.
• Subject to financial disclosure requirements.

Qualifications

The Mine Safety and Health Inspection Series, GS-1822, has basic requirements for positions covered by this standard. Applicants must meet both the basic requirements (IOR) and specialized experience for the specific grade level to qualify. To qualify for this position, your application and resume must clearly show that you possess the experience requirements as defined below. Basic Requirement: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower level: Performing mine safety and health inspection, analysis and evaluation of safety aspects of mining industry operations and processes; or evaluation, analysis or development of agency programs. Examples of creditable experience include: Direct on-site inspection; special accident investigation; development of mine safety and health standards; data analysis and evaluation of operational mine safety and health programs; special assessments; and development of industry-wide training or safety and health awareness programs. Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level. To qualify for the GS-12 grade level: Applicants must have one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, GS-11, in the Federal Service. Specialized experience must include at least three of the following: Independently conducts a wide variety of on-site safety and health inspections and investigations of mines, preparation plants and related facilities; Independently investigates safety or other severe violations of safety standards that present some of the most serious, unusual, and hard to define problems to resolve; Serves as a safety expert on teams investigating accidents involving safety accidents/hazards or issues; Experience with mining methods, such as design, installation, operations or maintenance of mining systems or equipment related to safety. Medical Requirements: Applicants and employees must be physically able to perform arduous duties efficiently and without hazard to themselves or others. Medical examination is required for all applicants for positions that involve regular or intermittent performance of inspection, investigation, rescue duties, or duties involving on-site visits. Medical conditions that constitute a hazard to safe and efficient job performance are disqualifying. The presence of medical disorders that would be aggravated by the environmental conditions of these positions and thereby hinder safe and efficient job performance are also disqualifying. Remediable defects and/or curable diseases will not permanently disqualify an applicant for appointment, but may result in the applicant's suspension from the appropriate list of eligibles pending submission of medical evidence or correction of the condition. Uncorrected distant vision must test at least 20/50 Snellen in one eye and 20/70 in the other, correctable with eyeglasses (contact lenses are not acceptable) to at least 20/30 Snellen in one eye and 20/50 in the other. Near vision must be sufficient to read without strain printed material the size of typewritten characters Normal depth perception and field of vision are required, as is the ability to distinguish basic colors. Applicants, with or without the use of a hearing aid, must have no hearing loss in either ear of more than 40 decibels in the 500, 1000, or 2000 Hz ranges.

Education

There is no education substitution at the GS-12 grade level.

Contacts

• Address Mine Safety and Health Administration 200 Constitution Avenue NW Washington, DC 20210 US
• Name: Rhonda Dory
• Phone: 972-850-4427
• Email: [email protected]