The Safety Technician is responsible for supporting a comprehensive safety, fire prevention, and inspection program for the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System.

Duties

Major duties, include but are not limited to: Performing safety protection inspections in areas and buildings. Discuss safety-related situations with personnel and search technical manuals and fire/safety codes to resolve workplace hazards. Compose inspection reports and follow up on discrepancies to ensure correction. Inspect all facility portable fire extinguishers in accordance with National Fire Protection Association (NFP A) standards and resolve identified deficiencies. Make or recommend changes in basic safety protection, equipment, procedures or station policies. Participate in the investigation of safety incidents by inspecting areas and interviewing individuals. Appear as a witness before courts or boards of inquiry. Make thorough inspections and evaluations of conditions prior to issuing permits for cutting/welding with gas or arc equipment and above ceiling work. Ensure proper hot work and above ceiling permits and safeguards are in effect while such work is performed; Maintain and document proper closure of permits. Conduct ergonomic evaluations in accordance with the expectations described within the VA Ergonomic Guidebook and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Guidance. Develop, organize, and maintain the records of the Safety Program. Protect printed and electronic files containing sensitive data under the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974 and other applicable laws, federal regulations, VA statutes and policy, and VHS&RH policy. Protect data from unauthorized release or from loss, alteration, or unauthorized deletion. Follow applicable regulations and instructions regarding access to computerized files, release of access codes, etc. Assist in administering safety and occupational health activities. Attend formal courses, perform selected on the job assignments, and receive instructions on agency or departmental goals, objectives, regulations, procedures, occupational hazards, safety standards, inspection techniques, and work processes. Receive classroom instruction and complete written assignments to become familiar with: (a) Federal occupational safety laws, legal statutes and Executive Orders; (b) industrial processes and hazards; ( c) psychological concepts in human relations; ( d) mishap investigation techniques; and ( e) hazards related to construction sites, electrical installation, compressed gases, and materials handling. Participate as member of a survey or inspection team led by a higher graded specialist and experience the practical application of techniques and measures used to identify hazards. Attend and observe closing sessions where violations of appropriate standards and subsequent corrective requirements are discussed with management representatives. Study and review past inspection records to further understand the application of technical standards to specific unsafe acts or conditions. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Safety Technician/PD10940A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO):

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/24/2024. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-05 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-04. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: This position has an Individual Occupational Requirement: Specialized Experience: Examples of qualifying specialized experience includes experience that involved:(l) Identifying, preventing, or eliminating safety hazards in work methods or environmental conditions; or(2) Safety training or promotion. Such experience must have provided a practical knowledge of occupational and environmental safety hazards, survey techniques, and control and preventive methods. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include: biological technician, medical technician, engineering technician, fire prevention inspector, and environmental health worker. or Education and Training: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with major study or at least 24 semester hours in any combination of subjects such as safety, fire prevention, industrial hygiene, or other directly related subjects. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below. This experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-04 grade level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Performing safety protection inspections in areas and buildings; Discuss safety-related situations with personnel and search technical manuals and fire/safety codes to resolve workplace hazards; Compose inspection reports and follow up on discrepancies to ensure correction; Inspect all facility portable fire extinguishers in accordance with National Fire Protection Association (NFP A) standards and resolve identified deficiencies; Make or recommend changes in basic safety protection, equipment, procedures or station policies; Participate in the investigation of safety incidents by inspecting areas and interviewing individuals; Appear as a witness before courts or boards of inquiry; Make thorough inspections and evaluations of conditions prior to issuing permits; Ensure proper permits and safeguards are in effect and maintain and document proper closure of permits; Conduct ergonomic evaluations; Develop, organize, and maintain the records of the Safety Program; Protect data from unauthorized release or from loss, alteration, or unauthorized deletion; Assist in administering safety and occupational health activities; Receive classroom instruction and complete written assignments to become familiar with: (a) Federal occupational safety laws, legal statutes and Executive Orders; (b) industrial processes and hazards; (c) psychological concepts in human relations; (d) mishap investigation techniques; and (e) hazards related to construction sites, electrical installation, compressed gases, and materials handling; Participate as member of a survey or inspection team in the practical application of techniques and measures used to identify hazards; attend and observe closing sessions where violations of appropriate standards and subsequent corrective requirements are discussed with management representatives; Study and review past inspection records to further understand the application of technical standards to specific unsafe acts or conditions, OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed a 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation (Transcript required), OR, Combination of Experience & Education: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an appropriate combination of specialized experience and education beyond two years of academic study (60 semester hours) in courses directly related to the work of the position. (Transcript required) You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Accident InvestigationCommunicationCompliance InspectionCustomer Service (Clerical/Technical) Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: The work involves working in an office environment, walking through areas to conduct inspections, lifting fire extinguishers or other equipment weighing 40 pounds or more, demonstrating use of equipment, frequent walking, bending, climbing, and crawling. Occasional period of physical exertion are required during fire alarm, patient evacuation or any other emergency that may occur or is reported. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Education

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Contacts

• Address CW Bill Young Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center 10000 Bay Pines Boulevard Bay Pines, FL 33744 US
• Name: Miguel Viera-Rodriguez
• Phone: 787-641-7582
• Email: [email protected]