Director, Occupational Health and Safety - Massachusetts Water Resources Authority

POSITION: Director, Occupational Health and Safety

DIVISION: Administration

DEPARTMENT: Safety

UNION/GRADE: Non-union/Grade 15

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BASIC PURPOSE:

Manages MWRA's overall Occupational Health and Safety program including compliance with Massachusetts Department of Labor Standards (DLS) (state) and federal rules and regulations and industry best practices; provides programs, guidance and recommendations in areas of employee safety and health. Oversees and develops a program for regulatory compliance with state standards and works closely with other authority safety and health staff to communicate, implement, monitor and track safety and health regulatory compliance. Leads agency's activities in a proactive way to minimize health and safety issues and prevent situations that could create workers' compensation cases.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED:

Works under the general supervision of the Director of Administration.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED:

Supervises Program Managers, Project Managers, and other professional and administrative safety staff.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Develops and oversees an overall program of regulatory compliance consistent with the employer responsibilities defined by DLS designed to reduce work-related injury and illness. Such program will include the following key activities:
• Conducting multi-facility (30+) worksite safety assessments and inspections (i.e., self-audits) to determine risks to employee safety and health and ensure that the workplace conditions conform to DLS standards;
• Assessing potential hazards and controls;
• Evaluating risks and hazard control measures;
• Investigating incidents involving the safety and health of employees, visitors, vendors and contractors;
• Maintaining and evaluating incident and loss records;
• Assisting with the development and deployment of emergency response plans.
• Works closely with authority safety, operations and emergency preparedness staff to create, update, and implement safety and health programs in areas such as Blood borne Pathogens Exposure Control Plan, Emergency Action Plan, Fire extinguishers, Fire Prevention Plan, Confined Space, Model Confined Space Entry Policy and Procedure, Hazard Communication, Hearing Conservation Program, Lockout /Tagout, Respiratory Program, Personal Protective Equipment Hazard Assessment, and Trench Safety.
• Works closely with MWRA Training Department to provide and deliver safety training as required by state and federal regulations or identified through risk assessments.
• Works closely with other authority safety staff to establish and/or update operating procedures including the MWRA Online Safety & Health Manual and ensure the appropriate communication to employees is delivered in order to ensure employee compliance with safety and health requirements.
• Ensures that any required DLS postings are prominently displayed at authority worksites in order to inform employees of their rights and responsibilities.
• Ensures the proper notification to the appropriate DLS office of any work-related fatalities, inpatient hospitalizations, amputations, loss of consciousness, and loss of an eye within the timeframes established by DLS.
• Administers an authority-wide system for record keeping for work-related injuries and illnesses using the OSHA Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses form (OSHA Form 300). Posts the summary of the OSHA log for injuries and illnesses (OSHA 300A) according to procedures promulgated by OSHA. Provides access to employees, former employees and their representatives to OSHA Form 300 as required by applicable state regulations.
• Complete the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) annual survey on Occupational Injury and Illnesses when selected by BLS to participate.
• Serves as the authority's main contact to DLS Inspectors for communications and for inspections. Attends opening and concluding conferences conducted by the DLS Inspector and provides DLS Inspectors with injury records and written programs as requested. Provides DLS Inspectors with the names of any authorized employee representatives who may be asked to accompany the Inspector during an inspection.
• Reviews reports developed by DLS Inspectors and works with MWRA staff to take any necessary corrective actions.
• As required by DLS, posts citations, abatement verification documents or tags near the cited workplace and complies with the posting period required by DLS. Works with authority staff to correct cited violations within the timeframes prescribed by DLS.
• Works with authority staff to evaluate hazard communication programs and training of employees regarding the hazards they may be exposed to during the course of employment at MWRA including communicating the need for employees to utilize proper personal protective equipment required for handling hazardous chemicals.
• Interacts with regulatory agencies, operations managers, employee representatives and employees on a regular basis.
• Tracks changes in federal and state safety and health regulations and apprises authority management of such changes and impact to the authority. Recommends and drafts communications, policies and standard operating procedures needed to meet such changes in regulations. Oversees the work of professional consultants under contract to the Authority, including quality of output and budget.
• Develops meaningful management workplace safety indicators for use by senior managers (e.g., Yellow/Orange Notebook data and reports).
• Serves as technical consultant to senior management on issues relevant to occupational safety and health.
• Coaches all levels of staff to create and maintain a strong safety culture.
• Provides professional opinions to Law, Labor Relations, Workers' Compensation, and Risk Management, including testifying as an expert witness.
• Represents the executive office in the investigation of serious or potentially serious accidents or security incidents.
• Interprets technical data provided by outside technical professionals.
• Manages budget and staffing.
• Assists in maintaining harmonious labor management relations through proper applications of collective bargaining agreement provisions and established personnel policies. Prepares for, participates in and hears step one grievances and pre-disciplinary hearings. Participates in collective bargaining negotiations.
• Leads efforts to comply with applicable federal or state requirements.

SECONDARY DUTIES:

Performs related duties as required.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Education and Experience:

• Knowledge of the principles and practices of a safety professional as normally attained through a Bachelor's degree in occupational health and safety, industrial hygiene or related science and/or engineering discipline, or environmental science; an advanced degree is preferred; and
• Knowledge of health and safety policies, regulations, standards, best practices in an industrial environment; an understanding of issues related to safety, emergency response, risk management, environmental health; experience in incident investigations, safety inspections as normally attained through at least ten (10) years of experience including at least four years of supervisory experience; and
• Demonstrated knowledge through direct involvement/management of federal OSHA and Massachusetts DLS standards, training, implementation and auditing of policies and procedures as they relate to employee safety; or
• Any equivalent combination of education or experience.

Necessary Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Excellent interpersonal, oral and written communication skills needed to interface with regulatory staff and write analyses, recommendations and draft recommendations for safety policies and procedures.
• Expert knowledge in the area of safety and health regulatory compliance in order to recommend, organize and manage a compliance program as required by Massachusetts DLS.
• Ability to identify safety and health issues and concerns and recommend actions to correct deficiencies identified through inspections and other oversight activities.
• Ability to conduct, interpret and translate all safety-related training requirements mandated by federal, state and local regulatory agencies to staff.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

Ability to provide evening or weekend coverage on a rotating basis.

A valid Massachusetts Class D Motor Vehicle Operators License.

Certification by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals as a Safety Management Specialist (SMS), Certified Safety Professional (CSP) or by the American Board of Industrial Hygienists as a Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH).

TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT USED:

Office machines as normally associated, with the use of telephone, personal computer including word processing and other software, copy and fax machine.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, talk or hear. The employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, feel or operate objects, including office equipment, or controls and reach with hands and arms. The employee frequently is required to stand and walk. The employee is occasionally required to walk, climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.

The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds, and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, and the ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee regularly works in either an office or field environment which involves traveling to worksites. The employee often works in outside weather conditions. The employee often works near moving mechanical parts and is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions and vibration. The employee often works in high, precarious places and is occasionally exposed to fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals, and risk of electrical shock. The employee may be exposed to strenuous, dangerous, or stressful conditions. While in the field, the employee uses gloves, helmets, respirators, and other personal protective and safety equipment to minimize the risk of illness and injury.

The noise level in the work environment is usually loud in field settings, and moderately quiet in office settings.

Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national or ethnic origin, age, religion, disability, sex or gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetics, or veteran status.