Safety and Health Specialist - Occupational Hygiene and Safety Division

At Duke Health, we're driven by a commitment to compassionate care that changes the lives of patients, their loved ones, and the greater community. No matter where your talents lie, join us and discover how we can advance health together.

Safety & Health Specialist – Occupational Hygiene and Safety Division

Primary Purpose of Organizational Unit:

The Occupational and Environmental Safety Office (OESO) provides the focus for the administration of all safety programs to Duke University, Duke University Medical Center, and Duke University Health System. OESO has the responsibility for developing institutional safety plans and policies; providing information and training to meet all regulatory requirements; providing technical consultation and guidance; conducting exposure and risk assessments; conducting safety audits; monitoring compliance with all safety policies; and investigating accidents, injuries, and reported unsafe conditions.

Specific to the Occupational Hygiene & Safety (OHS) Division:

OHS coordinates the programs for evaluating, controlling, or eliminating both health and safety hazards in the workplace.  

Primary Purpose of Position:

Serve as an industrial hygienist (IH) and safety generalist. Responsible for the anticipation, recognition, evaluation, and control of safety and health hazards at Duke.  Works with Duke departments to minimize occupational health and safety risks and manage compliance with applicable regulations as well as requirements of accrediting bodies such as The Joint Commission and AAALAC. 

General Duties and Responsibilities:

• Perform comprehensive safety and industrial hygiene audits of Duke departments.  Will be able to recognize deficiencies and hazards independently and research unfamiliar situations.

• Develop comprehensive sampling strategies for specific project and work areas, and perform sampling to evaluate personnel exposures and engineering controls.  May supervise Safety Technicians and Associates who perform monitoring.

• Perform accident investigations and work with departments to correct safety hazards and develop preventative procedures. 
• Recognize injury and illness trends within the organization and work with Specialist III and/or supervisor to develop and implement Duke-wide solutions (policies and training strategies, etc.), working with Employee Occupational Health and Wellness, Workers’ Compensation and other departments as appropriate.
• Perform Job Hazard Assessments and recommend measures to control exposures, including substitution of less hazardous materials, personal protective equipment (PPE), work practice changes, and engineering controls. 
• Develop and prepare new training classes and materials as needed and deliver training courses that have already been developed.
• Participate in safety committees as assigned, advocate for improvements to department safety policies, direct safety concerns to the appropriate divisions of OESO and act as a technical advisor on safety and health issues. 
• Develop reports documenting observations, sampling results, and recommendations independently.  Compile and present reports to management related to safety and health activities.
• Document all work in OESO computer files and databases. 
• Serve as a member of the OESO spill response team, which may also include response on weekends and after regular business hours on a rotating schedule.
• Provide solutions to a variety of problems where analysis of data requires evaluation of identifiable factors. Exercise judgment within defined policies in selecting methods and techniques for obtaining solutions.
• Review planned expansion, modifications, or closures of facilities which affect occupational safety. 
• Act as liaison with various officials internal and external to Duke. 
• Enforce regulations governing occupational safety and health.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge and understanding of new or anticipated regulations or compliance interpretations.
• Provide technical leadership to Duke departments and personnel.

Minimum Qualifications

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

• Knowledge of federal, state and local laws and regulations pertaining to occupational safety and health.

• Knowledge of organizational and personnel management skills.
• Creative problem solving to recognize and analyze needs and develop programs to address needs.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to use Microsoft Office software including Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint.
• Knowledge of occupational safety and industrial hygiene principles.
• Ability to locate and use appropriate technical resources in occupational safety and health.
• Ability to lift and carry heavy materials and equipment.
• Ability to climb/descend ladders and enter confined spaces to perform evaluations.
• Physically able to serve on a HAZMAT spill response team, including ability to wear respiratory protection.
• Developed professional presentation skills.

Education:

• Bachelor of Science in Occupational Health and Safety, Environmental Science, Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Engineering or a related field.  Master’s degree in Occupational Safety & Health, Industrial Hygiene or related field is preferred but not required.

Experience:

• No experience for level 1; three years’ experience for level 2; five years’ experience for level 3.
• Preferred: 3+ years of experience in safety and industrial hygiene.

Degrees, Licensure, and/or Certification:

• Must have a valid driver’s license
• Must have completed or be able to complete First Responder- Operations Level Training (29 CFR 1910.120) within 90 days of hire.
• Professional certification preferred (CIH and/or CSP).

Duke is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Essential Physical Job Functions: Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essentialjob functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.