Safety Officer

DEFINITION:

Under administrative direction, the Safety Officer plans, organizes, coordinates, and manages a comprehensive safety and emergency management program and oversees safety for the District; develops and maintains a total safety culture; assesses exposure to District-wide hazards and risks; takes action to ensure compliance with safety, health, and environmental safety regulations and requirements; advises District management on safety issues, Cal/OSHA Voluntary Protection Program requirements, safe work methods and practices, and elimination of environmental hazards;

ensures that safety program-related consultants, contractors, and vendors fulfill safety-related expectations; and performs related duties as assigned.

The Safety Officer is responsible for developing and administering the District’s safety and emergency management program to assure an effective and coordinated response to emergency events and to protect the District from exposure to hazardous or unsafe conditions that could have adverse consequences on District operations.

This position reports to the Operations Manager.

The Safety Officer may provide guidance and direction over other staff performing safety-related tasks. The Safety Officer leads the District’s Safety Committee and provides oversight for all safety training throughout the District.

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following examples:

• Manages the District’s safety and emergency management programs, including the conduct of safety audits and the elimination of identified workplace and environmental hazards in compliance with applicable laws and regulations; oversees and participates in administering employee safety and emergency response training.
• Develops emergency response and management programs, strategies, and solutions designed to provide employees with a safe work environment. Plans, organizes, and conducts emergency response drills to include implementation of the District’s Emergency Response Plan; coordinates with local mutual aid groups, emergency responders, law enforcement, and local officials on District response capabilities and plans in the event of an emergency. Participates in the District’s Emergency Response Plan, Emergency Operations Center activation, and disaster preparedness planning and coordination.
• Attends regional partnership emergency response planning meetings.
• Plans, organizes, and provides direction to District staff to strengthen the District’s safety culture.
• Plans, organizes, integrates, and participates in developing and implementing comprehensive employee health and safety programs, including industrial safety, occupational health and safety, fire protection, traffic safety, hazardous materials and environmental hazard abatement to ensure compliance with the District safety ordinance and all federal and state laws and regulations for employee occupational health and safety; evaluates on an ongoing basis the effectiveness of safety training programs and incorporates this analysis into future program revisions;
  
  identifies safety-related training needs to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Develops, recommends, and implements policies, procedures, and programs to comply with regulatory requirements and to reduce incidents of employee accidents and injuries; advises all levels of District management on the design and implementation of emergency management programs, including safety; monitors program plans for compliance through review of accident reports, field visits, and safety committee reports and suggestions; develops and delivers safety training programs for managers, supervisors, and…