Safety Specialist

CAREER DESCRIPTION Safety Specialist This position is scheduled for salary increases as follows:
Effective June 28, 2024 – 4.25%
Effective June 27, 2025 – 4.00%


Salary may be negotiable within the range listed above, based on position requirements and the successful candidate's qualifications, subject to appropriate authorization. OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
This recruitment is being held to establish an Open Eligible List to fill current and future Safety Specialist positions. This recruitment may also be used to fill positions in similar and/or lower-level classifications throughout the County of Orange.

DEADLINE TO APPLY
This recruitment will be open for a minimum of five (5) business days and will remain open until 11:59pm on Tuesday, May 28, 2024 . Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply immediately.

COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICE – RISK MANAGEMENT | SAFETY AND LOSS PREVENTION
The County of Orange, Office of Risk Management is part of the County Executive Office (CEO). The Office preserves and protects the human and capital assets of the County of Orange to allow County departments and agencies to meet their missions without unnecessary cost. It operates as an "insurance company" for the County of Orange and manages numerous programs. The Safety and Loss Prevention Program strives to ensure a safe environment for County employees and members of the public who visit County facilities and receive County services. Safety staff work to guarantee that all state and federal requirements are met or exceeded.
THE OPPORTUNITY A hybrid work schedule may be available for this position. This may revert to a regular on-site schedule depending on business needs. The Risk Management Office seeks an experienced Safety Specialist professional who has the drive to learn, takes initiative, and has enthusiasm for changing culture. Safety Specialists are full-time safety and health professionals. They are responsible for guiding and supporting the County departments' establishment and implementation of worker safety programs, and for participating in County initiatives that promote community goals. This may include supporting the development, coordination, and administration of employee occupational safety and loss prevention programs, and safety training programs as they interface with Countywide Risk Management programs.
JOB DUTIES Performs hazard assessments of job tasks Conducts incident investigations using root-cause analysis methods Provides guidance to ensure compliance with safety standards and regulations Evaluates work conditions and identify risk factors Monitors, coordinates, and assists in safety program activities Serves as a technical resource on safety matters and compliance Promotes the importance of safety and loss prevention through management support Analyzes, evaluates, and monitors accident/incident losses and trends Prepares and presents safety training and awareness classes Participates in safety program audits DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & CORE COMPETENCIES
The ideal candidate will demonstrate an extensive background in implementing and managing safety and training programs.
Although not required, candidates who possess Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) or a Certified Safety Professionals (CSP) certification(s) will be highly desirable. In addition, the ideal candidate will also have a thorough knowledge of and experience in the following core competencies:



Technical Experience | Technical Knowledge Federal, state, and local occupational safety rules, regulations, standards, and guidelines (e.g., California Division of Occupational Safety and Health [Cal/OSHA], Occupational Safety and Health Administration [OSHA], National Fire Protection Association [NFPA], American National Standards Institute [ANSI], National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health [NIOSH]) Adult learning principles and techniques for developing training materials, aids, and safety standards Basic safety principles, practices, and procedures Loss control methods, principles, and techniques Office practices, procedures, and equipment, including computers and applicable software applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, and databases Technologies as they relate to safety programs Investigative techniques such as Root Cause Analysis (RCA) OSHA, Cal/OSHA, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Workers' compensation and general liability issues related to safety Loss prevention practices and financial impacts of safety programs and injuries Risk management principles and use of risk matrices Accident prevention and investigation programs including safety inspection practices and procedures Strategic Planning | Analytical Skills Performing quantitative and qualitative analysis Reading, analyzing, interpreting and applying safety rules, laws and regulations Conducting inspections and identifying hazardous conditions; performing RCA Developing and facilitating safety training programs Preparing, updating, and executing safety strategies Planning and leading the execution of procedures to ensure that projects are resourced, budgeted, scheduled, planned, and implemented in a timely manner Working independently and managing time wisely and effectively prioritizing multiple, competing tasks; meeting Departmental and project goals and deadlines by prioritizing workload and projects Project Management Preparing clear and concise training curriculum, developing programs, and strategizing how to share and implement these programs with employees Relationship Building | Interpersonal Skills Identifying with the larger organizational team and the role required; sharing resources, responding to requests from other parts of the organization, and supporting the agency's agenda Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships; working with others to find mutually agreeable solutions to problems; using persuasion, influence, and diplomacy to obtain cooperation and reach mutually agreeable objectives Oral | Written Communication Skills Organizing and delivering public presentations that effectively inform or persuade diverse audiences. Summarizing and presenting information to management or a "non-technical" audience both verbally and in written form Writing clearly and concisely and demonstrating proofreading and editing skills, composing informative memos, e-mails, formal correspondence, reports, and other documents MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Click here to learn more about the minimum qualifications and the physical, mental, environmental, and working conditions for the Safety Specialist.



NOTE: Foreign degrees require an evaluation of U.S. equivalency by an agency that is a member of the National Association of Credential Services (N.A.C.E.S.). RECRUITMENT PROCESS
Human Resource Services (HRS) will screen all application materials to identify qualified applicants. After the screening, qualified applicants will be referred to the next step and notified of all further procedures applicable to their status in the recruitment.
Structured Oral Interview | (Weighted 100%)
Candidates will be interviewed and rated by a qualification appraisal panel of job knowledge experts. Each candidate's rating will be based on responses to a series of structured questions designed to elicit the candidate's qualifications for the job. Only the most successful candidates will be placed on the eligible list.
Eligible List
Once the assessment has been completed, HRS will establish an eligible list of candidates. Candidates placed on the eligible list may be referred to a selection interview to be considered for present and future vacancies.



Based on the Department's needs, the selection procedures listed above may be modified. All candidates will be notified of any changes in the selection procedure. Please note: The information you provide on your application and/or response to the supplemental questions may be used as a scoring device, so please be thorough and complete in your response. "See Resume" is not a qualifying response and will not be scored in lieu of the required information.

Veterans Employment Preference The County is committed to providing a mechanism to give preferential consideration in the employment process to veterans and their eligible spouses and will provide eligible participants the opportunity to receive interviews in the selection process for employment and paid internship openings. Please click here (Download PDF reader) to review the policy.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Please see below for important information regarding COVID-19 related requirements.
Effective April 3, 2023, it is strongly recommended that County employees working in health care settings and correctional facilities follow vaccination and booster guidelines provided by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Please click here to see the latest guidance for more details.



EMAIL NOTIFICATION:
Email is the primary form of notification during the recruitment process. Please ensure your correct email address is included in our application and use only one email account.



NOTE: User accounts are established for one person only and should not be shared with another person. Multiple applications with multiple users may jeopardize your status in the recruitment process for any positions for which you apply.


Candidates will be notified regarding their status as the recruitment proceeds via email through the GovernmentJobs.com site. Please check your email folders, including spam/junk folders, and/or accept emails ending with "governmentjobs.com" and "ocgov.com." If your email address should change, please update your profile at



FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: Click here for additional Frequently Asked Questions.


For specific information pertaining to this recruitment, please contact Katie Koreneff at or .
EEO INFORMATION Orange County, as an equal employment opportunity employer, encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply. Non-Management Benefits
In addition to the County's standard suite of benefits, such as a variety of health plan options, annual leave and paid holidays-we also offer an excellent array of benefits such as a Health Care Reimbursement Account, 457 Defined Contribution Plan and Annual Education and Professional Reimbursement. Employees are provided a Retirement Plan through the Orange County Employees Retirement System (OCERS).




Please go to the following link to find out more about Defined Benefit Pensions and OCERS Plan Types/Benefits.


Click here for information about benefits offered to County of Orange employees.