Description
Senior Safety Officer
Hospital/Clinic Safety Section
2001698
Role Summary : This staff position within Vanderbilt Environmental Health and Safety (VEHS) provides direct customer support to Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC). Supporting the Assistant Director, the position is responsible for ensuring that the facilities maintain compliance with the standards promulgated by The Joint Commission, CAP, OSHA/TOSHA, TDEC, EPA and other applicable regulatory and accrediting agencies. This position will provide primary support for the Respiratory Protection Program and the VEHS's responsibilities for the VUMC Industrial Hygiene Program in the clinical entities. This position requires an individual with personal initiative and motivation to accomplish tasks without direct supervision and oversight. This position requires someone with a wide breadth of general safety knowledge and good communication skills.
Responsibilities:
- Respiratory Protection Program Oversight: Assumes primary responsibility for the Respiratory Protection program: assists safety tech with development of schedule, development of reports, oversight of data input, etc.
- Industrial Hygiene: Schedules and assists with responsibility for the VEHS duties with respect to the VUMC Industrial Hygiene Program. Performs hazardous materials monitoring (environmental and personal monitoring) and communicates results to applicable managers. Provides follow-up for corrective action plans
- Assists with development and distribution of safety metrics, safety reports, and risk assessments pertinent to the Hospital/Clinic Safety (HCS) section.
- Provides direction/assistance to other safety officers as needed.
- Assists in the development and implementation of safety policies/procedures, safety education, and hazard surveillance programs for Vanderbilt Medical Center and on- and off-site associated clinics.
- Assists with responsibility for the overall fire/safety plan in the hospitals and clinics. Assists with fire drills and emergency preparedness drills within the VUMC hospitals and clinics
- Performs Indoor Air Quality evaluations using standard assessment tools, reporting results to applicable managers.
- Participates on various associated committees, subcommittees and task forces by appointment; provides recommendations and assists with corrective actions.
- Works collaboratively with other VEHS staff, Facilities Management, Environmental Services and other key departments to assist VUMC in meeting federal, state and local requirements, Joint Commission and OSHA/TOSHA standards.
- Provides technical assistance and support to various hospital departments in the development, review, and evaluation of departmental-level safety programs.
- Presents departmentally specific safety information and training for new employees and re-training for current employees as required.
- Participates in Emergency Preparedness and response activities to include training activities, drills and plan activations.
- Provides VEHS support for the construction safety program; participating in construction safety surveys, project permitting, policy development, training, and problem resolution.
- Responds to emergencies as appropriate for training and assignment within VEHS and needs of the organization.
- Other duties relevant to the Hospital/Clinic Safety and Training Program, as assigned.
- Assumes responsibility as team lead for at least one EOC survey team, assisting with scheduling, surveillance and follow-up as required.
- Participates in regulatory inspections as needed.
Communication :
Internal: Frequent contact with all levels of administration, faculty, staff, students, visitors and patients including the presentation of information where detailed explanation is required to obtain cooperation.
External: Frequent contact with consultants and vendors.
Department Summary
Vanderbilt Environmental Health and Safety (VEHS) mission is to partner with the VUMC/VU community to facilitate and promote safety, health and environmental protection. VEHS accomplishes this task by providing expertise in the following EH&S technical disciplines: radiation safety; occupational safety, emergency preparedness; industrial hygiene; fire and life safety; training; hazardous materials management; and biological safety.
Position Qualifications :
Required:
- Masters plus 2 years exp in environmental engineering, public health, occupational health and safety or other appropriate science-related field of study (i.e. chemistry) is required. Experience should be in an environmental, healthcare, or safety related field. Equivalent combination of experience and education accepted.
- Applicant must possess excellent written and verbal communication skills for effective report writing, training, and consulting.
- Must be familiar with common computer programs including, Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Access.
Preferred:
Licensure/Certification:
Not required but safety/Industrial Hygiene related certification preferred. Experience is considered in lieu of certification.
Physical Requirements :
Be able to lift 50 lbs. Must be willing and able to wear required personal protective equipment including protective clothing and gloves, eye/face protection, and, in some cases, negative pressure respiratory protection.
Working Environment:
Position requires entry into areas where biological and infectious agents, hazardous chemicals, and ionizing radiation may be used.
Click here to view how Vanderbilt Health employees celebrated the difference they make each and every day: Celebrate 2019
Discover Vanderbilt University Medical Center:
Located in Nashville, Tennessee, and operating at a global crossroads of teaching, discovery and patient care, VUMC is a community of individuals who come to work each day with the simple aim of changing the world. It is a place where your expertise will be valued, your knowledge expanded, and your abilities challenged. It is a place where your diversity -- of culture, thinking, learning and leading -- is sought and celebrated. It is a place where employees know they are part of something that is bigger than themselves, take exceptional pride in their work and never settle for what was good enough yesterday. Vanderbilt's mission is to advance health and wellness through preeminent programs in patient care, education, and research.
VUMC Recent Accomplishments
Because we are committed to providing the best in patient care, education and research, we are proud of our recent accomplishments:
- US News & World Report: #1 Adult Hospital in Tennessee and metropolitan Nashville, named to the Best Hospitals Honor Roll of the top 20 adult hospitals, 10 nationally ranked adult specialty programs, with 3 specialties rated in the top 10 nationally, Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt named as one of the Best Children's Hospital in the nation, with 10 out of 10 pediatric specialties nationally ranked.
- Healthcare's Most Wired: Among the nation's 100 "most-wired" hospitals and health systems for its efforts in innovative medical technology.
- Becker's Hospital Review: named as one of the "100 Great Hospitals in America", in the roster of 100 Hospitals and Health Systems with Great Oncology Programs and to its list of the 100 Hospitals with Great Heart Programs.
- The Leapfrog Group: One of only 10 children's hospitals in the to be named at Leapfrog Top Hospital.
- American Association for the Advancement of Science: The School of Medicine has 112 elected fellows
- Magnet Recognition Program: Received our third consecutive Magnet designations.
- National Academy of Medicine: 22 members, elected by their peers in recognition of outstanding achievement
- Human Rights Campaign Healthcare Equality Index: 6 th year in a row that Vanderbilt University Medical Center was a Leader in LGBTQ Healthcare Equality.
