State of Maryland

An Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Officer I is the entry level of work in the inspection of workplaces to ensure compliance and to enforce state and federal occupational safety and health laws, regulations and standards.  Employees in this classification do not supervise other Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Officers.

Employees in this classification receive close supervision from an Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Officer Supervisor.  Employees in this class may be required to work evenings and weekends and are subject to call-in during non-work hours in response to emergency situations such as accident investigations.  The work requires travel to work sites such as construction or manufacturing sites where conditions may be noisy, dirty and uncomfortable and requires the employee to use specialized safety equipment such as hearing protection, fall safety devices, goggles, head protection, and respiratory protection.  Employees may work in environments where there may be exposure to a variety of physical and health hazards, such as falling debris, noxious fumes, live electrical wiring and asbestos particles.  The work requires climbing ladders, working at elevated heights and in confined areas, and carrying test equipment such as voltage testers, sound level meters, penetrometers and pressure gauges.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of the class specification.

The Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Officer I, Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Officer II and Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Officer III are differentiated on the basis of degree of supervisory control exercised by the supervisor over these employees.  The Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Officer I learns to perform duties under close supervision.  The Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Officer II performs duties under close supervision at times and under general supervision at other times depending on the complexity of the specific duty being performed.  The Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Officer III performs the full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision.

Participates in training programs in order to learn occupational safety and health regulations and administrative procedures;

Learns to inspect work sites, machinery and equipment in places of employment to ensure compliance with all applicable occupational safety and health laws, regulations and standards;

Learns to initiate enforcement of occupational safety and health laws, regulations and standards;

Learns to test working areas for noise levels, lighting, fumes and smoke, proper electrical grounds, soil compaction and other related safety and health concerns;

Learns to observe employees at work to determine compliance with safety precautions and safety equipment used;

Learns to meet with employer and management representatives before and after the inspection to discuss such matters as the purpose and method of inspection, inspection results, applicable safety standards, areas of non-compliance, proposed penalties and recommended corrective actions;

Learns to explain applicable occupational safety and health laws and standards to advise employers of legal requirements;

Learns to investigate work-related accidents, referrals and safety and health complaints;

Learns to interview employers, employees and witnesses to obtain facts about work practices or circumstances surrounding an accident;

Learns to testify at administrative hearings and court proceedings;

Learns to prepare and maintain inspection reports which document findings, areas of non-compliance, recommended penalties and corrective action;

May conduct follow-up inspections and surveys;

Performs other related duties

Ability to learn and apply state and federal occupational, safety and health laws, regulations and standards;

Ability to learn and apply safety inspection and accident investigation procedures and methods;

Ability to learn the nature, purpose and safe operation of a variety of equipment, tools and machinery used in industrial, manufacturing and construction operations;

Ability to learn to recognize actual and potential safety and health hazards and recommend a corrective course of action;

Ability to learn to use a variety of testing devices and safety equipment such as amp probes, lightmeters, voltage testers and penetrometers;

Ability to read and interpret technical manuals and regulations covering worker safety and health;

Ability to use algebraic and geometric equations;

Ability to prepare accurate and concise reports;

Ability to exercise tact, discretion and good judgment in dealing with employers and employees;

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employers, employees, local, state and federal government personnel;

Ability to handle stressful situations such as assisting in the investigation of accidents which involve loss of life.

Education:   Graduation from an accredited high school or possession of a high school equivalency certificate.

Experience: None.

Note: Candidates may substitute experience in the interpretation and application of fire, health or safety regulations and the preparation of narrative reports documenting factual findings of inspections or investigations on a year-for-year basis for the required education.

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies. Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

This is a Skilled Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Skilled Service positions.  Some positions in Skilled Service classifications may be designated Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is assigned to Bargaining Unit C- Regulatory, Inspection and Licensure classes.  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial, and confidential employees are excluded from collective bargaining. Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.

Employees in this classification are eligible to receive overtime compensation.  An employee who works more than the normal workweek is entitled to be compensated for that overtime, as provided by the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 8-305.

This classification is one level in a Non-Competitive Promotion (NCP) series.  NCP promotions are promotions by which employees may advance in grade and class level from trainee to full performance level in a classification series.  In order to be non-competitively promoted to the next level in a NCP series, an employee must: 1) perform the main purpose of the class, as defined by the Nature of Work section of the class specification; 2) receive the type of supervision defined in the class specification and 3) meet the minimum qualifications of the classification.