State of Maryland

An Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Hygienist Lead/Advanced is the lead or advanced level of work at the Maryland Department of Labor involving the inspection, research and analysis of the effect of chemical or physical workplace hazards on worker health.  Employees in this classification help to control or eliminate workplace hazards through compliance and enforcement measures designed to provide corrective action for violators of the Maryland Occupational Safety and Health Law.  Employees in this classification that function as Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Hygienist Lead assign, review and approve the work of and train lower-level Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Hygienists.  Employees in this classification that function Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Hygienist Advanced serve as key technical and primary subject matter experts in the identification, evaluation and determination of control methods for unique or new occupational health hazards and may assign, review and approve the work of lower-level Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Hygienists or Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Officers.

Employees in this classification receive general supervision from an Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Hygienist Supervisor or other designated supervisor.  Employees in this class may be required to work evenings and weekends.  The work requires travel to work sites where working conditions may be noisy, dirty or uncomfortable.  The work may require lifting and carrying specialized instruments and the use of protective clothing and equipment.

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 Hygienist Lead/Advanced differs from the Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Hygienist III in that the Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Hygienist Lead assigns, reviews and approves the work of and trains lower-level Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Hygienists and the Occupational Safety and Health Hygienist Advanced serves as a key technical and subject matter experts in the identification, evaluation and determination of control methods for unique or new occupational health hazards and may assign, review and approve the work of lower-level Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Hygienists or Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Officers.  The Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Hygienist Lead/Advanced differs from the Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Hygienist Supervisor in that the Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Hygienist Supervisor has supervisory responsibility for lower-level Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Hygienists and may supervise the work of Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Officers.  

                    (When functioning as Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Hygienist Lead)

Assigns, reviews and approves the work of and provides technical assistance, guidance and training to Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Hygienists;

Leads a team of occupational safety and health professionals on large, complex or sensitive inspections of industries throughout the State;

Inspects, researches and analyzes chemical and physical workplace hazards in order to control or eliminate hazards affecting employee health and to enforce federal and State occupational safety and health laws, regulations and standards which address general employee health, ventilation, fire and explosion, noise, air contaminants, respirators and the ingestion and absorption of hazards;

Conducts research using reference books and publications in the field of industrial hygiene in order to identify potential hazards, establish the existence of natural hazards and identify feasible methods of correction;

Prepares, evaluates, classifies and issues citations for employer non-compliance with federal and State occupational safety and health laws, regulations and standards involving distance specifications, construction safety and health requirements, process safety management, record keeping requirements, testing, instruction and training requirements;

Inspects work places in order to identify health hazards which may result from operations involving toxic substances, noise, heat, radiation, vibration and other physical and chemical factors;

Measures health hazards using specialized sampling and testing equipment;

Meets with employers or labor officials before and after inspections to discuss matters such as the purpose and methods of the inspections, the results of the inspections, the applicable safety and health standards, areas of noncompliance and possible remedial actions;

Prepares reports which describe inspection findings, research and analysis conclusions and applicable regulatory citations and penalties;

Recommends solutions designed to eliminate occupational safety and health hazards;

Calibrates and maintains sampling equipment such as air sampling pumps, noise monitoring instruments, air velocity and flow meters and similar technical equipment;

Testifies at administrative hearings and court proceedings;

Conducts conferences with employers who have received citations and fines to attempt to resolve disputes and disagreements and may recommend modification of violation citations and amounts of fines;

Provides training in the recognition of health hazards and in safety precautions for management and employees of private businesses or public agencies and may learn to determine if private sector training programs are in compliance with federal and State occupational safety and health laws, regulations and standards;

May provide technical assistance, guidance and training to Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Officers;

Performs other related duties. 

                    (When functioning as Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Hygienist Advanced)

Serves as a key technical and subject matter expert in the identification, evaluation and determination of control methods for unique or new occupational health hazards, such as drug-resistant biological hazards;

Provides technical assistance, guidance and direction to other occupational and safety professionals in the appropriate methods of identification, evaluation and controls for unique or new occupational health hazards;

Conducts research, studies and evaluates occupational health challenges that have emerged from new technology applications in order to develop and assess applicable identification, evaluation and control methods;

Inspects, researches and analyzes chemical and physical workplace hazards in order to control or eliminate hazards affecting employee health and to enforce federal and State occupational safety and health laws, regulations and standards which address general employee health, ventilation, fire and explosion, noise, air contaminants, respirators and the ingestion and absorption of hazards;

Conducts research using reference books and publications in the field of industrial hygiene in order to identify potential hazards, establish the existence of natural hazards and identify feasible methods of correction;

Prepares, evaluates, classifies and issues citations for employer non-compliance with federal and State occupational safety and health laws, regulations and standards involving distance specifications, construction safety and health requirements, process safety management, record keeping requirements, testing, instruction and training requirements;

Inspects work places in order to identify health hazards which may result from operations involving toxic substances, noise, heat, radiation, vibration and other physical and chemical factors;

Measures health hazards using specialized sampling and testing equipment;

Meets with employers or labor officials before and after inspections to discuss matters such as the purpose and methods of the inspections, the results of the inspections, the applicable safety and health standards, areas of noncompliance and possible remedial actions;

Prepares reports which describe inspection findings, research and analysis conclusions and applicable regulatory citations and penalties;

Recommends solutions designed to eliminate occupational safety and health hazards;

Calibrates and maintains sampling equipment such as air sampling pumps, noise monitoring instruments, air velocity and flow meters and similar technical equipment;

Testifies at administrative hearings and court proceedings;

Conducts conferences with employers who have received citations and fines to attempt to resolve disputes and disagreements and may recommend modification of violation citations and amounts of fines;

Provides training in the recognition of health hazards and in safety precautions for management and employees of private businesses or public agencies and may learn to determine if private sector training programs are in compliance with federal and State occupational safety and health laws, regulations and standards;

May assign, review and approve the work of Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Hygienists or Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Officers;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of the basic principles of organic chemistry, biology, physics and mathematics;

Knowledge of federal and State health and safety laws, regulations and standards and voluntary consensus standards relating to occupational safety and health and indoor air quality;

Skill in the recognition, identification and analysis of actual and potential chemical and physical workplace hazards that affect employee health;

Skill in organizing and developing technical reports and analyses;

Skill in using specialized equipment to obtain exposure samples;

Skill in the application of basic statistical techniques in the analysis of primary data;

Skill in interpreting, applying and explaining technical and legal standards covering workplace hazards;

Ability to assign, review and approve the work of and train Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Hygienists and/or Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Officers;

Ability to lead and participate in large, complex or sensitive inspections;

Ability to research, study and evaluate occupational health challenges that have emerged from new technology applications;

Ability to interpret the results of laboratory tests on exposure samples;

Ability to draw conclusions based on inspections, sampling data and test results;

Ability to communicate complex and technical concepts effectively;

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

Experience: Seven years of experience inspecting, researching and analyzing chemical and physical workplace hazards affecting employee health in order to control or eliminate hazards and to ensure compliance with federal and State occupational safety and health laws, regulations and standards.

Notes:

1. Candidates may substitute the possession of a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in industrial hygiene, physical science or life science which includes 12 credit hours in chemistry and 18 additional credit hours in any combination of the following: chemistry, physics, engineering, health physics, environmental health, biostatistics, biology, physiology, toxicology, epidemiology or industrial hygiene and three years of experience inspecting, researching and analyzing chemical and physical workplace hazards affecting employee health in order to control or eliminate hazards and to ensure compliance with federal and State occupational safety and health laws, regulations and standards for the required experience.

2. Candidates may substitute the possession of a Master’s degree in industrial hygiene from an accredited college or university for five years of the required experience.

3. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a commissioned officer in General Inspection, Investigation, Enforcement and Compliance classifications or General Inspection, Investigation, Enforcement and Compliance specialty codes in the Inspection, Investigation, Enforcement, and Compliance field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.

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   Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is assigned to Bargaining Unit G- Engineering, Scientific and Administrative Professionals 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.