State of Maryland

An Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Officer II is the intermediate 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 moderate 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.

Inspects work sites, machinery and equipment to ensure compliance with all applicable occupational safety and health laws, regulations and standards;

Initiates enforcement of occupational safety and health laws, regulations and standards by recommending the issuance of notices of non-compliance and citations for serious, other than serious or repeat violations;

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

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

Meets 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;

Interprets and explains applicable occupational safety and health laws and standards to advise employers of legal requirements;

Prepares and maintains inspection reports which document findings, areas of non-compliance, recommended penalties and corrective action;

Investigates non-fatal work related accidents and safety and health complaints;

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

Accompanies higher-level compliance officers to the scene of work related fatalities to gather initial investigative information;

Testifies at administrative hearings and court proceedings;

Attends meetings, seminars, workshops and conferences to keep abreast of changes and new technology in the areas of inspection responsibility;

May provide advice and technical assistance to employers on the elimination of safety and health hazards under voluntary programs;

May conduct on-site occupational safety and health classes, seminars and workshops;

May conduct preliminary investigations of fatal accidents;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of state and federal occupational safety and health laws, regulations and standards;

Knowledge of safety inspection and accident investigation procedures and methods;

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

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

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

Ability 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 investigations of accidents which involve loss of life.

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

Experience: One year of experience in the inspection of work places to ensure compliance and initiate enforcement of state and federal occupational safety and health laws, regulations and standards.

Notes:

1. Candidates may substitute additional 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.

2. Candidates may substitute 30 credit hours to include twelve credit hours in construction, engineering, fire, manufacturing or occupational safety and health technologies from an accredited college or university for the required experience.

3. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a non- 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.

1. Employees in this classification are subject to call-in on a 24 hours a day basis and will be required to provide the employing agency with a telephone number where they can be reached.

2. Employees in this classification are subject to substance abuse testing in accordance with Code of Maryland Regulations 06.01.09, Testing for Illegal Use of Drugs.

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.