State of Maryland

An Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Officer Lead is the lead 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 assign, review and approve the work of and train lower-level Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Officers.

Employees in this classification receive general supervision from an Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Officer Supervisor, Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Hygienist Supervisor or other designated 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 Lead is differentiated from the Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Officer III in that the Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Officer Lead assigns, reviews and approves the work of and trains lower-level Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Officers while the Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Officer III performs the full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision.  The Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Officer Lead is differentiated from the Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Officer Supervisor in that the Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Officer Supervisor has supervisory responsibility for lower-level Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Officers.

Serves as the lead Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Officer and coordinates the activities of a group of Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Officers involved in conducting a team inspection;

Assigns lower-level Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Officers to conduct a particular segment of a team inspection;

Provides guidance, technical assistance, training and reviews the work of lower-level Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Officers;

Inspects work sites, machinery and equipment in places of employment 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 issuance of notices of non-compliance and citations for serious, other than serious, repeat or willful violations;

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

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

Prepares and maintains inspection and investigation reports;

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

Interviews employers, employees and witnesses to obtain facts about work practices or accidents;

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 be responsible for specialty cases such as crane and hoist inspections or underground tunnel inspections;

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

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

Performs other related duties.

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

Knowledge of safety inspection and accident investigative 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;

Skill in interpreting, applying and explaining State and federal occupational safety and health laws, regulations and standards;

Skill in recognizing actual and potential safety and health hazards and recommending a corrective course of action;

Skill in using a variety of testing devices and safety equipment such as amp probes, lightmeters, voltage and penetrometers;

Skill in reading and interpreting technical manuals and regulations covering worker safety and health;

Skill in applying algebraic and geometric equations;

Skill in preparing accurate and concise reports;

Skill in exercising tact, discretion and good judgment in dealing with employers and employees;

Ability to train and assign, review and approve the work of lower-level Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Officers;

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

Ability to handle stressful situations such as conducting investigations of accidents which involve loss of life.

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

Experience: Three years 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 12 credit hours in construction, engineering, fire, manufacturing or occupational safety and health technologies from an accredited college or university for one year of 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.

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.