State of Maryland

An Agency Health and Safety Specialist II is the experienced level of specialized work in the field of occupational health and safety inspection work in a State installation.  Employees in this classification formulate, implement, and enforce a safety program for the entire population of a State facility.  Employees in this classification develop building evacuation plans, conduct periodic fire and civil defense drills, provide training to employees with regard to hazardous substances that may occur at the work site, and conduct inspections of building to uncover potential fire and accident hazards.  These inspections are guided by the State Occupational Safety Laws and the Fire Prevention Code Regulations and accident, hazardous materials, and inspection reports are maintained on record by the safety officer for future reference.  Employees maintain a close liaison with the State Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulations-Division of Labor and Industry, State and local civil defense authorities, area fire and police officials, and the State Fire Marshal's office.   Employees in this classification do not supervise other positions but may be required to oversee other employees to perform specific safety-oriented tasks.  

Employees in this classification receive general supervision from a higher-level Agency Health and Safety Specialist or other administrative official.  Guidance may also be received from a Health and Safety Committee.  Work effectiveness is determined by observation of training techniques, program recommendations, and review of reports.  Under the regionalization concept, employees may use one facility as a base and be assigned to several other facilities in the general vicinity.              

Positions in this classification are evaluated using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing 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.

Creates, encourages, stimulates interest and cooperate in the agency safety program;

Conducts classroom instruction on employee safety, fire and accident prevention, proper techniques of fighting fires, and the safe use of hazardous materials, machinery and equipment;

Surveys and inspects the facility for potential fire, hazardous materials, and accident hazards;

Conducts inspections for compliance with occupational safety and health laws and regulations;

Develops building evacuation programs and conducts periodic fire and Civil Defense drills;

Prepares, files and maintains accident and injury reports and follow-up to see that the causative factors are eliminated;

Enforces the health and safety program approved by the employing agency;

Directs safety operations in emergencies;

Maintains close liaison with the Division of Labor and Industry, the State Fire Marshall’s office, State and local civil defense agencies, and area fire and police officials;

Exercises responsibility for the care, maintenance and operational reliability of agency safety equipment;

Provides training regarding the Right-to-Know law and hazardous materials with which an employee may come in contact;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of federal and Maryland State occupational safety laws and regulations;

Knowledge of the Maryland State Fire Prevention Code, fire fighting and related life-saving techniques;

Knowledge of fire prevention methods, the storage of hazardous materials, and of the safe operation of machinery and equipment;

Ability to use and instruct in the proper methods of using fire fighting equipment and handling hazardous materials;

Ability to direct fire fighting operations;

Ability to act quickly and decisively in emergencies;

Ability to work harmoniously with others and secure their cooperation.

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

Experience: Two years of experience in safety inspection, safety investigation, or fire prevention.

Notes: 

1. Additional education at an accredited college or university with a concentration in fire protection/science or occupational health and safety technology may be substituted, on a year for year basis, up to two years of the required experience.

2. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a non-commissioned officer in Occupational Health and Safety classifications or Occupational Health and Safety specialty codes in the Occupational Health and Safety field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.  

1. Employees in this classification must provide a telephone number where they can be reached.

2. Employees in this classification are subject to call-in twenty-four hours a day.

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 the 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.