EHS and Risk Specialist

Black Hawk College; Illinois; On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Black Hawk College seeks an EHS and Risk Specialist to provide first-level safety support and assist the Risk Management department with inspections, training, and recordkeeping across the district.

The role requires interpreting safety regulations, coordinating audits, and maintaining confidential records. A Bachelor’s degree is preferred or 3 years of related experience, with strong Excel/Teams skills and travel ability.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree preferred; in lieu, college business/EHS classes with 3 years’ related experience.
• Intermediate computer skills; MS Office, especially Excel and Teams.
• Good written and oral communication skills are required.
• Above average organizational, attention to detail, and analytical skills.
• Absolute confidentiality of information is required.
• Ability to work as a productive team member and with diverse populations.
• OSHA 10-hour general industry certification preferred.
• Commitment to customer service and continuous improvement.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to travel to all College locations.

Responsibilities

• Cultivates a safe working and learning environment district wide through relationship building and guidance.
• Performs safety inspections with vendors and facilities; analyzes reports and proposes corrective actions.
• Assists with safety programs, training, and recordkeeping to ensure regulatory compliance.
• Presents safety trainings and maintains employee training records.
• Assists with hazardous waste handling and recordkeeping.
• Completes safety audits and implements corrective actions under supervision.
• Ensures PPE, first aid supplies, and guarding are in place and compliant.
• Chairs the Employee Safety Committee and promotes safety culture.
• Manages confidential insurance and accident claims and maintains COI records.
• Maintains OSHA records and assists with accident investigations.
• Maintains risk management information on drives and website; supports plans and projects.
• Keeps Motor Vehicle Record satisfactory and supports emergency response plans.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Education

Bachelor’s degree preferred

Three years’ risk/safety/insurance experience (in lieu of degree)

Intermediate Microsoft Office (Excel, Teams)

Strong written and oral communication skills

Excellent organizational and analytical skills

Ability to maintain confidentiality

Valid driver’s license and travel ability

Tools

Excel

Teams

Job description

The EHS and Risk Specialist provides first level safety and risk management support to employees, students, and visitors and investigative and administrative support to the Risk Management department. The EHS and Risk Specialist is responsible for inspections, safety compliance, and training, as well as support with insurance, claims processing, and record retention all while maintaining absolute confidentiality of the information and situations encountered on the job. Independently interprets applicable laws and regulations and implements prevention strategies and training to ensure a safe working and learning environment district wide.

DESCRIPTION OF ESSENTIAL DUTIES

1. Cultivates and promotes a safe working and learning environment district wide through relationship building, providing assistance, and offering guidance.
2. Performs weekly, monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, or annual safety inspections with vendors, facilities, and departments including but not limited to eyewash stations, safety showers, fire extinguishers, ladders, exit lights, emergency lighting, Personal Protection Equipment, and general facilities. Analyzes and records inspection reports, reports deficiencies, and proposes corrective actions. Implements and monitors corrective actions approved by the Senior EHS andRisk Specialist or the Director of Risk Management.
3. Assists with College safety programs including researching, recommending, implementing, monitoring, recording, and drafting changes to current and new risk and safety programs, procedures, and trainings to ensure compliance with local, state, and federal regulations.
4. Presents safety trainings. Maintains employee training records and follows up on incomplete employee training.
5. Assists with hazardous waste handling, collection, disposal, and recordkeeping.
6. Completes safety audits including but not limited to facilities audits, PPE audits, chemical inventory audits, and SDS audits. Records audit results, reports deficiencies, propose corrective actions. Implements and monitors corrective action under the supervision of the Senior EHS and Risk Specialist.
7. Ensures personal protective equipment, first aid supplies, machine guarding, etc. is on hand and in use by the appropriate departments. Completes periodic checks to ensure compliance standards are met.
8. Coordinates and chairs the Employee Safety Committee including developing agendas and maintaining minutes. Promotes a safety culture throughout each department, building, and location.
9. Compiles, processes, formats, and submits confidential insurance and accident claims, including but not limited to the following lines of coverage; liability, property, automobile, workers compensation, athletic, crisis response, and cyber. Adheres to HIPAA and confidentiality laws. Analyzes and maintains loss control statistics and trends.
10. Maintains employee, student, and visitor accident records and OSHA recordkeeping. Assists with accident investigation.
11. Maintains Certificate of Insurance (COI) database. Proactively ensures updated COI’s are on file. Accurately tracks vendor’s cyber insurance. Maintains COI database and filing. Provides communication and reports to the Insurance Company/client and Senior EHS andRisk Specialist.
12. Assists with confidential record retention process district-wide and ensures compliance with the State of Illinois.
13. Maintains and updates risk management information and forms on departmental drives and website.
14. Completes research, edits, and provides feedback/support for Risk Management plans and projects.
15. Maintains satisfactory Motor Vehicle Record.
16. Works flexible work schedule as needed to complete essential duties.

DESCRIPTION OF OTHER DUTIES

1. Maintains up-to-date job knowledge.
2. Maintains database for district wide assets. Completes inventories of district wide assets.
3. In the event that it is necessary to deploy the Campus Emergency Response Plan, assists the Emergency Operations Center.
4. Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

1. Bachelor’s degree preferred. In lieu of a bachelor’s degree, some college business or EHS classes and three (3) years’ experience in performing duties related to risk, safety, or insurance.
2. Intermediate computer skills and experience with Microsoft Office applications, specifically Excel and Teams, required.
3. Good written and oral communication skills required.
4. Above average organizational, attention to detail, and analytical skills required
5. Absolute confidentiality of the information and situations required.
6. Ability to work as a productive team member while meeting individual responsibilities.
7. Ability to work with diverse populations required.
8. OSHA 10-hour general industry training certification preferred.
9. Commitment to provide excellent customer service required.
10. Commitment to continuous improvement required.
11. Valid driver’s license and the ability to travel and work from all College locations required.

OVERALL ACCOUNTABILITIES

1. Demonstrates Black Hawk College core values.
2. Adheres to standard operating procedures and safety guidelines.
3. Ability to work cooperatively and professionally with others.
4. Maintains up-to-date job knowledge of applicable codes, laws, regulations, etc.
5. Performs work in a timely, efficient, and accurate manner.

1. Ability to work with and maintain highly confidential records and information.
   1. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

PRINCIPAL WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

1. Works directly for and cooperatively with the Senior EHS andRisk Specialist and the Director of Risk Management.
2. Works cooperatively with Facilities and Police departments.
3. Works cooperatively with all College personnel.
4. Works cooperatively with local, State, and Federal agencies.
5. Works cooperatively with vendors and organizations.
6. Works cooperatively with students and the general public.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by the employee to successfully perform the Essential Functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the Essential Functions.

Standing 60% Sitting 25% Bending 5% Reaching 5% Climbing 5%

The above statements reflect the general details necessary to describe the principal functions of the job described; it is not an all-encompassing statement of all the work requirements that may be necessary to perform the job.