Industrial Hygienist

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; St. Louis (MO); On-site; USD 75,000 - 105,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs seeks an Industrial Hygienist to identify, evaluate, and control occupational health hazards and promote safe working conditions at its medical center.

The role includes surveys, coordination with health and safety specialists, program administration, and education and training for staff. The position emphasizes evaluating exposure risks, developing control strategies, and providing expert guidance to management and regulatory bodies to ensure compliant,

Responsibilities

• Coordinates the Industrial Hygiene Program including multiple control programs such as asbestos control, hazard communications, ergonomics, and environmental issues.
• Examines work environments and studies work operations to detail the nature of work, materials, equipment, and processes.
• Measures the magnitude of exposure to environmental factors for patients, workers, and the public.
• Interprets examination results to assess health impairment, work efficiency, and potential nuisance or damage.
• Prepares rules, regulations, and procedures for healthful work practices and presents expert testimony when required.

Job description

Summary

The Industrial Hygienist performs a variety of functions related to the identification - evaluation - and control of occupational health hazards and to the promotion of healthful and safe working conditions. Work includes surveys; coordination with other health and safety specialists; administration of industrial hygiene programs; review of design plans for hazard control; investigation of causative agents for occupational illness; and the provision of education and training programs.

Duties

• Coordinates the Industrial Hygiene Program which includes but is not limited to the following programs: Asbestos Control - Ethylene Oxide - Hearing Conservation - Hazard Communications Standard - Nitrous Oxide - Mercury - Hazardous and Infectious Waste Management - PCB's - Legionnaires Disease and Water Treatment - Anti-Neoplastic Drugs - Ergonomics - environmental issues and other prog am elements related to industrial hygiene
• Examines work environments
• studies work operations and processes to get full details of the nature of the work - materials and equipment used - products and byproducts - number and sexual gender of employees and hours of work
• Measures the magnitude of exposure to patients - workers and the public of environmental factors - etc
• In doing so - she/he must: (1) Select or devise methods and instruments
• (2) Personally or through others - conduct such measurements
• and (3) Study and test material associated with the work operation
• Studies and tests material by chemical and physical means - when such examination will aid in determining the extent of exposure
• Other duties include - but not limited to: Interprets results of the examination of the work environment in terms of ability to impair health - nature of health impairment - works' efficiency and medical center nuisance and/or damage - and presents specific conclusions to appropriate Interested parties such as management and health officials
• Determines the need for - or effectiveness of - control measures - and when necessary - recommends procedures which will be suitable and effective for the environment
• Prepares rules - regulations
• standards and procedures for the healthful conduct of work in the medical center
• Presents expert testimony before courts of law - hearing boards - workmen's compensation commissions - regulatory agencies and legally appointed investigative bodies covering all matters pertaining to industrial hygiene
• Prepares appropriate text for labels and precautionary information for materials and products to be used by workers and the public
• Conducts program for the education of workers in the prevention of occupational disease at the medical center
• Directs epidemiologic studies among workers to discover possibilities of the presence of occupational disease - and establish or improve threshold limit values and standards as guidelines for the maintenance of health and efficiency
• Conducts research to advance knowledge of the effects of occupation upon health and means of preventing occupational health impairment (I.e. - chemical - physical - biological - ergonomic) and related problems
• Provides consultant and technical assistance on industrial hygiene program matters for the professional - scientific and administrative services
• Investigates employee reports of unsafe and unhealthy working conditions
• Performs on-site inspections of new construction to ensure compliance with all applicable codes and standards
• Provides final technical reviews of plans and specifications for construction maintenance and repair - replacement or modification projects to assure compliance with all codes and standards
• Prepares statistical and investigative reports as required
• Performs other related duties assigned
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7am - 3:30pm | 8am - 4:30pm Position Description Title/PD#: Industrial Hygienist/PD05899A Physical Requirements: The performance of duties requires long periods of walking - standing - crawling - kneeling and bending
• Moderate lifting and carrying of equipment - etc. - are required
• Use of all appendages - good vision and hearing are necessary
• Emotional and mental stability are required.