Careers

Description:

The position serves as an Industrial Hygienist within the VA Portland Health Care System at the Vancouver, WA Location. The Industrial Hygienist performs various duties in an Industrial Hygiene program to access work practices and environmental conditions for hazards to the health and safety of workers.

This position involves a multi-grade career ladder. The major duties listed below represent the full performance level of GS-11, however a selection can be made at any of the following grade levels: GS-09 OR GS-11. At the GS-09 grade level, you will progressively acquire the background necessary to perform at the full performance level of GS-11.

The major duties include but are not limited to:

• Asbestos control and abatement, ethylene oxide, formaldehyde, hearing conversation, hazard communication, nitrous oxide, mercury, hazardous and infectious waste management, water testing and treatment, respirator program, and anti-neoplastic drugs.
• Performs various duties in an Industrial Hygiene program to access work practices and environmental conditions for hazards to the health and safety of workers. Duties include conducting studies of work operations and processes, examining work environments, analyzing findings, promulgating recommendations, and preparing various reports. Environmental conditions involve a variety of hazards including physical, chemical, and biological hazards; ionizing and non-ionizing radiation; and other environmental agents.
• Assigned work areas include industrial shops, surgical suites, production areas, laboratories, research areas, confined spaces and outdoor work sites.
• Regularly inspects the medical center to identify potential occupational health hazards and the need for further investigative studies and surveys.
• Studies and surveys performed involve determining compliance with various established criteria, evaluating exposures, and advising on control measures and changes in work procedures or schedules to comply with established health requirements, and providing information for evaluation purposes.
• In performing surveys/studies, incumbent must: 1) select or devise methods and instruments; 2) personally or through others, conduct measurements; and 3) study and test materials associated with the work operation or work environment.
• Performs analysis to determine nature and degree of toxic materials present.
• Interprets results of studies for the work environment in terms of possible impairment to health, nature of health impairment, potential for medical center damages, etc., and presents specific conclusions and recommendations to appropriate management and health officials.
• Determines the need for and effectiveness of control measures and changes in work procedures.
• Recommends procedures that will be suitable and effective for the environment.
• Receives and disposes of hazardous wastes and maintains appropriate records in accordance with existing EPA standards, state laws, and VA regulations.
• Prepares comprehensive and legally sufficient written reports of all monitoring activities performed which are subsequently incorporated into comprehensive reports prepared to assess the overall effectiveness of the industrial hygiene program.
• Ensures proper documentation of employee exposures in medical records.

Skills/Eligibility:

Applicants must meet one of the following requirements:

• A bachelors or graduate/higher level degree in industrial hygiene, occupational health sciences, occupational and environmental health, toxicology, safety sciences, or related science. OR,
• A bachelors degree in a branch of engineering, physical science, or life science that included 12 semester hours in chemistry, including organic chemistry, and 18 additional semester hours of courses in any combination of chemistry, physics, engineering, health physics, environmental health, biostatistics, biology, physiology, toxicology, epidemiology, or industrial hygiene. OR,
• A Certification from the Board for Global EHS Credentialing (formerly American Board of Industrial Hygiene (ABIH)).