Safety Specialist

We are excited to announce that we are accepting applications for the position of Safety Specialist! 

The District

Irvine Ranch Water District (IRWD) is a progressive, values-driven agency, with an international reputation for its leading-edge financial management practices, water recycling program, water use efficiency practices, water banking, urban runoff treatment, and energy generation and storage. Established in 1961 as a California Water District under the provisions of the California Water Code, IRWD is an independent special district serving central Orange County. IRWD provides high-quality drinking water, reliable sewage collection and treatment, ground-breaking recycled water programs, and environmentally sound urban runoff treatment to its customers. As an independent, not-for-profit public agency, IRWD is governed by a publicly elected five-member Board of Directors. The Board is responsible for the District's policies and decision-making. Day-to-day operations are supervised by the General Manager. Additional information can be found at the District's website: www.IRWD.com.

The Position
Under general supervision, the Safety Specialist assists with the development and promotion of the District-wide safety and emergency preparedness programs.  This includes, but is not limited to, delivery of training program development, inspections and audits for process improvements, as well as the identification, evaluation, and correction of workplace hazards.

The ideal candidate is knowledgeable and eager to promote occupational health and safety within the workplace and collaborates with all levels of staff. This person is well versed in General and Construction Industry occupational health and safety standards and has experience working in water/wastewater and industrial settings. They work to motivate and encourage participation from all employees through effective communication while embodying the District's Values.

The responsibilities assigned to the Safety Specialist may include any of the following depending on functional areas of expertise and District needs:

Occupational Health and Safety:  

 

Participates in the development and implementation of the District's Safety Program, including revisions and updates of existing written programs when necessary.

Conducts periodic audits and inspections to identify unsafe conditions and provide recommendations for controlling hazards within the workplace. 

 

Responds to requests from agencies such as the Orange County Health Care Agency (OCHCA) for Hazardous Material inspections, Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) inspections and others as required.

Updates the Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA) Hazardous Material Disclosure and Business Emergency Plans and supports the maintenance of the California Accidental Release Prevention (CalARP) program.  

 

Works with all levels of staff to ensure the District is in compliance with regulatory requirements and that all employees are aware of and adhering to such requirements.

 

Reviews contractors’ safety submittals and provide written responses based on exposure and scope of work.  

 

Reviews incident reports and support supervisors in conducting root cause analyses for work-related incidents.

 

Participates in the development and implementation of safety training and learning opportunities; participates in training of new hires on health and safety procedures and regulatory requirements; assist with scheduling, assigning, and coordinating training with outside training vendors; enter training-related data into the District's safety management platform.

 

Conducts ergonomic evaluations and provides feedback to staff and supervisors related to ergonomic issues, makes recommendations, and, maintains records related to ergonomic evaluations.

 

Perform administrative duties as needed for the effective and efficient operation of the District Safety program such as file and record maintenance.

 

Generally, work is performed during normal business hours, but may be required to work nights and weekends in critical situations. 

 

Comply with District safety practices and attend relevant safety training. 

Emergency Preparedness

Assist with the development of emergency response plans to prepare the District for all-hazard incidents.  

 

Supports the maintenance and update of the District's emergency preparedness plans, including the Emergency Operations Plan (EOP), Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP), Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Plan (HMERP), and other Emergency Action Plans (EAPs).

 

Performs a full range of duties to ensure the District is prepared to handle a disaster; including drills and emergency notification tests.  

 

Supports the readiness of the District’s Emergency Operation Center (EOC), including the maintenance of the primary and alternate EOCs, as well as maintaining plans, resource lists, and equipment. 

 

Coordinates the District’s emergency response efforts both internally and with external agencies. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                               

May serve as a District liaison to the Water Emergency Response of Orange County (WEROC) and provide member agency updates on the District’s training, exercise development, and other preparedness efforts upon request.

Education

 

 

Experience 

 

• Three years of experience in occupational safety program administration and/or emergency response planning, training and administration is required.  
• Public utility experience highly desired.

License/Certification

• Valid California Class C Driver's License is required.

IRWD Corporate Values 
Irvine Ranch Water District believes that its values drive the character, culture, and capacity of our organization. IRWD was built on values, and we weave them into the fabric of everything we do. Values are the ingredients in our recipe for both institutional and individual success. They are a code of conduct to promote positive outcomes for others and ourselves. They are more than words on a wall or a website. We live by them every day. We pledge to keep them relevant in an ever-changing world.
 

IRWD's employees enjoy working in a safe, supportive, and nurturing environment where they form strong bonds with fellow employees. To ensure effective communication and promote a collaborative team environment, employees report to work each day in the office or in the field, depending on their positions.

The physical and mental demands described below are representative of those that must be met by employees to successfully perform the essential functions of this class. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Language Ability and Interpersonal Communication

Ability to communicate effectively with all levels of office, management, and field employees. Represent District in a professional manner when dealing with outside professionals and vendors. Excellent oral and written communication skills required. Business writing skills required.

Mathematical Ability

Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide and calculate percentages, decimals and fractions.

Technology Ability

Proficiency in the use of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and keyboarding abilities sufficient to perform the job.

Judgment and Situational Reasoning Ability

Ability to use good personal judgment and discretion in performing all job functions. Ability to effectively research and interpret regulations and consensus standards. Ability to remain calm in crisis and emergency situations. Ability to use discretion and maintain confidentiality when handling and disseminating sensitive information.

Physical Requirements

Regularly required to sit, walk, bend, stoop and stand.  Routinely lift 25 lbs.

Environmental Adaptability

Noise level is generally equivalent to typical office environment.