Mine Safety and Health Specialist (Health)

This position is located with Department of Labor, Mine Safety and Health Administration-Enforcement, Duluth District.

This position serves as a Health specialist and authority on issues and related problems encountered in the mining industry. The incumbent is responsible for matters pertaining to specialty aspects of mining activities and conducts comprehensive safety and health investigations and inspections as required.

This position is inside the bargaining unit.

Qualifications:

The Mine Safety and Health Inspection Series, GS-1822, has basic requirements for positions covered by this standard.  Applicants must meet both the basic requirement (IOR) and specialized experience for the specific grade level to quality.

Basic Requirement:

One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower level: Performing mine safety and health inspection, analysis and evaluation of health/safety aspects of mining industry operations and processes; or evaluation, analysis or development of agency programs.

Examples of creditable experience include: Direct on-site inspection; special accident investigation; development of mine safety and health standards; data analysis and evaluation of operational mine safety and health programs; special assessments; and development of industry-wide training or safety and health awareness programs.

Specialized Experience:

For the GS-11 grade level:  Applicants must have one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, GS-09, in the Federal service. 

Specialized experience must include at least two of the following:

• Participates/assists in conducting a wide variety of on-site safety and health inspections and investigations of mines, preparation plants and related facilities;
• Participates/assists in investigations involving health contaminants, or other severe violations of health or noise standards that present some of the most serious, unusual, and hard to define problems to resolve;
• Assists health experts on teams investigating accidents involving health hazards or issues.

For the GS-12 grade level:  Applicants must have one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, GS-11, in the Federal service. 

Specialized experience must include at least three of the following:

• Independently conducts a wide variety of on-site safety and health inspections and investigations of mines, preparation plants and related facilities;
• Independently investigates health contaminants, or other severe violations of health or noise standards that present some of the most serious, unusual, and hard to define problems to resolve;
• Serves as a mine health expert on teams investigating accidents involving health hazards or issues;
• Experience with mining methods, such as design, installation, operations or maintenance of mining systems or equipment related to health.

Medical Requirements

Applicants and employees must be physically able to perform arduous duties efficiently and without hazard to themselves or others. Medical examination is required for all applicants for positions that involve regular or intermittent performance of inspection, investigation, rescue duties, or duties involving on-site visits. Medical conditions that constitute a hazard to safe and efficient job performance are disqualifying. The presence of medical disorders that would be aggravated by the environmental conditions of these positions and thereby hinder safe and efficient job performance are also disqualifying.

Remediable defects and/or curable diseases will not permanently disqualify an applicant for appointment, but may result in the applicant's suspension from the appropriate list of eligibles pending submission of medical evidence or correction of the condition.

Uncorrected distant vision must test at least 20/50 Snellen in one eye and 20/70 in the other, correctable with eyeglasses (contact lenses are not acceptable) to at least 20/30 Snellen in one eye and 20/50 in the other. Near vision must be sufficient to read without strain printed material the size of typewritten characters Normal depth perception and field of vision are required, as is the ability to distinguish basic colors.

Applicants, with or without the use of a hearing aid, must have no hearing loss in either ear of more than 40 decibels in the 500, 1000, or 2000 Hz ranges.

Responsibilities:

The responsibilities described are for the full performance level. At developmental grade levels, assignments will be of more limited scope performed with less independence, and limited complexity.

As an Authorized Representative (AR) of the U.S. Secretary of Labor, the incumbent performs the following duties to enforce the mine safety and health laws and promote safety and health in the mining industry.

Participates in investigations involving dust explosions or other severe violations of health and noise standards that present some of the most serious, unusual, and hard-to-define problems to resolve. May serve as a mine health expert on teams investigating accidents involving health hazards.

Reviews, evaluates and makes recommendations concerning the adequacy of ventilation plans and requests for variance or waiver from mandatory health standards submitted by mine operators for approval. During the review process, the incumbent may conduct on-site health surveys to determine whether conditions at the mine are the same as portrayed in the plan, acquire information that may not be clear from the plan, or discusses technical problems causing the plan not to be acceptable. Assists in developing new or modified health regulations, standards, and inspection procedures.

Advises mine operators and other Federal and State inspectors of noise abatement techniques, dust suppression methods, and other significant health issues and technological developments. Evaluates and discuss the acceptability of new mine safety and health methods and equipment with manufacturers and miner operators.

Serves as a MSHA spokesperson and authority on health issues for the District. Gives advice and assistance relating to those mines, systems and processes for with health and/or safety issues are undetermined, or where common practices have not been effective and pinpointing and resolving problems. Assists mine operators in the planning of modifications to improve and/or correct deficiencies in the operation such as selecting and installing new equipment and changing materials or methods. Promotes safety and health among mine operators and workers by directing and participating in safety and health training programs, meetings, demonstrations, mine rescue competitions and/or related activities. Counsels and instructs mine operators and workers on appropriate safety and health procedures, practices, and techniques. Testifies at judicial hearings regarding notices of violations and orders of withdrawal issues during inspections or investigations.

Independently conducts a wide variety of on-site safety and health inspections and investigations of mines, preparation plants and related facilities. Assists mine operators in the planning of modifications to improve and/or correct deficiencies in the operation.

Prepares written reports of inspections and investigations, issuing citations and orders for violations found during examinations.