Mine Safety and Health Inspector

Duties

This is a career ladder progression position; the duties described below are at the GS-11 level. If selected at a grade below GS-11, the incumbent will serve in a developmental capacity, wherein the work is less complex in nature and the supervisor, or a senior level employee provides specific instruction and guidance. At the GS-11 grade level, the incumbent:

• Independently conducts a wide variety of onsite safety and health inspections and investigations of mining operations as applicable, mills, preparation plants and related facilities.
• Prepares written reports of inspections and investigations, issuing citations and orders for violations found during examinations.
• 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 related activities.
• Provides technical advice and guidance to mine operators to help them solve problems and comply with mine safety and health requirements.
• 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 related activities.
• Serves as a MSHA representative and information source on mine safety and health.
• Testifies at judicial hearings regarding notices of violations and orders of withdrawal.
  
  
  

Work Environment: The incumbent inspects and/or investigates both surface and underground mining operations, as applicable, which is a very hazardous and stressful work environment surrounded by a high risk of exposure to potentially dangerous situations. In addition to the characteristically dark, wet, and cramped environment, underground mines contain noxious gases and fumes, and the danger of potentially explosive dust or gases, electrical fires, roof falls, and exposure to radiation.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen.
• Must be at least 16 years old.
• Candidate required to obtain the necessary security/investigation level.
• Requires a probationary period if the requirement has not been met.
• Requires a valid driver's license.
• Subject to pre-employment and random drug tests.
• Requires medical exam and must maintain physical requirements.
• Subject to financial disclosure requirements.
• Appointment to this position may require a background investigation.
  
  
  

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, your application and resume must clearly show that you possess the experience and/or education requirements as defined below. If qualifying based on experience, be sure these types of examples are evident in your resume.

The Mine Safety and Health Inspection Series, GS-1822, has basic requirements for positions covered by this standard. Applicants must meet the basic requirements (IOR) to qualify.

Specialized Experience is the experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform the duties of the position successfully, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level.

To qualify for the GS-07 level:

Specialized Experience: One year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower level, GS-05, of Federal service: On-site safety/health inspection, analysis, monitoring, or evaluation work in occupational health, or mining or closely related industries, such as building construction, excavation, and heavy industrial plant settings.

Examples of creditable experience in related non-mining work include work that provided the applicant with knowledge of ground control at building sites, safe worksite practices, and/or environmental conditions that affect the health of workers at foundries, mills, and other inherently dangerous industrial settings. For example, performance of safety and health inspection work at a steel mill would qualify at this grade level, but agricultural inspection work would not.

OR

Education: One full academic year of graduate level education in a field of study such as mining engineering, civil engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, industrial engineering, environmental engineering, industrial hygiene, occupational health and safety, geology, chemistry, or other fields of study related to mine safety and health work.

OR

Combination of Experience and Education: Equivalent combinations of education and experience listed above; the total percentage must equal at least 100%.

To qualify for the GS-09 level:

Specialized Experience: One year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower level, GS-07, of Federal service: Mining, mine engineering, or on-site mine safety and health inspection experience performing a full range of tasks and operating a variety of equipment in underground or surface mines, or mineral processing plants. This includes practical mining experience in planning, installing, operating, monitoring, or maintaining a system or equipment for extracting the ore from the earth.

Specialized experience should include extensive hands-on mining experience that provided the applicant with a comprehensive knowledge of mining methods, equipment, and occupational health and safety hazards. Specifically, applicants should have knowledge of the transportation of materials and workers, ventilation in closed spaces, ground control, roof control (for underground positions), handling and storage of hazardous materials, worksite safety practices, worksite environmental conditions that affect the health of workers, and/or accident prevention.

OR

Education: Two full academic years of graduate level education or master's or equivalent graduate degree in a field of study such as mining engineering, civil engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, industrial engineering, environmental engineering, industrial hygiene, occupational health and safety, geology, chemistry, or other fields of study related to mine safety and health work.

OR

Combination of Experience and Education: Equivalent combinations of education and experience listed above; the total percentage must equal at least 100%.

To qualify for the GS-11 level:

Specialized Experience: One year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower level, GS-09 of Federal service: 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.

There is no substitution of education for the required specialized experience at the GS-11 grade level.

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.

Education

Any applicant falsely claiming an academic degree from an accredited school will be subject to actions ranging from disqualification from federal employment to removal from federal service.

If your education was completed at a foreign college or university, you must show comparability to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States and comparability to applicable minimum coursework requirements for this position. Click

Additional information

Applicants must meet all legal and regulatory requirements. Reference the Required Documents section for additional requirements.

This position is inside the bargaining unit. If the duty location is within the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, the position will be included in the Local 12, AFGE bargaining unit. If the duty location is outside the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, the position will be included in the NCFLL bargaining unit.

This position is subject to the confidential financial disclosure requirements of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 (P.L. 95-521). Therefore, if selected, you will be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) to determine if a conflict or an appearance of a conflict exists between your financial interest(s) and your prospective position with DOL. This information will be required annually.

All MSHA employees and their spouses, and minor children are prohibited by regulation from having any interest, direct or indirect, in any mine or mining company that may be directly affected by the work of MSHA through its investigations, technical research, or other activities. These interests are prohibited under the Department of Labor's Supplemental Standards of Ethical Conduct Regulations at 5 CFR 5201.105. Certain MSHA employees are required to file a financial disclosure report. For questions, please contact Rhonda Dory at dory.rhonda.a@dol.gov or 972-850-4427.

The mission of the Department of Labor (DOL) is to protect the welfare of workers and job seekers, improve working conditions, expand high-quality employment opportunities, and assure work-related benefits and rights for all workers. As such, the Department is committed to fostering a workplace and workforce that promote equal employment opportunity, reflects the diversity of the people we seek to serve, and models a culture of respect, equity, inclusion, and accessibility where every employee feels heard, supported, and empowered.

Refer to these links for more information:

As a condition of employment, all personnel must undergo a background investigation for access to DOL facilities, systems, information and/or classified materials before they can enter on duty:

The Fair Chance Act (FCA) prohibits Federal agencies from requesting an applicant's criminal history information before the agency makes a conditional offer of employment. If you believe a DOL employee has violated your rights under the FCA, you may file a complaint of the alleged violation following our agency's complaint process

Note: The FCA does not apply to some positions specified under the Act, such as law enforcement or national security positions.

The Department of Labor may use certain incentives and hiring flexibilities, currently offered by the Federal government to attract highly qualified candidates.

Based on agency needs, additional positions may be filled using this vacancy.

Additional Information Continued In Required Documents Section.

• A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding.
  
  
  

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.