Occupational Health Prog Mgr (#335050)

Plans, organizes, and manages an Occupational Health Program for Solano County employees; including supervising program staff, identifying employee health and safety needs; setting program goals and objectives, developing policies and procedures, evaluating outcomes and making recommendations, and overseeing bloodborne pathogens-tuberculosis surveillance and related infection control.

This is a single position class characterized by the responsibility for the development and implementation of the Occupational Health Program for County employees.  Incumbents promote employee health, develops policies and procedures, minimize employee exposure to communicable diseases, conduct training and educational activities related to occupational and employee health, and supervise staff assigned to the employee health program.   

Receives general direction from the Public Health Nursing Services Director.
Exercises supervision over professional and clerical staff.

Plans, organizes and manages the Occupational Health Program for County employees; identifies health and safety needs, sets goals and objectives, implements programs, evaluates outcomes and makes recommendations; develops and revises policy and procedures including Bloodborne Pathogens and Tuberculosis Exposure Control Plans, Workplace Security Plan, Drug and Alcohol Testing Program for employees in safety-sensitive positions according to regulations; maintains a data-base system for bloodborne pathogens, tuberculosis surveillance, and health/safety training programs for all County employees.
 
Develops and implements program budget; monitors budget and expenses; reviews and approves purchase of supplies and equipment.
 
Supervises program staff including Clinic Nurses and Office Assistants; trains staff and assigns work; supervises activities and evaluates performance; reviews and signs time sheets, absence requests and expense claims; determines staffing needs; prepares documents in hiring process; conducts interviews and selects new staff as needed.
 
Plans and conducts occupational health and safety training for County employees including topics on office ergonomics, bloodborne diseases, tuberculosis, defensive driving, violence prevention, drug and alcohol testing, respiratory protection, hazard communications, communicable diseases, first aid and CPR.
 
Identifies the need for and implements immunization programs for County employees; develops a system to screen employees for susceptibility status for communicable diseases; assists in employee communicable disease exposure investigations.
 
Analyzes data to determine program needs.
 
Develops and maintains occupational health and safety records system; plans for and implements related database; maintains and ensures security of all supplies and equipment. 
 
Prepares a variety of reports and statistics; prepares quarterly program and activities reports; prepares memorandum of understanding for the program annually.
 
Serves as a member of the department's safety committee and the Countywide Safety Board.
 
Participates in the preparation of responses to complaints/citations from CalOSHA or other regulatory agencies; assists in developing policies, procedures and guidelines; reviews and implements federal and state regulations regarding occupational health and safety.
 
Provides technical consultation to the Risk Manager in the development and implementation of employee safety and related training; reviews and analyzes occupational health and safety programs and makes recommendations for improvement; assists departments in the review of facilities and operations to identify unsafe practices and conditions; assists in developing injury and illness prevention programs; researches, analyzes and interprets state and federal health and safety regulations; attends required meetings; participates on committees.
 
Accompanies other personnel on inspections; prepares responses to regulatory agencies; communicates and meets with agencies; investigates cause of injuries and illnesses; investigates complaints; performs worksite inspections and identifies hazards.
 Maintains professional knowledge in applicable areas and keeps abreast of changes in job-related rules, statutes, laws and new business trends; makes recommendations for the implementation of changes; reads and interprets professional literature; attends training programs, workshops and seminars as appropriate.

Knowledge of:
 
Principles and practices of occupational health nursing, including employee/community aspects of nursing programs and provisions of patient care.
 
Federal and state laws and regulations governing occupational and public health and safety.
 
Causes and methods of transmission and control of communicable diseases including tuberculosis and bloodborne pathogens.
 
Trends in occupational health and safety.
 
Social and health agencies and functions of other professions related to occupational health nursing.
 
Sociological and emotional problems involved in care of tuberculosis and other communicable diseases.
 
Principles of mental health.
 
Use and effects of medicines.
 
Principles of clinical and occupational health screening including charting histories and systems review.
 
Principles and practices of supervision, training, program planning and implementation.
 
Principles and practices of program evaluation related to occupational health services.
 
Current concepts and trends in professional nursing services.
 
Laws and regulations governing occupational health and safety and related human resources issues.
 
Skill to:
 
Operate office equipment including a personal computer, copy and fax machines and printers, audio/visual equipment, respiratory protection equipment and other equipment used in essential functions.
 
Drive a motor vehicle.
 
Ability to:
 
Plan, organize and coordinate a countywide occupational health program.
 
Monitor and evaluate program effectiveness.
 
Determine and evaluate levels of achievement and performance.
Recognize and respect limit of authority and responsibility.
 
Establish effective working relationships County departments and with local agencies/organizations.
 
Interpret and ensure compliance with laws, rules and regulations.
 
Communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
 
Organize and prioritize work assignments.
 
Understand program objectives in relation to departmental goals and objectives.
 
Research regulations, procedures and/or technical reference materials.
 
Compile and analyze complex data to establish/identify needs and evaluate administrative problems and implement operational changes.
 
Supervise support staff; maintain confidentiality of information.

Two years of professional level nursing experience, of which one must have been in the areas of occupational health or public health

And

         A Bachelor’s degree in Nursing  from an accredited college or university, in Nursing.

• Valid California Registered Nurse License
• Public Health Nursing Certificate or Occupational Health certification or degree
• Current First Aid Certificate
• Valid California Driver’s License, Class C

Possession of a valid Registered Nurse License issued by the California State Board of Registered Nursing with a Public Health Nursing Certificate or degree/certificate in Occupational Health.
 
Possession of, or ability to obtain, a valid Class C California driver's license is required.

Independent travel is required.

Physical Ability:  Tasks require the ability to exert moderate, though not constant physical effort, typically involving some combination of climbing and balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, and crawling, and which may involve some lifting, carrying, pushing and/or pulling of objects and materials of moderate weight (12-20 pounds).
 
Sensory Requirements:  Requires the ability to recognize and identify similarities and differences between shade, degree or value of colors, shapes, sounds, forms, textures or physical appearance associated with job-related objects, materials, tasks or people.
 
Environmental Factors:  Incumbents must be able to work in an environment which may include exposure to communicable disease.