GENERAL SUMMARY OF POSITION:
Under the supervision of the Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) Manager or designee, the EH&S Technician is responsible for helping to implement and maintain environmental health and safety programs for the UMass Medical School (UMMS) and UMass Memorial Medical Center (UMMMC), which applies to its patients, students, employees, contractors, visitors, and the environment; and, to assist with keeping UMMS and UMMMC in compliance with applicable government and accreditation occupational and environmental safety standards, regulations, requirements and guidelines. The Environmental Health & Safety Technician will be assigned to one of the disciplines within Environmental Health & Safety, but will also perform duties from the other disciplines.
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MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Conduct worksite risk assessments, evaluations, inspections, audits, investigations, or surveillance surveys for compliance programs. May help with creating or preparing checklists for the compliance inspections. Help with identifying potential risks and with recommending appropriate solutions
- Perform data entry into EH&S databases. Assist with reviewing and analyzing data for trends, deficiencies, quality control, and with seeking solutions to correct identified issues
- Help maintain records and documentation, including training records, waste manifests, SDS, safety equipment certifications, and other regulatory compliance documents
- Help with providing training and technical guidance or advice, to personnel, faculty and students on various EH&S compliance programs
- Assist with responding to urgent and emergency calls, questions and requests, following all regulations and procedures.
- Participate in the EH&S’ Emergency Response Team
- Maintain, test and calibrate equipment, inventory, and supplies used for compliance management, may include performing chemical fume hood testing, emergency shower and eye wash testing, and performing respiratory fit testing
- Write technical safety reports, assessment reports, hazard surveillance reports, lab inspection reports, and incident review reports
- Assist with reviewing and updating of policies, procedures, and safety manuals
- Interact with members of the Hospital and School community
- Perform other duties as required.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor’s degree in Safety, Environmental Science, Natural Sciences, Fire Safety, Chemistry, Biology, Environmental Health and Safety, Emergency Management, Radiation Safety, Health Physics, or a related degree dependent upon discipline applying for.
- Basic knowledge of federal and state regulations pertaining to selected disciplines within Env. Health & Safety, such as; EPA, DOT, OSHA, NIH, CDC, NIOSH, MADPH, MADEP, MADPH, NRC, NFPA, FEMA, MEMA.
- Some skill with Microsoft Office software and database applications
- Must have a valid driver’s license, and the ability to travel to off-site locations and respond to matters of urgency, sometimes after normal working hours
- To be able to become certified as OSHA 40 hour Emergency Responder is required
- Good oral and written communication skills
- Ability to satisfactorily manage and report status of assignments, tasks, responsibilities, and multiple elements of complex programs.
Discipline in Radiation Safety:
-Basic knowledge of health physics and radiation protection/safety including physics, mathematics or chemistry.
-Willing to become or already are DOT, NRC and RCRA trained for manifest signing.
-Basic knowledge of radioactive hazardous waste including evaluating wastes, preparing wastes for disposal, preparing disposal documentation, and, distributing and tracking waste manifests. Knowledge of NRC, EPA, RCRA, DOT, MADPH, and MADEP hazardous waste and environmental regulations.
-Basic knowledge of ionizing radiation sources including conducting inventories, lab inspections and surveys, delivering incoming shipments, ascertaining class and type of material in accordance to NRC and DOT regulations, and knowledge of bioassay programs for radiation users.
-Basic knowledge of radiation therapies used in healthcare and the QA precautions to be followed in-house and after discharge.
-Possess aptitude and willingness to safely handle ionizing wastes and hazardous substances with appropriate equipment and PPE.
-Ability to obtain FBI clearance for Irradiator access.
ENVIRONMENTAL WORKING CONDITIONS:
May work in conditions where there is construction, chemicals, ionizing radiation, Power Plant, health care, laboratories, warehouse, pathology, animals, outdoors, and on roofs. Conditions may require wearing personal protective equipment such as air-purifying respirators as well as safety goggles, gloves, and protective equipment, and utilizing monitoring equipment or spill containment and clean up supplies for chemicals and biologicals. Visual, auditory and physical abilities must allow for visual and auditory observations, considerable walking, and crouching, bending, and, lifting including, lifting up to 50 pounds with using assistive devices.
