Mine Safety And Health Specialist (Electrical)

This position is located within MSHA, Enforcement Division.

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

This position is inside the bargaining unit.

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.

• Participates in investigations involving electrical facilities, systems, and equipment at surface and underground mining operations, preparation plants, mills, and related facilities, including those that have their own power centers, where the equipment and processes are unique, where there have been persistent safety and health problems, and where the systems involved are extremely complex. The incumbent may serve as an electrical expert on teams investigating electrical-related accidents.
• Reviews, evaluates, and makes recommendations concerning the adequacy of mine safety and health, particularly on matters concerning electrical issues, for all types of mining operations (both surface and underground as applicable).
• Advises mine operators and other Federal and State inspectors of new or unusual electrical methods or other significant safety issues and technological developments. Evaluates and recommends approval or disapproval of requests for variance from electrical standards.
• Independently conducts a wide variety of onsite safety and health inspections and investigations of mines, preparation plants, and related facilities. These inspections and investigations may include unique equipment and processes, persistent safety and health problems, and extremely complex systems.
• Prepares written reports of inspections and investigations, issuing citations and orders for violations found during examinations.
• Serves as a MSHA spokesperson and authority on electrical issues for the District.
• Gives advice and assistance relating to those mines, systems, and processes with health and/or safety issues that 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.

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

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

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 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: Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled.

To qualify 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 electrical mining activities or other severe violations of electrical standards that present some of the most serious, unusual, and hard to define problems to resolve;
• Assists electrical experts on teams investigating accidents involving electrical hazards or issues.

To qualify 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 electrical mining activities or other severe violations of electrical standards that present some of the most serious, unusual, and hard to define problems to resolve;
• Serves as an electrical expert on teams investigating accidents involving electrical hazards or issues;
• Experience with mining methods, such as design, installation, operations or maintenance of mining systems or equipment related to electrical.

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.

There is no education substitution at the GS-11/12 grade levels.