EHS Specialist: Fire and Industrial Safety

**Description**

Penn Medicine is dedicated to our tripartite mission of providing the highest level of care to patients, conducting innovative research, and educating future leaders in the field of medicine. Working for this leading academic medical center means collaboration with top clinical, technical and business professionals across all disciplines.

Today at Penn Medicine, someone will make a breakthrough. Someone will heal a heart, deliver hopeful news, and give comfort and reassurance. Our employees shape our future each day. Are you living your life's work?
**Entity**:Corporate

**Department**: Corporate Safety

**Location**:150 Monument Road

**Hours: (must live reasonable distance from location)** Hybrid, Day Shift.

***

The position will plan, develop, organize, implement, evaluate and direct assigned portions of the University of Pennsylvania Health System (UPHS) safety programs and related activities. These related activities can include fire and life safety; hazardous materials and chemical safety; emergency preparedness; ergonomics and injury prevention; construction safety and ILSM, and training staff to respond appropriately to ensure a safe environment. The position will assist with overseeing accident & injury prevention programs, hazard surveillance surveys at hospital and off-site locations, emergency preparedness activities, and construction safety and ILSM (Interim Life Safety Measures).

Primary responsibility will include life safety management (approximately 75%) to assure compliance with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). This work activity will require limited weekend and off-shift time commitments. This position may also be assigned a variety of other safety related duties that will assist the Emergency Management and Safety Department

(EMSD) in maintaining a safe environment for patients, visitors and staff. These additional responsibilities may include recognition, evaluation, monitoring and control of facility, operational and environmental safety factors occurring in a major health system with multiple buildings and functions for patient care, medical education and research.

The EHS Specialist I will also be responsible for support and enforcement of regulatory requirements for healthcare from the Joint Commission, the PA Department of Health, OSHA and local codes and ordinances.

The EHS Specialist I will also provide education and hands-on training to staff. The position will examine and reinforce the use of work practice controls as well as personal protective equipment to minimize the risk of injury.

***

**Accountabilities**
- Life Safety & Industrial Service Line
- Performs monthly testing of portable fire extinguishers at UPHS mapped facilities as assigned by the Corporate Manager of Fire and Industrial Safety.
- Facilitates life safety door inspections and coordinates documentation of fire door inspections and provides annual reports to assigned UPHS facilities.
- Assists with annual life safety assessments within fire safety service line.
- Conducts programmatic assessments for industrial safety service line.

Work Safety
- Assures compliance with NFPA 10 relative to portable fire extinguisher inspection and maintenance activities.
- Coordinates all appropriate documentation for extinguisher and fire door inspections to maintain regulatory compliance. - Coordinates assessment of fire extinguisher installation to assure proper distance and types of extinguishers utilized within facilities.
- Coordinates annual inspections and required hydrostatic testing elements associated with extinguisher maintenance program.
- Assists with life safety assessments of facilities in collaboration with Manager of Fire and Industrial Safety and Fire Safety Engineer.
- Coordinates planning, design, implementation, ongoing evaluation and monitoring of life safety program initiatives that provide for a safe environment of care for our patients, visitors, staff, and the surrounding community.
- Reviews/investigates/tracks/trends fire-related accident and incident reports for patterns, cause and effect and makes appropriate recommendation for improvement and implementation of preventative or corrective actions.
- Assists in providing fire extinguisher and other life safety program related education to staff at UPHS facilities.
- Performs investigations, and diagnostics of reported departmental operational, life safety and fire code compliance and general “safety related” issues for the assigned operating sites/entity. Develops recommended interventions where appropriate and monitors progress of interventions to correct such problems.
- Participates and contributes to UPHS safety management program initiatives for employee education, infection control and awareness training, and other resources developed for communication of the safety activities or knowledge to our staff, patients and visitors.
- Develops a familiarity and understanding of the functions, operations, pri