OVERALL DESCRIPTION

The Safety Officer will coordinate and cooperate with all levels of Authority management and collective bargaining unit employees to provide expert assistance toward identifying, assessing, and prioritizing line management’s prevention of safety, health, and environmental hazards. The Safety Officer must be able to satisfy rigorous and demanding work schedules, which include non-traditional working hours (nights and weekends), and short-term deadlines.

The Safety Officer’s work effort will be concentrated in one of the five (5) primary specialty areas; Operational Safety, Occupational Safety and Health, Construction Safety, Accident Prevention and Investigation, and/or Safety Regulatory Compliance. To maintain a diverse and broad level of subject matter expertise that is needed to perform all the Division’s responsibilities, the required expertise and responsibilities will vary for each hire and be based on the current status of vacancies and needs of the division.
Based on the vacancies and needs of the Division. The Safety Officer will be required to be experienced in one of these five (5) areas and would be expected to perform functions based on the specific responsibilities selected for the position at that time and identified in the job posting. The Chief Safety Officer, Deputy Chief Safety Officer, System Safety and/or the Department Director will make this determination of what responsibilities are required based on the current staffing needs at the time of posting.
 

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES

I.     Operational Safety Department

A.     Operational Safety

1. Facilitates and assists audits of Authority’s operational systems conducted by Authorities Having Jurisdiction, including FRA, NTSB, FTA, State Safety Oversight (PennDOT), and APTA.
2. Implements and facilitates activities as required by the Code of Federal Regulations for both the Federal Transit Administration (FTA)and Federal Railroad Administration (FRA).
3. Inspects Authority operations and equipment to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and standards. Recommends cost effective enhancements to existing safety programs.
4. Conducts compliance audits of Operational Rules and Practices. Must be knowledgeable in SEPTA’s operating rules.
5. Develops and executes audit protocols and checklists to assess compliance with operational practices, operational training, rules, and vehicle maintenance activities as related to their safety critical elements for all modes of operation. Provides safety support and consultation for these functions.
6. Assesses compliance with various regulations and interfaces with regulatory agency personnel including
7. Federal Railroad Administration, Federal Transit Administration, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation State Safety Oversight Agency, (PA DOT SSOA), Occupational Safety and Health Administration, emergency response personnel and local municipalities.
8. Reviews accident and incident statistics to identify trends and develops programs with the various Operation departments to reduce, if not eliminate, accidents and incidents.
9. Develops, updates, and assesses compliance with Operational Safety programs including, but not limited to, the Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan, System Safety Program Plan, Hours of Service Program, and Currency & Proficiency Program.

DISCIPLINE RESPONSIBILITIES

C.     Fire/Life Safety

1. Conducts Fire / Life Safety inspections of Authority facilities, stations, and tunnels, and advises management of all fire prevention codes and standards violations. Ensures responsible managers carry out necessary corrective actions.
2. Conducts annual fire drills at all Authority facilities.
3. Supports the Authority’s effort through participation in design reviews, project meetings, and site visits.
4. Possesses thorough knowledge of NFPA, ICC, City of Philadelphia and other local, state, and federal codes, standards, and regulations as it pertains to fire / life safety as well as hazardous material handling and storage.
5. Participates in Philadelphia License & Inspection and local municipality audits and inspections, follows up on outstanding issues.
6. Conducts fire investigations on all Authority owned or operated equipment and facilities.
7. Organizes and conducts annual emergency evacuation drills exercises, with outside agencies per FRA and FTA regulations.
8. Conducts audits of Fire/Life Safety equipment, fire alarm systems, fire suppression systems, fire extinguishers, etc.
9. Ensures all Fire / Life Safety related programs, guidelines, and fact sheets are maintained to current codes, regulations, and standards.
10. Participates in and supports the Emergency Management Committee.
11. Works with insurance underwriters and representatives to ensure implementation of loss controls.
12. Ensures Authority infrastructure and physical plant improvement projects maintain compliance with the NFPA standards, the International Fire Code, and any codes, standards, and regulations required by SEPTA and/or an Authority Having Jurisdiction.
13. Serves as the Authority’s liaison with local emergency response agencies / departments, local Emergency Management Agencies (EMAs) and Emergency Management Coordinators (EMCs). in the SEPTA territory including the Philadelphia Fire Department and other local, state, and federal departments and agencies.
14. Develops, updates, and coordinates the management of Emergency Preparedness programs including the Emergency Management Operation Plan (EMOP), Passenger Train Emergency Preparedness Plan (PTEPP), Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) and the Emergency Response Information Guidebook (ERIG) to ensure compliance with applicable regulations, codes, and standards. Conducts periodic compliance audits of programs and plans.
15. Conducts familiarization and safety training for emergency responders on SEPTA equipment as well as the physical plant.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• B. S. Degree in related safety or safety engineering disciplines plus five (5) to seven (7) years’ experience in safety or safety engineering field required. An equivalent combination of education and experience two (2) years of related experience equating to one year of post high school education) may be considered in lieu of the degree requirement.
• Note that emphasis of experience and education may be tailored on the posting to reflect a specific area of safety (i.e. Operational Safety, Occupational Safety, Fire/Life Safety, Construction Safety, Electrical Safety, Vehicle Engineering or Accident Investigation).
• Strong knowledge of the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Federal Transit Administration (FTA), National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and PennDOT and applicable, local, state and federal regulations required.
• Must demonstrate the ability to pursue/perform multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Must have a strong understanding of union and management environment and demonstrate the ability to address health and safety matters directly to union employees.
• Must be able to review and analyze accident data and participate in the development of corrective action plans to resolve complex safety and health issues.
• Must be able to satisfy rigorous and demanding work schedules, which include non-traditional working hours, and short-term deadlines.
• Must have valid driver’s license.
• Must have excellent verbal and technical writing skills with experience writing quality technical reports and Standard Operating Procedures.

IDEAL QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• USDOT Transportation Institute Transit (TSI) Safety and Security Program (TSSP- Rail and/or TSSP-Bus) certificate.
• Federal Transit Administration Public Transportation Safety Certification Training Program Certification (PTSCTP).
• Working knowledge of the DHS Homeland Security Emergency and Evaluation Program (HSEEP).
• Knowledge of Military Standard 882, identification of safety hazards and mitigation.
• Experience in Transit Safety and Security.
• Knowledge of the FTA Safety and Security Certification Handbook.