Works collaboratively with all departments to ensure KANA employees, patients, clients, and visitors have a safe and healthy environment to work and receive services. Manages KANA’s safety program to ensure compliance with OSHA, HRSA, and AAAHC accreditation requirements. Responsible for identifying, managing, and mitigating risk through analyzing data and guiding or participating in activities to reduce or eliminate liability.  

Required Skills

Work in conjunction with KANA leadership and programs to resolve issues related to health and safety. Provide direction as needed to mitigate imminent and future risks to employees, patients, visitors, and assets.   Develop and maintain safety and risk management policies and procedures. Work in conjunction with management to ensure KANA’s policies and procedures are in compliance with applicable state and federal laws and regulatory guidelines and KANA accreditation and grant requirements. Ensure employees understand and demonstrate safe work practices in accordance with policies and procedures and are not unnecessarily exposed to unsafe working conditions.   Work in conjunction with KANA leadership to develop and coordinate emergency response planning and recovery strategies for KANA operations. Work collaboratively with community partners to ensure effective emergency preparedness and response in the development, implementation, and maintenance of island-wide emergency response plans.   Serve as chair of the Safety and Risk Management Committee, coordinating quarterly meetings to review safety and security related incidents and to identify projects, training, policy updates, and/or process modifications to ensure the health and safety of KANA staff, patients, visitors, and assets.   Develop an effective safety compliance training program, introductory training for new employees and ongoing training for all employees. Topics include, but are not limited to, Incident Reporting, Emergency Action Plans, Emergency Communication, Fire Protection, Bloodeborne Pathogens, Hazard Communication, and General Workplace Safety.   Work with program managers to ensure employees receive department and job specific safety training upon hire and ongoing. Continually evaluate training needs for staff to ensure risk to employees, patients, clients, or visitors is mitigated through proper training.   Ensure employees are equipped with training and resources to safely and effectively respond to upset and potentially violent or threatening patients or visitors. Coordinate ongoing de-escalation training that provides progressive response that ensures the safety of employees, patients, and visitors.   Respond to and track incident reports related to safety and security incidents or hazardous situations that may expose KANA to liability (e.g. claims of personal injury, safety hazards, or other accidents on KANA properties). Assign identified risk or safety issues to the appropriate department personnel for investigation and mitigation, providing direction or assistance as needed.   Prepare Life Safety Checklists that meet OSHA, accreditation, and insurance company standards and work with appropriate program directors to ensure regular checks occur at all locations. Provide technical assistance in evaluating and determining appropriate responses to safety and environment concerns.   Coordinate emergency drills to meet OSHA, HRSA, and AAAHC accreditation requirements.   Work with program managers to ensure equipment is inspected or evaluated to reduce risks to employees, patients, or visitors and mitigate potential risks through the replacement of aging or defective equipment. Work with appropriate department directors to review recall notices to determine if it is applicable to the organization and take the appropriate action indicated by manufacturer to ensure no risk of harm to employees or others. Coordinate the removal of all equipment and supplies affected by recall warning, and initiate steps to obtain the appropriate credit or replacements from the manufacturer or vendor.   Responsible for oversight of KANA’s hazardous materials disposal and SDS online database at all locations, and ensure hazardous material inventory and SDS sheets are up-to-date. Work with program managers to ensure staff are trained on chemicals and hazardous materials in their work areas.   Provide technical assistance on infection control and janitorial practices, and in the use of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).   Coordinate employee ergonomics evaluations and ensure follow through on recommended workspace modifications to meet the needs of the employee and ensure a comfortable and healthy work environment.   Assist employees with processing worker’s compensation claims and reports for insurance carrier, and work with managers to review causes of work injuries. Work with Human Resources to prepare and monitor OSHA injury logs.   Prepare and present safety and risk management reports as requested for Board meeting, Quality Improvement meetings, etc.   Serve as a liaison to QI, Safety, and Infection Control programs and staff.  Provide direction and support to eliminate safety risks throughout the facility in conjunction with the Facilities Director and other Program Directors and Managers.   Develop and maintain a working knowledge of KANA operations, including liability insurance policies, legal matters, clinical, administrative, financial, and other organizational policies.    Participate in education/training activities, as assigned.   Maintain a courteous and positive demeanor when providing information to patients, families, staff, and visitors.    Complete other assigned projects or activities to identify, reduce, or mitigate risk.    SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES: This position has no supervisory responsibilities.

Required Experience

Bachelor's degree in environmental health and safety or related field and three years of relevant experience working within a healthcare setting; or equivalent combination of education and experience. Current knowledge of relevant state and federal laws and regulations.

Current knowledge of Federal OSHA, National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) codes/standards and ability to apply to an ambulatory care setting.

Excellent oral and written communication skills.

Ability to conduct special studies and investigations, organize the results, and present them orally and in writing.

Ability to prepare instructional materials and present them effectively, utilizing various computer programs.

Knowledge of internet software and Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Word computer software. 

Ability to work collaboratively with administrative staff, physicians, nurses, support staff, patients, and community partners.

Work in conjunction with KANA leadership and programs to resolve issues related to health and safety. Provide direction as needed to mitigate imminent and future risks to employees, patients, visitors, and assets.   Develop and maintain safety and risk management policies and procedures. Work in conjunction with management to ensure KANA’s policies and procedures are in compliance with applicable state and federal laws and regulatory guidelines and KANA accreditation and grant requirements. Ensure employees understand and demonstrate safe work practices in accordance with policies and procedures and are not unnecessarily exposed to unsafe working conditions.   Work in conjunction with KANA leadership to develop and coordinate emergency response planning and recovery strategies for KANA operations. Work collaboratively with community partners to ensure effective emergency preparedness and response in the development, implementation, and maintenance of island-wide emergency response plans.   Serve as chair of the Safety and Risk Management Committee, coordinating quarterly meetings to review safety and security related incidents and to identify projects, training, policy updates, and/or process modifications to ensure the health and safety of KANA staff, patients, visitors, and assets.   Develop an effective safety compliance training program, introductory training for new employees and ongoing training for all employees. Topics include, but are not limited to, Incident Reporting, Emergency Action Plans, Emergency Communication, Fire Protection, Bloodeborne Pathogens, Hazard Communication, and General Workplace Safety.   Work with program managers to ensure employees receive department and job specific safety training upon hire and ongoing. Continually evaluate training needs for staff to ensure risk to employees, patients, clients, or visitors is mitigated through proper training.   Ensure employees are equipped with training and resources to safely and effectively respond to upset and potentially violent or threatening patients or visitors. Coordinate ongoing de-escalation training that provides progressive response that ensures the safety of employees, patients, and visitors.   Respond to and track incident reports related to safety and security incidents or hazardous situations that may expose KANA to liability (e.g. claims of personal injury, safety hazards, or other accidents on KANA properties). Assign identified risk or safety issues to the appropriate department personnel for investigation and mitigation, providing direction or assistance as needed.   Prepare Life Safety Checklists that meet OSHA, accreditation, and insurance company standards and work with appropriate program directors to ensure regular checks occur at all locations. Provide technical assistance in evaluating and determining appropriate responses to safety and environment concerns.   Coordinate emergency drills to meet OSHA, HRSA, and AAAHC accreditation requirements.   Work with program managers to ensure equipment is inspected or evaluated to reduce risks to employees, patients, or visitors and mitigate potential risks through the replacement of aging or defective equipment. Work with appropriate department directors to review recall notices to determine if it is applicable to the organization and take the appropriate action indicated by manufacturer to ensure no risk of harm to employees or others. Coordinate the removal of all equipment and supplies affected by recall warning, and initiate steps to obtain the appropriate credit or replacements from the manufacturer or vendor.   Responsible for oversight of KANA’s hazardous materials disposal and SDS online database at all locations, and ensure hazardous material inventory and SDS sheets are up-to-date. Work with program managers to ensure staff are trained on chemicals and hazardous materials in their work areas.   Provide technical assistance on infection control and janitorial practices, and in the use of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).   Coordinate employee ergonomics evaluations and ensure follow through on recommended workspace modifications to meet the needs of the employee and ensure a comfortable and healthy work environment.   Assist employees with processing worker’s compensation claims and reports for insurance carrier, and work with managers to review causes of work injuries. Work with Human Resources to prepare and monitor OSHA injury logs.   Prepare and present safety and risk management reports as requested for Board meeting, Quality Improvement meetings, etc.   Serve as a liaison to QI, Safety, and Infection Control programs and staff.  Provide direction and support to eliminate safety risks throughout the facility in conjunction with the Facilities Director and other Program Directors and Managers.   Develop and maintain a working knowledge of KANA operations, including liability insurance policies, legal matters, clinical, administrative, financial, and other organizational policies.    Participate in education/training activities, as assigned.   Maintain a courteous and positive demeanor when providing information to patients, families, staff, and visitors.    Complete other assigned projects or activities to identify, reduce, or mitigate risk.    SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES: This position has no supervisory responsibilities.