Health and Safety Nurse Director

HealthRIGHT 360 (HR360) provides behavioral health, including substance use disorder treatment and mental health, medical care, dental care, psychiatry, and reentry support in several counties across the state of California. HealthRIGHT 360 serves homeless, criminal justice, and underserved populations. Staff work directly with clients and may also be exposed to hazardous illnesses as part of this work and HealthRIGHT 360 is dedicated to furthering our efforts to support the health and safety of our staff and clients.

While a Health and Safety program exists at HR360 the occupational medicine portion is new and will help to grow and shore up processes and procedures to ensure the safety of our staff and clients.

The Health and Safety Nurse Director oversees the HealthRIGHT 360 Health and Safety Program.  The Health and Safety Nurse Director provides and ensures the structure of the Health and Safety Program and provides training and oversight to Health and Safety staff. The Health and Safety Nurse Director works to prevent and investigate workplace-related illnesses and injuries. The Health and Safety Nurse Director assesses workplaces to identify possible hazards and educates HR360 employees on how to prevent illnesses, accidents, and injuries. The Health and Safety Nurse Director advocates for changes in policies and procedures and/or develops systems to improve safety. The Health and Safety Nurse Director is well versed with Cal/OSHA regulations and NIOSH standards, ensuring that the workplace is up to standards and meets regulatory requirements. The Health and Safety Nurse Director takes the lead in identifying situations that require reporting to regulatory bodies. The Health and Safety Nurse Director is a safety inspector, educator, and architect of new health and safety measures and programs in conjunction with the Chief Healthcare Officer.

Leadership responsibilities:

• Provides oversight for the organization-wide Health and Safety program, including review of processes, updating and enhancing protocols, and ensuring regular review, accountability, and improvement/changes as required.
• Provides ongoing supervision for Health and Safety staff, including hiring, training, feedback, and regular performance review.
• Provides oversight for and implements emergency and disaster preparedness programs, planning, and drills.
• Ensures that all health and safety standards are met in an effort to safeguard the health and wellbeing of employees and our patients/clients.
• Provides for preventative measures that ensure the health and safety of workers.
• Organizes health and wellness programs like smoking cessation, exercise, and healthy eating programs.
• Ensures that the company is up to date with public health and employment safety legislations.
• Deep and clear understanding of Cal/OSHA regulations regarding workplace safety and NIOSH standards for safety equipment.

Administrative responsibilities:

• Ensures regular health and safety drills are carried out.
• Documents all employee injuries and illnesses within the workplace for reporting purposes, such as Cal/OSHA required reporting.
• Observes and assesses the work environment for potential dangers and hazards.
• Generates detailed reports on safety conditions.
• Inspects the work area and equipment used by personnel for safety compliance.
• Develops health and safety policies and procedures.
• Develops workplace safety policies and procedures, including those required by Cal/OSHA and various other regulatory bodies.
• Continuous updates and understanding of changes to any regulatory requirements or recommendations.

Quality Improvement responsibilities:

• In conjunction with the QI team, tracks incidents related to safety, performs trend analysis, and makes recommendations to address any deficiencies.
• In conjunction with the training department, educates employees on preventative measures against occupational hazards.
• Conducts research on the effects of workplace exposures, gathering health and hazard data.
• Champions quality improvement work regarding health and safety issues.

Clinical/Safety responsibilities:

• Develops disease prevention programs, such as smoking cessation, exercise, and healthy eating programs.
• Conducts research on the effects of hazardous work conditions or workplace exposures, which may include gathering data and reporting findings to the employer.
• Promotes healthy living and working conditions.

Education Required:

• Registered Nurse, currently licensed in the State of California with a with a minimum of a Bachelor of Science (BSN) degree from an accredited college or university or equivalent experience.
• Minimum two (2) years nursing experience and certification in occupational health nursing or equivalent experience.
• Certification in Basic Life Support (CPR) and First Aid.

Desired:

• Masters (MA) degree from an accredited college or university or equivalent experience.

Knowledge and Skills Required:

• Cal/OSHA standards and regulations for workplace safety, including but not limited to ATD standards.
• National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) standards.
• Advanced knowledge in public safety and industrial health standards.
• Able to work with varied workforce in programs across the state.
• Able to track and understand multiple county health directives/orders.

Desired:

• Possess good interpersonal and communication skills. 
• Excellent observational skills. 
• Patient, supportive, compassionate and able to maintain composure and work effectively within groups.

Tag: IND100.