Department Description:
The Office of Environment, Health and Safety (EH&S) is responsible for promoting environmental stewardship and a safe workplace at UCSF while helping to ensure compliance with all local, state, and federal regulations pertaining to occupational safety and the environment.
Job Summary:
UCSF's Office of Environment, Health & Safety (EH&S) is dedicated to fostering a safe, healthy, and environmentally responsible environment for all faculty, staff, students, patients, and visitors across the University and UCSF Health system. EH&S serves as the central resource for workplace safety, environmental stewardship, and regulatory compliance within a complex, multi-site academic health institution.
The department provides comprehensive programs and services that support compliance with federal, state, and local regulations while enabling UCSF's mission of advancing health through research, education, and patient care. Core program areas include biosafety, chemical safety, environmental protection, ergonomics, facilities safety, fire and life safety, industrial hygiene, radiation and laser safety, hazardous materials management, spill response, food facility safety, personal protective equipment (PPE) selection, hazardous building materials, and hazardous waste management, among others.
EH&S partners closely with campus leadership, clinical operations, research programs, and affiliated organizations to proactively identify risks, implement effective controls, and promote a culture of safety and environmental responsibility. The department also provides critical support to the UCSF Health system and multiple affiliated entities, ensuring consistent standards and practices across diverse operational settings.
Through a combination of technical expertise, consultation, training, and program development, EH&S plays a vital role in maintaining compliance, reducing risk, and supporting the safe conduct of world-class research, education, and patient care activities at UCSF.
Responsibilities
10% - Serves as highest-level organization subject matter expert in designated EH&S field or is assigned duties in specific official capacities. Develops, recommends and implements EH&S programs, policies and procedures.
Serves as UCSF subject matter expert on fire and life safety technical, regulatory and legislative issues on campus, including Title 19 California Code of Regulations, Title 24 California Building Standards Code and associated standards. Provides professional, technical and regulatory consultation to the Lead DCFM, professional colleagues, and UCSF campus executives to support UCSF and/or UC system-wide planning. Evaluates fire safety risks on campus, and proposes and implements fire safety programs, policies and procedures to effectively control those risks.
30% - Creates new and complex solutions applying advanced level knowledge / expertise of best practices within multiple technical, professional, scientific, and applied disciplines and makes recommendations and presentations based on accepted scientific methodology.
Under the terms of the UC-OSFM MOU, performs construction plan review, construction observation and code enforcement on behalf of OSFM. Understands and applies OSFM adopted California Code of Regulations (CCR) and appropriate standard requirements to develop creative solutions to complex fire and life safety challenges.
- Provides consultation to the design and project management teams during the design and construction phases to confirm that the proposed fire and life safety plan meets applicable codes. Where there are deficiencies in the proposed fire and life safety plan, provides solutions and, if needed, assists the design team in the presentation of the selected solution to the appropriate OSFM staff.
- Performs preliminary, triage, normal, expedited, and over-the-counter reviews of submittal documents pertaining to the design and construction of UCSF campus facilities in accordance with the CCR, OSFM policy intent notices, code application notices and other applicable codes guidelines and policies, and other reference materials.
- Conducts reviews of plans, specifications, calculations, Alternate Methods of Compliances (AMCs), Post Approval Documents (PADs) and other submittal documents for UCSF campus facilities' fire and life safety systems and construction requirements including, but not limited to, exiting systems, smoke removal systems, automatic fire/smoke detection and alarm systems, automatic fire sprinkler/suppression systems, fire resistive/rated building construction and all related fire and life safety work.
- Conducts construction observation of these same facility fire and life safety systems and construction requirements, as necessary to enforce applicable construction standards, regulations and substantial conformance with the approved plans and specifications. Prepares a written reports of site visits, consistently citing code authority for all construction deemed to violate adopted building codes makes field visits to facilities and construction projects and accurately documents all activities. Maintains facilities files current for each assigned facility and for each construction project from start to finish. Advises project architects, engineers, construction contractors and facility administrators and designated representatives on code related matters.
- Monitors the work of UCSF Real Estate project manager to ensure continuous, adequate and competent inspection of all parts and phases of fire and life safety work in accordance with Title 24 Part 1, CCRs and other inspection provisions of the California Building Standards Code. Advises project managers on code-related matters and on the proper procedures for filing construction documents to achieve Certificate of Occupancy with UCSF Building Permit Services. Monitors compliance with the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance Program.
- Triages submittals and Post Approval Documents (PADs) for completeness, establishes the appropriate type of review, estimates the review hours needed, completes the appropriate level of review and accurately documents all review activities.
- Conducts field observation and/or performs field triage and review of construction plans, specifications, AMCs, PADs and other submittal documents as directed.
- Makes technical and code compliance decisions related to the reviews conducted, corresponds and communicates with facility project personnel as to the status of the project reviews, and consistently cites code authority for all proposals, plans, specifications and other submittal documents deemed to violate applicable codes. Initiates or recommends changes that promote innovative solutions to meet customer needs.
- Consults with, makes recommendations, and provides technical assistance to professional engineers, architects, building and fire officials, campus administrators and their designated representatives, construction contractors, OSFM plan review and construction observation staff and state and local officials regarding planning concepts, design, building regulations, etc. Prepares written reports and/or correspondence in a professional, clear, concise, legible manner, consistently citing justification and/or code authority where appropriate.
- Ensures compliance with the documentation requirements of OSFM. Responds to fire scenes as appropriate. May perform fire cause and origin investigations and limited arson investigations, if/as directed by OSFM officials or the Lead DCFM.
- Helps manage the institution's response to unplanned fire events and other emergencies. Conducts appropriate follow-up on these events to determine causes and impacts and identify prevention opportunities.
- In a local or regional disaster, may serve as a member UCSF's Emergency Operations Center (EOC). This is part of the UCSF Emergency Management program, and EH&S is identified as one of several essential service units that may be mobilized to support the campus EOG
- Develops and maintains an effective fire and life safety program for UCSF facilities and operations. Reviews existing facilities and identifies deficiencies with respect to their fire and life safety features and other code requirements. Prioritizes deficiencies based on a realistic assessment of their impact on the fire and life safety of the occupants. Develops reasonable options for mitigating deficiencies, documenting their benefits, operational implications and preliminary cost estimates. Presents options for deficiency mitigation to UCSF.
- other duties as assigned, possibly including administrative tasks when other staff are unavailable.
25% - Acts as an authorized agent of an agency.
Operates with formal delegated authority from the OSFM to perform maintenance/annual inspections (Title 19), construction observations (inspections) and plan reviews (Title 24) in OSHPD-regulated healthcare facilities. Provides construction review and approval services, adhering to policies and procedures established by OSFM. Develops procedures to implement the MOU, including activity measurements, standard processes and resolution of code interpretation disparities.
As directed by the Lead Designated Campus Fire Marshal, may monitor and evaluate fire safety compliance in existing UCSF facilities (Title 19). The position interacts with, and represents the campus to, municipal fire departments and regional and state fire safety agencies.
Commits the organization to a course of action (e.g., approves use or close down operations).
Conducts maintenance and annual inspections and approves "Fire Safety Clearance" to allow building occupancy. In the event of a significant and imminent fire hazard that cannot be remediated through other means, this position may revoke Fire Safety Clearance to halt operations in any UCSF facility.
15% - Negotiates changes to legal interpretation of laws and regulations within field(s) of authority.
Proposes new, or recommends changes to, fire and life safety policies affecting the institution and community to assure safety and compliance. Continuously evaluates, recommends and/or develops, and implements procedures that assure broad and effective awareness of fire, life & panic safety requirements. May serve on California state commissions or National Fire Protection Association committees to propose new fire safety regulations or standards to address emergent fire and life safety concerns. Ensures implementation of quality control procedures according to all regulations in subject area.
Monitors and reviews the work of other staff on the EH&S Fire and Life Safety Team to ensure consistency, practicality and regulatory compliance in all Fire and Life Safety Team guidance to stakeholders. In accordance with the MOU, provides training, quality assurance technical guidance and program evaluation consistent with OSFM plan review and compliance requirements as deemed necessary by OSFM and UCSF. Travels to Sacramento or other sites to participate in pertinent portions of OSFM staff meetings, trainings, and other related events.
Monitors and controls the organization's EH&S standards in accordance with regulations.
Reviews EH&S fire safety guidance documents and enforcement directives and provides peer-to-peer training to ensure consistent, practical and compliant interpretation and enforcement of applicable fire safety regulations and codes.
Monitors the effectiveness of the UCSF fire equipment Inspection, Testing and Maintenance (ITM) program in UCSF campus facilities, generating reports of findings.
20% - Plans, organizes and / or oversees work of professional EH&S staff.
Serves as delegated representative of senior management to system-wide, local government, state and federal levels of authority in matters related to EH&S and individual field of expertise.
May serve on OSFM, NFPA or other code committees and/or contribute to the appropriate interpretation of such codes. Works closely with Campus Building Official to ensure consistent communication and interpretation of applicable codes.
When the lead of DCFM is unavailable, this position represents the Fire Safety Team to EH&S senior management, and may serve as a member of the EH&S Leadership Team. Assists with policy planning and implementation of long-range goals for the Fire and Life Safety Team and EH&S.
- Represents UCSF on UC system-wide committees and work groups, including the UC Council of Campus Fire Marshals.
- Serves as a liaison and works closely with local fire departments (e.g., San Francisco Fire Department), regional fire divisions, and State agencies or federal fire safety agencies, regularly negotiating compliance issues as appropriate.
- Serves as resource or liaison with campus senior executives and external senior level representatives (fire chiefs and fire marshals).
Maintains professional knowledge / expertise of existing and proposed changes in all EH&S areas, with specific attention to regulations in particular particular subject area.
Maintains current, up-to-date knowledge and understanding of all existing and proposed regulations in fire and life safety codes (e.g., NFPA, California Building Code, etc.).
Prepares reports or other forms of scientific or technical documentation.
Documents construction plan review and approval using OSFM-designated stamp on construction plans. Generates written reports of construction inspection findings and necessary corrective actions. Assists in gathering relevant data for inclusion in reports to Federal, State, and local agencies (e.g., the Clery Act). Assists in drafting the annual report summarizing fire safety activities for submission to OSFM as required by the UC-OSFM MOU. Writes or reviews and approves incident investigation reports for any significant fire, explosion or related incident in UCSF campus facilities, notifying OSFM, and coordinating with their on-site staff when appropriate. Writes or reviews and approves written notices of "Fire Safety Clearance" submitted to the Campus Building Official in support of new/renovated building occupancy clearances. Prepares communications with OSFM staff to obtain ag
