Exam Bulletin - Associate Safety Engineer

Department of Industrial Relations

Exam Code: EX-1562

Examination Plans Included:

  • ASSOCIATE SAFETY ENGINEER - Open

Final Filing Date: Applications are accepted on a continuous basis.

Classification Details

ASSOCIATE SAFETY ENGINEER: $9,245.00 - $11,566.00 per Month

View the ASSOCIATE SAFETY ENGINEER classification specification.

Application Instructions

This is not a timed exam. If you request a Reasonable Accommodation your account will be locked and you will not be able to proceed with the exam until the request is processed.

Applications are accepted on a continuous basis.

Who Should Apply:

The information below will help you determine which classification(s) is(are) appropriate for you. Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications as stated on this bulletin to compete in this examination.

Open and Open, Non-Promotional Examination(s):

  • ASSOCIATE SAFETY ENGINEER - Open

For all Classifications, once you have participated in any of the following examinations, you may not recompete for 9 months:

Exam Code(s):

    1562

For ASSOCIATE SAFETY ENGINEER, once you have participated in any of the following examinations, you may not recompete for 9 months:

Exam Code(s):

  • EX-01562

How To Apply:

Submit an Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) to apply for this examination.

Electronic applications can be submitted through your account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov.

Special Testing Arrangements:

If you require assistance or alternative testing arrangements due to a disability, indicate on your application that you need reasonable accommodation. You will be contacted by a representative of the testing department to make the necessary arrangements. If you have not been contacted by the time you receive notification of testing, please contact the testing department listed in the Contact section of this bulletin.

If you are unable to submit your application or complete the test due to a disability, please contact the testing department listed in the Contact section of this bulletin.

Minimum Qualifications

All applicants must meet the education and/or experience requirements as stated on this exam bulletin to be accepted to the examination.

Unless otherwise stated in the Minimum Qualifications, qualifying experience may be combined on a proportionate basis if the requirements stated below include more than one pattern and are distinguished as "Either" 1, "or" 2, "or" 3, etc. For example, applicants possessing qualifying experience amounting to 50% of the required time of Pattern 1 and additional experience amounting to 50% of the required time of Pattern 2 may be accepted to an examination as meeting 100% of the overall experience requirement.

00103929 - ASSOCIATE SAFETY ENGINEER

Either 1
Two years of experience in California state service performing the duties of an Assistant Safety Engineer.

Or 2
Experience: The equivalent of either:

  1. Two years of experience as a safety engineer or safety consultant in the construction, electrical, or industrial disciplines, conducting safety inspections to identify hazards to worker safety and advise on their abatement in industrial or commercial establishments, government facilities, or construction sites. or
  2. Three years of professional construction, electrical, or industrial engineering experience. and Education: Equivalent to graduation from college with specialization in engineering or in a field directly related to occupational safety and health. (Additional qualifying experience may be substituted for the required education on a year-for-year basis.) (Promotional candidates who are within six months of satisfying the experience requirement for this class will be admitted to the examination but they must meet the experience requirement before being eligible for appointment.)

Position Description

00103929 - ASSOCIATE SAFETY ENGINEER

Without detailed supervision or review, conducts construction, electrical, and industrial worker safety inspections and surveys, including the most difficult in factories, businesses, construction sites, and other work places throughout the State; meets with employers, workers, representatives of labor organizations, employees of other government agencies, and members of the general public to explain various aspects of the CAL/OSHA program and discuss construction, electrical, and industrial occupational safety and health problems; responds to complaints of construction, electrical, and industrial hazards to worker safety and health; investigates the most complex and serious construction, electrical, and industrial accidents, determines their cause and the means of preventing their recurrence; applies the provisions of the State's safety orders, applicable law, and appropriate department policies to conditions found and identifies construction, electrical, and industrial worker safety and health hazards; determines the seriousness of violations of the State's safety orders associated with construction, electrical, and industrial disciplines, calculates appropriate penalties, and recommends the issuance of citations and, if appropriate, legal prosecution; prepares reports of activities, including citations, and may issue citations in the field; represents the Division of Occupational Safety and Health Appeals Board; in the CAL/OSHA Consultation Service, performs construction, electrical, and industrial inspections and provides a variety of consultation services in response to requests from employers for advice and assistance in providing a safe and healthful work environment; conducts seminars, workshops, and other training on occupational safety and health; may be assigned to review and do research on existing and proposed State regulations and policies on occupational safety and health associated with construction, electrical, and industrial disciplines, compare them with Federal guidelines, consult with employer labor, other government agencies and other interested parties on their appropriateness, and participate in the preparation and presentation of documentation and exhibits at hearings of the Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA) Board relative to the construction, electrical, and industrial disciplines; in a staff capacity, may provide oral and written interpretations of the safety orders associated with the construction, electrical, and industrial disciplines and give advice and guidance on departmental policy to field staff; may act in a lead capacity and assist in training other staff engaged in occupational safety and health work in the construction, electrical, and industrial disciplines; may be assigned special projects related to occupational safety and health in the construction, electrical, and industrial disciplines; and prepares technical reports and correspondence.

Special Personal Characteristics
Willingness to undertake additional training as needs are identified; willingness to travel and work in an assigned area of the State; keenness of observation, tact, and maturity.

For information regarding position location(s), please refer to the Eligible List Information section.

Examination Information

We recommend using Chrome, Firefox, or Edge for optimal performance when accessing the examination.

This examination consists of the following component(s):

Component OrderComponent TypeComponent DuePercentage of Final Score
1CalHR Online ExamN/A100%

A final score of 70% must be attained to be placed on the eligible list.

In addition to evaluating the applicant's relative knowledge, skill and ability as demonstrated by quality and breadth of education/experience, emphasis in each test component will be on measuring competitively, relative to job demands, each applicant's:

Knowledge of:

  1. Purpose and functions of the various components of the CAL/OSHA program 
  2. Principles, practices, and methods of construction, electrical, and industrial engineering, including those specifically applicable to safety engineering
  3. Operations, methods, equipment, and safety devices used in the State's work places and occupational safety and health hazards associated with construction, electrical, and industrial disciplines
  4. The Associate Safety Engineer State's safety orders covering construction, electrical, and industrial safety
  5. Applicable provisions of the Labor Code
  6. Policies and procedures relating to the operations of the CAL/OSHA program
  7. Methods and techniques used in safety inspections, accident prevention, consultation, training, and technical report writing associated with the construction, electrical, and industrial disciplines
  8. Methods of developing and presenting evidence in administrative and formal legal hearings
Ability to:
  1. Conduct safety inspections and accident investigations associated with the construction, electrical, and industrial disciplines, including the most difficult and complex, in work places throughout the State 
  2. Gather and effectively analyze information
  3. Detect occupational safety and health hazards and unsafe working conditions and practices in the construction, electrical, and industrial disciplines 
  4. Interpret and apply the State's safety orders, applicable provisions of the Labor Code, and the policies of the CAL/OSHA program associated with construction, electrical, and industrial disciplines 
  5. Develop and maintain effective working relationships with employers, workers, labor organizations, the general public, and others encountered in the work 
  6. Analyze situations accurately and take effective action 
  7. Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing 
  8. Address groups and conduct seminars and workshops on construction, electrical, and industrial worker safety 
  9. Prepare technical reports and correspondence 
  10. Act in a lead capacity and assist in training staff in occupational safety and health work in CAL/OSHA program functions and activities associated with the construction, electrical, and industrial disciplines 
  11. Develop and present evidence, and represent the Division of Occupational Safety and Health or other components of the CAL/OSHA program in administrative and formal legal hearings related to the construction, electrical, and industrial disciplines

Eligible List Information

A Departmental Open eligible list for the ASSOCIATE SAFETY ENGINEER Classification will be established for:

  • Department of Industrial Relations

The names of successful competitors will be merged onto the eligible list(s) in order of final score regardless of test date. Eligibility expires 24 months after it is established. Applicants must then retake the examination to reestablish eligibility.

Resulting Eligibility List(s) will be used to fill vacancies throughout the State of California.

Veterans' Preference will be granted for this examination. Veterans' Preference is an assistance program for veterans, veteran widows and widowers, and spouses of 100% disabled veterans who seek employment with the state. Veterans' Preference is also extended to currently serving military members nearing their retirement or separation date.

You are not eligible for Veteran's Preference if you are:

  • A veteran who has been dishonorably discharged or released.
  • A veteran, widow or widower of a veteran, or spouse of a 100 percent disabled veteran who currently has permanent civil service status. (Permanent civil service status is the status of an employee who is lawfully retained in his/her position after completion of the applicable probationary period. This does not include limited term).

Veterans' Preference is codified in Government Code Sections 18973 – 18979.

Veteran status is verified by the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR). Directions to apply for Veterans' Preference are on the Veterans' Preference Application (Std. Form 1093), which is available at www.CalCareers.ca.gov, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Career Credits are not granted for examination(s) administered on an Open basis or a Promotional basis.

Associate Safety Engineer Training and Experience Exam Preview

Instructions:

Read each of the statements and indicate the amount of time you have applying or performing this knowledge, skill, ability, or task based on:

Experience: State the number of years and months of work experience you have relevant to applying or performing this knowledge, skill, ability, or task, whether paid, as a volunteer, or assignments in a 2 or 4 year college.

Education: State the number of college level course units (semester or quarter units) you have completed directly related to applying or performing this knowledge, skill, ability, or task.

Training: State the number of training hours you have completed directly related to applying or performing this knowledge, skill, ability or task.

PLEASE NOTE: This examination is designed to gain an overall assessment of your experience as it directly relates to the duties and the knowledge, skills and abilities required for this position. All components of this examination have been carefully validated by tying them directly to job requirements and documenting their relevance to the position. In preparing your responses please note, each exam item response textbox has a maximum of 1,000 character count. In addition, please be aware that each page of the examination times out at 20 minutes. It is recommended to prepare your responses into a word processing document which you can later copy and paste into the examination.

  1. Knowledge of basic science (e.g., chemistry, industrial hygiene, physics, mathematics, biology) and basic engineer (e.g., construction processes, electrical, ergonomics) to assist in evaluating a hazard.
  2. Knowledge of principles of safety engineering as they pertain to areas such as methods of construction, electrical and industrial engineering in area of expertise.
  3. Ability to research and preview previous case files and citations/deficiencies for employer history.
  4. Ability to observe and detect hazards that could violate safety orders to present a workplace safety or health hazard (e.g., during inspections, investigations, onsite consultations).
  5. Ability to maintain and document detailed records of work related activities to keep track of deadlines (e.g., complete work before the statute of limitation expires or a suspense date).
  6. Ability to conduct on-site inspections, investigations, or consultations in a variety of workplaces without endangering yourself or others.
  7. Ability to determine when and where to use appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) to complete work assignments.
  8. Ability to perform basic arithmetic calculations (e.g., addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, decimals, percentages fractions) to calculate and process numerical data.
  9. Knowledge of decision-making techniques and processes to identify, evaluate and make appropriate decisions from a variety of alternatives and make appropriate judgment calls.
  10. Ability to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of potential actions and determine the appropriate course of action.
  11. Knowledge of interviewing techniques to be able to draw out information concerning facts and events that have happened.
  12. Ability to effectively analyze and respond to a variety of unique or unexpected situations.
  13. Ability to evaluate a situation and determine if it is hazardous and if it is imminent.
  14. Ability to reason logically in a variety of situations (e.g., to interpret regulations, come to conclusions on inspections and on-site consultations, gathering information).
  15. Knowledge of time management techniques to provide for efficient prioritization and completion of projects and assignments.
  16. Ability to be flexible to changes in priorities, assignment, and other interruptions, which may impact pre-established timelines and courses of action for completing projects and assignments.
  17. Ability to work multiple projects and assignments simultaneously.
  18. Ability to complete work under critical timelines to meet project objectives and deadlines.
  19. Ability to prioritize assignments in order of importance to effectively meet deadlines without sacrificing the quality of work.
  20. Ability to work independently on projects or assignments with limited supervision.
  21. Ability to identify situations where available information, resources, or capabilities are insufficient to complete work tasks and seek assistance as needed.
  22. Ability to deal with sensitive matters in a tactful and professional manner in order to successfully complete work assignments (e.g., inspections, working with co-workers, working with supervisors, dealing with the public).
  23. Ability to effectively communicate orally during inspections, investigations, onsite consultations, meetings, hearings and when representing the organization.
  24. Ability to understand oral instructions to facilitate the completion of work assignments.
  25. Ability to learn new information received orally to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to successfully perform all job duties.
  26. Ability to interact with potentially uncooperative, hostile or violent persons to complete assigned job tasks.
  27. Ability to communicate with management on sensitive issues.
  28. Ability to communicate with peers on sensitive issues.
  29. Ability to independently write non-technical documents such as letters, memos or other correspondence in order to communicate with other departmental staff, other agencies, or the general public using correct grammar, spelling and syntax.
  30. Ability to independently write technical documents (e.g., investigative reports, project summaries) in order to communicate findings and complete assignments.
  31. Ability to quickly understand written materials and/or instructions to facilitate the completion of work assignments.
  32. Ability to read and understand written documents of varying complexity including departmental policy manuals and guides, instructional guides, written correspondence, State and Federal regulations, specifications and technical reports.
  33. Ability to extract relevant facts and information from written documents in order to perform effective case management, solve problems, or summarize information as required to complete assigned job tasks.
  34. Ability to proof read and edit written materials (e.g., memos, letters, reports, procedures, citations) to ensure that prepared materials accurately and clearly present the information documented.
  35. Ability to participate and understand formal and informal training to improve and develop professional performance standards.
  36. Interacting with potentially uncooperative, confrontational or difficult persons to complete job tasks.
  37. Adapting to a variety of situations and personalities in order to react and respond quickly and appropriately.
  38. Investigating situations of a graphic and/or sensitive nature (e.g., fatalities, serious injuries, illnesses, slaughterhouses, prisons) to complete assigned job tasks.
  39. Interacting with people of diverse cultures to complete assigned job tasks.

Testing Departments

  • Department of Industrial Relations

Contact Information

Technical questions regarding this examination should be directed to:

California Department of Human Resources
CalCareer Service Center
1810 16th Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (866) 844-8671
CalCareer@CalHR.CA.GOV

Administrative questions regarding this examination should be directed to:

Department of Industrial Relations
Dept of Industrial Relations
2180 Harvard Street, Suite 160
Sacramento, CA 95815
Phone: (800) 564-0771

California Relay Service: 1-800-735-2929 (TTY), 1-800-735-2922 (Voice). TTY is a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf, and is reachable only from phones equipped with a TTY Device.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The State of California is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

Drug Free Statement

It is an objective of the State of California to achieve a drug-free State work place. Any applicant for State employment will be expected to behave in accordance with this objective, because the use of illegal drugs is inconsistent with the law of the State, the rules governing civil service, and the special trust placed in public servants.

General Information

Examination and/or Employment Application (STD 678) forms are available at the California Department of Human Resources, local offices of the Employment Development Department, and through your CalCareer Account (www.CalCareers.ca.gov).

If you meet the requirements stated on this examination bulletin, you may take this examination, which is competitive. Possession of the entrance requirements does not assure a place on the eligible list. Your performance in the examination described in this bulletin will be rated against a predetermined job-related rating, and all applicants who pass will be ranked according to their scores.

Department of Industrial Relations reserves the right to revise the examination plan to better meet the needs of the service, if the circumstances under which this examination was planned change. Such revision will be in accordance with civil service laws and rules and all applicants will be notified.

General Qualifications: Applicants must possess essential personal qualifications including integrity, initiative, dependability, good judgment, the ability to work cooperatively with others, and a state of health consistent with the ability to perform the assigned duties of the class. A medical examination may be required. In open examinations, investigation may be made of employment records and personal history and fingerprinting may be required.

Eligible Lists: Eligible lists established by competitive examination, regardless of date, must be used in the following order: 1) sub-divisional promotional, 2) departmental promotional, 3) multi-departmental promotional, 4) service-wide promotional, 5) departmental open, 6) open. When there are two lists of the same kind, the older must be used first. Eligible lists will expire in one to four years unless otherwise stated on the bulletin.

High School Equivalence: Equivalence to completion of the 12th grade may be demonstrated in any one of the following ways: 1) passing the General Education Development (GED) Test; 2) completion of 12 semester units of college-level work; 3) certification from the State Department of Education, a local school board, or high school authorities that the competitor is considered to have education equivalent to graduation from high school; or 4) for clerical and accounting classes, substitution of business college work in place of high school on a year-for-year basis.

Accepted applicants must provide proof of identification at each in-person test session. Acceptable identification consists of a photo identification card or two forms of signed identification.
Application Methods:
Electronic (Your CalCareer Account)