See Compliance Industrial Safety and Health Investigator 1

Positions at this level are registered as a professional engineer in Washington State in accordance with RCW 18.43. Conducts independent accident investigations at the expert level and leads teams in conducting highly complex investigations where major events such as chemical explosions, chemical releases, multiple fatalities and/or hospitalizations, or other catastrophic events have occurred.

As a registered professional engineer, positions apply engineering, mathematical, and physical sciences to investigations for the purpose of assuring compliance with specifications, industry standards and laws in connection with utilities, structures, buildings, machines, equipment, processes, works or projects that require the research and application of engineering techniques and principles.

In accordance with Chapter 49.17 RCW, only Labor & Industries staff exercise compliance authority in completing investigation reports with documentation of violations and penalties including Orders and Notices of Immediate Restraint (ONIRs).

Positions at this level determine causes of workplace fatalities or incidents and effectively describe the reasons for the violations and citations through the use of engineering sciences using both technical and layperson terms.

At the engineer level, a highly complex inspection/investigation is comprised of the same examples noted at other CISHI levels as well as the following:

• Investigations that require interpretation of engineering diagrams and published recognized and accepted good engineering practices
• Investigations involving multiple jurisdictions/interests (e.g., Chemical Safety Board, fire investigators, insurance carriers)
• Inspections/investigations at large commercial or industrial construction sites or refineries and chemical manufacturers during maintenance “shut-down” periods.
• All inspections and investigations at Process Safety Management (PSM) facilities where highly flammable, corrosive, reactive or toxic chemicals are stored in quantities at or above the threshold listed in WAC 296-67, Safety Standards for Process Safety Management of Highly Hazardous Chemicals.

Follows agency and Division of Occupational Safety and Health policy using highly technical engineering knowledge in completing investigation reports.

As an expert level CISHI, leads, plans and conducts highly complex accident investigations;

Represents the department as a registered professional engineer;

Conducts independent accident investigations at the expert level and leads teams in conducting highly complex investigations where catastrophic events have occurred;

Participates in the formulation, evaluation, and implementation of DOSH and agency policy in relation to Process Safety Management and other safety and health hazards where engineering principle application is needed;

Reviews investigation files and violation and penalty conclusions for lower level CISHI positions where application of engineering techniques and principles is important to a successful outcome, to include all inspections and investigations at PSM facilities where highly flammable, corrosive, reactive or toxic chemicals stored in quantities at or above the threshold listed in WAC 296-67, Safety Standards for Process Safety Management of Highly Hazardous Chemicals;

Advises staff on investigation strategies considering engineering sciences, case law, advanced accident investigation training methods that are in alignment with the NTSB/FAA;

Works with groups (legislators, employers, and associations, chambers of commerce, economic development councils) to assure a collaborative effort in service provision, and build consensus involving policy and service delivery decisions as they relate to Process Safety Management and WAC 296-67;

Participates in and leads continuous improvement initiatives, especially those that relate to safety and health of employees at PSM-covered facilities;

Maintains oversight activities and DOSH relationships with the crude oil refineries located in Washington State;

Provides input into preparation of new legislation, WACs, fiscal notes, and bill analyses where the application of engineering principles is needed;

Enhances labor/management relations through cooperative and collaborative activities;

Promotes positive working relationships among program technical support, staff, and management to ensure the integrity and quality of compliance program findings;

Reviews and creates engineering diagrams and documents associated with massive piping and tank systems containing highly hazardous chemicals in heated and pressurized vessels;

Evaluates how a new vessel or section of a piping system under specific pressures and temperatures will affect other sections or vessels of the system;

Evaluates piping and vessel materials to determine if they are suitable to contain and transfer specific highly hazardous chemicals, and determines the frequency at which they need to be inspected or replaced to degradation;

Knowledge of: Engineering principles and design of facilities, equipment, piping systems, physics, human factors, walking and working surfaces, structural integrity, material specifications and topics that can cause accidents and create safety and health hazards. Knowledge of pressure and temperature on chemicals and the types of accidents that can occur, or hazards that can exist, when changes to those factors occur. Knowledge about pipe and vessel design to include structure, thickness, metallurgy, integrity and how different chemical properties will affect them.

Ability to: Ability to apply the mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences to such professional services as investigation, evaluation, planning, and design for the purpose of assuring compliance with specifications and design in connection with utilities, structures, buildings, machines, equipment, processes, works or projects as it relates to occupational safety and health. Must be able to relate and apply these abilities to occupational safety and health hazards in workplace settings such as refineries, chemical manufacturing, ammonia refrigeration, paper mills, grain storage and handling facilities, and other large manufacturing plants.

Positions must meet the definition of “engineer” listed in RCW 18.43.020 and be registered as a professional engineer (P.E.) in the State of Washington.

There may be instances where individual positions must have additional licenses or certification. It is the employer’s responsibility to ensure the appropriate licenses/certifications are obtained for each position.

Registration as a professional engineer in the State of Washington based on registration requirements in the preferred areas of chemical, mechanical, metallurgical, material science, or civil engineering

Must possess a valid and unrestricted driver license.

Note: Requirements for registration as a professional engineer in the State of Washington are eight years of professional experience (which may include up to four years of college-level engineering education) and successful completion of sixteen hours of professional licensing exams.

New class adopted June 22, 2023; effective July 1, 2023.