Safety Manager

Position Summary

The Safety Manager provides strategic leadership and oversight for all safety, health, and environmental initiatives within the facility. As a key member of the Plant Leadership Team, this role is responsible for driving continuous improvement in workplace safety, ensuring regulatory compliance, and fostering a sustainable culture of safety excellence.

The Safety Manager serves as a trusted advisor to site leadership, developing and implementing proactive safety strategies that reduce risk, prevent injuries, and support operational performance. This position champions employee engagement, accountability, and best practices to achieve world-class safety results while ensuring compliance with OSHA and other applicable regulations.

Key Responsibilities

Safety Leadership & Culture

• Lead the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of the facility's safety management systems.
• Foster a proactive safety culture that promotes employee involvement, ownership, and accountability at all levels of the organization.
• Partner with plant leadership to establish and execute strategic safety objectives aligned with company goals.
• Act as a change agent by driving safety initiatives and sharing best practices across the organization.
• Influence and support leaders in maintaining a safe and healthy work environment.

Compliance & Risk Management

• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local safety regulations, including OSHA requirements.
• Maintain OSHA logs, records, and supporting documentation.
• Serve as the primary point of contact during OSHA inspections and coordinate all required follow-up actions.
• Conduct routine inspections of facilities, equipment, and operations to identify and mitigate workplace hazards.
• Monitor and evaluate compliance with permits, regulations, policies, and industry standards.

Incident Prevention & Investigation

• Analyze injury, illness, and incident trends to identify root causes and drive corrective and preventive actions.
• Investigate workplace incidents, near-misses, and safety concerns, ensuring timely reporting and resolution.
• Develop recommendations and action plans to reduce risk and improve safety performance.
• Measure and report the effectiveness of safety programs and initiatives.

Training & Employee Development

• Develop and deliver safety training programs for employees and leadership teams.
• Provide training and guidance in areas including:
  • Lockout/Tagout (LOTO)
  • Hazard Communication
  • Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
  • Ergonomics
  • Emergency Response
  • Incident Prevention
  • Regulatory Compliance
• Ensure safety policies, procedures, and programs are reviewed annually and updated as needed.

Safety Audits & Continuous Improvement

• Perform safety audits, behavioral observations, and field inspections to verify compliance and identify improvement opportunities.
• Take immediate corrective actions when unsafe conditions or practices are observed.
• Develop and implement programs that reduce workplace injuries, illnesses, and associated costs.
• Support Process Safety Management (PSM), Risk Management Program (RMP), and other safety-related initiatives where applicable.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Environmental Health & Safety, Engineering, Industrial Technology, Business Administration, Management, or a related field required.
• Equivalent combination of education and relevant experience may be considered.

Experience

• Minimum of 3 years of progressive Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) leadership experience, preferably in a manufacturing, industrial, or food production environment.
• Experience leading safety programs, compliance initiatives, investigations, and employee training.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Strong knowledge of OSHA regulations and compliance requirements.
• Experience with hazard communication, accident investigation, risk assessment, and safety management systems.
• Working knowledge of PSM and RMP programs preferred.
• Ability to analyze technical information, regulations, and safety data to drive effective decision-making.
• Strong presentation, communication, and leadership skills with the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and standard business software applications.

Preferred Qualifications

• Professional safety certification such as CSP, ASP, OHST, or equivalent.
• Experience in food manufacturing or other highly regulated industries.
• Demonstrated success in reducing injury rates and improving safety performance metrics.

Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM-5:00 PM