Safety Manager

Safety Manager – Underground Construction

Location:

Houston TX

Employment Type:

Full-Time

Travel:
Regular travel to project sites is required

Reports To:

Safety / HR Director

Pate Garver LP is seeking an experienced Safety Manager to lead safety operations for underground construction and tunneling projects. This role is responsible for developing, implementing, and enforcing site-specific safety programs while ensuring compliance with OSHA regulations, company policies, and client requirements.

The ideal candidate has extensive experience with underground construction, trenching and excavation, confined-space entry, and tunneling operations. This position requires a hands-on safety professional who can identify hazards, implement effective controls, train employees, and promote a strong safety culture across all levels of the project team. Regular travel to company and project locations is required, including occasional overnight stays.

• Develop, implement, and manage project-specific safety plans and procedures.
• Conduct daily jobsite inspections, safety audits, and hazard assessments.
• Ensure compliance with OSHA regulations and all applicable federal, state, local, client, and company safety requirements.
• Oversee safety procedures for trenching, excavation, shoring, shielding, sloping, and underground construction activities.
• Monitor confined-space entry operations, including permitting, atmospheric testing, ventilation, rescue planning, and attendant requirements.
• Evaluate tunneling hazards, including underground utilities, ground conditions, ventilation, mobile equipment, access and egress, and emergency response.
• Conduct job hazard analyses, pre-task planning meetings, toolbox talks, and safety orientations.
• Provide OSHA-related training and other required safety instruction to employees and subcontractors.
• Verify that competent persons and qualified personnel are assigned as required.
• Investigate incidents, injuries, property damage, and near misses; identify root causes and recommend corrective actions.
• Maintain accurate safety records, inspection reports, training documentation, permits, and incident logs.
• Coordinate with project management, field supervision, subcontractors, clients, and regulatory agencies.
• Monitor the proper selection and use of personal protective equipment.
• Exercise stop-work authority when unsafe conditions or behaviors are observed.
• Support emergency-response planning, drills, and rescue coordination.
• Track safety performance and communicate trends, risks, and corrective actions to management.
• Travel regularly between company facilities, active jobsites, and future project locations as assigned.

• Minimum of 5 years of safety experience in underground construction; 10 years preferred.
• Demonstrated experience supporting tunneling and underground construction operations.
• Extensive knowledge of trenching and excavation safety requirements.
• Experience managing confined-space entry programs and operations.
• Current OSHA 30-Hour Construction certification at minimum.
• Current OSHA 500 – Trainer Course in OSHA Standards for the Construction Industry certification.
• Strong working knowledge of OSHA construction standards, including 29 CFR 1926.
• Experience conducting incident investigations, job hazard analyses, safety audits, and employee training.
• Ability to recognize hazards and implement practical corrective measures in active construction environments.
• Strong written, verbal, organizational, and leadership skills.
• Proficiency in preparing safety reports and maintaining compliance documentation.
• Ability to work in underground, confined, and active heavy-construction environments.
• Ability and willingness to travel regularly, including occasional overnight stays, based on project needs.
• Ability to work varying shifts based on project requirements.
• Valid driver’s license and acceptable driving record.

• Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Construction Health and Safety Technician (CHST), or equivalent certification.
• OSHA competent-person training for trenching and excavation.
• Confined-space competent-person, entry supervisor, or rescue training.
• First Aid, CPR, and AED certification.
• Experience with heavy civil construction, underground utilities, shafts, microtunneling, or tunnel-boring operations.
• Familiarity with DOT, MSHA, ANSI, NFPA, and other applicable safety standards.
• Bilingual English/Spanish communication skills.

• Regularly inspect active construction sites, tunnels, excavations, shafts, and confined spaces.
• Walk and stand for extended periods on uneven or challenging terrain.
• Climb ladders and stairs and access elevated or below-grade work areas.
• Wear required personal protective equipment.
• Work outdoors and underground in varying weather, temperature, noise, dust, and lighting conditions.
• Travel by vehicle or air to assigned project locations, with occasional overnight stays.
• Respond to project incidents or…