Safety Specialist

Safety Specialist

The Safety Specialist supports the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of workplace safety programs in a light manufacturing and warehousing environment. This role partners with operations leaders, supervisors, and colleagues to identify hazards, reduce risk, strengthen regulatory compliance, and promote a proactive safety culture. The ideal candidate has at least three years of hands-on safety experience in environments involving production equipment, material handling, powered industrial trucks, loading docks, storage areas, and warehouse operations.

Reporting Relationship:
This position reports to the Safety and Physical Security Director, with dotted-line reporting to on-site leadership to support day-to-day operational alignment and site-specific safety priorities.

• Conduct routine safety inspections, observations, and hazard assessments across manufacturing, warehouse, maintenance, shipping, receiving, and office areas.
• Identify unsafe conditions, behaviors, and process gaps; recommend practical corrective actions and track completion with site leadership.
• Support compliance with applicable OSHA standards, company safety policies, and local regulatory requirements.
• Assist with incident, near-miss, and injury investigations, including root cause analysis, documentation, corrective action follow-up, and trend identification.
• Deliver or coordinate safety training for colleagues, contractors and supervisors on topics such as hazard communication, lockout/tagout awareness, emergency procedures, PPE, ergonomics, slips/trips/falls, powered industrial truck safety, and material handling.
• Perform job hazard analyses, risk assessments, and safety reviews for routine and non-routine tasks, equipment changes, layout changes, and process improvements.
• Monitor use, availability, and effectiveness of personal protective equipment and recommend improvements based on task risk.
• Participate in safety committees, toolbox talks, safety walks, and colleague engagement activities to reinforce safe work practices.
• Maintain accurate safety records, inspection reports, training records, corrective action logs, and other documentation needed for internal and regulatory purposes.
• Assist with emergency preparedness activities, including drills, evacuation procedures, severe weather response, first aid coordination, and spill response readiness.
• Partner with operations, maintenance, colleague resources, and leadership to integrate safety expectations into daily work and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Track safety performance indicators and prepare concise reports highlighting trends, risks, corrective actions, and improvement opportunities.

• Minimum of three years of safety experience in light manufacturing, warehousing, distribution, logistics, or a similar operational environment.
• Working knowledge of OSHA general industry requirements and common safety programs applicable to manufacturing and warehouse operations.
• Experience conducting inspections, incident investigations, safety training, and corrective action follow-up.
• Ability to recognize hazards related to machine operation, material handling, forklifts/powered industrial trucks, pedestrian traffic, loading docks, racking, housekeeping, PPE, and ergonomics.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to coach colleagues, influence safe behaviors, and work effectively with supervisors and managers.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and the ability to maintain organized safety records, reports, and action trackers.
• High school diploma or equivalent required; associate or bachelor's degree in occupational safety, environmental health and safety, industrial hygiene, engineering, or a related field preferred.

• OSHA 30-Hour General Industry training or equivalent safety training.
• First Aid/CPR/AED certification or willingness to obtain.
• Experience supporting safety programs such as lockout/tagout, hazard communication, powered industrial trucks, emergency action planning, ergonomics, hearing conservation, confined space awareness, and contractor safety.
• Familiarity with safety management systems, behavior-based safety approaches, or continuous improvement practices.

• Practical problem solving:
  Identifies realistic, operation-friendly solutions that reduce risk without creating unnecessary complexity.
• Attention to detail:
  Notices unsafe conditions, documentation gaps, and recurring trends that may otherwise be missed.
• Communication and coaching:
  Explains safety expectations clearly and respectfully to colleagues at all levels.
• Follow-through:
  Tracks corrective actions to completion and escalates unresolved risks appropriately.
• Collaboration:
  
  Works effectively with cross-functional teams to improve safety performance and operational reliability.
• Professional judgment:
  Balances compliance, risk, colleague well-being, and business needs when making recommendations.