Safety Specialist

Safety Specialist

The Safety Specialist supports a power infrastructure contractor by maintaining a safe workplace and ensuring full OSHA compliance across construction projects. This role takes a hands-on, field-focused approach, working closely with operations and field personnel to implement a proactive, behavior-based safety culture. The Safety Specialist conducts health and safety determinations, compliance audits, and risk assessments, and uses a management systems approach to ensure regulatory and internal requirements are effectively and sustainably implemented.

Responsibilities include:

• Conduct safety audits and hazard analyses of project operations to identify risks and drive corrective actions.
• Update and maintain the company safety manual to reflect current regulations, best practices, and lessons learned from the field.
• Provide and facilitate safety-related training, including New Hire Orientation, CPR/First Aid, OSHA 10, Competent Person, and Asbestos training, as needed.
• Maintain a strong focus on OSHA compliance and the creation of the safest possible workplace across all projects.
• Engage daily with field personnel and the management team to provide hands-on safety support and coaching.
• Collaborate with internal teams to ensure compliance with all relevant regulations, laws, standards, policies, and procedures.
• Track employee development and On-The-Job Training (OJT) to confirm employees are gaining the skills needed to work safely and effectively.
• Work with supervisors and project leaders to ensure employees are placed in roles and job assignments that support safe operations.
• Foster a team-oriented environment when advising on necessary safety corrections and improvements.
• Build and maintain positive, productive working relationships with customer representatives to ensure satisfaction with safe work practices and procedures.
• Partner with crews to address and correct any safety issues identified by customers or internal audits.
• Develop and deliver safety training programs that support business needs, including initial and refresher training, and maintain all associated documentation such as records, outlines, and schedules.
• Promote and champion corporate training systems and services with a strong commitment to safety and quality.
• Evaluate and maintain inspection and testing reports to ensure proper documentation and follow-up.
• Assist with the process, maintenance, and recordkeeping of incidents, including accidents, near-misses, injuries, and illnesses.
• Prepare, schedule, and conduct regular QA/QC crew audits to verify adherence to safety and quality standards.
• Assist with Operator Qualification (OQ) training and evaluation activities as needed.
• Maintain and develop knowledge of gas distribution, pipeline, and underground safety practices to support field operations.
• Provide technical assistance during investigations of accidents, incidents, injuries, and illnesses, and help identify root causes and preventive measures.
• Coordinate and communicate safety-related information effectively across company and department lines to support a consistent safety culture.

Essential Skills include:

• 3–5 years of construction safety experience within electrical or civil construction environments.
• Current OSHA 500 certification.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications for reporting, documentation, and presentations.
• Strong presentation skills with experience leading regular safety meetings and training sessions.
• Familiarity with quality assurance audits in the natural gas and public utility industry.
• Ability to identify and document proper and improper practices on natural gas job sites according to audit metrics.
• Demonstrated ability to provide technical assistance during investigations of accidents, incidents, injuries, and illnesses.
• Proven experience coordinating and communicating safety information across company and department lines.
• Strong verbal communication skills to engage field personnel, management, and customer representatives.
• Strong writing skills for preparing reports, training materials, and documentation.

Additional Skills & Qualifications include:

• Additional accredited safety certifications such as CSP, ASP, OHS, CHST, CSST, or CSHO.
• Bachelor's degree in a safety-related or construction-related discipline.
• Experience in transmission, distribution, and power projects, including substation experience.
• Knowledge of NFPA 70 and related electrical safety standards.
• Experience with electrical construction, substation construction, heavy civil construction, and safety management in power infrastructure environments.
• Familiarity with transmission, transmission line, transmission and distribution, distribution, power, and foundations work.
• Commitment to continuous learning and maintaining current knowledge in gas distribution, pipeline, and underground safety.
• Ability to promote and support corporate training systems and services with a focus on safety and quality.

Work Environment:

This role is primarily field-based, with…