Health & Safety Technician

Critical Observer

The Critical Observer plays a key role in ensuring the safety and well-being of all crew members from the start to the end of each shift. Their primary mission is to identify hazards, reinforce safe work practices, and foster a culture where safety is a top priority.

Key responsibilities include:

• Continuous Safety Oversight:
  The Critical Observer arrives with the crew at the start of the shift, remains with them throughout the day, and follows them back at the end of the shift, ensuring safe practices are always followed.
• Proactive Hazard Identification:
  Actively observes jobsite conditions, tools, equipment, and crew behavior to detect potential hazards before they result in incidents.
• Performance and Safety Guidance:
  Provides real-time guidance, mentoring, and safety education, ensuring crews understand the correct procedures for all tasks, including high-risk activities.
• Stop-Work Authority:
  Holds the authority to halt any unsafe work immediately, removing the risk to personnel, and communicates directly with management for support or corrective action.
• Safety Culture Champion:
  Promotes TRC Companies' commitment to a safety-first mindset, ensuring every employee feels supported, heard, and empowered to work safely.

Observation Process – Safety Focus

• Weekly Safety Planning:
  The Critical Observer collaborates with management to assess previous safety observations and set priorities for the upcoming week.
• Crew Alignment:
  The Critical Observer works alongside the assigned crew, following their schedule to monitor activities and safety practices throughout the day.
• Documentation and Follow-Up:
  Detailed reports are prepared summarizing observed hazards, corrective measures taken, and recommendations for improvement. Any necessary follow-up training is provided to address knowledge gaps or unsafe behaviors.
• Dedicated Safety Oversight:
  The Critical Observer's role is exclusively observational, ensuring that safety supervision is the sole focus without performing operational tasks.
• End-of-Week Review:
  Observations and findings are shared with the crew foreman and team to reinforce safe practices; review lessons learned and maintain accountability.

Safety Outcomes

• Ensures crews consistently use personal protective equipment (PPE) and follow high-risk task protocols.
• Detect and mitigate hazards before incidents occur.
• Reinforces safety knowledge and empowers crews to stop work when unsafe conditions are identified.
• Strengthens leadership engagement in safety and fosters a proactive safety culture across the workforce.
• Management reviewed weekly reports.
• Identified areas of concern were addressed during weekly safety meetings.
• Areas of concern were included in monthly safety report follow-ups.
• The report will be shared with all employees and relevant stakeholders.
• Key findings will be incorporated into the onboarding process for all employees.
• TRC will continue to promote safety education for industry trainees.
• This information will be integrated into overall safety awareness for all personnel.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary safety resource for distribution line crews, troubleshooters, inspectors, and contracted workforce.
• Conduct routine and targeted field safety observations; document findings and coach employees on safe work practices.
• Ensure compliance with OSHA, CPUC General Orders (GO 95/128), PG&E safety standards, and all applicable policies and procedures.
• Support job hazard analyses (JHAs), tailboards, switching procedures, and high-risk work planning (e.g., energized work, crane lifts, confined spaces).
• Lead incident investigations, root-cause analyses, and corrective-action development for safety events, near misses, and rule violations.
• Partner with leadership to identify trends, emerging risks, and training needs.
• Participate in safety audits, readiness reviews, storm response activities, and after-action assessments.
• Provide coaching and mentoring to employees and contractors to reinforce PG&E's Safety and Health vision and Life-Saving Behaviors.
• Assist with regulatory inspections and internal safety assessments.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives related to human performance, safety…