Safety Director

Position Summary
The Safety Director is responsible for developing, leading, and maintaining a comprehensive safety, health, and regulatory compliance program across multiple dairy facilities. This role ensures a safe working environment for employees, contractors, and visitors while supporting operational efficiency and compliance with OSHA, FDA, USDA, environmental, and company standards. The Safety Director partners with plant leadership to foster a strong safety culture and reduce workplace incidents, risks, and losses.

Key Responsibilities
* Develop, implement, and manage company-wide safety policies, procedures, and programs for multiple dairy processing, production, warehousing, and distribution facilities.
* Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local safety regulations, including OSHA requirements and applicable food manufacturing safety standards.
* Conduct regular facility safety audits, inspections, and risk assessments to identify hazards and implement corrective actions.
* Lead incident investigations, root cause analyses, and corrective/preventive action plans for injuries, near misses, vehicle incidents, and property damage.
* Track and analyze safety performance metrics, including incident rates, workers' compensation trends, and audit results.
* Design and deliver safety training programs, including new hire orientation, lockout/tagout, machine guarding, confined space, PPE, ergonomics, forklift safety, hazard communication, and emergency response.
* Partner with operations, maintenance, quality assurance, human resources, and plant management to integrate safety into daily operations.
* Oversee regulatory reporting, recordkeeping, and documentation, including OSHA logs and internal compliance reports.
* Manage emergency preparedness and response planning, including fire prevention, evacuation procedures, severe weather response, chemical spill response, and business continuity coordination.
* Support contractor safety programs and ensure third-party compliance with company safety expectations.
* Drive continuous improvement initiatives to reduce injuries and improve safety awareness and accountability at all facilities.
* Maintain knowledge of industry best practices and emerging regulatory changes relevant to dairy manufacturing and distribution.
* Participate in capital project reviews, equipment installations, and facility modifications to ensure safe design and implementation.
* Travel regularly between facilities to monitor compliance, support managers, and lead safety initiatives.

Job Requirements

Qualifications
Bachelor's degree in Occupational Safety, Environmental Health and Safety, Industrial Hygiene, Engineering, or related field preferred.
7+ years of progressive safety leadership experience, preferably in dairy, food manufacturing, beverage, or other multi-site industrial operations.
* Strong knowledge of OSHA regulations, risk management, incident investigation, and safety training practices.
* Experience in a multi-facility manufacturing environment required.
* Familiarity with dairy processing operations, sanitation processes, refrigeration systems, chemical handling, and food plant safety requirements preferred.
* Professional certification such as CSP, ASP, CHMM, or equivalent preferred.
* Strong communication, leadership, problem-solving, and organizational skills.
* Ability to influence at all levels of the organization and build a proactive safety culture.
* Proficiency in safety reporting systems, Microsoft Office, and compliance tracking tools.
* Valid driver's license and ability to travel frequently between locations.


Working Conditions
* Frequent travel to multiple production and warehouse facilities as applicable.
* Exposure to manufacturing environments including wet floors, cold storage areas, production lines, cleaning chemicals, and heavy equipment.
* May require availability outside normal business hours for emergency response, audits, or incident investigation.