Sr. EHS Specialist

JOB TITLE: Sr. EHS Specialist (Environmental, Health & Safety)

REPORTS TO: Sr. HR Manager

JOB TYPE: Full Time Employee, Exempt

DEPARTMENT: HR

LOCATION: Gainesville, GA

SUMMARY:

The Sr. EHS Specialist supports the EHS Manager in managing day-to-day environmental, health, and safety operations at a high-volume bakery manufacturing facility. This position provides hands-on plant floor support while helping ensure compliance with OSHA regulations, Georgia EPD requirements, local environmental regulations, company policies, and industry best practices. The role partners closely with Operations, Production, Maintenance, QA, HR, and other departments to identify risks, support corrective actions, and promote a proactive safety culture.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:
• Support the EHS Manager in developing, implementing, and maintaining safety and environmental programs in compliance with OSHA standards and state/local regulations.
• Conduct routine workplace inspections, safety audits, and plant floor observations to identify hazards, unsafe conditions, and compliance gaps.
• Support workplace hazard identification, job hazard analyses (JHAs), risk assessments, and follow-up action tracking.
• Assist with incident investigations, root cause analyses, corrective action implementation, and communication of lessons learned.
• Support core safety programs, including Lockout/Tagout (LOTO), machine guarding, confined space entry, ergonomics and repetitive motion prevention, fall protection and ladder safety, PPE, bloodborne pathogens, and first aid readiness.
• Collaborate with Operations, Production, Maintenance, QA, HR, and other departments to embed safety requirements into daily work practices.
• Monitor compliance with safety procedures, policies, and work practices; coach employees and supervisors on safe behaviors and expectations.
• Develop, coordinate, and deliver safety training programs for employees and contractors, including new hire orientation, refresher training, and task/equipment-specific safety instruction.
• Support Safety Committee meetings by preparing materials, tracking action items, and incorporating employee feedback into safety improvements.
• Assist with emergency response preparedness, including evacuation planning, fire drills, emergency response procedures, and coordination with local EMS/Fire authorities as needed.
• Maintain documentation and reporting related to safety metrics, incidents, near misses, corrective actions, training completion, and compliance obligations.
• Track and report OSHA logs and key safety metrics, including OSHA 300, 300A, 301, TRIR, DART, Lost Time, and injury rates.
• Support site preparedness for regulatory inspections by OSHA, Fire Marshal, Georgia EPD, or other applicable agencies.
• Support environmental compliance activities related to air, water, waste, stormwater, hazardous materials, recycling, and other applicable facility programs.
• Coordinate and maintain environmental permits, Safety Data Sheets (SDS), chemical inventory records, and related EHS documentation.
• Assist with workers' compensation, return-to-work coordination, and follow-up on work-related injury cases as needed.
• Stay current with applicable Federal/State OSHA regulatory changes and environmental compliance requirements.
• Monitor greenhouse gas (GHG)-related status and data, report updates to Headquarters, and support necessary site-level improvement actions.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the HR leadership.

EDUCATION:
• Bachelor's degree in Occupational Safety, Environmental Science, Industrial Engineering, Environmental Health & Safety, or a related field preferred.
• Associate's degree with directly relevant EHS experience may be considered.

EXPERIENCE:
• 5-7 years of experience in EHS, safety, environmental compliance, manufacturing, warehouse, or industrial operations; food manufacturing experience preferred.
• Strong working knowledge of OSHA General Industry Standards and experience supporting compliance programs.
• Experience in injury prevention, incident investigation, corrective action management, safety training, and audit preparation.
• Construction safety experience is a plus.

COMPETENCIES / PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
• Professional certifications preferred, such as ASP (Associate Safety Professional) or CHMM (Certified Hazardous Materials Manager).
• Bilingual English/Korean communication skills preferred.
• Ability to influence employees and supervisors through practical, hands-on safety coaching.

REQUIRED SKILLS/KNOWLEDGE/ABILITIES:
• Working knowledge of OSHA, EPA, Georgia EPD, and other applicable environmental and safety regulations.
• Strong organizational, documentation, and recordkeeping skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate effectively with employees at all levels.
• Ability to conduct training, facilitate meetings, and follow up on action items across departments.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and MS Teams.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and root cause analysis skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and work independently in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Ability to work alternating shifts, including night shift coverage, as required by business needs.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
• Ability to occasionally lift up to 45 pounds.
• Ability to wear required personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Ability to work in varying environmental conditions required by the facility.
• Ability to climb ladders and use aerial lifts or scissor lifts when properly trained and authorized.