Safety Manager

Job Description

Job Description

Job Title: Construction Safety Specialist – Data Center Projects

Job Description

This role provides on-site environmental, health, and safety (EHS) leadership for a large data center construction project in Itasca, IL. You will serve as a designated safety specialist, ensuring full compliance with project, site-specific, and client safety requirements while spending most of your time in the field with crews. You will lead safety audits, documentation, incident response, and trade partner engagement, helping to foster a proactive, safety-first culture on a high-profile construction project.

Responsibilities

• Implement and uphold the project’s safety guidelines, site-specific safety plan, and all client-specific safety requirements.
• Coordinate with the regional safety lead to ensure appropriate safety signage and personal protective equipment (PPE) are available and properly used.
• Confirm that all personnel scheduled to work on-site have completed the required safety orientation training before beginning work.
• Gather and organize safety documentation from subcontractors and trade partners, including Job Hazard Analyses (JHAs), Safety Data Sheets (SDS), High-Risk Activity Plans, Heat Illness Prevention Plans (when applicable), and training certifications such as site-specific safety training and equipment operator cards.
• Conduct at least one safety audit per day using the designated digital platform, including annotated photos and clear, actionable findings.
• Share audit findings and recommended corrective actions with the project team to ensure visibility, accountability, and timely resolution of safety issues.
• Submit a minimum of two Safety Observation Reports (SORs) per week to document observations, positive behaviors, and opportunities for improvement.
• Spend approximately 60–70% of your time in the field engaging with crews, observing work practices, and monitoring compliance with safety standards.
• Attend and actively contribute to daily huddles, coordination meetings, foremen’s meetings, and preconstruction meetings to integrate safety into planning and execution.
• Lead or support weekly all-hands safety meetings, including preparing materials, delivering presentations, and tracking attendance.
• Spot-check safety documentation during site visits to verify accuracy, completeness, and compliance.
• Review and track Daily Action Plans (DAPs), High-Risk Activity Plans, hot work permits and checklists, safety orientation records, and project-specific safety documentation such as SDS and confined space plans.
• Immediately notify the project team and regional safety lead of any incidents, injuries, or near-miss events.
• Assist in incident investigations, contribute to root cause analysis, and review incident reports prior to submission to ensure clarity and accuracy.
• Ensure a clear and practical “Lessons Learned” summary is created for each incident or near miss and communicated to relevant stakeholders.
• Conduct site-specific safety orientations for all trade partners and ensure they understand project expectations and procedures.
• Maintain regular communication with subcontractor safety representatives to align on expectations, address concerns, and support continuous improvement.
• Participate in or lead planning meetings for high-risk activities such as crane operations, confined space entry, and work at height requiring fall protection.
• Work collaboratively alongside another safety professional as part of the project’s EHS team.
• Maintain clear, frequent, and professional communication with the project team, safety leadership, and trade partners.
• Respond promptly to field inquiries and proactively address safety concerns as they arise.
• Ask questions when clarification is needed and share observations, recommendations, and improvement ideas openly and constructively.
• Align your schedule with jobsite hours, typically starting at 5:00 or 6:00 AM, and remain on-site during all active construction hours.
• Stay flexible to accommodate extended hours when project needs require additional on-site support.
• Support accurate headcount and EHS staffing alignment by collaborating with the general contractor and subcontractors to ensure adequate EHS coverage based on workforce size and project risk.

Essential Skills

• 2–5 years of experience in construction safety, with a strong focus on field-based EHS support.
• Minimum of 2 years of experience specifically in the construction industry while serving as a designated EHS representative.
• Demonstrated experience acting as a safety specialist on data center or commercial building construction projects, with data center experience highly preferred.
• Current 30-hour OSHA certification or higher.
• Professional safety certification such as CSP, CHST, GSP, ASP, CHT or similar, with at least 2 years of construction safety experience.
• Must hold CSP or CHST certification.
• Minimum of 5 years of overall experience, with data center construction experience strongly preferred.
• Safety engineering degree or equivalent qualification in safety, EHS, or a closely related discipline.
• Strong knowledge of OSHA regulations, construction safety practices, and EHS best practices.
• Proven ability to conduct safety audits, inspections, and safety observations using digital tools and platforms.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to present safety topics clearly to all levels of project personnel.
• Reliable, punctual, and able to align with early start times and project-driven schedules.
• Ability to remain on-site for the duration of active construction hours and adapt to changing site conditions.
• Ability to pass a background check and drug/alcohol screening.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Prior experience supporting data center construction projects is strongly preferred; experience in commercial building construction will be considered.
• Experience working in environments requiring non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) is a plus.
• Experience collaborating with general contractors and multiple subcontractors on large, complex projects.
• Demonstrated ability to build rapport with field crews and trade partners and to influence safe behaviors through coaching and engagement.
• Strong presentation skills for leading safety orientations, toolbox talks, and all-hands safety meetings.
• Proactive, solutions-oriented mindset with the ability to anticipate safety issues and recommend practical controls.
• Comfort using digital platforms and tools for audits, reporting, and documentation management.
• Ability to interpret and manage technical safety documentation, including JHAs, SDS, and High-Risk Activity Plans.
• Strong organizational skills to manage multiple documentation streams, permits, and training records simultaneously.

Work Environment

This role is fully on-site in Itasca, IL, at a large data center construction project. You will be on-site every day, with approximately 70% of your time spent in the field and 30% in an on-site office environment. Typical workdays align with jobsite hours, generally starting at 5:00 or 6:00 AM, and you are expected to remain on-site during all active construction hours. You can expect to work approximately 40–50 hours per week, with flexibility required when project needs extend beyond standard hours. The environment is a dynamic, large-scale construction site with multiple trade partners, heavy equipment, and high-risk activities such as crane operations, confined space work, and work at height. You will work closely with at least one EHS manager and one field EHS professional, within a culture that strongly emphasizes safety, innovation, collaboration, and proactive problem-solving. The project team values clear communication, responsiveness, and a visible safety presence in the field, and provides digital tools to support audits, reporting, and documentation management.

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Chicago, IL.

The pay range for this position is $40.00 - $55.00/hr.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: • Medical, dental & vision • Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital • 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available • Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) • Short and long-term disability • Health Spending Account (HSA) • Transportation benefits • Employee Assistance Program • Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

This is a fully onsite position in Chicago,IL.

This position is anticipated to close on Aug 17, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email View email address on ziprecruiter.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.