Safety Engineer

Job Description

Job Description

**Manufacturing Safety Engineer

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Description:

The Manufacturing HSE Engineer is responsible for the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of engineering-based health, safety, and environmental systems across the manufacturing site. This position combines technical engineering analysis, regulatory compliance, risk management, and hands-on engagement with manufacturing operations.

Working closely with Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, and site leadership, the HSE Engineer evaluates equipment and manufacturing processes, identifies hazards, develops and implements effective controls, and leads initiatives designed to reduce risk and improve overall HSE performance.

The position serves as a technical resource for occupational safety, machine safeguarding, hazardous energy control, ergonomics, industrial hygiene, incident investigation, risk assessment, and regulatory compliance. The HSE Engineer also supports capital projects, equipment modifications, commissioning activities, and management-of-change processes to ensure HSE requirements are incorporated into equipment and process design.

The successful candidate will have approximately five or more years of HSE experience within a heavy manufacturing, chemical, petrochemical, metals, industrial equipment, or similarly complex manufacturing environment.

**Working Conditions: **

The position operates in both a professional office environment and an active heavy manufacturing environment.

Regular presence on the manufacturing floor is required to conduct inspections, risk assessments, incident investigations, employee engagement, project reviews, and verification of safety controls.

The employee will be required to wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), which may include safety glasses, hearing protection, safety-toe footwear, hard hat, gloves, and other task-specific PPE.

The position may require exposure to manufacturing equipment, elevated noise levels, heat, outdoor conditions, industrial processes, and other conditions normally associated with a heavy manufacturing environment.

Some activities may require climbing stairs or ladders, walking extended distances through the facility, and accessing operating equipment or production areas.

1. Qualifications:

1.1. Bachelor's degree in Operational Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or a related technical field.

1.2. Five or more years of progressively responsible HSE, safety engineering, or related experience in a heavy manufacturing or industrial environment.

1.3. Strong working knowledge of applicable OSHA regulations and consensus standards, including experience applying regulatory requirements within a manufacturing environment.

1.4. Demonstrated experience with hazard identification, risk assessment, hierarchy of controls, and the development and implementation of engineering and administrative controls.

1.5. Working knowledge of machine safeguarding, hazardous energy control/Lockout-Tagout (LOTO), ergonomics, industrial hygiene, electrical safety, and other core manufacturing safety programs.

1.6. Experience leading or actively participating in incident and near-miss investigations using structured root-cause analysis methodologies and developing sustainable corrective actions.

1.7. Experience reviewing equipment modifications, new equipment installations, capital projects, or manufacturing process changes from an HSE and risk-management perspective.

1.8. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with demonstrated ability to analyze HSE data, identify trends, prioritize risk, and develop practical improvement strategies.

1.9. Demonstrated ability to influence and collaborate effectively with Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, frontline employees, contractors, and site leadership.

1.10. Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate technical and regulatory requirements to employees at multiple levels of the organization.

1.11. Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and related systems used for HSE reporting and data management.

1. Responsibilities:

2.1. Develop, implement, and continuously improve site HSE programs, procedures, standards, and engineering controls to reduce occupational and operational risk.

2.2. Serve as a technical HSE resource to Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, and site leadership regarding regulatory requirements, hazard controls, equipment safety, and manufacturing risk.

2.3. Lead risk assessments of manufacturing equipment, processes, and work activities and develop practical corrective actions using the hierarchy of controls.

2.4. Evaluate machine guarding and safeguarding systems and partner with Engineering and Maintenance to design and implement appropriate engineering controls.

2.5. Own and continuously improve the site's hazardous energy control/LOTO program, including procedure development, field validation, periodic inspections, equipment-specific requirements, and employee compliance.

2.6. Lead or facilitate investigations of injuries, incidents, near misses, and significant safety events. Identify root and contributing causes, establish corrective actions, and verify completion and effectiveness.

2.7. Participate in the design and review of new equipment, equipment modifications, capital projects, and manufacturing process changes to ensure HSE requirements are incorporated before implementation.

2.8. Support commissioning and startup activities by conducting safety reviews, verifying safeguards, identifying outstanding risks, and completing PSSR or equivalent startup reviews where applicable.

2.9. Participate in or lead Management of Change activities associated with equipment, process, material, or operational changes where applicable.

2.10. Develop and maintain site programs addressing machine safety, ergonomics, industrial hygiene, electrical safety, PPE, contractor safety, powered industrial trucks, fall protection, confined spaces, and other applicable manufacturing hazards.

2.11. Conduct routine HSE inspections, compliance audits, behavioral observations, and field assessments and work with responsible departments to resolve identified deficiencies.

2.12. Partner with frontline employees and supervisors to identify hazards, evaluate work practices, and develop practical risk-reduction solutions.

2.13. Develop, track, and analyze leading and lagging HSE performance indicators and use trend analysis to identify priorities and improvement opportunities.

2.14. Develop and deliver HSE training, technical guidance, and communications for employees, supervisors, contractors, and other stakeholders as required.

2.15. Support industrial hygiene activities, including exposure assessments, monitoring strategies, identification of potential occupational health hazards, and implementation of exposure controls.

2.16. Support applicable environmental compliance activities, including waste management, spill prevention, stormwater, air compliance, chemical management, and environmental reporting.

2.17. Support contractor safety programs, including contractor qualification, site orientation, work permitting, field verification, and contractor HSE performance.

2.18. Maintain accurate HSE records, procedures, risk assessments, investigation reports, regulatory documentation, and other required records.

2.19. Monitor changes to applicable HSE regulations, standards, and industry practices and recommend changes necessary to maintain compliance and strengthen site performance.

2.20. Lead and participate in continuous improvement initiatives, including Kaizen events, 5S activities, corrective-action projects, and safety culture improvement efforts.

1. Activities:

3.1. Review equipment designs, machine guarding layouts, capital projects, and process changes to ensure hazards are identified and appropriate controls are incorporated during the design phase.

3.2. Conduct field-based risk assessments of machinery, manufacturing processes, maintenance activities, material handling, and employee work practices.

3.3. Develop, review, and maintain SOPs, LOTO procedures, job safety analyses, risk assessments, safe work procedures, and other HSE documentation.

3.4. Perform routine floor-level engagement with employees and supervisors to understand work processes, identify hazards, evaluate ergonomic concerns, and develop practical improvement opportunities.

3.5. Facilitate incident investigations, root-cause analyses, corrective-action reviews, and follow-up verification.

3.6. Perform HSE audits and inspections and track corrective actions through closure.

3.7. Participate in project design reviews, equipment acceptance reviews, commissioning activities, MOC reviews, and PSSR activities as applicable.

3.8. Analyze HSE performance data and provide recommendations to Operations and site leadership regarding emerging risks, recurring issues, and improvement priorities.

3.9. Coach and provide technical guidance to supervisors, employees, and engineering personnel regarding safe work practices and regulatory expectations.

3.10. Identify opportunities to eliminate hazards through equipment redesign, automation, guarding, ergonomic improvements, process modification, or other engineering-based solutions.

1. Authority and Obligation: 1. This position has the authority to stop production at any time that is deemed necessary for reasons of safety.