Plant Safety & Environmental Leader - Wood Products Manufacturing

Our client is seeking a Plant Safety & Environmental Systems Leader responsible for ensuring safe operations and regulatory compliance within a high‑hazard wood‑products manufacturing facility. This role provides technical expertise in safety, health, and environmental compliance; develops and maintains safety programs; leads training; and partners closely with plant leadership to strengthen safety culture. The position is hands‑on and requires regular presence on the production floor to identify hazards, coach employees, and verify that safety systems are functioning as intended.

This role plays a critical part in maintaining a safe, compliant, and high‑performing manufacturing operation. The ideal candidate is a hands‑on safety leader who thrives in a fast‑paced mill environment, builds strong relationships with plant personnel, and consistently drives improvements in safety systems and overall safety culture.

Onsite | No Visa Sponsorship | No Relocation Assistance

Please Note: Candidates must currently live within a 30–90 minute commute of the facility. Candidates outside this radius will be considered only if they can self‑relocate quickly

Responsibilities:

• Develop, update, and maintain written safety and health programs, policies, and procedures.
• Promote a strong safety culture through visibility, integrity, accountability, and consistent follow‑through.
• Identify opportunities for engineering controls to reduce or eliminate hazards and support implementation.
• Lead or participate in hazard analyses, process reviews, incident investigations, and corrective‑action follow‑up.
• Evaluate and improve safety systems, ensuring documentation, procedures, and controls remain accurate and effective.
• Manage environmental and safety recordkeeping and reporting, including federal, state, and internal reporting requirements.
• Provide technical EHS support to plant personnel, ensuring compliance with OSHA, EPA, and state regulatory requirements.
• Identify training needs and deliver or coordinate safety training, including LOTO, hazard recognition, and new‑hire orientation.
• Support supervisors and plant leadership by providing coaching, feedback, and guidance to strengthen frontline safety leadership.
• Conduct routine plant‑floor safety observations and audits, including guarding checks, at‑risk behavior observations, electrical safety inspections, and equipment‑specific safety reviews.

Qualifications (Must-Haves)

• Strong communication, coaching, and interpersonal skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel) and familiarity with EHS recordkeeping systems.
• Demonstrated ability to influence, lead, and drive safety improvements in a plant environment.
• Experience conducting safety audits, LOTO procedures, hazard assessments, and safety training.
• Strong working knowledge of OSHA, EPA, and state regulatory requirements, including recordkeeping and reporting.
• High school diploma or GED required; an associate or bachelor's degree in safety, environmental compliance, or related field is preferred.
• 5+ years of EHS experience in a manufacturing environment, with at least 3 years in wood‑products manufacturing (sawmill, plywood, OSB, lumber, engineered wood, or similar)

Preferred Skills:

• Certifications such as OSHA 30, CHST, CSP, or similar (not required)
• Experience improving or building safety systems in a mill or heavy industrial setting.
• Experience with Georgia regulatory agencies (EPD, DNR, Workers' Compensation)

Working Conditions:

• Ability to lift 50+ pounds when required.
• Frequent walking, standing, climbing, bending, and working at heights or in confined spaces.
• Required use of PPE such as hard hat, safety glasses, safety shoes, gloves, and arc‑flash protection when applicable.
• Regular exposure to some wood‑products manufacturing environment, including noise, dust, temperature extremes, chemicals, and rotating equipment.