Head of Safety, Tate Americas

Job Description

Job Description

Job Type : Full-Time, Exempt

Duration of role : Permanent

Number of Position : 1

Reporting to : Global Head of Compliance, Health & Safety and Quality

Location : Columbia, MD

About Us

At Tate, we are passionate about everything we do. As an independent brand operating within Kingspan Group, a global plc group of companies, Tate has been recognized worldwide as an industry leader in the development and manufacture of data center infrastructure solutions and commercial office raised access floors, for over 60 years. With revenues of over $600m and growing, Tate plays a pivotal role in offering expertise in cutting edge design engineering to craft solutions, by working collaboratively with clients as a trusted partner.

Tate continues to grow and expand, operating multiple manufacturing and commercial sites across the US, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia. We are excited about our fresh, dynamic, and inclusive team of experts working on new innovations and forward-thinking designs, as we remain a market leading player within our industry. We continue to invest heavily in the best available manufacturing tools and equipment needed to adhere to Tate’s world class standards and in keeping with our Planet Passionate sustainability strategy, our focus is on having minimal climate impact.

We are excited by potentially welcoming you as part of our team as we continue to grow on a worldwide scale.

About the Role

The US Head of Safety provides strategic leadership of the occupational health, safety and environmental safety function across all US manufacturing sites, ensuring that every employee, contractor and visitor goes home safe every day. This role is accountable for the deployment and governance of the Health & Safety Management System (ISO 45001) across US operations, the development of Site EHS Managers, the integrity of high-hazard process controls in welding, fabrication and coating, and full compliance with OSHA, EPA and applicable state regulatory requirements. Working closely with the US Head of Quality, the US Head of Compliance, Site General Managers and HR, the role holder will drive a culture of Zero Harm, behavioral safety and continuous improvement, with a particular focus on the controlled hazards inherent in structural-steel fabrication, hot work, painting and lifting operations. The role is a key member of the Global Quality, Compliance & Health & Safety leadership team and supports the delivery of the Quality & Compliance Pyramid across all US sites.

What You’ll Do

Health & Safety Management System Leadership

• Own and continually improve the US Health & Safety Management System aligned to ISO 45001 and applicable US regulatory requirements.

• Ensure consistent deployment of EHS policies, procedures, safe systems of work and permit-to-work regimes across all US sites.

• Provide quarterly reporting on H&S management system maturity, leading and lagging indicators and external audit readiness.

• Act as the principal H&S signatory for US operations at Management Review.

• Maintain regional ownership of Management of Change for any process, layout, equipment or chemical change with H&S impact.

Site Safety Leadership & People Development

• Lead, coach and develop Site EHS Managers and on-site safety personnel across US sites.

• Establish clear objectives, capability frameworks and development plans for the US safety community, including NEBOSH, ASP/CSP, CIH and OSHA 30/500 competencies.

• Drive a culture of accountability, visible leadership and high performance within the safety function.

• Champion a Zero Harm mindset and psychological safety for raising safety concerns, supported by Stop-Work authority for every employee.

• Embed safety leadership behaviors in line management at site level — Gemba, safety walks, leader-led toolbox talks and observation programs.

Risk Management, Hazard Control & Operational Safety

• Govern the US risk-assessment program across all manufacturing operations, ensuring hazards are identified, assessed and controlled to as-low-as-reasonably-practicable.

• Own the high-hazard process controls associated with structural-steel fabrication, including hot work and welding fume control, hexavalent-chromium exposure, machine guarding, abrasive wheels, overhead and mobile lifting, working at height, confined-space entry, and energy isolation (LOTO).

• Own the coating and paint-shop safety regime including isocyanate exposure control, ventilation, flammable-liquid storage, hazardous-area classification and respiratory protection.

• Establish and maintain the US Permit-to-Work regime for hot work, confined space, working at height, energized work and contractor activities.

• Govern the Contractor Safety Management program including pre-qualification, induction, supervision and post-job review.

• Ensure capable, calibrated safety-critical equipment, traceable inspection regimes and robust Pre-Use Inspection programs for cranes, slings, fall-arrest and breathing apparatus.

Incident Investigation, CAPA & Continuous Improvement

• Govern the US incident, near-miss and CAPA program, ensuring root-cause rigor, effectiveness verification and timely closure.

• Lead serious-incident investigations and ensure cross-site learning is shared through Safety Alerts and standard-of-care updates.

• Drive measurable reductions in TRIR, LTIFR, DART, severity rate and serious-incident potential across US operations.

• Establish and track regional H&S KPIs and performance dashboards: leading indicators (observations, near-miss reporting, training completion) and lagging indicators (recordables, lost-time, severity).

• Lead H&S improvement initiatives linked to the Quality & Compliance Pyramid Action Plan and Group Zero Harm objectives.

Regulatory Compliance & OSHA Programs

• Act as technical authority for US occupational safety and health regulation including OSHA 29 CFR 1910 (general industry), 1904 (recordkeeping), and applicable state-plan requirements.

• Own the US H&S Legal Register and ensure sites remain current with regulatory changes, including state-specific OSHA-plan jurisdictions.

• Govern OSHA-mandated written programs including Hazard Communication, Respiratory Protection, Hearing Conservation, Lockout/Tagout, Powered Industrial Trucks, Confined Space, Fall Protection, Bloodborne Pathogens, Process Safety where applicable, and Emergency Action Plans.

• Manage all OSHA inspections, citations and abatement activity across US sites, acting as the principal regulatory liaison.

• Coordinate environmental safety obligations interfacing with EPA programs (SPCC, RCRA hazardous-waste handling, air permitting for paint operations) in partnership with site environmental leads.

Industrial Hygiene, Occupational Health & Wellbeing

• Govern the US industrial-hygiene program including welding-fume, hexavalent-chromium, manganese, isocyanate, noise, vibration and ergonomic exposure monitoring.

• Establish and maintain the medical-surveillance program aligned to OSHA standards and exposure profiles, including audiograms, respirator fit-testing, spirometry and biological monitoring where required.

• Own the ergonomics program to reduce musculoskeletal injury risk in welding, fitting, manual handling and assembly tasks.

• Champion mental-health, fatigue management and wellbeing initiatives in partnership with HR and the Group Wellbeing agenda.

• Manage workers’ compensation case management, return-to-work and modified-duty programs in partnership with HR and external occupational-health providers.

Governance, Reporting & Culture

• Provide monthly H&S performance reports to the Global Head of Quality, Compliance & Health & Safety, including incident metrics, audit findings, regulatory activity and improvement-plan status.

• Support Management Reviews, internal audits and external ISO 45001 surveillance and recertification audits.

• Ensure H&S risks are identified, quantified and escalated appropriately within the US operation, including SIF (Serious Injury & Fatality) potential events.

• Drive emergency-preparedness and crisis-management readiness across US sites, including drills, mutual-aid arrangements and business-continuity interfaces.

• Represent the US H&S function with external stakeholders including hyperscale customer audits, insurers, regulators and industry bodies.

Additional Expectations

• Remain compliant with the Code of Conduct and Policies which includes the Kingspan Group Compliance Policy.

• Ensure that all duties related to product compliance are adhered to in accordance with the Product Compliance Policy, Laws, Regulations, and market demands.

• Responsible for all tasks to achieve compliance goals and demands of the Compliance Management System.

• Must raise concerns related to the Compliance Management System to their supervisor, manager, or any member of the Leadership Team, or through the confidential whistle blower service.

What You’ll Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Health & Safety, Industrial Hygiene, Engineering or related technical discipline; advanced degree preferred.

• Minimum 10 years of progressive H&S experience in a heavy-manufacturing environment, including at least 5 years leading multi-site operations.

• Proven leadership of Site EHS Managers or equivalent senior roles across multiple sites.

• Certified Safety Professional (CSP) or equivalent senior-level certification required; CIH (Certified Industrial Hygienist) desirable.

• Lead auditor qualification in ISO 45001 required; familiarity with ISO 14001 desirable.

• OSHA 30-Hour General Industry required; OSHA 500/501 trainer authorization preferred.

• Deep operational experience of welding, fabrication, painting and lifting operations including hot work, hexavalent-chromium control, isocyanate exposure, LOTO and machine guarding.

• Demonstrable track record of reducing recordable injury rates and severity through behavior-based safety, leading-indicator programs and visible leadership.

• Strong working knowledge of OSHA 29 CFR 1910, OSHA recordkeeping, applicable state-plan requirements, and EPA programs interfacing with manufacturing operations.

• Experience managing OSHA inspections, citations and abatement activity.

• Familiarity with workers’ compensation case management and return-to-work programs in the US jurisdiction.

• Experience supporting hyperscale data-center customers, OEMs or comparable demanding clients with rigorous contractor and site-safety expectations is desirable.

• Exceptional leadership, communication, stakeholder management and decision-making skills.

• Willingness and ability to travel regularly to US manufacturing sites and to respond to serious incidents at short notice.

What You’ll Get

• Pay range: $190,000 USD to $220,000 USD. This role is eligible for a discretionary bonus.

• Career Scope and Advancement: As we grow, new positions and career opportunities arise, offering accelerated paths for the right candidates, locally and globally.

• World of Wellness Philosophy: We empower you to take charge of your health and well-being. You’ll have access to a wide range of medical, dental, and vision benefits, along with personalized guidance from a “Health Advocate.” We also offer other supplemental options, including 401k, legal, disability, and theft insurance, to ensure your financial wellness.

• Corporate Social Responsibility: Through  Planet Passionate we are determined to reduce our manufacturing carbon (CO2e) emissions to as close to zero as technically possible, together with halving carbon intensity in our primary supply chain. We are very involved in our community, and you will have ample opportunities to support us in creating a better world.

• Skills Development: Given the dynamic pace of our business and a strong collaborative environment, your new role will be diverse and multifaceted – allowing you to be more versatile and develop a broader skill set.

• Mentorship and development: At Tate, we don’t believe in hierarchy; we work together as one team for one common goal. You will have access and exposure to our senior leaders and experts for learning in your role, and additional mentorship for the future.

• Culture: We have a great team of culture, highly collaborative, supportive, and social skills. Together we innovate, collaborate, take ownership, and strive for excellence.

Stay connected with us on LinkedIn for insights into life at Tate. Join us in our mission to make a difference through exceptional solutions.

Tate Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to legally protected characteristics. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities. Employment may be contingent upon completion of post-offer requirements in accordance with applicable law.

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