Senior Safety Specialist

Job Description

Overview:

The Senior Safety Specialist provides technical leadership and subject matter expertise for the site's occupational safety and health programs. The position independently manages assigned safety programs, identifies and evaluates workplace hazards, interprets regulatory and company requirements, develops risk-reduction strategies, and partners with site leadership, operations, maintenance, engineering, and employees to drive continuous improvement in safety performance. The role also provides leadership and program management for the site's Emergency Response Team (ERT) and emergency preparedness program

Responsibilities:

Safety Program Leadership

• Independently manage assigned site safety and occupational health programs and ensure compliance with regulatory, corporate, and site requirements.

• Serve as a subject matter expert for critical safety programs, which may include Lockout/Tagout, Confined Space Entry, Work Permitting, Respiratory Protection, PPE, Fall Protection, Electrical Safety, Industrial Hygiene, and other life-critical safety systems.

• Develop, implement, review, and continuously improve site safety standards, procedures, safe work practices, and supporting documentation.

• Evaluate regulatory and company-standard changes and lead implementation of necessary site improvements.

• Provide technical guidance to site leadership, supervisors, employees, contractors, engineering, and maintenance personnel.

Emergency Preparedness and Response

• Serve as the site lead for the Emergency Response Team (ERT) program and provide overall leadership, coordination, and program management for site emergency preparedness and response.

• Lead the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of the site's emergency response organization, capabilities, and readiness.

• Maintain and periodically update the Facility Emergency Preparedness Plan (FEPP) and associated emergency response procedures.

• Establish ERT staffing, qualification, training, drill, and competency requirements and ensure the team maintains appropriate readiness to respond to credible site emergencies.

• Coordinate and oversee ERT training, drills, exercises, and response evaluations, including development and tracking of corrective actions and lessons learned.

• Provide leadership and direction to ERT members and team leaders and ensure clear roles, responsibilities, and expectations are established.

• Coordinate emergency preparedness activities with Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, Occupational Health, Security, Site Leadership, and other applicable functions.

• Serve as the primary site liaison with local fire departments, EMS, emergency management agencies, hospitals, and other external emergency-response organizations.

• Coordinate periodic joint exercises and planning activities with external response agencies when appropriate.

• Evaluate site emergency-response risks, equipment, resources, and capabilities and recommend improvements necessary to maintain effective response readiness.

• Manage inspection, testing, maintenance, and readiness requirements for emergency-response equipment and associated resources.

• Develop and manage the ERT/emergency preparedness budget and identify resource and capital needs.

• Participate in emergency incidents as a member of the site's emergency management structure and provide safety and technical support to incident leadership.

• Lead post-drill and post-incident reviews to identify lessons learned and ensure corrective actions are implemented.

• Monitor applicable emergency preparedness and response requirements and ensure site programs remain aligned with regulatory, company, and site expectations.

Risk Management and Incident Prevention

• Lead and participate in workplace hazard assessments, field safety evaluations, audits, inspections, and risk assessments.

• Identify systemic safety risks and recommend practical engineering, administrative, and procedural controls.

• Participate in Process Safety Reviews, PSSRs, Management of Change activities, project reviews, and other risk-management processes as applicable.

• Evaluate work practices and operating conditions to identify opportunities for risk reduction and improved safety performance.

• Support development and tracking of corrective actions and verify effective completion.

Incident Investigation and Performance Improvement

• Lead or participate in investigations of injuries, near misses, safety events, and significant potential incidents.

• Apply structured root-cause analysis techniques to identify immediate, contributing, and systemic causes.

• Develop and track corrective and preventive actions resulting from investigations.

• Analyze safety data and trends to identify emerging risks and recommend targeted improvement initiatives.

• Communicate significant findings, trends, and recommendations to site leadership.

Regulatory Compliance and Auditing

• Interpret applicable OSHA regulations, consensus standards, corporate EHS requirements, and site procedures.

• Conduct and support regulatory and internal compliance audits.

• Assist with regulatory inspections and development of responses and corrective actions.

• Maintain documentation necessary to demonstrate compliance with assigned safety programs.

• Stay current on regulatory developments and industry best practices affecting site operations.

Training and Safety Culture

• Develop and deliver safety training for employees, contractors, supervisors, and site leadership.

• Coach employees and leaders on application of safety requirements and effective risk-management practices.

• Promote employee engagement in hazard identification, incident prevention, and continuous improvement.

• Serve as a visible field safety resource and build effective working relationships across site functions.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong working knowledge of OSHA regulations and occupational safety principles.

• Knowledge of heavy manufacturing and industrial work environments.

• Demonstrated ability to independently manage safety programs and compliance activities.

• Strong hazard-recognition and risk-assessment capabilities.

• Experience conducting or leading incident investigations and root-cause analyses.

• Ability to interpret regulations, technical standards, and corporate requirements and translate them into practical site expectations.

• Knowledge of industrial hygiene principles and exposure-assessment practices.

• Understanding of life-critical safety programs and controls.

• Knowledge of industrial emergency response principles, incident command systems, emergency planning, drills and exercises, and coordination with external response agencies.

• Strong written and verbal communication, training, analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.

• Ability to influence employees and leaders without direct supervisory authority and manage multiple priorities.

Qualifications:

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Environmental Health & Safety, Occupational Safety, Industrial Hygiene, Engineering, or a related discipline; or an equivalent combination of education, professional safety training/certification, and relevant experience.

• Minimum of four (4) years of progressively responsible EHS/Safety experience in a heavy manufacturing, chemical, or industrial environment.

• Professional safety certifications or advanced safety training such as ASP, CSP, OHST, CHST, OSHA 30-Hour, industrial hygiene training, or equivalent credentials are preferred.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in chemical, polymer, petrochemical, or other high-hazard manufacturing operations.

• ASP, CSP, OHST, CHST, CIH, or other recognized EHS certification.

• Experience with industrial hygiene monitoring and respiratory protection programs.

• Demonstrated experience leading, coordinating, or supporting an Emergency Response Team or emergency preparedness program in an industrial environment.

• Emergency response, incident command, HAZWOPER, or EMS training is desirable but is not required as a condition of employment.

• Experience participating in regulatory inspections, corporate audits, or management-system audits.

• Experience with contractor safety, work permitting, and life-critical safety programs.

This Virginia position pays between $90,100 and 148,600/year. Actual pay may vary based on experience, qualifications, and market factors.