Environmental Health and Safety Specialist

Title: Environmental, Health & Safety Specialist
Location: Alexandria, VA
Experience Required: 2–4 years

About the Organization

Our client is a leading global food manufacturing and culinary solutions organization serving foodservice, retail, and commercial customers. The company specializes in developing and producing high-quality prepared food products through large-scale, highly regulated manufacturing operations.

The organization is committed to maintaining high standards of employee safety, food safety, quality, environmental compliance, and operational excellence . Its production facilities include food processing and preparation areas, sanitation operations, warehouses, refrigerated and freezer environments, maintenance areas, loading docks, and automated production equipment.

As part of its continued commitment to workplace safety and environmental responsibility, the organization is seeking an experienced Environmental, Health & Safety Specialist to support and strengthen EHS programs at its Alexandria, Virginia facility.

Position Summary

The Environmental, Health & Safety Specialist will be responsible for implementing, maintaining, and continuously improving Environmental, Health & Safety programs within a high-volume food manufacturing environment.

This position will conduct workplace inspections and risk assessments, support regulatory compliance, investigate incidents, deliver employee training, monitor corrective actions, and promote a strong safety culture throughout the facility.

The Specialist will work closely with Production, Sanitation, Maintenance, Quality Assurance, Human Resources, and Site Leadership to identify hazards, implement effective controls, reduce workplace incidents, and drive continuous improvement.

The ideal candidate will have hands-on EHS experience in food manufacturing, food processing, cold storage, warehousing, or industrial production , along with strong knowledge of OSHA requirements and practical experience implementing safety programs on the production floor.

Key Responsibilities

EHS Program Management

• Develop, implement, maintain, and continuously improve EHS policies, procedures, programs, and training materials.
• Support new-hire safety orientation and annual/refresher safety training.
• Monitor regulatory developments and communicate relevant OSHA, EPA, state, and local requirements to site leadership.
• Evaluate workplace hazards and recommend appropriate engineering, administrative, and PPE controls.
• Track EHS performance metrics, trends, and KPIs.
• Prepare EHS reports and presentations for management review.
• Maintain accurate and audit-ready EHS documentation.

Safety Inspections, Audits & Risk Management

• Conduct routine safety inspections, audits, and workplace risk assessments.
• Inspect production areas, sanitation areas, maintenance shops, warehouses, coolers, freezers, loading docks, and chemical storage areas.
• Evaluate hazards associated with machinery, automated equipment, material handling, sanitation chemicals, thermal processes, refrigerated environments, and production activities.
• Identify unsafe conditions and behaviors and recommend corrective actions.
• Track corrective and preventive actions through verified closure.
• Partner with operational leaders to ensure safety controls remain effective and sustainable.

Incident Investigation & Injury Prevention

• Lead or support investigations of workplace injuries, illnesses, near misses, and other incidents.
• Conduct root-cause analysis and identify contributing factors.
• Develop corrective and preventive action plans and monitor completion.
• Identify recurring incident trends and recommend proactive prevention strategies.
• Maintain OSHA injury and illness records, including OSHA 300 logs and related documentation.
• Support workers' compensation-related safety activities as required.
• Communicate incident findings and prevention recommendations to management and employees.

Regulatory Compliance

• Support compliance with applicable OSHA, EPA, fire code, workers' compensation, state, local, and company requirements .
• Maintain records and documentation required for internal and external audits.
• Support regulatory inspections and respond to requests for EHS documentation.
• Maintain records related to:
  • Safety inspections and audits
  • Employee training
  • Workplace incidents
  • Environmental activities
  • Permits
  • Chemical inventories
  • Corrective actions
  • Regulatory compliance
• Assist with maintaining compliance with applicable environmental permits and reporting requirements.

Safety Training & Employee Development

• Deliver safety training to employees, supervisors, contractors, and other personnel.
• Develop and update training materials based on operational and regulatory requirements.
• Provide training and coaching on topics including:
  • Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
  • Hazard Communication / HazCom
  • Lockout/Tagout (LOTO)
  • Machine Guarding
  • Forklift and Pedestrian Safety
  • Chemical Handling
  • Emergency Response
  • Ergonomics
  • Slip, Trip & Fall Prevention
  • Confined Space Awareness
  • General Workplace Safety
• Coach supervisors and frontline leaders on hazard recognition, safe work practices, and safety accountability.
• Promote employee engagement and participation in safety initiatives.

Environmental Compliance

• Support environmental compliance programs and initiatives at the facility.
• Assist with waste management and waste reduction programs.
• Coordinate and monitor wastewater-related activities.
• Support spill prevention and response programs.
• Assist with air and water permit requirements and related documentation.
• Support chemical storage and hazardous-material management programs.
• Maintain environmental records and assist with regulatory reporting.
• Participate in sustainability and environmental improvement initiatives.

Emergency Preparedness & Response

• Support site emergency preparedness and response programs.
• Maintain and update emergency response procedures and evacuation plans.
• Coordinate and participate in emergency drills.
• Support spill response procedures and preparedness.
• Assist with ammonia/refrigeration-related emergency response coordination, where applicable.
• Support first-aid and emergency response activities.
• Participate in incident response outside normal business hours when required.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner closely with Production, Sanitation, Maintenance, QA, HR, and Site Leadership to identify and resolve safety concerns.
• Build strong working relationships with frontline employees and supervisors.
• Promote accountability for safe work practices throughout the facility.
• Participate in continuous improvement and operational excellence initiatives.
• Provide practical EHS guidance to management and operational teams.
• Support initiatives designed to improve employee safety and reduce environmental impact.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Occupational Safety, Environmental Science, Industrial Hygiene, Engineering, Food Science, or a related field .
• Equivalent combination of education and relevant experience may be considered.
• 2–4 years of EHS experience , preferably within:
  • Food manufacturing
  • Food processing
  • Cold storage
  • Warehouse operations
  • Industrial manufacturing or production
• Working knowledge of OSHA, EPA, and applicable state and local safety/environmental regulations .
• Hands-on experience with:
  • Safety inspections and audits
  • Incident investigations
  • Root-cause analysis
  • Risk assessments
  • Corrective-action management
  • Employee safety training
• Understanding of common food-production hazards, including:
  • Wet floors
  • Hot surfaces
  • Sharp tools
  • Automated machinery
  • Sanitation chemicals
  • Forklifts and powered industrial trucks
  • Refrigerated and freezer environments
  • Repetitive-motion activities
  • Lockout/Tagout requirements
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong organizational, analytical, documentation, and problem-solving abilities.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint .
• Familiarity with EHS management systems, EHS reporting platforms, or Learning Management Systems (LMS).

Preferred Qualifications

Candidates with the following certifications, knowledge, or experience are strongly preferred:

• OSHA 30-Hour General Industry
• Associate Safety Professional (ASP)
• Certified Safety Professional (CSP)
• Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM)
• HAZWOPER
• First Aid/CPR certification
• Forklift Trainer certification
• Ammonia refrigeration experience
• Process Safety Management (PSM) experience
• Experience supporting environmental permits or regulatory inspections
• Experience in food manufacturing or food processing environments

Work Environment & Physical Requirements

This is a hands-on, on-site position requiring regular presence throughout the manufacturing facility.

The position may require work in:

• Office areas
• Food production areas
• Sanitation areas
• Warehouses
• Coolers and freezers
• Maintenance areas
• Loading docks
• Outdoor facility areas

The employee may be required to:

• Walk and stand for extended periods.
• Bend, climb stairs, and use ladders as necessary.
• Enter production and facility areas to conduct inspections and audits.
• Respond to workplace incidents and emergency situations.
• Work around wet floors, temperature variations, refrigerated/freezer environments, high-heat areas, noise, moving equipment, forklifts, cleaning chemicals, and active food-production processes.
• Wear required personal protective equipment while working in production areas.
• Respond to incidents, spills, regulatory visits, or emergencies outside normal business hours when necessary.