Safety Director

Job Description

Job Description

JOB DESCRIPTION: SAFETY DIRECTOR

Position Summary

Reliable Contracting & Equipment Company is seeking an experienced, proactive Safety Director to lead and oversee the company's safety programs across construction projects, field operations, equipment, and fleet activities. The Safety Director will be responsible for developing, implementing, and enforcing comprehensive safety policies and procedures that protect employees, subcontractors, the public, and company assets.

The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in construction safety, a strong working knowledge of OSHA regulations, and the leadership skills necessary to establish a culture of accountability, hazard prevention, and continuous improvement throughout the organization.

This position will work directly with executive management, project managers, superintendents, foremen, and field personnel to ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local safety requirements and recognized construction industry best practices.

Key Responsibilities

1. Safety Program Management

• Develop, implement, maintain, and continuously improve the company's written safety and health program.
• Review and update safety policies, procedures, employee handbooks, and job-specific safety requirements.
• Ensure compliance with applicable OSHA regulations, including construction industry standards under 29 CFR Part 1926 and applicable general industry standards under Part 1910.
• Establish measurable safety objectives, performance indicators, and annual improvement goals.
• Communicate safety expectations and requirements throughout all levels of the organization.
• Maintain safety documentation, training records, inspection reports, corrective action logs, and regulatory records.

2. Field Safety and Construction Operations

• Conduct routine and unannounced jobsite inspections to identify unsafe conditions, at-risk behaviors, and potential hazards.
• Work with project managers, superintendents, and foremen to implement effective hazard controls and corrective actions.
• Oversee job hazard analyses (JHAs), pre-task planning, toolbox talks, and site-specific safety plans.
• Monitor construction activities involving excavation, trenching, shoring, underground utilities, heavy equipment, traffic control, lifting operations, and work near existing utilities.
• Verify appropriate protective systems, personal protective equipment (PPE), equipment safeguards, and safe work practices are in place.
• Assist project teams with safety planning for new projects, changing site conditions, and high-risk operations.
• Stop work when imminent hazards or serious safety concerns are identified and ensure work resumes only after appropriate corrective action.

3. Training and Employee Development

• Develop and coordinate safety orientation for new employees and subcontractors, as applicable.
• Deliver or coordinate OSHA-required and job-specific safety training.
• Maintain employee training and certification records, including applicable OSHA, first aid/CPR, competent-person, equipment operator, and other required qualifications.
• Conduct regular safety meetings, toolbox talks, and supervisor training.
• Coach field leadership on hazard recognition, incident prevention, and employee accountability.
• Promote employee participation in identifying hazards and improving workplace safety.

4. Incident Investigation and Corrective Action

• Lead investigations of workplace injuries, near misses, property damage, vehicle accidents, and other safety-related incidents.
• Identify root causes and develop corrective and preventive action plans.
• Track corrective actions through completion and verify that corrective measures are effective.
• Maintain incident statistics and analyze trends to identify recurring hazards and opportunities for improvement.
• Coordinate required injury and illness reporting, workers' compensation documentation, and regulatory notifications with the appropriate company personnel.
• Support management in implementing lessons learned across projects and departments.

5. Fleet and Equipment Safety

• Manage and continuously improve the company's fleet safety program.
• Establish driver qualification, authorization, training, motor vehicle record review, and driver accountability procedures.
• Monitor vehicle inspections, preventive maintenance, accident trends, and driver safety performance.
• Review vehicle and equipment incidents and implement corrective actions.
• Ensure applicable commercial motor vehicle, U.S. Department of Transportation, and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration requirements are addressed where applicable.
• Coordinate with fleet personnel to promote safe operation, maintenance, and use of company vehicles and heavy equipment.
• Develop and monitor fleet safety metrics consistent with recognized industry practices.

6. Regulatory Compliance and Risk Management

• Monitor changes in OSHA regulations and other applicable workplace safety requirements.
• Coordinate responses to OSHA inspections, citations, inquiries, and other regulatory matters with management and legal counsel, as appropriate.
• Support insurance carrier loss-control reviews, risk assessments, and corrective action recommendations.
• Work with management to reduce workplace injuries, vehicle losses, property damage, and associated insurance costs.
• Maintain records and documentation necessary to demonstrate compliance and support audits.
• Coordinate with human resources, operations, and project management on workers' compensation trends, return-to-work coordination, and appropriate safety-related employment procedures.

7. Leadership and Continuous Improvement

• Serve as the company's primary safety resource and advisor to executive management.
• Establish clear safety responsibilities and accountability for managers, supervisors, foremen, and employees.
• Conduct periodic safety performance reviews with operations leadership.
• Develop monthly and annual safety reports, including leading and lagging indicators.
• Recommend improvements to safety procedures, training, equipment, and operational practices.
• Foster a workplace culture in which safety is integrated into planning, production, quality, and daily decision-making.

Qualifications

Required:

• Minimum of 5 years of progressive safety experience in construction, heavy civil construction, utility construction, or a comparable industrial environment.
• Demonstrated knowledge of OSHA construction safety regulations and practical field safety requirements.
• Experience conducting jobsite inspections, hazard assessments, incident investigations, and corrective action follow-up.
• Strong understanding of excavation and trenching safety, heavy equipment operations, traffic control, and construction site hazards.
• Experience developing, implementing, or administering written safety programs.
• Strong communication, organizational, problem-solving, and leadership skills.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with executive management and field personnel.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and electronic safety documentation systems.
• Valid driver's license and ability to travel to active construction jobsites throughout the Chicagoland area.

Preferred:

• Bachelor's degree in Occupational Safety, Environmental Health and Safety, Construction Management, or a related field; equivalent relevant experience may be considered.
• OSHA 30-Hour Construction training.
• Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Construction Health and Safety Technician (CHST), or comparable professional safety credential.
• First Aid/CPR/AED instructor or equivalent training credentials.
• Experience managing fleet safety, workers' compensation trends, and insurance loss-control recommendations.
• Experience with municipal infrastructure, water main, sewer, roadway, excavation, or underground utility construction.
• Experience preparing safety performance reports and measurable improvement plans.

Performance Expectations

The Safety Director will be evaluated on the effectiveness of the company's safety program, including:

• Reduction in preventable injuries, recordable incidents, and lost-time cases.
• Completion of scheduled jobsite inspections and timely correction of identified hazards.
• Employee and supervisor safety training completion rates.
• Timely incident investigation and corrective action closure.
• Fleet accident frequency and preventable vehicle incident trends.
• Regulatory compliance and timely maintenance of required records.
• Progress toward established safety objectives and measurable continuous improvement.
• Effectiveness of communication, employee engagement, and field leadership accountability.

Performance measures will be evaluated in context, recognizing that injury rates and other lagging indicators do not independently measure the effectiveness of a safety program.

Work Environment and Physical Requirements

• Regular travel to active construction jobsites, company facilities, and project meetings.
• Ability to work outdoors in varying weather conditions and around construction equipment, excavation activities, and active work zones.
• Ability to walk jobsites, navigate uneven terrain, climb access points where permitted, and wear required PPE.
• Ability to respond to incidents and urgent safety concerns as reasonably required by business operations.

Reasonable accommodations will be provided in accordance with applicable law.

\nCompany Description

Reliable Contracting and Equipment Company is a trusted provider of underground construction and infrastructure services throughout Chicago and the surrounding region. Specializing in lead service line replacement, large-diameter sewer and water main installation, and comprehensive site utilities, the family-owned company brings a century of experience, robust equipment, and skilled manpower to projects of any size or complexity. With long-tenured staff and a strong commitment to quality, Reliable stands true to its name—dependable, experienced, and dedicated to getting the job done right.

Company Description

Reliable Contracting and Equipment Company is a trusted provider of underground construction and infrastructure services throughout Chicago and the surrounding region. Specializing in lead service line replacement, large-diameter sewer and water main installation, and comprehensive site utilities, the family-owned company brings a century of experience, robust equipment, and skilled manpower to projects of any size or complexity. With long-tenured staff and a strong commitment to quality, Reliable stands true to its name—dependable, experienced, and dedicated to getting the job done right.