Environmental Health & Safety Manager The Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) Manager is responsible for developing, implementing, and leading company-wide environmental, health, and safety programs to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations while fostering a culture of safety throughout the organization. This role partners closely with Operations, Maintenance, Quality Assurance, Transportation, and Human Resources to reduce workplace injuries, improve safety performance, manage regulatory compliance, oversee workers' compensation programs, and drive continuous improvement initiatives across manufacturing and warehouse operations. The ideal candidate will have demonstrated success building and strengthening a safety culture from the ground up, driving employee engagement, leadership accountability, and sustainable safety improvements in a manufacturing environment.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities: Safety Leadership & Compliance:
- Promote and lead a culture of safety throughout all company locations.
- Develop, implement, and maintain safety policies, procedures, and programs.
- Lead initiatives that promote employee ownership of safety, strengthen leadership accountability, and establish safety as a core organizational value.
- Ensure compliance with OSHA regulations and other applicable federal, state, and local safety requirements.
- Conduct routine facility inspections, safety audits, and risk assessments.
- Lead corrective action initiatives and track completion of identified safety improvements.
- Maintain OSHA logs and ensure timely completion of required regulatory reporting.
- Serve as the primary company contact during OSHA inspections and regulatory audits.
- Monitor regulatory changes and implement updates to company programs as necessary.
- Develop and maintain site-specific safety programs, including but not limited to Lockout/Tagout (LOTO), Machine Guarding, Powered Industrial Trucks (Forklifts), Hazard Communication, PPE, and Emergency Action Plans.
- Incident Management & Workers' Compensation:
- Manage the company's Workers' Compensation program, including claim administration, carrier coordination, and return-to-work initiatives.
- Serve as the primary point of contact for all workplace injuries and occupational incidents.
- Conduct and lead investigations of workplace injuries, incidents, near misses, and property damage events.
- Perform root cause analyses and develop corrective and preventive action plans.
- Track injury trends and recommend proactive measures to reduce risk and claim costs.
- Partner with Human Resources regarding workplace accommodations and return-to-work processes related to occupational injuries.
- Maintain incident records and ensure timely reporting to applicable agencies and insurance carriers.
- Safety Training:
- Develop, coordinate, and administer safety training programs for all employees.
- Manage safety training through the Alchemy Learning Management System and other training platforms.
- Conduct new hire safety orientation and annual compliance training.
- Ensure all required certifications and safety training records remain current.
- Lead site safety committees and maintain meeting documentation and action plans.
- Promote employee involvement in safety initiatives, hazard reporting, and continuous improvement efforts.
- Collaborate with leadership to ensure accountability for safety performance at all levels of the organization.
- Environmental & Emergency Preparedness:
- Maintain compliance with applicable environmental regulations and reporting requirements.
- Manage hazardous materials, chemical inventory, Safety Data Sheets (SDS), and Hazard Communication programs.
- Coordinate emergency response planning, evacuation procedures, and annual fire drills.
- Ensure emergency equipment, first aid supplies, and safety resources are maintained and available.
- Partner with facility leadership to maintain emergency preparedness and business continuity plans.
- Support environmental sustainability and waste reduction initiatives, where applicable.
Continuous Improvement:
Analyze safety metrics, trends, and key performance indicators (KPIs).Develop annual EHS goals and objectives aligned with company initiatives.
Present safety performance metrics and recommendations to senior leadership.
Identify opportunities to improve safety performance, reduce risk, and increase employee engagement.
Support operational continuous improvement projects through a safety-focused lens.
Benchmark best practices and implement programs that improve overall organizational safety performance.
Additional Responsibilities:
Conduct ergonomic assessments and recommend improvements.
Assist with Job Hazard Analyses (JHAs) and Job Task Assessments.
Maintain safety communication boards and employee awareness campaigns.
Support DOT compliance initiatives for company drivers, as applicable.
Coordinate annual fire drill procedures.
Ensure first aid stations and supplies are adequately maintained.
Perform other duties and special projects as assigned.
Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree in Occupational Safety, Environmental Health, Industrial Hygiene, Engineering, or a related field preferred.
Minimum of five (5) years of Environmental Health & Safety experience in a manufacturing, food production, warehouse, or distribution environment.
Proven track record of building a proactive safety culture from the ground up, including establishing safety programs, increasing employee engagement, developing leadership accountability, and reducing workplace incidents.
Experience driving behavioral safety initiatives and influencing leaders and employees at all levels of the organization.
Strong working knowledge of OSHA regulations and workplace safety programs.
Experience conducting incident investigations and root cause analyses.
Experience managing Workers' Compensation claims and return-to-work programs.
Experience leading safety audits, inspections, and training programs.
Experience developing and delivering safety training programs.
Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and safety management systems.
Excellent communication, organizational, and leadership skills.
Ability to build relationships and influence stakeholders across all levels of the organization.
Ability to manage multiple priorities and work independently in a fast-paced environment.
Preferred Qualifications:
Bilingual English and Spanish required.
Haitian Creole language skills are a plus.
Experience in a unionized manufacturing environment preferred.
Experience leading safety culture transformation initiatives in a multi-site manufacturing environment.
OSHA 30 certification preferred.
First Aid/CPR certification preferred.
Experience within food manufacturing or food distribution environments preferred.
Physical Requirements:
Ability to regularly walk manufacturing, warehouse, and office environments.
Ability to occasionally lift and carry up to 25 pounds.
Ability to work in varying manufacturing environments, including refrigerated and freezer areas, when necessary.
Ability to stand, walk, bend, reach, and climb stairs for extended periods.
Ability to travel between company locations as needed.
Success in This RoleThe successful candidate will be a visible and influential leader who drives a proactive safety culture throughout the organization. They will build strong partnerships with operations leadership and employees, reduce workplace injuries, improve regulatory compliance, strengthen employee engagement, and establish safety as a shared responsibility across all levels of the company.
