EH&S Specialist

SUMMARY

The EH&S Specialist serves as the frontline health and safety champion across extended shift and 24/7 operations, providing hands-on, real-time oversight to protect personnel, ensure regulatory compliance, and drive a proactive safety culture. This role operates with heightened accountability during non-standard hours - including overnight, weekend, and rotating shifts - when direct management supervision is reduced and autonomous safety judgment is critical.

The ideal candidate combines technical environmental, health, and safety expertise with strong interpersonal skills to influence behavior, respond to emergencies, and maintain rigorous documentation across all shift cycles. This position reports to the EH&S Coordinator and supports multi-site operations across the east region.

HEALTH & SAFETY FOCUS AREAS

Occupational Health Monitoring - exposure assessments, medical surveillance, fit-for-duty evaluations

Emergency Response Leadership - first point of contact for all safety incidents and near-misses on shift

Ergonomics & Fatigue Risk - extended shift fatigue management, workstation assessments, safe lift protocols

Hazardous Materials Handling - HAZCOM, SDS management, chemical storage and spill response

Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) - program administration, verification, and real-time enforcement

PPE Program Management - selection, training, inspection, and compliance tracking

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

Health & Safety Oversight (Extended Shifts)

• Serve as the primary on-site EH&S resource during extended, overnight, and rotating shifts, maintaining constant safety awareness across all active work areas and departments.
• Conduct real-time job hazard analyses (JHAs) at the start of each shift, identifying site-specific risks and communicating critical controls to crew leads and supervisors.
• Perform shift-start and mid-shift safety walk-throughs, inspecting equipment, housekeeping, PPE compliance, and emergency egress routes.
• Monitor personnel for signs of fatigue, heat/cold stress, or impairment and initiate fit-for-duty protocols as required.
• Respond immediately to all workplace incidents, injuries, near-misses, and unsafe conditions; administer first aid as needed and activate emergency response plans.
• Maintain a shift safety log documenting all observations, interventions, incidents, and corrective actions taken.

Incident Investigation & Reporting

• Lead or support root cause analyses (RCA) for injuries, near-misses, and property damage incidents occurring during assigned shifts.
• Complete thorough incident investigation reports, including contributing factors, corrective action plans, and timelines for closure.
• Enter all incident data into the corporate OSHA 300/301 recordkeeping system and EH&S tracking database in a timely manner.
• Track and follow up on corrective action items to verified completion; escalate open items to the EH&S Coordinator.
• Identify trends across incident data and present findings to management with recommendations for systemic improvements.

Regulatory Compliance

• Ensure continuous compliance with OSHA 29 CFR 1910 (General Industry) and applicable state/local occupational health and safety regulations during all shift hours.
• Support compliance with EPA, DOT, and applicable environmental regulations pertaining to hazardous waste storage, spill containment, and air/water permitting.
• Prepare, submit, and maintain required regulatory reports, manifests, and permit documentation; coordinate with agencies as necessary.
• Ensure site compliance with NFPA, IFC, and applicable fire and life safety codes; coordinate with local AHJs as needed.
• Assist with preparation for regulatory inspections and internal audits; accompany inspectors during walk-throughs.

Training & Safety Culture

• Deliver shift-appropriate safety training and toolbox talks tailored to extended-shift hazards such as fatigue, reduced visibility, and low-supervision environments.
• Conduct required new employee EH&S onboarding, including hazard communication, emergency procedures, PPE use, and site-specific safety rules.
• Develop and update training materials, safety bulletins, and visual aids to reinforce critical safety behaviors.
• Coach front-line employees and supervisors on safe work practices; build peer safety leadership at all levels.
• Track training completion and ensure regulatory training currency for all employees on assigned shifts.

Environmental & Waste Management

• Manage hazardous and non-hazardous waste streams including proper labeling, storage, manifesting, and disposal in compliance with RCRA and state regulations.
• Monitor and document environmental compliance activities including stormwater, air emissions, and waste disposal records.
• Conduct spill prevention and response activities; maintain and inspect spill kits and secondary containment structures.
• Support completion of Tier II reporting, EPCRA compliance, and other environmental reporting obligations.

Program Administration & Documentation

• Administer and maintain site-specific EH&S programs including LOTO, confined space, fall protection, respiratory protection, and hearing conservation.
• Maintain the EH&S document control system, ensuring all written programs, procedures, and permits are current and accessible on all shifts.
• Support the EH&S Coordinator in tracking KPIs, preparing monthly safety performance summaries, and maintaining OMS compliance data.
• Coordinate contractor EH&S prequalification, site orientation, and ongoing safety oversight during extended shift operations.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Education: Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Occupational Health & Safety, Environmental Science, Industrial Hygiene, or a related field; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience: Minimum 2-4 years of direct EH&S experience in an industrial, manufacturing, or operational setting with demonstrated experience on extended or rotating shifts.
• Certifications: OSHA 30-Hour General Industry (required); First Aid/CPR/AED (required). HAZWOPER 40-Hour preferred.
• Technical Knowledge: Working knowledge of OSHA 29 CFR 1910, RCRA, EPCRA, NFPA standards, LOTO, confined space, and hazardous materials handling.
• Skills: Strong written and verbal communication; ability to influence without direct authority; proficiency in Microsoft Office and EH&S recordkeeping systems.

Preferred

• Associate Safety Professional (ASP) or Certified Safety Professional (CSP) credential, or active pursuit thereof.
• Experience with EH&S management systems such as VelocityEHS, Intelex, or Cority.
• Industrial hygiene sampling experience (noise, air quality, chemical exposure monitoring).
• Bilingual in English and Spanish - highly preferred for multi-lingual workforce environments.

WORK ENVIRONMENT & PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

This role requires the ability to perform duties across industrial environments, including exposure to noise, temperature extremes, chemicals, and moving equipment. Physical requirements include:

• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods (up to 10-12 hours per shift)
• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs unassisted
• Use of required PPE including hard hat, safety glasses, hearing protection, steel-toed boots, and respirator as required
• Work in outdoor environments in varying weather conditions
• Ability to work extended, rotating, overnight, and weekend shifts on a consistent basis
• Approximately 30% regional travel to support multi-site operations