Safety Compliance Manager

Job Summary: Dave Wilson Nursery is seeking an experienced and detail-oriented Compliance Manager to own and execute the company’s compliance program across all functional areas. This role is responsible for ensuring the company meets its obligations under federal, state, and local employment, environmental, health and safety, and accessibility regulations, with a particular focus on the requirements that apply to agricultural and production operations.

The Compliance Safety Manager works independently as a hands-on individual contributor, partnering with HR, Operations, Production, Finance, and external counsel and consultants to keep the company in good standing. This role is responsible for both day-to-day execution and proactive program development, staying ahead of regulatory changes, identifying risks, and implementing the policies, training, and documentation that protect the company and its employees.

Responsibilities

Safety Program Management

• Develop, maintain, and enforce company safety policies, procedures, and programs.
• Conduct regular safety inspections, site walks, and risk assessments across nursery, field, warehouse, maintenance, and vehicle/equipment areas.
• Identify unsafe conditions or behaviors and partner with managers to correct issues quickly.
• Maintain required safety documentation, postings, logs, inspection records, and training records.
• Ensure safety programs are practical, understood by employees, and consistently followed across departments.

Compliance & Regulatory Oversight

• Maintain compliance with applicable Cal/OSHA, OSHA, agricultural safety, workers’ compensation, environmental, equipment, and workplace safety requirements.
• Support required compliance reporting and audits, including workers’ compensation audits and other safety-related documentation.
• Monitor changes in safety regulations and recommend updates to company policies and practices.
• Partner with HR and Operations on incident documentation, corrective action, and compliance follow-up.
• Support safety-related vendor, insurance, and agency communications as needed.

Training & Employee Education

• Lead required safety and compliance training for employees and supervisors.
• Create and maintain an annual safety training calendar.
• Conduct new safety orientation and support onboarding improvements related to policy review, safety expectations, and workplace procedures.
• Train employees on injury prevention, equipment safety, heat illness prevention, PPE, emergency procedures, hazard communication, and other required topics.
• Track training completion and follow up with managers to ensure employees complete required safety training on time.

Incident Management & Workers’ Compensation

• Respond to workplace incidents, injuries, near misses, and safety concerns.
• Conduct incident investigations to identify root causes and corrective actions.
• Prepare and maintain accurate incident reports and related documentation.
• Partner with HR on workers’ compensation claims, return-to-work coordination, modified duty, and follow-up communication.
• Analyze incident trends and recommend prevention strategies.

Risk Reduction & Continuous Improvement

• Develop safety metrics and regular reports for leadership.
• Identify high-risk departments, tasks, equipment, or processes and recommend improvements.
• Work with department managers to reduce injuries, claims, hazards, and unsafe practices.
• Support emergency preparedness, evacuation planning, fire prevention, and first aid readiness.
• Promote a safety-first culture through communication, coaching, visibility, and accountability.

Environmental Compliance

• Manage compliance with environmental regulations applicable to the nursery, including:

◦ Water use, runoff, and stormwater requirements

◦ Pesticide and chemical use, storage, and reporting

◦ Worker Protection Standard (WPS) requirements

◦ Hazardous waste handling and disposal

◦ Air quality and dust control as applicable

• Maintain required permits, licenses, and reporting filings with state and federal agencies.
• Coordinate with operations and external consultants on environmental audits, inspections, and corrective actions.
• Maintain organized records of environmental filings, permits, and inspection results.

Health & Safety

• Oversee day-to-day health and safety conditions across all work areas, ensuring a safe and compliant environment for all employees.
• Administer and maintain the company’s Heat Illness Prevention Program, including monitoring weather conditions, enforcing rest and water requirements, and training supervisors on response procedures.
• Ensure proper availability, maintenance, and use of personal protective equipment (PPE) across all departments.
• Coordinate first aid readiness, including maintaining first aid supplies, AED equipment, and trained first responders at each site.
• Support ergonomics and injury prevention efforts, including workstation assessments and safe lifting and handling practices.
• Partner with HR and management to address employee health concerns, accommodations, and return-to-work needs in a timely and compliant manner.
• Maintain OSHA 300 logs, required postings, and all health and safety records in accordance with federal and state requirements.

Requirements

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in occupational health & safety, Environmental Science, Industrial Hygiene, Agriculture, or a related field; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum 3–5 years of experience in safety, compliance, or environmental health and safety (EHS), preferably in agriculture, nursery, food processing, or a related industry.
• Demonstrated experience managing Cal/OSHA compliance and conducting workplace safety programs.
• Experience with workers’ compensation administration and incident investigation.
• Prior experience in an agricultural or outdoor field environment strongly preferred.

Knowledge & Skills

• Working knowledge of Cal/OSHA Title 8 regulations, federal OSHA standards, EPA requirements, and agricultural safety laws.
• Familiarity with Worker Protection Standard (WPS), pesticide safety regulations, and CDFA requirements.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to communicate clearly with employees, supervisors, and regulatory agencies.
• Bilingual in English and Spanish preferred — a significant portion of our workforce is Spanish-speaking.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook); experience with safety management software or HRIS is a plus.
• Ability to develop and deliver effective safety training to diverse employee groups.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and compliance requirements simultaneously.