Safety Manager

Position Summary

The Safety Manager will serve as the company’s primary safety leader — developing, implementing and enforcing the safety and health management system across shop operations, field erection teams and project-site installations. This role will partner closely with operations, production, erection/installation, quality, HR and project management to ensure safe working environments, regulatory compliance (OSHA, ANSI, ASME, AISC, etc.), incident prevention and continuous improvement.

The ideal candidate is experienced in heavy-fabrication/structural steel or fabrication-erection environments, brings strong leadership and training capabilities, has proven success in raising safety performance (leading indicators and lagging indicators) and is comfortable working across shop floor, field site and office interfaces.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, implement and maintain the company’s comprehensive safety management system (SMS) for shop, field erection and project installation environments.
• Lead hazard identification, risk assessment and mitigation activities (JHA/JSA, Job Hazard Analysis, pre-job briefings, permit to work systems, rigging & lifting reviews, hot work, confined space, etc.).
• Conduct regular safety inspections, audits (internal & external), toolbox talks, safety committee meetings and field/erection site visits.
• Investigate incidents (near-misses, recordables, OSHA reportables) and lead root-cause analysis, corrective actions and follow-up to prevent recurrence.
• Maintain OSHA logs, incident/accident tracking, trending analysis, KPIs (e.g., recordable rate, lost time rate, near-miss rate, audit score trends) and prepare reports for senior leadership.
• Develop, deliver and oversee safety training programs (new-hire orientation, refresher training, shop & field-specific training such as welding safety, crane/rigging, forklift/overhead crane, PPE, fall protection) and maintain training records.
• Partner with operations, production supervisors and erection foremen to integrate safety into production planning, job planning and project execution (including field install) — ensuring safe methods are incorporated up front.
• Oversee contractor/subcontractor safety: evaluate contractor safety programs, monitor performance on site, enforce site-safety rules and coordinate contractor orientation.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state and local safety regulations (e.g., OSHA, ANSI, NFPA, AISC standards), internal policies, client/project safety requirements and insurance/risk-management guidelines.
• Lead continuous improvement of safety culture: promote employee involvement, hazard-recognition programs, behavior-based safety (BBS) initiatives, safety incentive programs and craft-based leadership in safety.
• Work with risk management/insurance brokers to drive down Experience Modification Rate (EMR) and manage workers’ compensation strategies.
• Serve as liaison for regulatory inspections, client/vendor audits and internal safety reviews; facilitate corrective-action implementation and close-out.
• Provide emergency response support (shop/field) and lead incident command or support as needed; develop and maintain emergency action plans (EAPs) and crisis-response procedures.

Required Qualifications & Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Safety & Health, Industrial Hygiene, Engineering or a related discipline preferred; equivalent experience in a heavy-industrial/fabrication setting may substitute.
• Minimum of 5-8 years of safety leadership experience in heavy fabrication, structural steel fabrication, erection/industrial construction or a similar environment.
• Strong knowledge of fabrication, welding, material handling, rigging, erection/installation practices, overhead cranes, heavy plate rolling/bending operations and associated hazards.
• Demonstrated understanding of OSHA General Industry (29 CFR 1910), Construction Industry (29 CFR 1926), ANSI/AISC standards, NFPA, ASME requirements and shop/manufacturing safety management.
• Certifications strongly preferred: OSHA 30-hour (Construction or General Industry), CSP/ASP or CHST, First Aid/CPR, crane/rigging/overhead­crane safety training.
• Excellent communication, presentation and training skills — able to interact effectively with all levels of the organization from shop floor craft personnel to senior leadership.
• Proven ability to drive safety culture change, conduct root-cause analyses, lead corrective-action implementation and monitor follow-through.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) and safety/incident-tracking software or databases.
• Ability to travel between shop floor, fabrication facility, field erection/installation sites and client project locations as required.
• Strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple initiatives concurrently.

Preferred (Nice-to-Have)

• Experience within a structural steel/plate fabrication facility specializing in heavy plate and structural components (especially in a shop with burning, rolling, bending, CNC machining, tank/pressure vessel fabrication).
• Experience working for a company with both shop fabrication and field/site installation scope.
• Familiarity with client project-site safety requirements and Erection/Installation contract conditions.
• Experience managing contractor/subcontractor safety programs and prequalification processes.
• Experience with continuous improvement tools (e.g., root cause, BBS, safety metrics dashboards, leading-indicators).
• Track record of driving down EMR and other insurance/risk-management metrics.

Working Environment & Physical Demands

• The role requires frequent interaction on the fabrication shop floor (heavy plate/structural steel cutting, welding, overhead cranes, material handling) and field erection/installation sites (outdoor, varied weather, heavy lifting, rigging).
• Must be able to walk the floor, climb ladders/scaffold, access elevated areas, and engage with craft personnel in live operations.
• Ability to sit/stand for extended periods, penetrate noisy/heavy-equipment environments, and wear required PPE.
• While many administrative tasks are office-based, expect significant field engagement and site presence.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary and full benefits package (medical, dental, vision, 401(k), paid time off)
• Opportunity to join a growth-oriented company with heavy-industry fabrication capabilities and high-visibility industrial projects
• A strong culture built around safety, quality and productivity — where your contributions to safety performance matter and are visible.
• The chance to build and lead a safety program in a dynamic fabrication field-installation environment.