Manufacturing EHS Specialist

Palermo's Pizza; Milwaukee (WI); On-site; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Palermo's Pizza is seeking a Manufacturing EHS Specialist to partner with Operations in creating a safe, compliant, and engaged workplace across our food manufacturing facilities. In this hands-on role, you'll identify hazards on the production floor, lead incident investigations, conduct safety audits, and support continuous improvement of safety programs.

You will develop training, coach Behavioral Safety Observations, manage LOTO/PSM/Machine guarding and environmental compliance tasks,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Occupational Safety, Environmental Health & Safety, Industrial Hygiene, or related field.
• 3+ years of safety experience in manufacturing or food/warehousing environment.
• Strong knowledge of OSHA regulations and best practices.
• Experience conducting incident investigations and root cause analysis.
• Experience performing safety audits, observations, hazard assessments, and inspections.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills with hourly employees and leadership.

Responsibilities

• Promote a proactive safety culture with Operations and production leaders.
• Ensure compliance with OSHA and regulations.
• Conduct safety audits, observations, hazard assessments, and inspections.
• Lead incident investigations and implement CAPAs to drive incidents to zero.
• Develop and deliver safety training and toolbox talks.
• Administer safety programs (LOTO, PSM, machine guarding, PPE, ergonomics, emergency response).
• Support hourly safety meetings across shifts to drive action.
• Analyze KPI trends to identify safety improvement opportunities.
• Assist with environmental compliance documentation and regulatory inquiries.
• Partner cross-functionally to reduce risk while supporting operations.

Skills

OSHA regulations knowledge

Incident investigations

Safety audits

Behavioral safety observations

Communication skills

Leadership with hourly employees

Education

Bachelor's degree in Occupational Safety or related field

Equivalent experience

Job description

Help Build a World-Class Safety Culture

At Palermo's, safety is more than compliance—it's a core value. We're looking for a

Help Build a World-Class Safety Culture

At Palermo's, safety is more than compliance—it's a core value. We're looking for a Manufacturing EHS Specialist to partner with Operations in creating a safe, compliant, and engaged workplace across our food manufacturing facilities.

In this hands-on role, you'll spend time on the production floor identifying hazards, leading incident investigations, conducting safety audits, assisting in Behavioral Safety Observation coaching, ensuring OSHA, DNR, and EPA compliance, and driving continuous improvement initiatives that protect our people and strengthen our safety culture.

If you're passionate about manufacturing environmental, health and occupational safety and enjoy partnering with leaders to make a real impact, we'd love to hear from you.

What You’ll Do

• Partner with Operations and production leaders to promote a proactive safety culture.
• Ensure compliance with OSHA and other applicable federal, state, and local regulations.
• Conduct routine safety audits, Behavioral observations, hazard assessments, and facility inspections.
• Lead and assist in incident investigations, root cause analyses (5 Why, Fishbone, Taproot), and implement corrective actions, preventative actions (CAPA) to drive incidents to zero.
• Develop, deliver, and track safety training, toolbox talks, one point lessons (OPL’s), for employees and leaders.
• Administer and improve safety programs, including Powered Industrial Trucks, Lockout/Tagout (LOTO), PSM, machine guarding, PPE, ergonomics, and emergency response.
• Assist the Director of EHS and EHS Manager in facilitating hourly safety committee meetings on all shifts to drive action.
• Analyze leading and lagging KPI’s and other safety metrics and trends to identify opportunities for continuous improvement to drive action to reduce incidents on the plant floor.
• Support environmental compliance activities and maintain required documentation, including knowledge of SWPPP, SPCC, EPCRA, Tier 2.
• Assist with regulatory inspections and respond to agency inquiries as needed.
• Partner cross-functionally to reduce risk while supporting operational excellence.

Required Qualifications

What We’re Looking For

• Bachelor's degree in Occupational Safety, Environmental Health & Safety, Industrial Hygiene, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
• 3+ years of safety experience in a manufacturing, industrial, production, food manufacturing, warehousing, or distribution environment. Must have worked in a manufacturing plant.
• Strong working knowledge of OSHA regulations and manufacturing safety best practices.
• Experience conducting incident investigations and root cause analysis and developing corrective actions preventative actions (CAPAs).
• Experience performing safety audits, behavioral safety observations, hazard assessments, and compliance inspections.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills with both hourly employees and leadership.
• Participate in the Tier meetings daily.
• Ability to be agile, adapt and to work independently while managing multiple priorities.

Preferred Qualifications

• OSHA 30 certification or equivalent.
• Experience in food manufacturing or other regulated manufacturing environments.
• Experience with workers' compensation case management.
• CPR/First Aid certification.
• Experience with continuous improvement methodologies.

Why You’ll Love This Role

• Make a visible impact on the safety of hundreds of employees.
• Work alongside Operations leaders to continuously improve workplace safety.
• Join a growing, family-owned company committed to investing in its people.
• Be a part of a pivotal safety culture shift to build and maintain world class safety levels.
• Help shape the future of our manufacturing safety programs.

Why Palermo's?

At Palermo's, we're passionate about making great pizza—and creating a workplace where people can thrive. We believe the best ideas come from empowered employees who are committed to continuous improvement, teamwork, and doing the right thing.

If you're looking for an opportunity to make a meaningful impact in a fast-paced manufacturing environment, we'd love to meet you.