Safety Coordinator

Sterling Engineering; Manteno (IL); On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Sterling Engineering seeks a Safety Coordinator to drive workplace safety in a fast-paced food manufacturing setting with a strong floor presence. You will identify hazards, support training, and help enforce OSHA compliance alongside production, maintenance, sanitation, and HR teams.

You will develop and improve safety programs, maintain records, and participate in investigations while promoting a proactive safety culture across all shifts.

Qualifications

• Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Safety, Environmental Health & Safety, Industrial Safety, or related field.
• 2+ years of experience supporting workplace safety programs in manufacturing or similar environments.
• Working knowledge of OSHA regulations and general industry safety practices.
• Experience conducting safety inspections, trainings, incident investigations, and follow-ups.
• Understanding of LOTO, machine guarding, PPE, hazard communication, ergonomics, and related programs.

Responsibilities

• Maintain regular, visible safety presence across production, warehouse, maintenance and other areas.
• Conduct safety inspections, audits, and observations; document findings and corrective actions.
• Support development and improvement of safety programs, policies and safe work practices.
• Coordinate and deliver employee safety training, including new-hire orientation and refreshers.
• Track training completion and support JHAs, risk assessments, and safe work procedures.
• Assist with incident investigations and root cause analysis; help implement corrective actions.
• Support OSHA recordkeeping and SDS management; assist with emergency response planning.
• Partner with Maintenance and Production to address risks when new equipment or processes are introduced.

Skills

Occupational safety

Training delivery

Audit & inspection

Root cause analysis

OSHA knowledge

Communication skills

Education

Occupational Safety degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

Recordkeeping systems

Job description

We are seeking a Safety Coordinator to support workplace safety programs within a fast-paced food manufacturing environment. This position will maintain a strong presence on the production floor, proactively identify hazards, support safety training and compliance efforts, and partner with employees and leadership to promote a strong safety culture.

The Safety Coordinator will work closely with Production, Warehouse, Maintenance, Sanitation, Quality/Food Safety, and Human Resources to help ensure employees have the training, tools, and resources needed to perform their jobs safely.

Key Responsibilities

• Maintain a regular and visible presence throughout production, warehouse, sanitation, maintenance, and other operational areas to identify unsafe conditions, behaviors, and potential hazards
• Conduct routine safety inspections, audits, and observations and document findings and corrective actions
• Support the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of safety programs, policies, procedures, and safe work practices
• Support compliance with OSHA regulations and applicable federal, state, and local workplace safety requirements
• Coordinate and deliver employee safety training, including new-hire orientation, refresher training, and job-specific safety topics
• Maintain safety training records and track completion of required training
• Support Job Hazard Analyses (JHAs), risk assessments, and development of safe work procedures
• Participate in investigations of workplace injuries, incidents, near misses, property damage, and other safety-related events
• Assist with root cause analysis and the development and tracking of corrective and preventive actions
• Support OSHA recordkeeping, including injury and illness documentation and preparation of OSHA logs and reports
• Support safety programs related to Lockout/Tagout (LOTO), machine guarding, PPE, hazard communication, chemical safety, ergonomics, powered industrial trucks, emergency response, and slips/trips/falls
• Partner with Maintenance and Production when new equipment, processes, or modifications are introduced to identify and address potential safety risks
• Work closely with Sanitation and Quality/Food Safety to incorporate safety requirements into cleaning, chemical handling, equipment disassembly, and sanitation activities
• Assist with safety committee meetings, employee safety initiatives, communications, and awareness campaigns
• Track safety observations, incidents, trends, training completion, and other safety metrics and provide updates to leadership
• Support emergency preparedness activities, drills, evacuation procedures, and emergency response planning
• Maintain required safety documentation, inspection records, Safety Data Sheets (SDS), and training records
• Serve as a resource to supervisors and employees regarding safety procedures, expectations, and best practices
• Participate in continuous improvement initiatives focused on reducing workplace injuries and improving employee safety

Qualifications

• Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Safety, Environmental Health & Safety, Industrial Safety, or a related field preferred
• 2+ years of experience supporting workplace safety programs, preferably within manufacturing, food manufacturing, distribution, or a similar industrial environment
• Working knowledge of OSHA regulations and general industry safety practices
• Experience conducting safety inspections, employee training, incident investigations, and corrective-action follow-up preferred
• Understanding of LOTO, machine guarding, PPE, hazard communication, ergonomics, and other manufacturing safety programs
• Strong organizational and documentation skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to work effectively with hourly employees, supervisors, managers, and senior leadership
• Comfortable spending a significant amount of time on the production floor and addressing safety concerns in real time
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint
• Bilingual skills are a plus
• OSHA 10- or 30-Hour General Industry certification preferred; additional safety certifications are a plus

This position works in both an office and food manufacturing environment and requires frequent presence throughout production and warehouse areas. The role may involve extended periods of standing and walking and exposure to varying temperatures, wet or slippery surfaces, moving machinery, powered industrial equipment, noise, food ingredients, and cleaning or sanitation chemicals.

The position may occasionally require schedule flexibility to support safety activities, investigations, training, or employees working across multiple shifts.