Safety Specialist

Unitedutility; Leominster (MA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a forward-thinking company as a Safety & Training Specialist, where your expertise in safety and training will be pivotal in enhancing field operations. In this role, you will provide essential safety support, conduct training, and ensure compliance with safety regulations. Your contributions will directly impact the safety culture and operational excellence of the teams you support. This dynamic position offers the opportunity to work closely with skilled professionals while championing safety practices in a vibrant and diverse environment. If you're passionate about safety and training in the utility sector, this role is your chance to make a significant difference.

Qualifications

• Strong knowledge of distribution power systems and safety protocols.
• Ability to conduct safety training and audits effectively.

Responsibilities

• Provide field safety support and training to team members.
• Conduct safety observations and coaching on hazard identification.
• Lead incident investigations and develop training programs.

Skills

Safety Observation

Hazard Identification

Risk Reduction

Training Coordination

Microsoft Office

Project Management

Team Collaboration

Knowledge of OSHA Regulations

Education

Occupational Safety Certifications

Electrical Utility Industry Experience

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Mobile Applications

Job description

At United Utility, we take pride in providing comprehensive and innovative offerings that support power infrastructure investments across the United States. As the parent company to industry-leading utility service contractors specializing in transmission, substation, distribution, and grid hardening projects, we are at the forefront of advancing the energy industry. Headquartered in the vibrant city of New Orleans, LA, we embrace diversity and inclusion as fundamental pillars of our success.

About The Role

The Safety & Training Specialist position is responsible for providing field safety support and training to Northeast team members within a defined geographic area. The position performs field-level safety observations and coaches team members on hazard identification, risk reduction, and appropriate work methods. The Safety & Training Specialist identifies training opportunities related to general safety, regulatory compliance, and skilled work methods and coordinates trainings with IBEW Local halls and United Utility internal training resources. The specialist also leads safety investigation efforts for the assigned area and works closely with operational supervision to formulate best practices and corrective actions that reduce risk and manage human error.

Key Responsibilities

1. Be a champion of United Utility’s emphasis on Human & Organizational Performance and Core Values: Safety, Quality, Integrity, & Professionalism.
2. Deliver field safety support to crew personnel in the form of job safety observations, audits, inspections, and clarification of safety issues while in the field.
3. Serve as a safety subject matter expert for all distribution related field activities including: overhead line construction and maintenance, underground systems construction and maintenance, street lighting and private lighting installation and repair, and secondary-voltage connection/disconnection.
4. Perform safety observations of work practices, identify potential hazards, investigate current work methods to ensure that the safest methods are being used in agreement with OSHA standards, Federal or State Regulations, and United Utility Transmission & Distribution Safety Rule Book, and make recommendations.
5. Compile safety observation data and determine recurring trends or areas for improvement.
6. Serve as a subject matter expert in the application and interpretation of safety rules and applicable federal OSHA and FMSCA regulations.
7. Provide coaching to personnel on methods of hazard identification and risk reduction.
8. Lead/conduct incident reviews, injury and incident investigations to determine cause/effect, recommendations to prevent recurrence and prepare reports that clearly communicate findings, conclusions and recommendations.
9. Determine training needs and develop/deliver quality safety and skills training programs that include presentations of injury/illness prevention and safety educational material.
10. Design, coordinate and/or administer training on Company programs and OSHA regulations for the company.
11. Develop and administer inspection programs to ensure compliance with OSHA, State and Federal Laws.
12. Provide recommendations to facilitate the purchase of essential material and maintain contracts with vendors providing services to ensure compliance.
13. Coordinate and instruct required skills, safety and compliance training.
14. Oversee the required testing, changeout, and replacement of equipment and tools.
15. Assist Crew Supervisors in assessing skill levels and creating training programs to develop the necessary skills.

Key Qualifications

1. Knowledge of Distribution power systems, operating methods, construction, procedures, tools, equipment and work methods.
2. Knowledge of energized work methods and switching/tagging/clearance procedures.
3. Working knowledge of Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel and Power Point) and mobile phone applications.
4. Strong organizational and project management skills.
5. Thorough understanding of United Utility Safety Handbook.
6. Demonstrated ability to work in a team environment.
7. Ability to communicate effectively with all levels of employees and management.

Key Nice-To-Haves

1. 7 years of applicable electrical utility industry experience.
2. 3 years of occupational safety experience.
3. Formal incident analysis training / RCA.
4. Occupational safety & health certifications/training.
5. Safety-related training certifications.
6. Experience with National Grid expectations for safety performance.

Key Info

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently exposed to fumes or airborne particles, moving mechanical parts and vibration. The employee is exposed to a variety of extreme conditions at construction job sites. The noise level in the work environment and job sites can be loud.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. The employee is occasionally required to sit; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move objects up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move objects up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work

This is a full-time position. Days and hours of work are generally Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. but this position must be available to support field employees based on their schedule. This position occasionally requires long hours and weekend work. MUST be willing to travel to fulfill normal job duties.

Travel

This position may require travel overnight to support field safety observations and support of crews. Out of area and overnight travel will be dictated by power outages and damage due to emergent events such as ice storms or out of area hurricanes, tornados, etc.