Safety Technician (Coordinator)

City of Grand Rapids, MI; Grand Rapids (MI); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Dental benefits

Vision benefits

401a employer match

Retiree Health Savings Account

Voluntary insurance options

Paid holidays

Vacation & sick time

Parking

Home ownership incentive

Tuition reimbursement

Parental leave

Employee assistance program

Wellness program

Employee discounts

Job summary

City of Grand Rapids seeks a Safety Specialist to lead safety programs and ensure regulatory compliance across city operations. You will coordinate training, perform audits, and drive continuous safety improvements while guiding departments and contractors.

The role emphasizes investigating incidents, fostering a safe culture, and presenting findings to leadership. A strong background in occupational safety and regulatory knowledge is essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in occupational safety or related field.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate safety programs and training to meet regulations.
• Provide guidance and coaching on safety initiatives to city staff.
• Conduct safety audits and inspections of facilities and equipment.
• Promote continuous safety improvements and best practices.
• Review safety plans and contribute to strategic safety planning.
• Investigate injuries and determine root causes to prevent recurrence.
• Foster a safety‑minded culture across departments and contractors.
• Ensure contractor safety programs meet city and regulatory requirements.
• Perform job hazard analyses and ergonomic assessments.
• Prepare reports, lead safety committees, and participate in meetings.

Job description

GENERAL SUMMARY

The individual in this position ensures leadership in safety and compliance with the City’s safety policies. It involves implementing safety measures, improving programs, and aligning procedures with governmental regulations while coordinating training to maintain safety standards across operations.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

The intent of this job description is to provide a representative summary of the major duties and responsibilities performed by employees in this job. Employees may be requested to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description.

• Conducts or coordinates worker safety and health training by implementing safety programs, policies, and identifying training needs through job duty reviews, discussions with supervisors and employees, and evaluating industry best practices and safety regulations.
• Offers technical advice, coaching, guidance, and mentoring to city employees on safety initiatives and required changes.
• Performs safety audits and inspects facilities, worksites, and equipment to identify and address potential hazards, ensuring compliance with regulations.
• Identifies best practices and promotes continuous improvement initiatives to reduce risks, enhance safety awareness, and improve safe work practices.
• Coordinates and assesses employee safety programs for adequacy, reviewing both short- and long-term strategic safety planning and development.
• Conducts investigations or reviews of injuries and illnesses, determines root causes, and implements measures to prevent recurrence.
• Facilitates a work environment that fosters a safe and healthy culture by working with other departments in developing and implementing safety and health procedures.
• Ensure city contractors comply with city, state, and federal regulations by reviewing contractor submitted safety programs and performing onsite inspections.
• Performs job hazard analyses, safe work operation procedures, periodic air and noise sampling, and ergonomic assessments.
• Prepares various reports, leads safety committees, and attends a range of meetings.
• Performs related work as required.

Minimum Education and Expertise

• Bachelor’s degree in occupational safety or related field.

AND

• Three (3) years of progressively responsible experience in employee safety programs or related work

OR

• Any equivalent combination of training, education, and experience that provides the required skills, knowledge, and abilities in a safety function.

Preferred Education, Licenses or Certifications

• Graduate Safety Professional (GSP)
• Associate Safety Professional (ASP)
• Associate Safety and Health Manager (ASHM)
• Associate Hazardous Materials Manager (AHMM)
• Construction Health and Safety Technician (CHST)
• Occupational Hygiene and Safety Technician (OHST) or
• Safety Trained Supervisor/Construction (STS/C)

We Offer:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision starting on Day 1
• 6% employee 401a contribution with employer matching (6% or 7% based on bargaining unit)
• Employee & Employer contributions to Retiree Health Savings Account
• Voluntary benefits such as term life insurance, flexible spending accounts, accidental insurance, disability insurance, and deferred compensation plan options
• Twelve Paid Holidays
• Paid Vacation and Sick Time
• Paid Parking (if applicable)
• Employee Home Ownership Incentive
• Tuition Reimbursement and professional development opportunities
• Paid Parental Leave
• Employee Assistance Program with free mental health counseling
• Comprehensive Wellness program with a health and wellness incentive
• Employee Discounts and Perks

If you require reasonable accommodation in completing this application, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please direct your inquiries to our Leaves and Accommodations Analyst, Amanda Kaulback. Email: [e-mail] or [e-mail] or by phone at [phone].

The City of Grand Rapids does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy or gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor.

Please Note

This position is subject to the provisions of the applicable collective bargaining agreement and all relevant civil service rules. For additional information, links to union agreement and Civil Service Rules are provided below.

Collective Bargaining Agreements

Civil Service Rules (Download PDF reader)