Safety Engineer

First Quality was founded in 1989 and, in nearly three decades, has grown to be a global privately held company with over 4,000 employees. Its corporate offices are located in Great Neck, New York, with manufacturing facilities and offices in Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Georgia, and Canada. First Quality is a diversified family of companies manufacturing consumer products ranging from Absorbent Hygiene (adult incontinence, feminine care, and baby care), Tissue (bath and towel), and Industrial (print and packaging materials), serving institutional and retail markets throughout the world. First Quality focuses on private label and branded product lines.

Our core business philosophy is built on a proud culture driven by safety and quality, respect, humility, integrity, customer focus, and teamwork. With leading edge manufacturing technologies and processes and visionary leadership, First Quality is positioned to continue significant growth in the coming years. We are seeking an experienced Safety Engineer for our First Quality facility located in Macon, GA.

The primary purpose of this role is to provide technical skills with tactical leadership in the development, operation, and support of Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) policies/programs/procedures to instill and sustain an incident-free work environment while ensuring full compliance with all applicable regulatory agency requirements.

Primary responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Promote an action-oriented approach, instilling and exemplifying a strong EHS mindset for all team members resulting in the elements required to achieve and maintain a world class EHS culture.
• Active facilitation or participation in EHS related meetings and training sessions.
• Develop, manage, and implement Environmental, Health, and Safety policies and procedures in compliance with company, local, State, and Federal rules and regulations.
• Serve as an innovative, flexible EHS resource supporting the company/site/location. Participate in decisions on technical, regulatory, and cultural issues related to Environmental, Health, and Safety.
• Participate and/or lead continuous improvement in EHS policies, programs, and procedures.
• Build and maintain positive working relationships with all team members, vendors, and customers.
• Participate in and/or lead incident investigations to effectively identify root cause/contributing factors and ensure proper implementation of all corrective actions.
• Ensure required EHS training is complete for all employees, newly hired and/or existing, and maintain training records.
• Provide technical support in the design and owner acceptance approval processes of controls for hazardous working conditions and unsafe activities, ensuring compliance with applicable EHS requirements.
• Be present and engaged with the workforce in their activities to establish and strengthen two-way communication, trust, and confidence in your ability to lead them.
• Facilitate communication of company EHS policies, procedures, and standards with all visitors, including contractors and vendors.
• Plan, perform and/or coordinate industrial hygiene sampling, analysis and interpretation of results in compliance with all applicable requirements for the exposure(s) identified.
• Maintain professional knowledge up-to-date with existing and proposed changes in applicable federal, state and local EHS regulations and standards.
• Participate in and/or lead the development, implementation, and maintaining of all applicable Safety Management Systems.
• Assist in Worker’s Compensation claims administration and coordination of the Return-to-Work program for injured team members.
• Accurately interpret and apply Environmental, Health, and Safety codes, standards and related professional references (e.g., OSHA, EPA, NFPA, ANSI, ADA, CCOHS, DOT/IATA, etc.).
• Carry out all administrative responsibilities associated with EHS compliance and program administration.
• Conduct regular walk through EHS inspections to identify hazards, document findings, recommend corrective actions that work within given constraints and verification of completed corrective actions and their effectiveness.
• Understand and administer reasonable suspicion and impairment programs used to conduct drug and alcohol testing, and other applicable standards as they may apply.
• Assist and/or lead in establishing risk management processes aimed at hazard condition control and injury prevention through studying incidents, observed and potential hazard conditions in various completed and planned work environments.
• Display consistent measure of integrity and company culture in all business-related activities.
• Track and trend incident data in Safety Management System.
• Responsible for the use and maintenance of all applicable company related data systems, software, peripherals, etc. to complete tasks as assigned.
• Maintain safety data sheets in SDS Online and physical binders and keep GHS label stations stocked.

Qualifications/ education and experience requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in related technical, scientific, or engineering discipline required and / or equivalent experience.
• Minimum 3 years’ experience in Environmental, Health and/or Safety field in Engineer/Specialist/Generalist role required.
• Self-starter with excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Strong organizational skills are required.
• Skilled use of technology and software packages such as MS Office and Internet/Intranet navigation.
• Critical thinking and project management skills.
• Understanding of regulatory compliance of all local, state, and federal safety requirements (OSHA).
• Strong understanding of regulatory compliance of applicable local, state, and federal environmental requirements (EPA).
• Strong skills with teaching audiences with varying levels of learning comprehension and interest of the subject matter and material.
• Use of change management principles and processes.
• Data collection, compilation, and statistical analysis.
• Compliance, Behavioral, Risk, and/or Human Performance auditing and inspection techniques to ensure meeting internal and external standards.
• Demonstrate a tenacious drive for results.
• Experience with developing and implementing Safety Management Systems (BSI 18001 / ISO 45001) preferred.
• Knowledge in ADA and HIPAA legal compliance.
• Knowledge in Worker’s Comp and Return-to-Work practices.
• Collaborative partner with resources at all levels of the company to drive results that achieve goals and objectives.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills and the ability to read, interpret and apply applicable EHS regulatory and legal interpretive text.
• Ability to recognize hazardous situations and recommend corrective actions.
• Basic First Aid and CPR certified and/or trainer preferred, EMT a plus.
• EHS related professional credentials a plus (i.e. Associate Safety Professional (ASP)).
• Ability to or experience with operating and training operators on Powered Industrial Trucks (PIT).

Excellent compensation and benefit package

For immediate and confidential consideration, please visit our website at www.firstquality.com

First Quality is committed to protecting information under the care of First Quality Enterprises commensurate with leading industry standards and applicable regulations. As such, First Quality provides at least annual training regarding data privacy and security to employees who, as a result of their role specifications, may come in to contact with sensitive data.

First Quality is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identification, or protected Veteran status.