HR & Safety Manager
Location: Florida Manufacturing Facility
Industry: Plastics Manufacturing
Reports To: Plant Manager / General Manager
Employment Type: Full-Time
Position Summary
We are seeking an experienced HR & Safety Manager to lead human resources, employee relations, workplace safety, and regulatory compliance for a plastics manufacturing facility in Florida.
This is a hands-on plant-level position responsible for building a strong safety culture, maintaining compliance with OSHA and applicable federal and Florida requirements, recruiting and retaining manufacturing employees, managing employee relations, and ensuring the facility has the policies, training, documentation, and procedures necessary to operate safely and efficiently.
The ideal candidate has experience in a manufacturing environment, preferably plastics, extrusion, converting, packaging, or another industrial operation, and is comfortable working directly with plant management, supervisors, production employees, and outside vendors.
Key ResponsibilitiesHuman Resources
- Manage day-to-day HR operations for the manufacturing facility.
- Recruit, interview, hire, and onboard production, maintenance, warehouse, and administrative employees.
- Develop and maintain effective recruiting strategies for hourly manufacturing positions.
- Maintain employee personnel files, records, and required documentation.
- Administer attendance, timekeeping, disciplinary actions, performance management, and employee status changes.
- Manage employee relations and investigate workplace complaints, disputes, and policy violations.
- Work closely with supervisors and managers regarding performance, attendance, coaching, and disciplinary matters.
- Develop and maintain employee handbook policies and HR procedures.
- Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local employment laws.
- Coordinate new-hire orientation and onboarding.
- Manage employee benefits administration in coordination with company benefit providers.
- Assist with payroll administration and ensure accurate employee timekeeping and attendance records.
- Manage workers' compensation claims and coordinate with insurance carriers, medical providers, and employees.
- Maintain appropriate documentation related to workplace injuries, employee incidents, and corrective actions.
- Support management with terminations and other sensitive employee matters.
- Develop employee retention strategies and help create a positive, accountable manufacturing culture.
- Maintain appropriate confidentiality of employee and company information.
Safety & OSHA Compliance
- Lead the company's overall safety program and safety culture.
- Ensure compliance with OSHA regulations and applicable federal, state, and local safety requirements.
- Develop, implement, and maintain written safety policies and procedures.
- Conduct regular facility safety inspections and identify unsafe conditions and practices.
- Work with plant management and supervisors to correct hazards promptly.
- Maintain OSHA-required records, logs, reports, and documentation.
- Manage OSHA 300/300A/301 requirements and other applicable reporting obligations.
- Lead accident and incident investigations, including root-cause analysis and corrective action.
- Manage workers' compensation injury reporting and return-to-work processes.
- Conduct regular safety meetings, toolbox talks, and employee training.
- Maintain training records and ensure employees receive required safety training.
- Coordinate required training for:
- Lockout/Tagout
- Hazard Communication / GHS
- Personal Protective Equipment
- Machine Guarding
- Forklift / Powered Industrial Trucks
- Emergency Action Plans
- Fire Prevention
- Electrical Safety
- Confined Space, where applicable
- Respiratory Protection, where applicable
- Bloodborne Pathogens, where applicable
- Other job-specific safety requirements
- Ensure appropriate PPE is identified, available, properly used, and maintained.
- Audit machine guarding and employee compliance with safety procedures.
- Work with maintenance and production management to address equipment and process hazards.
- Develop and maintain emergency response procedures.
- Coordinate fire, evacuation, severe weather, chemical spill, and other emergency preparedness procedures.
- Assist with safety audits, inspections, and OSHA interactions.
- Coordinate with outside safety consultants, insurance carriers, and regulatory agencies when necessary.
- Track safety metrics, near misses, recordable incidents, lost-time incidents, and corrective actions.
- Develop programs designed to reduce workplace injuries and improve employee safety.
Plastics Manufacturing Safety
The HR & Safety Manager will have particular responsibility for identifying and controlling hazards associated with plastics manufacturing operations, including:
- Extrusion and plastics processing equipment
- High-temperature equipment and molten plastic
- Machine guarding
- Moving equipment and pinch points
- Electrical equipment
- Conveyors and material handling equipment
- Forklifts and powered industrial trucks
- Resin, additives, color concentrates, and other manufacturing materials
- Dust and airborne contaminants, where applicable
- Chemical handling and SDS management
- Noise exposure
- Heat exposure
- Ergonomic risks
- Lockout/Tagout procedures
- Maintenance and machine repair activities
- Warehouse and loading operations
Leadership & Management
- Serve as a member of the plant leadership team.
- Work closely with the Plant Manager, Production Manager, Maintenance Manager, and supervisors.
- Establish clear accountability for safety throughout the organization.
- Ensure supervisors understand and consistently enforce company policies.
- Coach managers on employee relations and performance issues.
- Promote a culture where employees are encouraged to report hazards, near misses, and safety concerns.
- Lead by example and maintain a visible presence on the plant floor.
- Balance safety, employee relations, productivity, and operational requirements.
Compliance & Documentation
Maintain and periodically audit:
- Employee personnel files
- I-9 and employment documentation
- OSHA logs and records
- Safety training records
- Incident and accident reports
- Workers' compensation documentation
- Safety inspections
- Corrective action records
- SDS documentation
- Employee handbook and HR policies
- Required regulatory postings
- Emergency response plans
- Safety procedures and forms
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Safety, Business Administration, or related field preferred.
- 5+ years of HR and/or safety experience in a manufacturing or industrial environment.
- Experience managing both HR and workplace safety responsibilities strongly preferred.
- Strong knowledge of OSHA regulations and manufacturing safety practices.
- Experience with workers' compensation claims and return-to-work programs.
- Experience recruiting and managing hourly manufacturing employees.
- Strong employee-relations and conflict-resolution skills.
- Excellent organizational and documentation skills.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment.
- Ability to work independently while partnering closely with plant leadership.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office and standard HR/payroll systems.
- Ability to spend significant time on the manufacturing floor and interact directly with employees and supervisors.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in plastics manufacturing, extrusion, converting, packaging, or similar industrial manufacturing.
- OSHA 30-Hour certification.
- SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, SPHR, ASP, CSP, or similar certification.
- Experience with OSHA inspections and audits.
- Experience implementing a formal safety management system.
- Experience with workers' compensation programs.
- Experience with HRIS/payroll systems.
- Knowledge of Florida employment and workplace safety requirements.
- Experience developing safety KPIs and continuous-improvement programs.
- Experience with ADP Total source or other PEO's
Performance Expectations
The successful candidate will be expected to establish measurable goals, including:
- Reduction in workplace injuries and recordable incidents
- Reduction in lost-time incidents
- Improved near-miss reporting and corrective-action completion
- 100% completion of required safety training
- Timely completion of OSHA and safety documentation
- Improved employee attendance and retention
- Reduction in employee turnover
- Timely filling of open manufacturing positions
- Consistent enforcement of company policies
- Improved overall safety culture and employee engagement
Personal Characteristics
The successful candidate should be:
- Hands-on and visible on the plant floor
- Firm but fair with employees
- Highly organized and detail-oriented
- Comfortable holding supervisors and employees accountable
- A strong communicator
- Proactive rather than reactive
- Comfortable handling difficult employee situations
- Safety-focused without unnecessarily disrupting production
- Professional and approachable
- Willing to take ownership and solve problems
Compensation & Benefits
Compensation will be competitive and commensurate with experience and qualifications.
Benefits may include:
- Competitive salary
- Health, dental, and vision insurance
- Paid time off
- Paid holidays
- 401(k) and company match, if applicable
- Performance-based bonus, if applicable
- Company-paid or subsidized safety and professional certifications
Equal Employment Opportunity
We are an equal opportunity employer and consider qualified applicants without regard to legally protected characteristics under applicable federal, state, or local law.
This position is intended to be a key leadership role within the manufacturing facility, with direct responsibility for creating a safe, compliant, accountable, and productive workplace.
Pay: $40,000.00 - $65,000.00 per year
Benefits:
People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply
Work Location: In person
