Reports to the designated senior leader, and is responsible for the development, implementation, and maintenance of Supreme Rice safety and health programs/processes across company locations, including mills, storage facilities, drying operations, maintenance areas, warehouses, and offsite locations.
This position supports compliance with applicable OSHA, EPA, state, local, and company requirements, with emphasis on general industry, grain handling, combustible dust prevention, lockout/tagout, confined space, powered industrial trucks, machine guarding, walking-working surfaces, contractor safety, and emergency preparedness.
The Safety Manager works with operations, maintenance, supervisors, employees, contractors, Human Resources, and senior leadership to identify hazards, reduce risk, investigate incidents, maintain compliance, and promote safe work practices. This position has authority to stop work when an imminent danger or serious safety hazard is identified.
Duties
- Develop, implement, maintain, and review company safety policies, procedures, written programs, and safety training materials.
- Stay current on applicable state and federal workplace safety and environmental requirements, including OSHA and EPA guidelines.
- Conduct routine inspections of facilities, work areas, equipment, and employee work practices; identify hazards, recommend corrective actions, track completion, and verify effectiveness.
- Support compliance with grain handling and combustible dust requirements, including housekeeping, ignition source control, hot work, bin entry, conveyors, elevators, dryers, dust collection systems, and emergency response.
- Conduct or coordinate safety training for new hires, employees, supervisors, temporary workers, and contractors, including confined space, lockout/tagout, forklift/powered industrial trucks, fall protection, ladder safety, PPE, hazard communication, grain handling, combustible dust, hot work, and emergency procedures.
- Run regular safety meetings, toolbox talks, and employee communications regarding safe work practices and company procedures.
- Conduct monthly safety tours of primary facilities and risk-based inspections of offsite locations based on activity, hazards, incident history, and operational needs.
- Monitor workplace activities to support compliance with company safety practices and applicable regulatory requirements.
- Respond promptly to workplace injuries, illnesses, near misses, property damage, fires, spills, equipment failures, and other safety-related events.
- Lead or assist with incident investigations; prepare reports, identify root causes, recommend corrective actions, and communicate lessons learned.
- Maintain or support OSHA 300, 300A, and 301 recordkeeping, annual postings, required reporting, training records, inspection reports, and corrective-action documentation.
- Coordinate with Human Resources on injury management, return-to-work, drug and alcohol testing procedures, employee documentation, and confidentiality of medical or personnel information.
- Support contractor safety, including orientation, PPE requirements, permits, and oversight of high-risk work such as hot work, confined space entry, elevated work, electrical work, line breaking, and non-routine maintenance.
- Maintain emergency action plans and support drills, evacuation procedures, fire prevention, severe weather response, medical response, and other emergency preparedness activities.
- Report all food safety issues to the appropriate manager and participate as a member of the Food Safety Committee.
- Prepare safety reports for management, including inspection findings, training completion, incident trends, corrective actions, and safety performance.
Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Detailed working knowledge of OSHA general industry standards, with knowledge of OSHA 1910 and applicable 1926 standards when construction or contractor activities occur.
- Knowledge of grain handling, combustible dust, rice milling, drying, storage, food processing, or agricultural operations preferred.
- Ability to recognize hazards involving machinery, conveyors, dryers, elevators, mobile equipment, electrical systems, maintenance work, confined spaces, elevated work, and non-routine tasks.
- Ability to communicate safety procedures clearly to employees, supervisors, contractors, and senior leadership.
- Strong training, documentation, incident investigation, root cause analysis, and corrective-action tracking skills.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality when handling injury, medical, drug testing, personnel, or investigation-related information.
- Able to deliver First Aid and CPR as needed, if trained and certified.
- Ability to work 8 to 12 hours per day, travel between company locations, and respond to serious safety matters outside normal business hours when necessary.
Education and Experience
- High school diploma or equivalent required; associate or bachelor degree in safety, environmental health and safety, industrial safety, engineering, agriculture, or related field preferred.
- Minimum of 5 years of safety experience in manufacturing, grain handling, food processing, agriculture, milling, heavy industry, or similar operations preferred.
- Multi-site safety experience preferred. OSHA 30-Hour General Industry, First Aid/CPR/AED, forklift trainer, confined space, lockout/tagout, grain handling, combustible dust, or incident investigation training preferred.
- ASP, CSP, OHST, CHST, COSS, or similar safety certification preferred but not required.
Physical Requirements and Working Conditions
- Ability to work in rice mills, storage facilities, drying operations, warehouses, maintenance areas, offices, and outdoor environments.
- Ability to walk, stand, climb stairs and ladders, access elevated areas, work around industrial equipment, wear required PPE, and occasionally lift up to 50 pounds.
- May be exposed to dust, noise, heat, cold, weather, moving equipment, confined spaces, and production operations.
