Essential Utilities, Inc.
Provides essential water and natural gas services to millions of people across multiple states.
Safety Specialist II
Manage and improve safety programs, audits, training, and incident response for Aqua NC & VA.
Job Highlights
About the Role
The Safety Specialist II is responsible for safeguarding the workplaces of Aqua North Carolina and Aqua Virginia in line with Essential Utilities’ safety standards and best practices. This role involves both office and field work, extensive travel across dispersed system locations, and the oversight of vehicular safety for staff who collectively travel more than four million miles each year. In addition to administering the safety program for both states, the specialist leads state‑level safety teams, participates in corporate safety initiatives, and manages capital budgets for continuous safety‑improvement projects. The position requires collaboration with staff, management, and external consultants to promote a strong safety culture. Key duties include measuring program effectiveness, developing and updating OSHA‑compliant policies, conducting audits and field inspections, delivering hands‑on training, investigating incidents, procuring personal protective equipment, maintaining comprehensive safety records, and creating rotating training schedules for onboarding and ongoing development. Successful applicants will bring a solution‑led, can‑do attitude that adds value from day one, collaborate on cross‑functional teams to analyze business problems, and travel throughout North Carolina and Virginia to ensure a safe workplace for all staff. • Measure safety program effectiveness using analytics and KPIs. • Develop, implement, and update OSHA‑compliant workplace safety policies and procedures. • Conduct safety audits, field inspections, and compliance reviews. • Deliver hands‑on safety training and coaching for employees at all levels. • Investigate injuries and incidents, perform root‑cause analysis, and implement corrective actions. • Administer procurement of safety gear, PPE, tools, and consultants. • Maintain complete safety and training records. • Create and manage rotating training schedules and onboarding programs. • Foster a collaborative safety culture across both states. • Manage capital budgets for continuous safety‑improvement projects in NC and VA.
Key Responsibilities
- ▸kpis
- ▸policy development
- ▸safety audits
- ▸safety training
- ▸incident investigation
- ▸ppe procurement
What You Bring
Qualifications include a bachelor’s degree in safety management, safety engineering, industrial hygiene, occupational health, or a related field (preferred) or equivalent experience, at least three years of environmental and occupational health‑and‑safety experience, and a solid understanding of federal, state, and local safety regulations. Safety‑related certifications are advantageous, and candidates must demonstrate strong communication, computer, and driving skills. Candidates should possess advanced proficiency with the Microsoft Office suite, excellent written and verbal communication abilities, and the capacity to manage multiple projects in a fast‑paced environment while working effectively as part of a team.
Requirements
- ▸bachelor's
- ▸3+ yrs
- ▸ms office
- ▸safety cert
- ▸communication
- ▸regulations
Work Environment
Field