Environmental Health & Safety Specialist

DEPARTMENT:

JOB SUMMARY:

Responsible for leading the stores and DC toward a culture of continuous injury reduction and operational excellence by driving behavioral-based safety programs, frontline teammate engagement, leadership accountability, and continuous improvement initiatives. Champion the mindset that the safe way is the only way by partnering with operations to proactively identify, assess, and eliminate risk.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Retail & Distribution Safety Oversight: Conduct comprehensive safety inspections across sales floors, stockrooms, food preparation departments (meat, deli, bakery, seafood, produce), and loading docks. Ensure OSHA compliance in slip prevention, ergonomics, chemical safety, equipment guarding, refrigeration system safety, and overall operational risk management.
• Incident Prevention & Risk Reduction: Lead incident and near-miss investigations, identify root causes, implement corrective actions.
• Environmental & Sustainability Compliance: Implement and oversee environmental programs supporting waste management, hazardous material disposal, stormwater protection, spill response, and chemical inventory control in alignment with company sustainability initiatives.
• Food Safety & Regulatory Support: Partner with store leadership to maintain public health compliance, temperature-control systems, sanitation standards, pest control, and cross-contamination prevention. Prepare teams for health inspections and ensure timely corrective actions.
• Emergency Preparedness & Operational Readiness: Maintain and test emergency response plans covering fire evacuation, severe weather, chemical exposures, and customer health incidents.
• Safety Leadership & Engagement: Deliver training and coaching on hazard communication, PPE, equipment safety, and chemical handling while promoting a proactive safety culture rooted in accountability, service, and employee care.
• Documentation, Reporting & Performance Management: Maintain OSHA logs, training records, environmental documentation, audit findings, and corrective action tracking. Provide safety performance summaries and data-driven insights to corporate leadership.

REQUIREMENTS / QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution or Retail Management Certificate preferred
• 3–5 years of progressive EHS experience in retail, grocery, food production, warehouse, distribution, or similar operational environments
• CPR certification required within twelve (12) months of hire
• Valid driver’s license with acceptable motor vehicle record
• Experience conducting incident investigations, safety audits, and regulatory compliance inspections
• Working knowledge of OSHA regulations and state and local environmental requirements
• Familiarity with OSHA General Industry standards
• Understanding of hazardous materials management, chemical safety, waste handling, and stormwater compliance
• Basic knowledge of food safety and sanitation regulations applicable to retail food operations
• Ability to perform risk assessments and hazard evaluations
• Experience maintaining OSHA logs (300/300A/301)
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and safety data tracking systems
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to train, coach, and influence frontline team members and leadership
• Ability to walk store floors and warehouse environments for extended periods
• Ability to lift 25–50 lbs. as needed
• Ability to work in cold environments (refrigerated/freezer areas) and around food production equipment
• National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) Certified Professional – Food Safety (CP-FS) credential, or ability to obtain certification within eighteen (18) months of hire (company-paid training and materials provided)
• Demonstrated confidentiality, integrity, accuracy, and strong problem-solving skills