Regional Safety Manager - Pittsburgh, PA

Start a Watco Career and Discover the Difference

Keep the world’s supply chain moving. That’s what the Watco team does every day at our short line railroads, switching sites, terminals, ports, and logistics hubs. 

Whether you’re at one of these locations or in a support-services role, there’s one thread that ties everyone together. We’re all on the same team. One Watco. 

Here’s what you can expect from Watco: 

• Award-winning culture recognized by Forbes and Newsweek
• Competitive compensation and benefits
• Paid on-the-job training with peer trainers 
• Operations training at the Safe Performance Center in Birmingham, Alabama
• Leadership and development programs offered through Watco University 
• Career advancement opportunities

Salary Range: $90,000 - $100,000 

Travel Requirments: 50% - 75% of the time 

Region: Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, West Virginia  

General Purpose

The Safety Manager is responsible for accomplishing the duties of leading, conducting, instructing, performing, training and developing a health and safety program that assures control and prevention of incidents, injuries and hazards. Safety Manager must be able to identify and eliminate hazardous conditions or unsafe behaviors of all associated tasks and jobs of the operations.

The Safety Manager position will review, evaluate, audit, and will assist Terminal Manager and/or provide all required safety training. Will participate in safety meetings and job briefings with supervisors and team members while on site. The Safety Manager will assure all required health, safety and security activities for terminal are accomplished as required by regulatory or WATCO policy requirements. The Safety Manager will conduct walkthrough inspections, audits, task evaluations, training, briefings and reporting of performance measures. The heart of this position is to identify and integrate proper, safe work procedures, cultivate proper attitudes in a production atmosphere without jeopardizing team members or minimizing safety in the various workplace job sites. This position shall uses a hands-on approach to help assure organizational compliance of applicable OSHA and EPA federal, state, local and corporate safety, health regulatory requirements. This position will evaluate, identify and assure that the plant operations follow and adhere to proven and standardized safety procedures, policies and rules by all assigned team members, visitors, customers and contractors entering the plant properties. This position will perform regular audits and efficiency testing, identifying poor work procedures, poor safety work behavior and develop remedial actions in coordination with the Terminal Manager and Safety Director.

Reporting Relationships

The Safety Manager reports directly to the Safety Director. This position will work directly with all team members, supervisors and managers in providing assistance, guidance, instruction, training, inspecting, reporting and providing timely accomplishment in meeting all safety requirements thus assuring protection of team members and resources/assets. This position must not only identify problems in safety compliance but be able to accurately report the same and be an integral part of the solution.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities 

• Qualified First Aid/CPR Provider and Responder
• Hazardous Material Handling/Labeling/Shipping Hazard Communications and SDS
• FRA Hazmat General Awareness Training
• Respiratory Protection
• Forklift Safety
• Crane Safety, Hoist and Rigging Equipment Inspections
• Personal Protective Equipment and Clothing
• Fire Safety, Prevention and Protection
• Fall Protection and Elevated Work
• Ladder Safety
• Blue Flag Protection
• Switching and Car Movement Safety (able to recognize and correct hazards)
• Lockout/Tagout Safety
• Machine Guarding Safety
• Emergency Action and Response
• Site Security
• Hearing Conservation Program
• Electrical Safety, Grounding and Bonding
• Watco Safety Spike Program
• Contractor and Visitor Safety Programs

Job Requirements

• An associate degree or bachelor’s degree in industrial safety, industrial hygiene or related discipline is preferred or a minimum of 3 years of safety experience.
• Must be skilled and knowledgeable in hazard and exposure identification, auditing and inspections; conducting safety training; and InfoRail Reporting Systems, OSHA 300 and internal record-keeping, and related governmental reporting requirements.
• A solid, demonstrable working knowledge of OSHA, EPA, Federal, State and local regulatory compliance requirements.
• Able to effectively communicate with team members
• Ability to stay focused on goals, responsibilities and developing trend analysis process to help guide safety accident/injury elimination goals
• Able to provide clear, effective written and oral communication to fellow team members and leadership
• Must be able to deal with potential injury and incidents as the facility Safety Manager and to interact with internal and external regulatory agencies, customers, visitors on a professional basis.
• Be able to determine root causes by using thorough and proven investigation techniques, and then provide findings that are concise, accurate and timely.
• Must be able to use the Microsoft suite of tools including Power Point, Excel, Word, etc.
• Must be a Team player and able to interact effectively with all team members and senior leadership.
• Must have a demonstrated good work ethic and lead by example in meeting schedules, appointments and timelines.
• Must be a self-starter, demonstrate good time management and be flexible to changing request due to operational and or managerial concerns.
• Must possess a valid driver license with a clear record
• Ability to work in an outdoor environment and be able to climb 20 foot ladders multiple times.

Responsibilities

1. Instruct and empower location level leadership to take ownership of their own safety processes and initiatives

2. Develop JSA/JHA process in conjunction with location leaders and team member specialists Provide dual verification of safety system implementation, including DV of safety processes and operations procedures, to identify gaps between what is written and what is done in the field.

3. Assist and advise locations on safety management system integration into daily operations.

4. Monitor and drive behavior-based safety observation programs

5. Be receptive to team member complaints and suggestions regarding field level safety, inform and if possible assist terminal management with addressing team member’s concerns

6. Monitor contractor approval process and review contractors for compliance

7. Work with People Services on overlapping training initiatives

8. Work with Risk Management on case handling, workers comp tracking, and insurance requirements

9. Facilitate team safety communication through written and electronic media, posters, alerts, etc

10. Serve as subject matter experts in regulatory compliance. Maintain, monitor, and advise on program content, regulatory changes, and process changes to assist locations in maintaining compliance.

11. Perform corporate level audits of facilities and operations. Assist locations in self auditing in between formal audits

12. Assist locations in incident investigation and reporting process and root cause analysis with focus on driving prevention. Continue education and knowledge through regulatory research, self-study, seminars, and conferences to ensure best practice changes in our industry are maintained.

13. Assist locations and divisions by acting as a liaison between operations and regulatory agencies, and customers with regards to our safety programs

14. Assist with drills/exercises, in house, and with outside agencies for security, emergency response, etc.

15. Advise and assist locations and commercial development teams on potential business, permitting, and requirements for the new business

16. Serve as security operations leaders for overall security programs under USCG, TSA, OSHA, MSHA and FRA programs

17. Assist in building team cultural support of policies related to safety by leading efforts in properly treating workplace injuries or illnesses while ensuring company medical providers are unbiased and understand OSHA and internal rules on injury reporting.

18. Help create a culture of injury-free attitudes within the team by demonstrating honest, genuine care and passion for safety that is demonstrated by the Safety Manager

19. Assure that the processes are in place to evaluate and conduct near miss, incident, injury, or illness investigations to discover root causes and develop corrective actions to prevent reoccurrences. This includes regular reviews of site SOP’s to ensure safety related items are properly identified and update as necessary.

20. Make regular terminal site visits and conduct terminal and site workplace inspections and audits to identify work hazards and exposures. Determine trends and work with terminal management to develop action plans for remediation and corrective actions.

21. Provide documented reports of findings with corrective actions for resolution and remediation on monthly basis.

22. Conduct and lead efforts in correctly performing individual efficiency tests and test reviews to determine safety compliance, proficiency in work practices, knowledge of safeguards and desire for continuous improvement.

23. Provide hands-on remedial instruction and training to local teams to assure understanding, knowledge and standardization by meeting or exceeding safety expectations and goals.

24. Conduct and lead emergency response efforts during local crisis and/or contingency (weather disasters; bomb threats; Homeland Security; Civil Defense Response or other governmental agencies and tasks forces in addressing emergency situations at the plant operations)

25. Identify and provides request for industrial hygiene assistance and testing needed or planned

26. Assist Human Resources and Risk Management and Claims team members as needed on property, casualty and workers compensation issues.

27. Responsibilities as assigned by the Safety Director