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Safety Manager

Islandia, NY, USA

Requisition Number

15679

Location

Corporate Human Resources-00103

Job Description

SUMMARY:

The Safety Manager is one of the designated safety authorities responsible for day-to-day administration overseeing and coordinating Whitsons’ workplace safety programs across two Culinary Centers, two Distribution locations, Corporate Offices and over 1300 kitchens and/or cafeterias where we provide food services on-site at client locations (On-Site Locations). This role serves as an operational safety authority for assigned locations, ensuring compliance with OSHA and company standards while driving a proactive, prevention-focused safety culture. This position also plays a critical employee-facing role, providing outreach and support to injured team members, ensuring appropriate care, clear communication, and timely return-to-work whenever possible.

The Safety Manager functions as a highly autonomous, field-facing leader who conducts inspections, investigates incidents, and manages safety initiatives. While this role has no direct reports, it exercises significant influence and leadership across all On-site services, Culinary services and Corporate operations. This role will also serve as a back-up to the Workers Compensation Specialist, whose role serves as the primary liaison between the company and our Third-Party Administrator (TPA) in overseeing workers’ compensation claims and administration.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS, RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES:

Safety Program Oversight

+ Oversee the implementation, execution, and continuous improvement of Whitsons’ safety programs across Culinary Centers, Distribution Depots, On-Site Locations, and Corporate Offices.

+ Drive consistent adoption of safety policies, procedures, and best practices across all supported sites.

+ Monitor safety performance metrics and identify trends, risks, and opportunities for improvement.

+ Manage and support all Safety Programs across the organization.

+ Provide guidance, communication, training support, and accountability to safety representatives.

+ Serve as the escalation point for safety issues, compliance gaps, and high-risk incidents.

+ Serve as the primary liaison for the Nurse Triage Program and ReEmployability Program.

Inspections, Audits & Compliance

+ Conduct routine and ad-hoc safety inspections and compliance audits at Culinary Centers, Distribution Depots, On-Site Locations, and other company locations.

+ Identify hazards, document deficiencies, write site-visit report with safety-improvement recommendations, and work with site leadership to implement timely corrective actions.

+ Partner with Fleet Management to review driver logs, pre-trip and post-trip inspections, and fleet safety compliance.

Incident Investigation & Root Cause Analysis

+ Respond to workplace injuries, accidents, and near-miss events in a timely and professional manner.

+ Lead incident investigations to determine root causes and contributing factors.

+ Prepare formal written investigation reports and submit them to the Director of Safety and relevant leadership.

+ Partner with site leadership to develop, implement, and track corrective and preventive actions.

Training & Safety Engagement

+ Manage and coordinate safety training, and toolbox talks across facilities and On-Site Locations.

+ Facilitate Safety Committee meetings and safety engagement activities.

+ Ensure all required safety postings, emergency information, and regulatory notices are current and properly displayed.

Reporting, Documentation & Data Management

+ Maintain accurate OSHA logs, injury records, training documentation, and audit reports.

+ Track incident trends, corrective action status, and training completion.

+ Prepare safety summaries, metrics, and reports for leadership and regulatory needs.

Continuous Improvement & Risk Reduction

+ Proactively identify opportunities to reduce injuries, fleet incidents, and operational risk.

+ Stay current on OSHA regulations, foodservice and logistics safety standards, and industry best practices.

+ Support special projects, audits, and company-wide safety initiatives as assigned.

Claims Management & Administration

+ Serve as back-up to the Workers Compensation Specialist who is the primary point of contact with the Third-Party Administrator (TPA) for workers’ compensation claims and administration.

Special Projects

+ Adapt to evolving organizational priorities by taking on special assignments and interim responsibilities as requested.

+ Participate in system upgrades or reporting enhancements related to safety, workers’ compensation, and risk management.

+ Perform other related duties as assigned.

This role offers a salary range of $90,000– $110,000 annually, based on skills, experience, and location. Employees also receive a comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, vision, 401(k) with company match, generous PTO, and paid holidays.

Requirements

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Education

+ Associate degree in Occupational Safety, Environmental Health, or a related field required, bachelor’s degree preferred.

+ OSHA 10-Hour or 30-Hour General Industry certification required (or ability to obtain within 6 months).

EXPERIENCE, OTHER QUALIFICATIONS AND COMPETENCIES

Experience

+ Minimum of 5 years of progressive experience in workplace safety, risk management, or EHS.

+ Experience supporting multiple locations or field-based operations required.

+ Demonstrated experience conducting inspections, investigations, and safety training.

+ Familiarity with OSHA, fleet safety, workers’ compensation, and food production/distribution environments.

Other Qualifications

+ Strong communication and influencing skills across operational and field environments.

+ Ability to work independently, manage priorities, and operate in a fast-paced, geographically dispersed organization.

+ Strong analytical, documentation, and follow-up discipline.

+ Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate compassionately with injured employees.

+ Ability to manage sensitive, confidential information with professionalism and discretion.

+ Proficiency in Microsoft Office 365 and safety reporting systems.

+ Ability to travel regularly between facilities and On-Site Locations (approximately 30%).

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES

+ Safety & Risk Management

+ Regulatory Compliance

+ Root Cause Analysis

+ Operational Partnership

+ Training & Coaching

+ Data-Driven Decision Making

+ Continuous Improvement

+ Accountability & Follow-Through

+ Communication & Influence

Computer Skills

+ Proficient in Microsoft Office 365 (Excel, Word, Outlook).

+ Experience with claims management systems and reporting platforms preferred.

Work Schedule

Monday through Friday

Supervisor

Janet L Dateno

Salary Target

$90,000-$110,000