Area Director, Safety

Waste Management, Inc. (WM)•Humble, TX

About The Position

The Area Director, Safety is responsible for developing and executing all Safety strategic goals for the Area in accordance with WM Safety Services guidance. The role works closely with Corporate and Market Area leadership to align safety strategy and objectives, and oversees safety programs, incident management, regulatory compliance, employee health, and safety performance across the Market Area. The position provides guidance and coaching to Market Area and Site leaders, safety specialists, and employees. It uses incident trends and data from the EH&S Portal, DriveCam, and SIF observations to improve safety practices, address high-risk work, and support ongoing development. The job operates both inside gas plant conditions and outdoors, including in inclement weather, heat, and humidity.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree, or an accredited high school diploma or GED and four years of relevant work experience in lieu of a degree.
10 or more years of experience in Safety or Operations Management.
Three years managing a team of two or more individuals.
Knowledge of Federal and State/Provincial DOT and OSHA regulations as they relate to WM operational requirements.
Ability to develop and coach others on safety and risk management topics.
Ability to work inside gas plant conditions and outdoors in inclement weather, heat, and humidity.
Must have or be willing to obtain a REAL ID or TSA-approved alternative if required for business air travel or access to federal property.

Nice To Haves

Certified Safety Professional (CSP).
Certified Industrial Hygienist.
Qualified Environmental Professional (QEP).
Registered Environmental Manager (REM).
Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM).
Professional Engineer (PE) license.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute Area Safety strategic goals in accordance with WM Safety Services guidance.
Work with Corporate and Market Area Senior Leadership Teams to align safety strategy, goals, and objectives.
Oversee Drive Cam System Management, including analysis, reporting, coaching, interventions, and potentially ride-alongs with site managers or front-line drivers.
Manage the Serious Injury and Fatality (SIF) Prevention Program by identifying high-risk tasks and situations, applying SIF logic, conducting Protection Validation Studies, and closing protection gaps.
Coordinate with the EH&S team to disseminate and implement policies, communications, and initiatives; assess risks and deploy safety awareness messaging based on Market Area trends.
Determine incident severity, initiate investigations as necessary, ensure incident data is captured in the WM EH&S portal, and produce qualitative and quantitative incident reports and analyses.
Coordinate incident documentation and information transfer with the Third Party Risk Administrator; determine the appropriate level of Root Cause Analysis and work with the People Team as required.
Analyze incident trends and work with Market Area and Site Leadership to ensure the District Specific Safety Plan is in place and operational.
Oversee the WM Hazardous Energy Control Program and direct, train, and coach others on its protocols.
Apply knowledge of Federal and State/Provincial DOT and OSHA regulations and work with internal and external subject matter experts to support compliance.
Oversee WM and customer facility safety management systems, review new equipment installations, ensure weather and natural disaster preparedness plans, conduct safety audits and inspections, and assist with commercial insurance management issues.
Establish performance criteria, thresholds, and feedback mechanisms for the Safety Recognition Program.
Work with Corporate Subject Matter Experts to ensure sites follow the Medical Monitoring Program and WM Industrial Hygiene Program.
Serve as the Market Area subject matter expert on WM PPE policies and procurement; coordinate with corporate supply chain to ensure appropriate supplies.
Develop and coach others on risk management and safety, using investigations, DriveCam events, and employee and SIF observations to improve safety skills, knowledge, and performance.
Coach and train Market Area safety specialists and leaders on using EH&S Portal, DriveCam, and SIF data to conduct effective employee observations and coaching conversations.
Translate strategic priorities into measurable and sustainable operational results; provide strategic direction, influence stakeholders, lead teams and change, build organizational capability, and identify Market Area safety challenges and opportunities.