Area Safety Manager

E2 Optics•Columbus, OH

8d•Hybrid

About The Position

Safety is E2 Optics' number one Core Value. All employees are expected to follow safe work practices, as well as adhere to company and client worksite safety policies and procedures. This role involves championing safety as E2 Optics' number one Core Value and leading by example in the field. The Area Safety Manager will ensure 100% weekly payroll accuracy and on-time approvals, maintain an active and visible presence across multiple projects within the assigned area, and provide leadership, coaching, direction, and support to Safety Managers, Safety Coordinators, Safety Administrators, and other safety personnel. They will partner with Operations and project leadership to establish consistent safety expectations and accountability, and serve as a field-level escalation and support resource for safety teams and operational leadership. The role supports the Regional Safety Manager in implementing safety initiatives and driving continuous improvement across the area. Additionally, the Area Safety Manager will temporarily provide Site Safety Manager or project safety leadership coverage when vacancies, project startups, leaves, or other operational needs require additional support. This includes helping to coordinate safety staffing and resource deployment across multiple projects and shifts, proactively identifying staffing gaps and future resource needs based on project schedules, workload, and operational risk, and participating in interviewing and selecting safety professionals. The role also supports onboarding and field integration of newly hired or transferred team members, coaching, mentoring, and developing safety professionals to strengthen technical knowledge, leadership capability, and overall performance, and establishing clear expectations and holding team members accountable for field engagement, documentation, performance, and follow-through. Support for succession planning and development of future safety leaders is also a key aspect of this role. The Area Safety Manager will support pre-construction planning, project startups, expansions, and mobilizations, working with Operations, project leadership, and safety teams to identify project-specific safety requirements before work begins. This includes assisting with safety staffing plans, shift coverage, resource requirements, and deployment strategies. They will review client, general contractor, regulatory, contractual, and E2 Optics safety requirements, and support site-specific safety plans, emergency procedures, orientations, training plans, and required safety documentation. Participation in project-readiness assessments to identify and address gaps before work begins is also required. The role involves conducting and supporting field inspections, observations, audits, and safety assessments, identifying emerging hazards and operational risks, and working with project teams to implement effective controls. Monitoring safety KPIs, leading and lagging indicators, incident trends, observations, and audit findings, and ensuring corrective and preventive actions are assigned, tracked, completed, and verified for effectiveness are crucial. The Area Safety Manager will translate safety data and field observations into practical actions that improve performance and reduce risk, and support accident-prevention, loss-control, and continuous-improvement initiatives across assigned projects. Leading or supporting investigations involving injuries, incidents, property damage, and near misses, identifying contributing factors and root causes, and developing meaningful corrective and preventive actions are also key responsibilities. Ensuring incident documentation is completed accurately and in accordance with company, client, and regulatory requirements, and partnering with the Regional Safety Manager, Human Resources, Operations, and Risk Management on workers' compensation, injury management, return-to-work, and claims-management activities are essential. Communicating lessons learned and preventive measures across projects when appropriate, and maintaining working knowledge of applicable OSHA and other federal, state, and local safety requirements are also part of the role. Support for regulatory and client inspections, audits, assessments, and corrective-action tracking, as well as assessing safety training needs based on project activities, regulatory requirements, client expectations, and identified risk, are also required. Finally, the role supports the development and implementation of JHAs/JSAs, hazard assessments, project-specific safety plans, and other required safety documentation, and promotes consistent application of E2 Optics' Safety Management Systems across assigned operations.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED required.
Bachelor’s degree in occupational safety and health, Environmental Health and Safety, Safety Management, Construction Management, Business Management, or a related field.
ASP, CSP, SMP,CHST or other recognized BCSP safety certification.
Previous experience supervising or leading safety professionals.
Experience supporting multiple construction projects, data center projects, or geographically distributed operations.
Experience with project startups, mobilizations, workforce planning, and safety staffing.
Experience with workers' compensation, injury management, claims management, and return-to-work programs.
Minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible occupational safety and health experience, preferably in construction, data centers, telecommunications, manufacturing, or other complex high-risk environments.
Strong knowledge of OSHA regulations, construction safety standards, and industry best practices.
Experience with inspections, audits, incident investigations, JHAs/JSAs, corrective actions, and Safety Management Systems.
Strong understanding of construction operations and hazards, preferably within data center or other complex construction environments.
Knowledge of risk management, loss control, workers' compensation, injury management, and return-to-work practices.
Proven ability to lead, coach, develop, and hold safety professionals accountable across multiple projects.
Ability to assess project risk, staffing needs, and resources to support effective safety coverage and project execution.
Experience supporting pre-construction planning, project mobilization, safety readiness, and startup activities.
Ability to analyze safety trends, KPIs, incidents, and audit findings and translate them into practical improvements.
Strong communication, organizational, problem-solving, and decision-making skills with the ability to collaborate and influence at all levels.
Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities in a fast-paced environment while maintaining a strong and visible field presence.

Nice To Haves

Previous experience leading or supervising safety professionals, programs, or multi-project safety operations strongly preferred.
Experience supporting multiple simultaneous projects, project mobilizations, or geographically distributed operations preferred.
Experience with interviewing, onboarding, coaching, performance management, and professional development of safety personnel preferred.

Responsibilities

Champion Safety as E2 Optics' number one Core Value and lead by example in the field.
Ensure 100% weekly payroll accuracy and on-time approvals
Maintain an active and visible presence across multiple projects within the assigned area.
Provide leadership, coaching, direction, and support to Safety Managers, Safety Coordinators, Safety Administrators, and other safety personnel.
Partner with Operations and project leadership to establish consistent safety expectations and accountability.
Serve as a field-level escalation and support resource for safety teams and operational leadership.
Support the Regional Safety Manager in implementing safety initiatives and driving continuous improvement across the area.
Temporarily provide Site Safety Manager or project safety leadership coverage when vacancies, project startups, leaves, or other operational needs require additional support.
Help coordinate safety staffing and resource deployment across multiple projects and shifts.
Proactively identify staffing gaps and future resource needs based on project schedules, workload, and operational risk.
Participate in interviewing and selecting safety professionals.
Support onboarding and field integration of newly hired or transferred team members.
Coach, mentor, and develop safety professionals to strengthen technical knowledge, leadership capability, and overall performance.
Establish clear expectations and help hold team members accountable for field engagement, documentation, performance, and follow-through.
Support succession planning and development of future safety leaders.
Support pre-construction planning, project startups, expansions, and mobilizations.
Work with Operations, project leadership, and safety teams to identify project-specific safety requirements before work begins.
Assist with safety staffing plans, shift coverage, resource requirements, and deployment strategies.
Review client, general contractor, regulatory, contractual, and E2 Optics safety requirements.
Support site-specific safety plans, emergency procedures, orientations, training plans, and required safety documentation.
Participate in project-readiness assessments to identify and address gaps before and Conduct and support field inspections, observations, audits, and safety assessments.
Identify emerging hazards and operational risks and work with project teams to implement effective controls.
Monitor safety KPIs, leading and lagging indicators, incident trends, observations, and audit findings.
Ensure corrective and preventive actions are assigned, tracked, completed, and verified for effectiveness.
Translate safety data and field observations into practical actions that improve performance and reduce risk.
Support accident-prevention, loss-control, and continuous-improvement initiatives across assigned projects.
Lead or support investigations involving injuries, incidents, property damage, and near misses.
Identify contributing factors and root causes and develop meaningful corrective and preventive actions.
Ensure incident documentation is completed accurately and in accordance with company, client, and regulatory requirements.
Partner with the Regional Safety Manager, Human Resources, Operations, and Risk Management on workers' compensation, injury management, return-to-work, and claims-management activities.
Communicate lessons learned and preventive measures across projects when appropriate.
Maintain working knowledge of applicable OSHA and other federal, state, and local safety requirements.
Support regulatory and client inspections, audits, assessments, and corrective-action tracking.
Assess safety training needs based on project activities, regulatory requirements, client expectations, and identified risk.
Support development and implementation of JHAs/JSAs, hazard assessments, project-specific safety plans, and other required safety documentation.
Promote consistent application of E2 Optics' Safety Management Systems across assigned operations.