Safety Specialist, Santa Barbara CA

Panos Brands•Santa Barbara, CA

7d•Onsite

About The Position

The Safety Specialist is responsible for supporting and maintaining all workplace safety programs within a fast-paced food manufacturing facility. This role plays a hands-on, highly visible part in promoting a culture of safety by working directly with employees and leadership on the production floor. This is a mid-level role ideal for someone who is experienced in plant safety, enjoys coaching others, and is comfortable balancing compliance, training, and day-to-day safety operations.

Requirements

3–6 years of safety experience in a manufacturing environment (food manufacturing strongly preferred)
Working knowledge of Cal/OSHA regulations and compliance requirements
Hands-on experience managing workplace injuries and workers’ compensation claims
Strong understanding of common manufacturing safety risks and controls
Proven ability to train, coach, and influence employees at all levels
Comfortable working on the production floor daily in an active, hands-on role
Bilingual Spanish/English strongly preferred
Strong organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills

Nice To Haves

Bilingual English/Spanish preferred

Responsibilities

Maintain and enforce safety policies, procedures, and programs in alignment with Cal/OSHA regulations
Maintain all Reporting & Documentation – Cal/OSHA reporting
Conduct regular safety audits, inspections, and risk assessments across the facility
Ensure vendor/visitor observance to facility safety rules
Identify hazards and implement practical corrective actions
Act as a key member of the safety committee
Lead safety training for employees and supervisors (new hire, ongoing, and refresher training)
Coach frontline employees and managers on safe work practices and accountability
Reinforce a strong safety culture through daily floor presence and engagement
Respond to and investigate workplace injuries and incidents
Manage workers’ compensation cases, including reporting, documentation, and follow-up
Partner with HR and management on return-to-work programs and modified duty
Walk the production floor daily to monitor conditions, behaviors, and compliance
Build relationships with employees to proactively address safety concerns
Serve as a visible and approachable safety resource
Track and analyze safety metrics including incidents & near-misses trends
Recommend and implement improvements to reduce risk and enhance safety performance
Identify and Implement continuous improvement initiatives