HSE Specialist

Description Summary

The HSE Specialist supports Health, Safety, and Environmental (HSE) programs across all Brainerd sites, with primary focus on the southeast region (Dunn, NC; Seaford, DE; and Scooba, MS). Key duties include conducting safety inspections, maintaining documentation, delivering training, and ensuring compliance with environmental program requirements.

• Drive awareness, ownership, and accountability for site HSE programs.
• Ensure adherence to all HSE protocols, records, and training.
• Provide site safety and environmental training and support.
• Maintain presence in floor operations to ensure HSE program adherence and understanding.
• Deliver strong training and communication on HSE topics to all site employees.

• Support the Director of HSE and/or site leadership to ensure alignment and compliance with state, federal, and company safety policies and regulations.
• Assist the site in maintaining proper documentation of monthly safety inspections.
• Drive awareness and accountability for site HSE programs.
• Provide technical expertise, assistance, and oversight for HSE programs at the facilities.
• Support environmental programs and requirements, including those for air, hazardous waste, wastewater, and stormwater.
• Ensure strict adherence to all HSE protocols at the site.
• Oversee hazardous chemical handling and storage, including Process Safety Management (PSM), Risk Management Plan (RMP), Reportable Quantity (RQ), and Potential to Emit (PTE) requirements.
• Maintain accurate HSE records as required.
• Prepare training documents, job safety analyses (JSAs), and other materials related to site safety activities; retain records for these items.
• Conduct inspections and audits of the site as required by safety programs.
• Maintain a strong on-site presence through site walks, inspections, and similar activities.
• Develop operational knowledge and functional understanding of both plant and field activities.
• Assist in investigating near misses, accidents, and injuries; document testimonies, conditions, and causes; determine recommended actions to prevent recurrence; implement corrective and preventative actions; and follow up to evaluate effectiveness.
• Conduct internal audits to support industry and government compliance programs, such as Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
• Address and follow up on daily safety issues and concerns.
• Maintain and update the company emergency action plan.
• Raise safety awareness by developing and maintaining programs (e.g., fall protection, personal protective equipment [PPE], respiratory protection). Spend adequate time in production areas to ensure employee safety and health through auditing, training, and communication.
• Prepare annual environmental reporting, including stormwater, air permit, and Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) reports as required per site.
• Travel to Brainerd-maintained or owned locations as required.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements/Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in environmental health and safety, occupational safety, or a related field preferred; high school diploma required. Relevant knowledge and experience may substitute for a higher degree.
• Minimum 3 years of experience in employee health and safety required.
• Chemical industry experience highly preferred.
• Knowledge of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards and guidelines required.
• Knowledge of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Transportation (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below). required.
• Knowledge of Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) requirements highly preferred.
• Experience with incident investigations, root cause analysis, and corrective actions are highly preferred.
• Experience with waste management and Tier II requirements preferred.
• Understanding of risk analysis tools and techniques required.
• High proficiency in Microsoft Office tools, including the ability to prepare, import, and manipulate information in spreadsheets.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, strong time management, high organization, and meticulous attention to detail.
• Ability to engage effectively with senior management, project teams, and key functional teams.