Operational Safety Lead

Job Title: Operational Safety Lead

Company: Horizon Underground

Location: Norco, CA (Onsite)

Hello,

I'm DK, CEO of Horizon Underground. I'm reaching out personally because at Horizon, we have a few Sacred Cows—core values that define us. One of the most important is our non‑negotiable commitment to operational excellence and the safety of every person on our team. It's the foundation of everything we do.

My personal mission is to empower our field teams and enhance our operational excellence. The Operational Safety Lead is the hands‑on guardian of that mission, and I'm looking for the right operator to drive it.

That commitment to our people and to operational excellence is the very foundation Horizon Underground was built on over 25+ years. We're a leader in the dry utilities' construction field, and we've built an incredible reputation for excellence and always honoring our word. We are based in Southern California and serve our customers wherever they need us. We have an amazing team (we call them our 007s) who build the critical underground infrastructure—telecom, electric, gas, and rail—that enables our communities and help us all keep moving forward.

We are in our next phase of growth and impact. For us, that means investing in our people and giving our teams the enhanced tools and processes they need to deliver for our customers and the communities we serve. When they win, we all win.

Your mission is to be the partner and coach who actively works with our 007s to ensure that operational excellence and safety are the same thing.

This is not a check‑the‑box compliance job. You are not here to be a rule‑enforcer who stops work from an office. You are here to be a visible, hands‑on operator in the field, proactively enabling our crews to work more safely, efficiently, and effectively.

You are the person who enhances our operations by integrating safety as a no‑jargon, practical, and indispensable part of how we win.

To achieve this mission, your work will be focused on two fully integrated areas:

• Be in the Field: This is your primary office. You'll be on‑site, building relationships with our superintendents, foremen, and crews. You'll be a trusted partner they call for advice, not someone they avoid.
• Coach and Train: You will lead all safety training—from new‑hire orientation to weekly toolbox talks—in a way that is direct, relevant, and no‑fluff.
• Partner with Operations: You will work directly with our operations team to investigate incidents, learn from near‑misses, and—most importantly—proactively build better processes so they don't happen again.

• Own the Program: You will own our entire safety program (IIPP, DOT, etc.). Your credibility in the field will be the engine that drives our compliance.
• Own USA 811 Call Before You Dig, End‑to‑End: Partner with our superintendents, foremen, and crews to ensure every excavation is properly ticketed, located, verified, and documented before work begins. You'll drive clean execution in the field (white‑lining, locating verification, potholing/tolerance‑zone discipline), coordinate with utilities/locators to clear conflicts fast, and make sure we never trade schedule for safety or compliance.
• Ensure Flawless Execution: By partnering with operations and observing in the field, you will ensure our record‑keeping is flawless, our reporting is accurate, and that we are 100% compliant, 100% of the time. This isn't a separate task; it's the outcome of your hands‑on work.

• You are an operator first. You understand how underground construction gets built. You speak the language of the field and have earned your credibility with field teams.
• You are a builder and a doer. You're not a safety theorist. You are a hands‑on problem solver who would rather be in a trench helping a crew fix a problem than in an office writing a memo about it.
• You are a coach who earns trust by communicating clearly—saying what you mean, simply—and helping people get better while holding them accountable for their actions and their commitment to our safety culture.
• You are an expert. You…