Safety Specialist - Chicago Zoological Society
Chicago, IL
About the Job
Under the guidance of the VP, Risk & Facilities Management, the Safety Specialist contributes to the success of Brookfield Zoo Chicago by developing, implementing and coordinating safety policies, procedures, audits and training in support of the organization’s goals related to sustainability through risk management and achievement of safety objectives.
Primary duties and responsibilities:
Primary duties and responsibilities:
- Work with the VP, Risk & Facilities Management (“VP”) to build a safety culture within the organization. Maintains an organizational safety strategy by executing safety programs, analyzing safety equipment needs, overseeing surveillance inspections and managing hazardous work conditions. Develops, implements, monitors and manages safety programs, policies and procedures. Identifies areas of improvement regarding organizational safety. Collects information regarding safety programs, incidents, and violations and organizes findings and recommend solutions and prepares reports for VP. Provides direction and guidance on safety best practices and confers potential safety risks to management.
- Reviews and analyzes expenditures, financial and operations reports to determine requirements for increasing safety. Prepares recommendations on findings for management evaluation. Recommends capital expenditures for acquisition of new equipment that would increase efficiency and safety of operations. Approves requisitions for equipment, materials and supplies within limits of budget.
- Recognizes, assesses, and controls safety and health hazards in the facility and works with internal departments to minimize occupational health and safety risks and manage compliance with applicable regulations. Performs job hazard assessments and recommends measures to control exposures, including substitution of less hazardous materials, personal protective equipment (PPF), work practice changes and engineering controls. Perform or coordinate industrial hygiene surveys including personnel exposure and area monitoring, noise surveys, and environmental exposures. Conducts accident investigations and works with departments to correct safety hazards and develop preventative procedures. Prepares reports for executive review or use in insurance claims or legal action.
- Oversees and coordinates activities of personnel to ensure a safe and healthy work environment in accordance with OSHA regulations. Confers and cooperates with supervisory/management personnel in formulating administrative and operational policies and procedures. Enforces safety compliance through administrative policies, procedures, safety rules and government regulations.
- Develop, establish, and provide employee safety training programs. Coordinate training and record retention for all OSHA-mandated and safety workplace training. Stays abreast of trends to continuously improve safety programs and execution of safety strategies.
- Under the direct supervision of the VP, responsible for assisting with the daily maintenance of the Society’s fire alarm detection and suppression systems, including coordination of these systems with outside contractors and local fire departments. May liaise with fire department or other agencies regarding safety and health programs.
- Administer or actively participate on assigned teams both within the Risk Management and the Society as assigned. Responsible for keeping supervisors informed in a timely manner of incidents or situations that are not identified as routine or that have the potential to impact the department or other departments within the Society.
- Maintain knowledge of hazardous material handling and environmental issues. Assist in coordinating disposal of hazardous waste. Oversee the coordination of the hazard communication policy/plan as regulated, including the inventory and retention of all safety data sheets for hazardous chemicals/materials on CZS premise. Work with staff on hazard identification and reporting, including unsafe work practices, inclusion of safety-specific details in written reports.
- Respond to questions and investigate safety issues of employees and guests. Act as a liaison for Risk Management. Respond to questions and investigate safety issues of employees, guests and contractors. Assist with contractor oversight and annual Life Safety inspections.
- Other related duties as assigned.
Source : Chicago Zoological Society