Safety Manager in Columbia, South Carolina at Capital Waste Services LLC

About Capital Waste Services

At Capital Waste Services (CWS), we are committed to delivering reliable, customer-focused waste collection services across our communities. Our team members are the foundation of our success, and we pride ourselves on fostering a supportive, high-integrity work environment where people can grow and thrive.

Position Summary

The Safety Manager is responsible for supporting and administering Capital Waste Services' environmental, health, and safety programs across assigned locations. This position partners closely with operations leadership to promote a culture of safety, ensure regulatory compliance, reduce risk, and drive continuous improvement in workplace safety performance.

The Safety Manager provides field leadership through safety audits, inspections, training, incident investigations, corrective action management, and compliance oversight. The role requires frequent interaction with employees, supervisors, and managers to ensure company safety standards and regulatory requirements are consistently met.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Safety Program Administration

• Implement and support company safety programs, initiatives, and policies.
• Conduct safety audits, inspections, facility assessments, and field observations.
• Identify workplace hazards and develop corrective action plans.
• Monitor compliance with company safety standards and regulatory requirements.
• Assist in developing and maintaining safety procedures and best practices.

Training & Development

• Plan, organize, and deliver safety training for employees and managers.
• Conduct new-hire safety orientations.
• Facilitate ongoing OSHA, DOT, FMCSA, defensive driving, and compliance-related training.
• Maintain records of all training activities and certifications.

Compliance & Risk Management

• Ensure compliance with OSHA, DOT, FMCSA, environmental, workers' compensation, and company requirements.
• Maintain safety documentation, inspection records, reports, and compliance files.
• Monitor regulatory changes and communicate impacts to operational leaders.
• Support regulatory inspections and audits.

Incident Investigation

• Investigate accidents, injuries, near misses, property damage incidents, and vehicle accidents.
• Perform root-cause analyses and recommend corrective actions.
• Track incident trends and identify opportunities for proactive risk reduction.
• Partner with managers to ensure corrective actions are implemented and sustained.

Operational Support

• Serve as a safety resource for managers and employees.
• Participate in operational meetings and safety committee meetings.
• Conduct ride-alongs, route observations, and site visits.
• Promote employee engagement and accountability regarding workplace safety.

Reporting & Analytics

• Track key safety performance indicators (KPIs).
• Prepare reports and presentations for operational and executive leadership.
• Analyze safety performance trends and recommend improvement initiatives.
• Communicate project, compliance, incident, and corrective action status updates.

Supervisory Responsibilities

This position does not typically have direct reports but provides functional leadership, training, coaching, and safety guidance to managers, supervisors, drivers, technicians, and other employees across assigned locations.

Qualifications

Required Education & Experience

• High School Diploma or GED required.
• Bachelor's degree in Occupational Safety, Environmental Health, Industrial Hygiene, Engineering, or a related field preferred.
• Three to five years of experience in safety, compliance, risk management, transportation, waste services, or related operational environments.
• Experience conducting workplace investigations, audits, inspections, and training programs.

Preferred Qualifications

• OSHA certifications.
• ASP, CSP, CHST, SMS, CDS, or similar safety credentials.
• First Aid/CPR certification.
• Experience within waste management, transportation, logistics, fleet operations, environmental services, or other highly regulated industries.
• Working knowledge of FMCSA and DOT compliance programs.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Strong knowledge of OSHA, DOT, FMCSA, environmental, and workers' compensation regulations.
• Ability to identify hazards, assess risk, and implement corrective measures.
• Strong investigative and root-cause analysis skills.
• Excellent verbal, written, and presentation skills.
• Ability to influence and build relationships with all levels of the organization.
• Strong organizational and documentation skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).
• Ability to analyze data and develop actionable recommendations.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple projects simultaneously.

Working Conditions

• Combination of office and field environments.
• Frequent travel between facilities and operating locations.
• Exposure to outdoor weather conditions, moving equipment, vehicle traffic, noise, dust, and industrial environments.
• Regular walking, standing, climbing, bending, and occasional lifting.

Physical Requirements

Medium Work:

• Frequently stand and walk for extended periods.
• Lift up to 50 pounds occasionally.
• Push, pull, carry, reach, stoop, bend, and climb as necessary to perform inspections and field observations.

What Success Looks Like

• Reduction in recordable incidents and vehicle accidents.
• Improved compliance audit results.
• Increased completion of safety training and certifications.
• Strong safety culture engagement across locations.
• Effective corrective action management and risk mitigation.
• Improved OSHA, DOT, and FMCSA compliance performance.