Safety Specialist (NE & Central PA) at Essential Utilities

Aqua, an Essential Utilities company, employs people in a variety of roles within our eight-state footprint, ranging from field workers and customer service representatives who are on the front lines working with customers, to scientists and engineers who help ensure we’re delivering reliable water and wastewater services to our communities.  If you’re looking for a rewarding career helping improve our environment and protect our natural resources, we encourage you to join our team!

About Essential Utilities

Essential Utilities, Inc. delivers safe, clean, reliable services that improve quality of life for individuals, families, and entire communities.

Operating as the Aqua (water and wastewater services) and the Peoples and Delta (natural gas) brands, Essential serves approximately 5.5 million people across 10 states. We are committed to sustainable growth, operational excellence, a superior customer experience, and premier employer status - including a competitive and comprehensive benefits package as well as a commitment to career growth opportunities.

We are advocates for the communities we serve and are dedicated stewards of natural lands, protecting more than 7,600 acres of forests and other habitats throughout our footprint.

Our company is one of the most significant publicly traded water, wastewater service and natural gas providers in the U.S. 

Aqua Pennsylvania, a large investor-owned water and wastewater services provider is seeking a Safety Specialist.  This field based role is responsible for the coordination and implementation of health and safety programs to assure compliance with regulatory agency guidelines and institutional policies. In this key role you will have the autonomy to set the direction of our program and make safety a personal and meaningful aspect of day-to-day operations. ​The position’s primary geographical area of support is Northeast PA and Central PA.  Periodically, support to the Western PA and Southeast PA operations will be required.

This position will have both administrative assignments (metric tracking, reporting, presentation, SOP development, event organization, etc.) and field work auditing facilities, and providing training and safety solutions to operations staff.

Key Accountabilities:

• Manage, develop, implement, and enforce Aqua’s safety program in compliance with local,state, and Federal Occupational Safety and HealthAdministration (OSHA) rules and regulations.

• Measure the Safety Program’s effectiveness through use of analytics/measures andindicators/etc, while taking an active role in identifying and correcting any shortcomings.

• Work with both the local and corporate stakeholders to develop, implement, and update effective policies and procedures for all OSHA programs to ensure compliance with regulations.

• Investigate all injuries and incidents in assigned region and interface with the HR and Corporate safetymanagertoensureroot cause and corrective actions are identified and implemented.

• Interpret technical and regulatory information to provide guidance to operations staff.

• Observe and problem solves operational and technical procedures.

• Utilize inspections, ride-a-longs and audits to ensure safety presence in all operations.

• Serve as a subject matter expert (SME) to explain Aqua policies and procedures, safety/risk management conceptsand practicesto the general regulators, consultants, and Aqua staff. As an SME the safety specialist may write, develop, or revise policies, procedures or working SOPs.

• Interface with both corporate and local management to formulate corrective actions to safety related issues and ensure full implementation of all corporate initiatives.

• Chair a safety committee comprised of supervisors and field/plant employees.

• Conduct safety audits and field inspections to ensure compliance with occupational and environmental health and safety requirements.

• Develop, implement, and maintain employee training programs.

• Establish and maintain complete safety and training records.

• Manage annual calibration and testing for air monitoring equipment.

• Develop, update, and manage workplace safety programs, procedures, and policies.

• Identify the need for change of current processes or initiate new processes and use change management techniques to gain stakeholder buy-in and implementation.

• Administers the Corporate Safety Program including accident report files, points tracking, and discipline administered for points incurred according to the safety program.

• Serve as the SDS, chemical exposure and spill prevention coordinator in given region and monitor all current information on regulations and requirements related to hazardous materials.

• Investigate and evaluate new safety equipment for appropriateness. Provide input to local manager in preparing budget regarding safety equipment purchases and training programs.

• Administer state or regional programs for procurement of safety gear, PPE, tools or consultants, to support safety goals.

• Respond and help in emergency situations.

• Maintain confidentiality in dealing with employee records and business information. Secure records and interfaces with HR and Legal departments.

• Attend conferences, meeting, and workshops to keep up to date on new safety methods and proceduresto applicable codes and regulations or to maintain the required level of certification.

• Participate in the review of engineering designs and construction projects with a focus on general workplace safety, ergonomics, hazard identification (labeling), parking/maneuverability

• Perform other duties as assigned.

Required Experience, Education, Licenses, and Certifications

• An associate or bachelor’s degree in safety management, safety engineering, industrial hygiene, occupational environment health and safety, or a related field preferred.
• Minimum of 2-5 years demonstrable experience and knowledge of environmental and occupational health and safety, with preference to work that includes safety programs that involve electrical, chemical, excavation, stored energy, and ergonomic movements.
• Safety related certifications preferred.
• Possess valid driver’s license and satisfactory driving record.

Common and Expected Requirements:

• Working knowledge of OSHA safety regulations.

• Good written and verbal communications skills; communicate effectively (clearly, concisely and

• professionally) with staff, peers, and management team.

• Computer skills, including a proficiency in using common word processing software, spreadsheet

• software, database applications, project and presentation software, and email.

• Learn and use Company standard software as it applies to the position.

• Ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously and adapt to changing priorities in a fast-paced environment.

• A collaborator able to work effectively in a team-fostered multi-tasking environment.

• Must be able to lift 50 lbs.

Work Schedule, Travel, and Working Environment:

• In addition to standard business work hours, Monday through Friday you will periodically need

• to respond to / attend after-hour emergencies and/or meetings.

• Travel to Aqua PA systems is expected including overnight trips. Travel time may be up to 50%

• of the year.

• Working environment includes office, operating treatment facilities, indoor and outdoor.

Aqua, an Essential Utilities company is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer. Equal employment opportunity is provided to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to the following legally protected characteristics: race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, pregnancy (including childbirth and related medical conditions, including medical conditions related to lactation), physical or mental disability, covered-veteran status, genetic information (including testing and characteristics), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression or any other characteristic protected by applicable local, state or federal law.
Aqua is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities.  If you have a condition that may prevent you from applying for a job online or need to request an accommodation during the interview process, please call (1-877-271-9012).  
To maintain the integrity of the recruitment process and to avoid real or perceived conflicts of interest due to employment and/or assignment of family members and personal referrals, specific guidelines apply to the hiring and assignment of these individuals including, but not limited to:

• Family members cannot result in a supervisor/subordinate reporting relationship
• Family members cannot work in the same department.