Safety Specialist

At Link Snacks, we show up hungry, roll up our sleeves, plaid or otherwise, and dive straight into the hard work. We don’t hide from challenges; we hunt them down. We push harder, move faster, and take the kinds of big swings that built this business in the North Woods of Wisconsin four decades ago.

We’re everyday people who deliver extraordinary results. Innovation, creativity, and urgency aren’t buzzwords, they’re expectations. And just like the real protein snacks we make across our global house of brands—Jack Link’s®, Lorissa’s Kitchen®, Golden Island®, BiFi®, and Peperami® and KOOEE!® to name a few—there’s nothing artificial about us. What you see is exactly what you get: humble, gritty, passionate people who show up every day ready to not just be a participate in the meat snack industry that the Link Family created, but to move faster, innovate harder and keep raising the bar so high, the rest of the world needs a ladder just to see it.

Dominating this space across the world takes a team. A team that runs together, succeeds together, and celebrates together. A team that’s full of relentless energy and spirit that can only be fueled by one thing: a fist full of our delicious meat snacks.

Real Meat Protein. Real People. Real Results. THAT is Link Snacks. 

Summary

Responsible for administering, implementing, and continuously improving the company’s environmental, health, and safety programs to ensure compliance with OSHA and company standards while promoting a culture of safety.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Develops and implements safety programs such as lockout/tagout, machine guarding, fire protection, and other OSHA safety compliance programs.
• Advises the Company on safety protocols and procedures to ensure regulatory compliance as mandated by local, state, and federal agencies, including the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
• Maintains OSHA logs and other required regulatory documentation.
• Conducts routine and follow-up safety and hazard inspections.
• Facilitating safety committee meetings (developing agenda, providing subject matter expertise, and ensuring compliance with regulations
• Coordinates and facilitates plant safety committee activities. Promote Safety Awareness through communication, education, and participation in safety initiatives.
• Identifies “toolbox” topics and frequency of training.
• Manages OSHA required safety training and certification programs such as First Aid/CPR, forklift, etc. and maintain recordkeeping accordance with regulations.
• Conducts accident, injury, and near-miss investigations; identifies root causes; recommends corrective actions; and tracks completion of corrective measures.
• Work with the Safety Manager, Safety Director, Risk Management, and Human Resources on work-related injuries and illnesses and workers compensation coordination.
• Works with maintenance to ensure all machines and equipment are operating in a safe and efficient manner.
• Maintains and reports Safety/KPI metrics
  • TIR
  • LT
  • Near misses
  • Training completion
  • Audit scores
• Evaluates, recommends, and administers personal protective equipment (PPE) programs.
• Visitor and Coordinates contractor safety orientation and compliance.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Leadership

• Ensures accuracy and integrity of all safety inspections, training records, and compliance documentation.
• Holds employees accountable for compliance with established safety procedures.
• Supports a culture which values employee safety and food safety.  
• Supports a culture of openness and accountability.
• Sets an example by demonstrating professionalism; encourages and insists positive attitudes and behaviors from team members.
• Encourages employee initiative and innovation while recognizing effort and achievement.
• Creates and cultivates positive working relationships at all levels of the organization.
• Adhere to all company personnel policies.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Skilled in performing safety inspections ensuring compliance with OSHA safety standards.

• Able to communicate technical information to non-technical personnel.
• Able to gather data, compile information, and prepare reports.
• Able to develop, implement, and enforce safety programs and protocols.
• Knowledge of federal, state and local safety regulations, protocols, and/or procedures.
• Ability to react calmly and effectively in emergency situations.
• Skilled in developing safety procedures and protocols.
• Ability to investigate and analyze information and draw conclusions.
• Ability to work effectively with diverse populations.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Skilled in performing safety inspections ensuring compliance with OSHA safety standards.

• Able to communicate technical information to non-technical personnel.
• Able to gather data, compile information, and prepare reports.
• Able to develop, implement, and enforce safety programs and protocols.
• Knowledge of federal, state and local safety regulations, protocols, and/or procedures.
• Ability to react calmly and effectively in emergency situations.
• Skilled in developing safety procedures and protocols.
• Ability to investigate and analyze information and draw conclusions.
• Ability to work effectively with diverse populations.

Education and/or Experience

Associates degree or equivalent from a two-year college or technical school; or one+ year related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.   Trained in AED, First-Aid/CPR, OSHA 30, Forklift Trainer Certification, a plus preferred but not required.  Prior experience in the Food industry, preferred. preferred but not required

Computer Skills

Working knowledge of computers and intermediate knowledge of Microsoft Excel.

Language Skills, Mathematical Skills & Reasoning Ability

Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business documents such as technical procedures or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports and business correspondence. Ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.

The starting rate for this role is $1 (Hourly). Actual salaries will vary based on several factors, including but not limited to external market data, internal equity, location, and candidate skill set and experience. Base pay is just one component of  Link Snacks Total Rewards package for Team Members. Other rewards may include annual incentive and program-specific awards. Link Snacks provides a variety of benefits to eligible Team Members, including medical, dental and vision benefits, life and disability insurance, 401k participation, paid holidays, and paid time off.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to be successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, use hands to finger, handle, or feel, lift and/or move up to 25 pounds, and talk or hear.  The employee is occasionally required to sit, and reach with hands and arms.  The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.  Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The work environment is a plant / office setting with varying degrees of temperatures and noise levels. Exposure to manufacturing equipment movement and wet / slippery floors. Travel may be required.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER:
Link Snacks provides equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic that is protected by federal, state or local law.

E-VERIFY:
Link Snacks is participant in the federal E-Verify program to confirm the identity and employment authorization of all newly hired employees.  For information about the E-Verify program, please visit:  http://www.uscis.gov/e-verify/employees