Plant Jobs in Rutherfordton, NC (NOW HIRING)

POSITIONTITLE 

Dewey Plant - Safety Professional

POSITION OVERVIEW 

The Safety Professional is responsible for developing, implementing, and maintaining environmental, health, and safety (EHS) programs to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and company standards for the Milliken Dewey Plant. Leveraging an engineering background, this role applies technical and analytical expertise to identify hazards, assess risk, and design effective safety solutions that integrate seamlessly with operational and engineering processes. This role reports to the EHSS Manager. The work schedule for the role is Monday - Friday on 1st shift, may have outside hours and/or calls.  

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES 

Safety & Compliance 

• Develop, implement, and maintain workplace safety programs, policies, and procedures in compliance with OSHA, EPA, and other applicable regulations. 

• Conduct safety audits, inspections, and risk assessments across facilities, equipment, and processes. 

• Investigate incidents, near misses, and unsafe conditions; perform root cause analyses and drive corrective and preventive actions. 

• Maintain required safety documentation, reports, and regulatory submissions. 

• Coordinate, analysis, review, and submit of OSHA Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) documentation, including annual selfevaluations and performance metrics. 

• Perform respirator fit testing as required by OSHA respiratory protection standards.  

Engineering & Technical Support 

• Collaborate with engineering, maintenance, and operations teams to evaluate new equipment, processes, and facility modifications for safety risks. 

• Apply engineering principles to hazard analysis (e.g., Job Safety Analysis, Failure Modes and Effects Analysis, Process Hazard Analysis). 

• Support machine guarding, ergonomics, lockout/tagout, confined space, and chemical safety programs through technical design and review. 

• Participate in capital projects and process changes to ensure safe design and compliance from concept through implementation. 

Training & Culture 

• Develop and deliver safety training for employees, supervisors, and contractors. 

• Act as a technical safety resource to leadership and frontline teams. 

• Promote a proactive safety culture through employee engagement, data-driven insights, and continuous improvement initiatives. 

• Oversaw the planning, scheduling, and delivery of emergency response training to ensure program readiness. 

• Administered the site's annual safety and environmental training program, ensuring timely completion and accurate documentation. 

Environmental & Health (as applicable) 

• Support environmental compliance programs (waste management, air permits, spill prevention, etc.). 

• Monitor industrial hygiene concerns such as noise, air quality, and exposure limits. 

QUALIFICATIONS - REQUIRED 

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline plus 2 years of manufacturing experience. 

• 2+ years of experience in EHS, safety engineering, or a related role within an industrial, manufacturing, construction, or process environment. 

QUALIFICATIONS - PREFERRED 

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Chemical, Electrical, Safety Engineering, or related field). 

• Professional certifications preferred or required depending on role scope (e.g., CSP, ASP, CIH, CHMM). 

• Demonstrated experience applying engineering principles to safety and risk management. 

• Professional certifications preferred or required depending on role scope (e.g., CSP, ASP, CIH, CHMM). 

• Strong understanding of OSHA and applicable safety regulations and standards. 

• Ability to analyze complex systems and processes to identify and mitigate risk. 

• Proficiency in incident investigation and root cause analysis methodologies. 

• Strong communication skills with the ability to influence without authority. 

• Analytical, detail-oriented, and comfortable working with data and technical documentation. 

• Competent with Microsoft Office and EHS management systems. 

• BLS (Basic life support) instructor 

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