Senior Safety Specialist chez Colorado Springs Utilities

Senior Safety Specialist

***This position will be hired at a Safety Coordinator level or a Senior Safety Specialist level, depending on the chosen candidate's current skill set. 

Colorado Springs Utilities is hiring an experienced safety professional to lead and support occupational safety and health initiatives aimed at eliminating preventable incidents and injuries. This role is instrumental in fostering a culture of safety by promoting best practices, ensuring regulatory compliance, and maintaining a safe and practical work environment for employees operating in potentially hazardous conditions.

In this position, you will build strong relationships while coordinating essential safety programs that protect our employees, contractors, and the public. You’ll have the opportunity to enhance and evolve safety initiatives, collaborate across departments, and proactively identify and mitigate workplace hazards.

Key Areas of focus…

• Be a resource to the organization and contractors on safety programs and standards, and engage with employees to understand their jobs, the potential hazards, and build good relationships
• Regularly inspect the workplace, sites, and locations, to identify potential hazards and ensure compliance with safety programs and standards
• Support the development and implementation of safety programs and protocols to prevent accidents and injuries
• Collaborate with others to develop safety training programs
• Respond and investigate safety incidents during work hours and when on-call to help the organization understand the root causes and prevent recurrence
• Prepare, review, and present reports that communicate valid and comprehensive recommendations for hazard controls
• Providing safety-related data analysis and trends for leadership use and review as requested
• Attend and present at scheduled safety meetings, all employee meetings, and safety leadership team meetings
• Engage contractors to evaluate safety performance
• Maintain comprehensive knowledge of OSHA, NFPA, NEC, IEEE, ANSI, ASTM, and other applicable industry standards
• Participate in safety plan reviews to ensure hazards are identified and controlled
• Be current on applicable technological developments, laws, regulations, standards, and industry trends and best practices to control hazards and worker risks, including participation in safety professional associations and training

Who are you?

• The successful candidate will have experience in progressively responsible and transferable field experience as a safety professional working with construction and operation crews
• Must be knowledgeable in regulatory compliance of OSHA 29 CFR1910 and 1926, and other applicable industry standards
• A valid, unrestricted driver's license is required, as you will be traveling to multiple sites to perform your duties
• A bachelor’s degree in Occupational Safety & Health, Environmental and Occupational Health, or Safety Engineering with coursework in Ergonomics, Industrial Hygiene, and Industrial Engineering is preferred
• Associate Safety Professional (ASP), Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Occupational Hygiene and Safety Technician (OHST), Construction Health and Safety Technician (CHST), and Certified Utility Safety Professional (CUSP), are also preferred

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS/WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Exerts 20-50 lbs. of force occasionally, and/or 10-25 lbs. of force frequently, and/or up to 10 lbs. of force constantly to move objects. Physical Demand requirements are in excess of those for Light Work.
• Positions in this class typically require climbing, balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, reaching, standing, walking, pushing, pulling, lifting, grasping, talking, hearing, seeing and repetitive motions. Incumbents may be subjected to moving mechanical parts, vibrations, fumes, odors, dusts, gases, poor ventilation, chemicals, oils, extreme temperatures, workspace restrictions and intense noises.

Our Commitment to Our Employees…
Our people are the heart and soul of Colorado Springs Utilities.  They keep the lights on, gas flowing, water coming in, and wastewater leaving.  We don't just say people are important – we prove it!  That’s why we are honored to invest in protecting the health and financial security of our employees and their families through our rich benefits program.

Time Off to Recharge

• Vacation – Start with 13 days annually, increasing to 24 days with tenure
• Personal Leave –3 days per year
• Paid Holidays –12 paid holidays per year
• Sick Leave – 12 days per year for personal or family health needs
• Vacation Buy – Option to purchase up to 40 additional hours annually

Health & Wellness – Benefits elected are effective the first of the following month

• Medical Plans: Three comprehensive options, including a $0 premium High-Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) with Health Savings Account (HSA) eligibility
• Zero Health: Access to hundreds of medical services at no cost
• Dental & Vision: Two dental plans and one vision plan
• Family Building-Benefits: Support for fertility, preservation, adoption, and surrogacy
• Wellness Program: Earn up to $500 for healthcare expenses, $100 in Visa gift cards, and $400 in gym reimbursements
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA): Pre-tax contributions for healthcare and dependent care expenses
• Health Savings Account (HSA): Available with HDHP

Financial & Retirement Security

• Pension Plan: Colorado PERA provides retirement benefits and peace of mind
• Supplemental Retirement Plans: PERAPlus 401(k), MissionSquare Roth IRA, and 457 plans
• Disability Coverage: Short-Term and Long-Term Disability insurance available
• Life Insurance: Employer-paid coverage with optional supplemental plans
• Long-Term Care Insurance: Available for purchase to support extended care needs

Additional Support

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Confidential support for mental health, stress, legal, financial, and work-life balance
• Tuition Reimbursement: Up to $5,250  annually to support continued education
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness: As a qualifying employer, your student loan payments may be eligible for loan forgiveness