Job Title: Construction Safety Specialist – Data Center Projects

Job Description

This role provides on-site environmental, health, and safety (EHS) leadership for a large data center construction project in Itasca, IL. You will serve as a designated safety specialist, ensuring full compliance with project, site-specific, and client safety requirements while spending most of your time in the field with crews. You will lead safety audits, documentation, incident response, and trade partner engagement, helping to foster a proactive, safety-first culture on a high-profile construction project.

Responsibilities

• Implement and uphold the project’s safety guidelines, site-specific safety plan, and all client-specific safety requirements.
• Coordinate with the regional safety lead to ensure appropriate safety signage and personal protective equipment (PPE) are available and properly used.
• Confirm that all personnel scheduled to work on-site have completed the required safety orientation training before beginning work.
• Gather and organize safety documentation from subcontractors and trade partners, including Job Hazard Analyses (JHAs), Safety Data Sheets (SDS), High-Risk Activity Plans, Heat Illness Prevention Plans (when applicable), and training certifications such as site-specific safety training and equipment operator cards.
• Conduct at least one safety audit per day using the designated digital platform, including annotated photos and clear, actionable findings.
• Share audit findings and recommended corrective actions with the project team to ensure visibility, accountability, and timely resolution of safety issues.
• Submit a minimum of two Safety Observation Reports (SORs) per week to document observations, positive behaviors, and opportunities for improvement.
• Spend approximately 60–70% of your time in the field engaging with crews, observing work practices, and monitoring compliance with safety standards.
• Attend and actively contribute to daily huddles, coordination meetings, foremen’s meetings, and preconstruction meetings to integrate safety into planning and execution.
• Lead or support weekly all-hands safety meetings, including preparing materials, delivering presentations, and tracking attendance.
• Spot-check safety documentation during site visits to verify accuracy, completeness, and compliance.
• Review and track Daily Action Plans (DAPs), High-Risk Activity Plans, hot work permits and checklists, safety orientation records, and project-specific safety documentation such as SDS and confined space plans.
• Immediately notify the project team and regional safety lead of any incidents, injuries, or near-miss events.
• Assist in incident investigations, contribute to root cause analysis, and review incident reports prior to submission to ensure clarity and accuracy.
• Ensure a clear and practical “Lessons Learned” summary is created for each incident or near miss and communicated to relevant stakeholders.
• Conduct site-specific safety orientations for all trade partners and ensure they understand project expectations and procedures.
• Maintain regular communication with subcontractor safety representatives to align on expectations, address concerns, and support continuous improvement.
• Participate in or lead planning meetings for high-risk activities such as crane operations, confined space entry, and work at height requiring fall protection.
• Work collaboratively alongside another safety professional as part of the project’s EHS team.
• Maintain clear, frequent, and professional communication with the project team, safety leadership, and trade partners.
• Respond promptly to field inquiries and proactively address safety concerns as they arise.
• Ask questions when clarification is needed and share observations, recommendations, and improvement ideas openly and constructively.
• Align your schedule with jobsite hours, typically starting at 5:00 or 6:00 AM, and remain on-site during all active construction hours.
• Stay flexible to accommodate extended hours when project needs require additional on-site support.
• Support accurate headcount and EHS staffing alignment by collaborating with the general contractor and subcontractors to ensure adequate EHS coverage based on workforce size and project risk.

Essential Skills

• 2–5 years of experience in construction safety, with a strong focus on field-based EHS support.
• Minimum of 2 years of experience specifically in the construction industry while serving as a designated EHS representative.
• Demonstrated experience acting as a safety specialist on data center or commercial