Director of Safety

Duties & Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership & Vision
• Develop and lead Wheeler Machinery’s enterprise safety strategy aligned with company goals and operational priorities
• Establish safety as a core leadership competency across all levels of the organization
• Serve as the senior safety leader, driving accountability across all levels of the organization
• Establish clear safety vision, goals, and targets aligned with PSQDC metrics
• Ensure compliance with all regulatory requirements (OSHA, DOT, environmental, etc.)
• Shift the organization toward leading indicators, predictive analytics, and proactive risk mitigation
• Partner with leadership to integrate safety into business planning and performance expectations
• Manage relationships with regulatory agencies, auditors, and external partners
• Innovation & Continuous Improvement
• Partner directly with the Continuous Improvement team to embed safety into:
• Daily management Systems (tiered accountability, daily huddles, visual boards)
• Standard work and SOP development
• Kaizen events and improvement projects
• Apply Lean methodologies (root cause analysis, waste elimination, error-proofing) to reduce incidents and near misses
• Identify, evaluate, and implement innovative safety technologies, tools, and methodologies relevant to the high-risk environments associated with a CAT dealership
• Leverage data and analytics to anticipate risk, improve decision-making, and prioritize interventions
• Benchmark against Caterpillar dealer network, industry leaders, and regulatory trends to continuously elevate standards
• Foster a culture of learning, experimentation, and continuous improvement in safety practices
• Standardization & Governance
• Develop, implement, and sustain standardized safety policies, procedures, and programs across all branches and job sites
• Ensure consistency in safety expectations while allowing for operational realities in diverse environments (shops, field service, parts, transportation)
• Establish standardized policies, procedures, and audit processes
• Lead enterprise-wide safety compliance efforts, ensuring adherence to OSHA, DOT, MSHA (as applicable), and other regulatory requirements
• Implement and manage safety systems, tools, and reporting platforms
• Partner with HR (VP of People) on policies, training, and employee relations matters tied to safety
• Operational Execution & Process Excellence
• Own and drive safety performance as the “S” within PSQDC across all business units
• Develop and maintain safety dashboards, KPIs, and reporting cadences that drive action and accountability
• Establish leading and lagging indicators (e.g., TRIR, near misses, observations, audits)
• Standardize visual management and reporting of safety metrics across the organization
• Lead regular reviews (daily, weekly, monthly) of safety performance integrated into DMS routines
• Earnestly embed safety into daily workflows, maintenance practices, and field operations
• Lead incident prevention strategies, investigations, and root cause analysis to eliminate recurrence
• Design and improve processes that reduce exposure to risk at the source
• Risk Management & Incident Reduction
• Lead proactive hazard identification, risk assessments, and job safety analyses
• Implement systems to reduce high-risk exposures and serious injury/fatality (SIF) potential
• Oversee incident investigations using structured root cause methodologies
• Ensure corrective actions are standardized, sustainable, and scalable across locations
• Financial Oversight
• Develop and manage the annual safety budget, ensuring alignment with strategic priorities and operational needs across all locations
• Build business cases for safety investments, including technology, training, and staffing, clearly articulating ROI, risk reduction, and cost avoidance
• Track and analyze the financial impact of safety performance, including workers’ compensation, insurance premiums, claims trends, and indirect costs (downtime, turnover, productivity loss)
• Culture, Engagement & Training
• Drive a culture where safety is a core value reflected in daily behaviors and decision-making
• Design and implement comprehensive safety training programs tailored to certain technicians, drivers, warehouse team, and leaders
• Promote active reporting of near misses, hazards, and improvement opportunities
• Drive engagement through safety observations, accountability routines, and recognition programs
• Team Leadership & Capability Building
• Build, lead, and develop a high-performing safety team
• Define clear roles, expectations, and performance standards for safety personnel and leaders
• Elevate safety capability across the organization through coaching, training, and leadership development
• Ensure sustainability of safety programs through strong talent and succession planning
• Work closely with Operations, Service, Sales, Parts, and Facilities teams to embed safety into daily work

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Safety, Occupational Health, Industrial Hygiene, or related field (or equivalent experience)
• 8–12+ years of progressive safety leadership experience in heavy equipment, construction, manufacturing, or similar high-risk environments
• Deep knowledge of OSHA, DOT, and relevant regulatory standards
• Demonstrated ability to partner with operations leaders to embed standardized safety processes into daily routines
• Proven ability to lead cultural transformation and influence at all levels of an organization
• Experience implementing safety management systems and data-driven safety programs
• Strong leadership, communication, and change management skills