Distribution Center EHS Coordinator

Be part of a growing, successful company in an exciting and challenging field. Border States is 100% employee-owned, which means you’re empowered to make decisions, find solutions, and receive rewards for your hard work. This position will be located in Fargo, ND.

About the Role

The DC EHS Coordinator supports the safety culture of the UMDC by assisting with incident investigations, training delivery, routine inspections, and day-to-day coaching on the floor. This is a collaborative role: the Coordinator does not own incident resolution alone but works alongside Operations leadership and the safety committee to identify root causes, remove barriers, and reinforce best practices. The DC EHS Coordinator will assist with ongoing administrative and program-support functions associated with day-to-day EHS coordination.

Responsibilities

Essential Functions

• Participates in lean process improvement initiatives and ergonomics assessments.
• Recommends workstation or workflow changes that reduce risk or physical strain.
• Participates in the initial investigation of safety incidents alongside Operations.
• Helps determine root cause as part of a committee, alongside action items to remove barriers.
• Supports established EHS programs, policies, and procedures.
• Helps communicate resulting change actions to affected teams.
• Assists with CPR certification and recertification.
• Assists with Emergency Response protocol training.
• Maintains safety records and documentation.
• May participate in the preliminary review or approval process for re-granting equipment permissions to associates who lost access due to a safety violation.
• Conducts standard PPE inspections at a set cadence, checking placement and sufficiency.
• Recommends changes to PPE type, storage, or availability based on inspection findings.
• Provides informal, supportive coaching when associates are observed not following best practices.
• Helps build recognition programs, such as Safe Day announcements, that reinforce positive safety behavior.
• Supports safety committee initiatives and employee-owner engagement efforts.
• Coordinates required safety training and recordkeeping.
• Reviews trends and helps identify opportunities for improvement.
• Participates in ergonomic, equipment, and process safety reviews.

Non-essential Functions

• Works closely with warehouse management and human resources to ensure safety policies are effectively communicated and adhered to.
• Collaborates with operations teams to ensure that equipment, processes, and work areas are designed with safety in mind.
• Assists with compliance audits and ensures all necessary documentation is up-to-date and readily available for inspections.
• Supports other departments in maintaining a safe and healthy work environment across the distribution center.
• Performs other duties as assigned by supervisor or designate.

Requirements

• High school diploma required; Bachelor’s degree in environmental health and safety, occupational safety, or a related field preferred.
• 1 to 3 years of experience in a warehouse, manufacturing, or distribution safety role.
• CPR/First Aid certification, or willingness to obtain.
• Lean/Six Sigma, OSHA, and PIT (Powered Industrial Truck) certification preferred.
• Comfortable working cross-functionally with Operations leadership and safety committees.
• Strong communication skills for both coaching conversations and formal reporting.
• Ability to read, write, and speak in English required.
• Prefer strong working knowledge of PC for Windows, Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, and PowerPoint), internet, email, and SAP software.

Skills

• Ability to work independently and drive safety initiatives across the organization.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to provide training and effectively communicate safety protocols.
• Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication, and reading skills.

Physical Requirements

Lifting

Frequency at which you would carry/lift in a typical day:

• Occasionally (0 – 33%): 26 to 50 lbs., 10 to 25 lbs. (from floor)
• Frequently (34 – 66%): less than 10 lbs., 10 to 25 lbs. (from floor)
• Continuously (67 – 100%): N/A

Lift from Waist:

• Less than 10 lbs. - Frequently
• 10 to 25 lbs. - Occasionally
• 26 to 50 lbs. - Occasionally
• 51 to 75 lbs. - Not at all
• 75 to 100 lbs. - Not at all
• 100+ lbs. - Not at all

Lift from Floor:

• Less than 10 lbs. - Frequently
• 10 to 25 lbs. - Frequently
• 26 to 50 lbs. - Occasionally
• 51 to 75 lbs. - Not at all
• 75 to 100 lbs. - Not at all
• 100+ lbs. - Not at all

Carried for Distance:

• Less than 10 lbs. - Not at all
• 10 to 25 lbs. - Not at all
• 26 to 50 lbs. - Not at all
• 51 to 75 lbs. - Not at all
• 75 to 100 lbs. - Not at all
• 100+ lbs. - Not at all

Physical Activity

Frequency at which you would do the following in a typical day:

• Sitting (a continuous period of being seated) - Occasionally
• Standing (for sustained periods of time) - Frequently
• Walking (moving about on foot to accomplish tasks) - Frequently
• Bending/stooping (downward and forward) - Occasionally
• Crawling (moving about on hands and knees or hands and feet) - Occasionally
• Climbing/Walking Stairs (ascending or descending) - Occasionally
• Reaching (extending arms in any direction) - Occasionally
• Crouching/squatting (bending the body downward and forward by bending leg and spine) - Occasionally
• Kneeling (bending legs at knee to come to rest on knee(s)) - Occasionally
• Balancing (maintaining body equilibrium to prevent falling) - Occasionally
• Repetitive motion (substantial movement of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers) - Occasionally
• Pivoting (movement in any direction with one foot, keeping the other in contact with the floor) - Occasionally
• Pushing/Pulling (using upper extremities to press against or draw or tug) - Occasionally
• Grasping (applying pressure to an object with the fingers and palm) - Occasionally
• Fingering (picking, pinching, typing; working with primarily fingers and not whole hand) - Continuously
• Talking (expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word) - Frequently
• Driving (the control and operation of a motor vehicle) - Occasionally
• Desk work (work usually performed at a desk) - Frequently
• Use of a computer - Frequently
• Use of a telephone - Frequently
• Hearing (perceiving the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels) - Continuously
• Exposure (to adverse weather & temperature conditions) - Occasionally
• Travel (travel needed to perform job duties) - Not at all

Benefits

• Health, Dental, and Vision Benefits
• Accident, Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity
• FSA & HSA
• Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)
• Disability Benefits
• 401(k) Retirement Plan
• Life Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Paid Holidays
• Paid Volunteer Time
• Personal Leave time
• Bonuses upon the achievement of branch and company goals