Safety Manager

Job Title: Construction Safety Manager - Data Center Projects

Job Description

This role oversees and drives safety performance on a large data center construction project, ensuring full compliance with project, site-specific, and client safety requirements. You will spend most of your time in the field, partnering closely with project teams and trade partners to promote a strong safety-first culture, conduct audits and observations, manage safety documentation, and support incident response and continuous improvement efforts.

Responsibilities

• Implement and enforce the project's safety guidelines, site-specific safety plan, and any client-specific safety requirements.
• Coordinate with the regional safety lead to ensure all required safety signage and personal protective equipment are available and properly used.
• Confirm that all personnel scheduled to work on-site have completed the required safety orientation training before starting 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 detailed notes.
• Share audit findings and corrective actions with the project team to ensure visibility, accountability, and timely resolution of issues.
• Submit a minimum of two Safety Observation Reports (SORs) per week to document positive behaviors and improvement opportunities.
• Spend approximately 60-70% of time in the field engaging with crews, observing work activities, and monitoring safety practices.
• 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 content, and tracking attendance.
• Spot-check safety documentation during site visits and verify completeness and accuracy.
• 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, help identify root causes, and review incident reports prior to submission.
• Ensure a clear and actionable "Lessons Learned" summary is created for each incident or near miss and shared with the project team.
• Conduct site-specific safety orientations for all trade partners and ensure they understand project expectations and procedures.
• Maintain regular communication with subcontractor safety representatives and support them in implementing project safety requirements.
• Participate in or lead planning meetings for high-risk activities, including crane operations, confined space entry, and work requiring fall protection.
• Work collaboratively alongside another safety professional as part of the project 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 and emerging risks.
• Ask questions when clarification is needed and openly share observations, ideas, and suggestions to improve safety performance.
• Align personal schedule with jobsite hours and remain on-site during active construction, coordinating any early departures with the team.
• Support alignment of EHS staffing with project headcount and risk, and collaborate with supervisors and subcontractors to ensure appropriate EHS coverage as site headcount increases.

Essential Skills

• Minimum 5 years of experience in construction safety, with at least 3 years of management or leadership experience in safety roles.
• Must be professionally certified in safety (for example CSP, ASP, CHST or equivalent) with at least 2 years of experience in construction safety.
• Must hold a current OSHA 30-hour certificate or higher and have at least 2 years of experience in the construction industry.
• Experience supporting data center construction projects is strongly preferred; experience in commercial building construction will also be considered.
• Demonstrated experience acting as a designated EHS representative or safety specialist on data center or commercial building projects.
• Strong background in construction safety, site safety, and EHS practices within commercial or data center environments.
• Proven ability to conduct field safety audits, safety observations, and documentation reviews using digital platforms.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to engage effectively at all levels of a project team and with trade partners.
• Reliable, proactive, and able to support and align with demanding project schedules, including early start times.
• Must be punctual, dependable, and able to accommodate project schedules that may start at 5:00 or 6:00 AM.
• Ability to work 40-50 hours per week and remain on-site while active construction is ongoing.
• Ability to pass a background check and drug/alcohol test as required for site access.
• Must hold CSP or CHST certification (or equivalent recognized safety certification).
• Must have experience in construction safety; candidates whose experience is exclusively in oil and gas environments will not be considered.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience supporting high-profile or complex data center projects, including coordination with multiple trade partners and stakeholders.
• Familiarity with Job Hazard Analyses (JHAs), Safety Data Sheets (SDS), High-Risk Activity Plans, Heat Illness Prevention Plans, and confined space plans.
• Experience managing and tracking Daily Action Plans (DAPs), hot work permits, safety orientation records, and other project-specific safety documentation.
• Comfort working with digital tools and platforms for safety audits, reporting, and documentation management.
• Strong facilitation skills for leading safety meetings, orientations, and training sessions.
• Ability to clearly articulate safety expectations and corrective actions to field crews and subcontractors.
• Experience working on projects that require non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) is a plus.
• Professional safety designations such as GSP, CSP, ASP, CHST, or similar are highly valued.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate with another safety professional and integrate into a larger EHS team structure.
• Proven track record of proactive problem-solving and continuous improvement in safety programs.

Work Environment

This position is based full-time on a data center construction site in Itasca, IL. You will be on-site every day, with approximately 70% of your time spent in the field and 30% in an on-site office environment. Work hours align with jobsite operations and typically begin at 5:00 or 6:00 AM. You are expected to remain on-site during all active construction hours and to be flexible to support extended hours if project needs require it, generally working between 40 and 50 hours per week. The environment is fast-paced and highly collaborative, with a strong emphasis on safety, innovation, and quality. You will work closely with general contractor teams, trade partners, and other EHS professionals, supporting a safety-first culture on a complex, high-profile project. Appropriate construction-site attire and personal protective equipment are required at all times in the field, and the role involves regular interaction with crews, participation in meetings, and continuous engagement in both field and office settings.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Chicago, IL.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $60.00 - $75.00/hr.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:

• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan - Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Chicago,IL.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Jun 9, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 30,000 consultants and more than 4,500 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.