About the role
The Vice President of Safety leads the safety strategy, culture, and compliance program for Smart Care Solutions, a mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) contractor and service company in the food equipment service, refrigeration and HVAC industries. This role owns safety performance across new construction, service/maintenance, and field operations — protecting field technicians, tradespeople, subcontractors, and the public while minimizing organizational risk and liability. The VP of Safety serves as a senior member of the leadership team, setting policy, driving accountability at every level of the organization, and building a culture where safety is a shared value rather than a compliance checkbox.
Key Responsibilities
Strategy & Leadership
Develop and execute a company-wide safety strategy aligned with business goals, growth plans, and risk tolerance
Serve as the executive owner of the EHS management system across all divisions
Lead, and mentor a team of safety managers, field safety coordinators, and trainers
Advise executive leadership and ownership on safety risk, regulatory exposure, and incident trends
Represent the company with insurance carriers, regulators, clients, and industry associations
Compliance & Regulatory
Ensure compliance with OSHA (federal and state-plan), EPA, DOT, and other applicable regulations across all jurisdictions where the company operates
Maintain and update written safety programs (fall protection, lockout/tagout, confined space, electrical safety/NFPA 70E, trenching/excavation, hot work, respiratory protection, driver safety, etc.)
Own OSHA recordkeeping (300/300A/301 logs), reporting, and audit readiness
Manage relationships and responses during OSHA inspections, citations, and any regulatory investigations
Field Safety & Culture
Conduct and oversee jobsite audits, inspections, and hazard assessments across construction and service operations
Drive a proactive, positive safety culture — not fear-based compliance — through engagement, recognition, and visible leadership presence in the field
Standardize safety onboarding, toolbox talks, and ongoing training for union and non-union field staff, apprentices, and subcontractors to include drug testing, physicals, background checks and required training and work with Human Resources to ensure consistent and reliable onboarding.
Monitor driver safety policies and programs including vehicle cameras and telematics reporting
Oversee incident investigation, root cause analysis, and corrective action tracking for injuries, near-misses, and property damage
Partner with general managers, district managers, project managers and superintendents to integrate safety planning into pre-construction and scheduling
Risk, Metrics & Reporting
Track and report leading and lagging safety KPIs (TRIR, DART, EMR, near-miss ratios) to executive leadership and the board
Maintain safety incident reporting data base
Partner with Risk Management/Insurance on claims management, workers' compensation, and EMR reduction strategies
Support bid and prequalification processes by maintaining strong safety statistics and documentation
Manage the safety training and certification budget (OSHA 10/30, first aid/CPR, equipment certifications, etc.)
Manage field audits, safety staff and vendors
Program Development
Evaluate and implement safety technology (EHS software, wearables, telematics, digital inspections/JHAs)
Develop subcontractor safety prequalification and oversight standards
Lead emergency preparedness and crisis response planning for jobsites, tech locations, and facilities
Qualifications
Required:
Bachelor's degree in Occupational Safety, Construction Management, Engineering, or related field (equivalent experience considered in lieu of degree)
10+ years of progressive safety leadership experience in construction, with at least 5 years in a senior safety role
Deep working knowledge of MEP trades — mechanical, electrical, and/or plumbing hazards, means and methods
Strong knowledge of OSHA 1926 (Construction) and 1910 (General Industry) standards
Proven experience building or scaling a safety program across multiple crews, regions, or business units
Track record of reducing TRIR/EMR and improving safety culture measurably
Excellent communication skills across all levels — from field technicians to the executive suite and clients
Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Construction Health and Safety Technician (CHST), or Certified Utility Safety Administrator (CUSA)
OSHA 500/501 Authorized Trainer certification
Experience with union labor agreements and prevailing wage projects
Experience in both construction and service/maintenance environments
Familiarity with EHS software platforms (e.g., Procore, HammerTech, SafetyCulture/iAuditor, Intelex)
Physical & Work Requirements
Regular travel to active jobsites, including exposure to construction environments, heights, confined spaces, and mechanical/electrical equipment, and to customer locations where the company’s technicians are deployed
Ability to wear and properly use required PPE
Valid driver's license and ability to travel between sites/offices as needed
About Smart Care
Smart Care is a national repair and service provider for commercial foodservice, refrigeration, and cold storage equipment. Our offering of comprehensive mechanical services includes hot side cooking equipment, stand-alone refrigeration, specialty coffee and beverage, complex rack refrigeration and HVAC.
Smart Care is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other protected class status. All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply. If you need a reasonable accommodation with respect to Smart Care’s application or hiring process due to a disability, please contact the Human Resources department at .
Originally posted on Himalayas
