Environmental Health and Safety Specialist (EHS)

Readerlink Distribution Services is seeking an Environmental Health and Safety Specialist (EHS) at its Oak Brook, IL headquarters. The role involves supporting the EHS Management Program for warehouse operations, ensuring compliance with US regulations, and promoting an EHS culture. Responsibilities include overseeing EHS activities, conducting risk assessments, managing incident reporting, and collaborating with site representatives. A Bachelor’s degree and 2-3 years of EHS experience are required.
ReaderLink. We Link. Publishers. Books. Retailers. Customers.

We are North America’s largest book distributor with over 70,000 customer store locations. We move over 325,000,000 books per year and work with over 700 retailers and 500 publishers. If you want to end every day knowing that you helped deliver a book into the hands of readers across America, let’s talk. We are currently recruiting for an Environmental Health & Safety Specialist (EHS) position at our Oak Brook, Illinois corporate headquarters.

The Environmental Health & Safety Specialist is responsible for providing technical support for Readerlink’s Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) Management Program for United States warehouse/distribution operations including planning, implementing and supporting compliance with all US Regulations (including Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)). The individual must be a self-starter, provide visible EHS leadership to site personnel, and positively promote an EHS Culture with leadership, salaried, and hourly workforce. This position reports to the EHS Director within the Human Resources Department.

What You Will Be Doing:
• Oversee all aspects of the Company's EHS and activities and ensure that they are implemented consistently across the company.
• Assist in the development, implementation, facilitation, and assurance auditing of EHS Programs, including policies, procedures, and training aimed at reducing incident rates, enhancing communication, and ensuring Regulatory compliance.
• Support federal/state/municipal environmental and H&S reporting.
• Collaborate with Site representatives to conduct hazard risk assessments, job hazard analyses, PPE assessments, permit maintenance and compliance, hazard reporting, and data collection.
• Partner with Site representatives to support incident management and investigations at facilities, including root-cause determination and corrective actions to ensure issues are identified and addressed.
• Manage EHS electronic data system for incident reporting and recordkeeping, tracking of inspections, and training.
• Support metrics tracking, trending, analysis, and reporting.
• Lead and/or participate in cross-functional teams to represent EHS objectives related to the subject matter and meet the team’s overall objectives and deliverables.
• Up to 10-15% travel to US locations to conduct various activities, including assurance audits, data collection, site walkthroughs, permit compliance, and major incident management.
• Regular, reliable attendance is required.
• Other duties may be assigned, directed, or requested.

What You Will Need:
• Bachelor’s Degree in EHS, Risk Management, Industrial Hygiene, Safety,
• Bachelor’s degree (BS or BA) in environmental/health sciences, safety, public health, chemistry, engineering, or other related field.
• 2 – 3 years of proven experience as an EHS Specialist or similar, preferably in warehouse/distribution operations.
• Working knowledge of EHS-related US Regulations, including OSHA, EPA, and DOT.
• Experience in incident reporting and investigation.
• Experience in the development and execution of EHS Program documentation and training.
• Excellent communication and advisory skills
• Ability to manage and organize multiple priorities.
• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality.
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to build and maintain positive relationships with a client service orientation.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, SharePoint, PowerPoint) and other Internet-based reporting tools.
• ASP (Associate Safety Professional) or NEBOSH National General Certificate or equivalent, or working towards an Occupational Safety qualification is preferred.
• Must have excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Ability to speak with all levels of the organization.
• Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals in English.
• Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.
• Bilingual in Spanish is preferred.
• Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form.
• Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.
• Must be able to sit for 5 hours per day.
• Will frequently have repetitive hand/arm movements for simple reaching and/or typing.
• Specific vision ability required by this job includes close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.
• Regularly required to stand; use hands and fingers, and handle or feel objects.
• Must be able to repetitively reach up and out.
• Must be able to push, pull, or lift up to 25 pounds repeatedly.
• The work performed is in an office and warehouse distribution environment.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
• Must be able to work in a fast-paced team environment.

Hourly Rate Range: $24.52 - $31.25

ReaderLink is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin,age, protected veteran status, or disability status. EOE/Minorities/Female/Disabled/Veteran.

ReaderLink is committed to recruiting, hiring and promoting people with disabilities and veterans. If you need an accommodation to assist with completing the electronic application, please email your request to info@readerlink.com, or call: (708) 356-3737.