Director of Safety

Overview

The Director of Safety leads Ferrellgas’s enterprise-wide safety strategy, building and executing best-in-class safety and training programs that protect employees, customers, and the communities we serve. This role leads a team of safety professionals, partners with operations and other business units to embed a strong safety culture and uses data to drive continuous improvement in safety performance. The Director ensures compliance with OSHA, DOT, PHMSA, NFPA 58, and other federal, state, local, and industry-specific regulations across a multi-site, field-based operation.

Why You’ll Love Working Here

At Ferrellgas, we’re committed to supporting our team with benefits that promote health, financial security, and personal growth:

• Comprehensive Health Coverage: Medical, dental, vision, accident, and critical illness insurance
• Income Protection: Company-provided short-term and long-term disability, life insurance, and AD&D
• Financial Wellness: 401(k) with company match, Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), Flexible Spending Account (FSA), and Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Time Off & Family Support: Paid Time Off (PTO), parental leave, and tuition reimbursement
• Wellness & Assistance Programs: Wellness program, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and Medicare support
• Employee Perks: Referral program, employee discount programs, and propane savings

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a comprehensive safety strategy aligned with Ferrellgas’s business objectives and industry best practices.
• Design, implement, and continuously improve best-in-class safety policies, training, and programs, benchmarking against industry leaders.
• Serve as the company’s safety subject matter expert and advisor to executive leadership.
• Lead, coach, and develop a team of safety professionals across regions, holding the team accountable for results.
• Recruit and retain a high-performing safety organization, and allocate resources and budget to the highest-risk areas.
• Champion a proactive, people-first safety culture where every employee owns safety.
• Partner with operations, fleet, HR, legal, and risk management to integrate safety into daily operations and decision-making.
• Influence leaders at all levels to gain buy-in for safety initiatives and drive accountability.
• Establish safety KPIs and leading and lagging indicators to measure performance and identify trends.
• Use incident data, audit findings, and root cause analysis to make strategic decisions and execute changes to policies.
• Report safety performance and recommendations to executive leadership.
• Ensure compliance with OSHA, DOT/FMCSA, PHMSA, EPA, NFPA, and applicable state and local regulations.
• Oversee a company-wide audit and inspection program, tracking findings to closure.
• Partner with risk management to reduce workers’ compensation and auto liability claims and costs.
• Oversee safety training, including new-hire orientation, job-specific, hazmat, driver, and leadership safety training.
• Evaluate training, policies, and program effectiveness and adjust based on performance data and emerging risks.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree
• 8+ years of progressive safety experience, including 5+ years leading safety teams in a multi-site environment.
• Proven experience leading, coaching, and developing high-performing teams, including hiring top talent, setting clear expectations, managing performance, and building future leaders.
• Proven track record of building and executing safety programs that measurably reduced incidents and improved safety culture.
• Deep working knowledge of OSHA regulations; experience with DOT/FMCSA, hazardous materials, and fleet safety strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to influence and partner with senior leaders and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Strong analytical skills, with experience using safety data and metrics to drive strategic decisions.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including presenting to executive audiences.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to prioritize, delegate, and manage multiple initiatives.
• Ability to work independently and lead with minimal oversight.
• Professional certification such as CSP, ASP, CHST, or CIH preferred.
• Experience in propane, energy, utilities, transportation, or other high-hazard industries preferred.
• Experience with safety management systems (e.g., ISO 45001) and EHS software platforms preferred.
• Must be a U.S. citizen, national, permanent resident, or otherwise authorized to work in the United States
• Applicants must not require visa sponsorship now or in the future

Why Ferrellgas?

At Ferrellgas we’re honored to be part of tight-knit communities across America and thousands of customers’ lives. From our nationwide charitable partnerships with Operation Warm and Operation BBQ Relief to fundraisers for local schools, fire departments, veteran organizations and more, we are always looking for ways to give back to the communities we live in and serve.

Hear from our current employees and discover the people behind Ferrellgas: Employee Testimonials               

Ready to take the next step in your career? Apply today and be part of our growing team!