About Ontario Shipyards
Ontario Shipyards is a leading provider of ship repair and construction solutions, recognized for innovation, quality craftsmanship, and an unwavering commitment to safety, security, and environmental stewardship. We deliver high-performance marine projects while fostering a safe and sustainable workplace.
Position Summary
Ontario Shipyards is seeking an experienced and field-focused Health, Safety, Security, and Environmental (HSSE) Manager to lead and continuously improve HSSE performance at the Port Weller location. The HSSE Manager is responsible for the day-to-day execution of enterprise HSSE programs within a shipyard environment that is primarily regulated under Ontario’s Construction Projects Regulation (O. Reg. 213 / 91).
This role is pivotal in strengthening safety culture, enforcing critical controls and zero-tolerance rules, ensuring regulatory compliance, and supporting supervisors and workers while holding firm on non-negotiable HSSE expectations. The HSSE Manager acts as the site-level execution lead in support of the Director, HSSE, enabling alignment across all Ontario Shipyards locations.
Key Responsibilities
1. HSSE Program Leadership & Compliance Management
- Lead the implementation and continuous improvement of all health, safety, security, environmental, occupational health, and emergency response programs at Port Weller.
- Maintain strong working knowledge of applicable legislation, including the Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act, Construction Projects Regulation (O. Reg. 213 / 91), designated substances regulations, and environmental requirements.
- Apply construction-regulation requirements to shipyard, vessel, dock, and building activities.
- Support supervisors in understanding and fulfilling their legal duties.
- Administer and enforce permit-to-work systems, including lockout / tagout, hot work, confined space entry, and other high-risk activities.
- Exercise stop-work authority where regulatory requirements or critical controls are not met.
2. Incident Management, Emergency Response & Risk Reduction
Lead site-level investigations for safety incidents, occupational health exposures, environmental releases, security incidents, and emergency response activations.Ensure investigations focus on system and control failures, with practical corrective actions implemented.Manage and enhance emergency response preparedness, including medical response, fire response, confined space rescue, spill response, and security incidents.Plan and conduct emergency drills reflective of real vessel layouts and yard conditions.Monitor incident trends and proactively address emerging risks.3. Occupational Health & Designated Substances
Lead the identification, assessment, and control of occupational health hazards, including lead, asbestos, silica, isocyanates, noise, and vibration.Ensure compliance with designated substances requirements and coordination of exposure monitoring and medical surveillance.Ensure supervisors and workers understand long-term health risks and required controls.4. Environmental Protection & Security Management
Ensure compliance with environmental legislation, permits, and company standards.Lead spill prevention, preparedness, and response activities.Oversee hazardous waste handling and protection of waterways.Oversee site-level security controls including access control, visitor management, and response to security incidents.5. WSIB Claims & Return-to-Work Coordination
Manage WSIB claims and case files at the Port Weller site.Lead early and safe return-to-work activities in collaboration with supervisors and medical providers.Provide recommendations based on injury trends and occupational health findings.6. Training, Supervisor Support & Culture Building
Develop and deliver HSSE training programs including orientation, refresher, and high-risk task training.Coach supervisors to lead safety effectively while holding them accountable for unsafe tolerance.Maintain strong field presence to reinforce critical controls and safe behaviours.Lead the Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) and ensure effective follow-through.Qualifications and Requirements
Education
Diploma or degree in Occupational Health & Safety, Environmental Science, Industrial Hygiene, or a related field / equivalent experience.Certifications
First Aid & CPR CertificationConfined Space Entry and Rescue (asset)Certified Registered Safety Professional (CRSP) or equivalent (preferred)Hazardous Materials Handling Certification (asset)Experience
Minimum 5–7 years of progressive HSSE experience within an industrial, shipyard, construction, or heavy manufacturing environment, including 2+ years in a leadership or management capacity.Proven track record of managing WSIB claims and leading successful return-to-work programs.Strong background in regulatory compliance, risk management, incident investigation, and audit processes.Skills
Excellent leadership, interpersonal, and influencing skills.Analytical and detail-oriented with strong investigative and problem-solving abilities.Skilled in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and incident management software.Able to work effectively under pressure, prioritize multiple tasks, and deliver results within deadlines.