HSSE Manager

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 Certification
• Confined 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.