OH&S Specialist

Main Purpose and Function

The Occupational Health and Safety Specialist is a safety professional who provides advice, support and analysis to the organization and helps business units establish risk controls and management processes that promote sustainable business practice. They work to reduce and eliminate fatalities, injuries (physical and psychological), occupational illnesses, and property damage.

In partnership with assigned business units, or working within a specific area of program expertise, the position is responsible for ensuring that staff are engaged in their OHS statutory and corporate obligations so that a culture of continuous improvement grows and at minimum, compliance at all levels of the organization are maintained. They lead in implementation and coordination of safety measures and review, promote continuous improvement and improve safety culture.

Deliverables include:

• providing advice, direction or recommendations on Regulatory or City Program compliance and improvements to directors, managers and supervisors
• writing, maintaining and implementing the safety management system and its associated programs
• leading and supporting safety system integration across business units, ensuring alignment, consistency, and effective implementation across programs and processes
• investigating multi-business unit safety concerns or incidents and providing reports and recommendations to managers
• managing and executing projects
• developing and delivering educational programs and materials as required
• conducting safety and health assessments and producing recommendations
• guiding and assisting with the operation of Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committees.

Key Contacts and Reporting Relationships

The position reports to a Safety Manager within Workplace Safety. This position requires interaction with a diverse group of people including, but not limited to, employees, managers, directors, supervisors, unions, WorkSafeBC, BC Municipal Safety Association, vendors and other internal or external stakeholders.

Specific Duties/Responsibilities

• Leads the implementation, integration, governance, and continuous improvement of the corporate Occupational Health & Safety (OH&S) management system across diverse operational environments, ensuring alignment with regulatory requirements and industry best practices.
• Establishes and maintains system frameworks, standards, and processes to ensure consistency, scalability, and effectiveness of the OH&S management system across the organization.
• Designs, implements, integrates, and continuously improves health and safety management systems, programs, and processes across multiple operational areas
• Conducts/facilitates comprehensive risk assessments to identify hazards, evaluate potential risks, and recommend appropriate preventative or corrective measures applying the hierarchy of controls.
• Conducts/facilitates safety audits and inspections of facilities, equipment, and processes to ensure compliance with safety standards and identify areas for improvement.
• Develops and implements audit and inspection protocols.
• Leads, oversees and/or participates in complex or serious incident investigations and monitor to ensure investigation processes are sound and corrective actions are completed.
• Leads the implementation and integration of corporate and departmental safety programs, ensuring consistent application across diverse operational environments.
• In partnership with Operations, leads OH&S regulatory and corporate program compliance.
• Integrates health and safety requirements into cross-functional operations, ensuring alignment across departments, projects, and service areas.
• Ensures alignment and integration of OH&S systems with organizational priorities, operational requirements, and regulatory frameworks.
• Provides expert guidance and support to management and staff on health and safety matters, including training, consultation, and resource allocation.
• Leads the design, standardization, and continuous improvement of core City safety programs, including first aid, safety education and training, incident investigation, and risk management, ensuring consistency, effectiveness, and alignment with organizational standards.
• Evaluates and drives continuous improvement of the safety management system using data analysis, performance metrics, and feedback mechanisms.
• Monitors and corrects performance, relating to OH&S, of management, supervisors and unionized staff liaising with the managers. This may include participation in progressive discipline.
• When deemed necessary, halts all work being performed until a safety issue is resolved.
• Manages any Refusals of Unsafe Work per the BC OH&S Regulation and corporate procedures.
• Assesses needs and provide safety related training, liaising with Operations.
• Assesses departmental safety budgets and makes recommendations on resource allocation and spend.
• Develops and recommends action plans relating to findings and corrective actions in inspections, audits, safety committee meetings, management meetings and investigations.
• Guides departments in coordinating and leading orientations for new or transferred staff and/or contractors and consultants, as needed, which meet City standards.
• Work with operations to identify the need for new Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). Facilitates SOP creation and reviews for compliance and effectiveness.
• Leads or supports emergency scene management for serious work-related incidents.
• Attends Safety Committee meetings as a health and safety subject matter expert working closely with representatives to ensure meetings occur, are documented as required and meet objectives.
• Identifies, assesses, and addresses OH&S issues as they are raised with management team, staff and safety committees.
• Disseminates OH&S information to management, supervisors and staff and staff: develop corporate Safety Talk materials as needed.
• Assesses needs and coordinates delivery of health programs such as hearing testing and vaccinations.
• Monitors collection of information and entry of safety investigations.
• Liaises with WSBC staff on inspections, incident investigations and consultation.
• Keeps Supervisor or Manager apprised of emerging issues and critical incidents.
• Other duties/responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications

Education and Experience:

• A University degree in Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) with five or more years of experience leading safety programs safety management system development, and operations team in OHS environment; or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
• Experience working in the public sector operations or a unionized environment.
• Possession of or working towards a professional certification in Occupational Health and Safety or Occupational Hygiene such as CRSP, CRST, ROH or ROHT. Equivalent certifications shall be considered.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Demonstrated experience in safety management system implementation, integration, and continuous improvement across diverse operational environments
• Considerable regulatory knowledge and demonstrated practical application of occupational health and safety policies, programs and processes in a unionized operations environment.
• Stay current with emerging trends, technologies, regulatory changes and industry standards in the field of occupational health and safety, and proactively adapt strategies accordingly.
• Demonstrated abilities of coaching, mentoring and performance management practices.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills including technical writing, facilitating meetings, giving presentations and the ability to influence and promote teamwork and build relationships with a broad range of stakeholders.
• Strong management and facilitation skills to plan and manage the health and safety programs and manage safety investigations.
• Strong computer skills in Microsoft Office applications such as Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint,
• Safety Data Management Systems, SAP, SharePoint, Power Automate and Power BI is considered an asset is considered an asset.
• Ability to manage change and assist people with adapting to change at all levels of the Organization.
• Ability to compile, draft and maintain correspondence, spreadsheets, reports, presentations and minutes.
• Ability to work well under pressure, handle multiple tasks and changing priorities with tight time frames.
• Ability to work collaboratively within a team environment.
• An aptitude to provide an outstanding experience for clients.
• Proven decision making and problem solving skills.
• Ability to perform functions of the position with minimal supervision.
• Strong multi-tasking, time-management, negotiation and communication (verbal and written) skills.
• Strong diplomacy skills with an ability to be flexible and also give and take direction well.
• Excellent documentation and time management skills.
• Strong computer literacy skills.
• Local area travel is a requirement.
• May be assigned to and /or rotated through various City operations and locations.
• May be required to work outside of regular business hours.
• Valid driver’s license (recognized in BC).

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Business Unit/Department: Chief Safety Officer (1090)