Health & Safety Specialist (Temporary, 12 Months)

About Our Organization

When you join the City of Guelph, you join a team of 2000 full and part-time employees who deliver services the community relies on every day. Together, we are bringing to life Guelph’s vision of an inclusive, connected, and prosperous city where we look after each other and our environment.

As a regional top employer, the City of Guelph values its employees and offers competitive salaries, excellent benefit packages, opportunities for professional development, a healthy work-life balance, and many roles with flexible work options. Our corporate values are integrity, service, inclusion, wellness, and learning. Guelph is consistently ranked as one of the best places in Canada to live, work, and play—all good reasons to consider a career in this beautiful city.

Job Summary

Resumes are being accepted for the temporary position of Health and Safety Specialist within the Human Resources department. Reporting to the Manager – Employee Health, Safety and Wellness, the successful candidate will provide technical expertise with a focus on developing and implementing corporate health and safety programs. Guided by the goals and objectives of the City of Guelph Corporate Strategic Plan and committed to the Corporate Values of integrity, service, inclusion, wellness and learning, the candidate will aid in the achievement of the Community Vision for an inclusive, connected, prosperous city.

Your role

• Liaises with regulatory or government officials to ensure all related supporting documentation is accurate and regulatory response deadlines are met
• Develops and recommends proactive strategies and cost-effective alternatives to deal with emerging health and safety trends
• Solicits, coordinates, and consolidates staff and peer input on legislative and regulation changes
• Assist with the management of short- and long-term disability and worker’s compensation claims from the onset of disability, ensuring appropriate supporting documentation is maintained through the full cycle of the claim relating to claim adjudication decisions, medical information, physical and cognitive abilities, position requirements and early and safe return to work
• Performs other duties as assigned
• Develops, administers, and reports on safety audits to promote legislative compliance and due diligence
• Assists in the development and delivery of related management, technical, and administrative training
• Assists with maintenance of tracking system, and development of standard operating procedures
• Monitors, reviews, interprets, and summarizes legislative requirements regarding health and safety/compliance; recommends and develops strategies and solutions and assists with implementing resulting infrastructure and operational changes and upgrades
• Develops and updates orientation packages and requirements for contractors working on site, temporary staff, and alternate site uses i.e., research/tours
• Consolidates, analyzes, and summarizes health and safety/compliance data for management, operations, inspections, and reports; produces required presentations and reports
• Maintains and updates all health and safety related documentation including SDS
• Assists with the completion of Job Safety Analysis (JSA) and updates, identifies training gaps, and works with the Human Resources department to reconcile with corporate training scheduling and records
• Monitors all health and safety policies and procedures to assist supervisors in ensuring staff compliance
• Participates on departmental Joint Health and Safety Committees as a resource
• Coordinates health and safety/compliance training and records management with site employees and Human Resources to ensure that all records are maintained, current, and readily accessible
• Works with established team of Health and Safety Specialists to assist in the development and implementation of corporate health, safety programs, policies, and strategies to assure the fostering of a healthy workplace, strong safety culture and ongoing compliance with applicable employee health and safety legislation/directives and guidelines
• Investigates and determines contributing factors for all accidents and/or incidents, including workplace violence, and recommends prevention or corrective strategies to reduce the likelihood of recurrence
• Implements and coordinates departmental specific programs related to health and safety and/or compliance

Qualifications

• Must possess a valid ‘G” drivers licence with a good driving record. Successful candidates will be required to provide a current driver’s abstract prior to their start date to confirm their licence is held in good standing and that it has not been suspended or revoked under the Highway Traffic Act (HTA) or Criminal Code of Canada in the last 5 years. The City of Guelph will take into consideration the number of demerit points and/or nature of the infractions to determine if it meets our requirements.
• Considerable experience related to the duties listed above, normally acquired through post-secondary education in Occupational Health and Safety, Compliance or a related discipline and considerable experience in safety/compliance program development, implementation, and maintenance in a municipal, industrial, or manufacturing environment. Candidates with an equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered.
• Excellent facilitation skills to conduct training and workshops
• Excellent customer service skills with the ability to resolve inquiries/complaints in an effective manner
• Excellent communications skills (both oral and written) with the ability to influence and communicate with all levels of staff, stakeholders, and the public
• Ability to analyze and investigate problems, identify alternatives, and make recommendations in order to implement procedures and policies
• Advanced skills in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel and PowerPoint)
• Thorough practical knowledge and experience with Ontario’s Occupational Health & Safety Act, Workplace Safety and Insurance Act and other related regulations
• Analytical and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple assignments to meet deadlines in a very demanding service focused environment
• The Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP), Certified Health & Safety Consultant (CHSC) designation or ability to apply for such would be considered an asset
• A team player with excellent conflict resolution and leadership skills

In keeping with our corporate value of Wellness, T he City of Guelph recognizes the many benefits of hybrid work arrangements including flexibility and better work-life balance for our employees. Where the work permits, employees will have the ability to participate in our Hybrid Work and our Flexible Time programs . Please note, this position is eligible for Hybrid and Flexible work arrangements (subject to change).

Rate

$43.47- $54.34 per hour

How To Apply

Qualified applicants are invited to apply using our online application system by Sunday, July 16, 2023. Please note all applicants must complete the online questionnaire specific to this position at the time they submit their resume and cover letter in order to be considered. Proof of qualifications will be requested at the interview stage.

The City of Guelph is an equal opportunity employer that values diversity in the workplace. We are therefore happy to accommodate any individual needs in keeping with the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. If you require an accommodation in order to participate in the hiring process, please contact us to make your needs known in advance.

Personal information collected through the recruitment process will be used solely to determine eligibility for employment. We thank all candidates in advance; however, only those being considered for an interview will be contacted.