Director of Health and Safety

Lynn Rodens; Northwestern Ontario; On-site; CAD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading manufacturing firm in Northwestern Ontario is seeking an experienced Health and Safety Director. The role involves overseeing the health and safety management system, ensuring compliance with Ontario regulations, and fostering a proactive safety culture. Candidates should have a Bachelor's degree in a relevant field, a minimum of 10 years' experience in health and safety, and strong leadership skills. This position is essential for driving continuous improvement initiatives and enhancing overall mill performance related to employee safety.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of progressive experience in industrial health and safety.
• Proven experience leading safety programs in large sites with 300+ employees.
• Strong knowledge of Ontario safety legislation.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement health and safety strategy aligned with business objectives.
• Ensure compliance with OHSA and related regulations.
• Lead incident investigations and corrective action planning.
• Establish proactive safety programs including risk assessments.
• Analyze safety performance data and recommend improvement strategies.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Problem-solving

Safety program management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in occupational health and safety or related field

Certified Registered Safety Professional (CRSP)

Job description

The Health and Safety Director is responsible for leading the continuous improvement of health and safety management system at an integrated pulp and paper mill. This role ensures compliance with regulatory requirements under Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), while fostering a proactive safety culture that engages all levels of the workforce. The Director will drive continuous improvement initiatives to reduce risk, prevent injury, and enhance overall mill performance related to employee safety and well being.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement mill health and safety strategy aligned with business objectives and regulatory requirements.
• Ensure full compliance with OHSA, WSIB, Ministry of Labour regulations, and other applicable standards.
• Lead and support incident investigations, root cause analyses, and corrective action planning.
• Establish and maintain proactive safety programs including risk assessments, behaviour-based safety, and near miss reporting.
• Build and maintain a culture of safety ownership through leadership visibility, training, coaching, and employee engagement.
• Analyze safety performance data, identify trends, and recommend improvement strategies.
• Collaborate with operations, maintenance, HR, and environmental teams to integrate safety into all areas of the business.
• Prepare and present regular reports to senior leadership and external regulators as required.
• Lead the site’s Emergency Response and Preparedness planning and training.
• Develop and mentor a team of safety professionals to build internal capability and leadership.

Your Profile

• Bachelor’s degree in occupational health and safety, Engineering, or a related field.
• Certified Registered Safety Professional (CRSP) or equivalent designation preferred.
• Minimum 10 years of progressive experience in industrial health and safety, preferably in heavy manufacturing.
• Proven experience leading safety programs and culture transformation at a large site (300+ employees).
• Strong working knowledge of Ontario safety legislation and best practices.
• Experience with continuous improvement methodologies such as Lean, Six Sigma, or Kaizen in a safety context.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and influencing skills across all levels of the organization.
• High degree of initiative, problem-solving ability, and resilience under pressure.