Safety Specialist

St. Joseph's Health System; Hamilton; On-site; CAD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

St. Joseph's Health System is seeking a Safety Specialist to provide expert occupational health and safety guidance across all SJHH sites.

You will support compliance, program implementation, incident investigations, and hazard assessment while driving a culture of safety and continuous improvement. The role requires 3–5 years of healthcare OH&S experience, knowledge of OH&S Act, and strong communication skills to collaborate with leaders, staff, and committees.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in Occupational Health & Safety, Occupational Hygiene, Environmental Health, Health Sciences, Public Health, or related discipline (Master's preferred).
• 3–5 years of occupational health and safety experience in healthcare or complex public-sector environments.
• CRSP, CIH, ROH, or equivalent designation, or eligibility/in-progress status.

Responsibilities

• Support the implementation and continuous improvement of SJHH's Occupational Health & Safety Program.
• Provide consultation regarding legislation, standards, and best practices.
• Develop, review, and revise health and safety policies, procedures, and programs.
• Support inspections, investigations, and compliance activities.
• Complete legislated reporting requirements including critical injury and Section 52 reporting.
• Investigate and update corrective actions on workplace injuries, illnesses, and incidents.
• Conduct workplace inspections, hazard assessments, and root cause analyses.
• Review incident reports and support corrective action planning.
• Monitor and follow up on corrective actions to ensure risk mitigation.
• Coordinate hygiene monitoring and exposure assessments.
• Provide PPE guidance and exposure prevention strategies.
• Act as a resource to Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committees.

Skills

OH&S expertise

Incident investigations

Risk assessments

Training delivery

Interpersonal communication

Report writing

Education

Undergraduate degree in OH&S or related field

Master's degree (asset)

CRSP/CIH/ROH or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Office

Incident management systems

Job description

Reporting to the Manager, Occupational Health, Safety & Wellness Services, the Safety Specialist provides occupational health and safety expertise and operational support across all SJHH sites. The role is responsible for supporting regulatory compliance, workplace safety programs, incident investigations, occupational hygiene initiatives, workplace violence prevention, hazard identification, risk assessments, and employee safety education.

The Safety Specialist acts as a trusted resource to leaders, staff, physicians, Joint Health and Safety Committees (JHSCs), and external regulatory bodies, helping to foster a safe and healthy work environment while supporting SJHH's commitment to employee well-being, safety culture, and continuous improvement.

What You'll Be Doing

• Support the implementation and continuous improvement of SJHH's Occupational Health & Safety Program.
• Provide consultation regarding occupational health and safety legislation, standards, and best practices.
• Develop, review, and revise health and safety policies, procedures, and programs.
• Support Ministry of Labour inspections, investigations, and compliance activities.
• Complete legislated reporting requirements, including critical injury and Section 52 reporting.
• Investigate and update corrective actions on workplace injuries, occupational illnesses, workplace violence incidents, hazardous exposures, and near misses.
• Conduct workplace inspections, hazard assessments, and root cause analyses.
• Review healthcare worker incident reports and support corrective action planning.
• Monitor and follow up on corrective actions to ensure effective risk mitigation.
• Coordinate occupational hygiene monitoring and assessments.
• Provide guidance regarding PPE and exposure prevention strategies.
• Act as a resource to Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committees.
• Participate on organizational committees including JOHSCs, Radiation Safety, Infection Prevention & Control, Emergency Measures, and Redevelopment Committees.
• Build collaborative relationships with leaders, staff, physicians, union representatives, and external stakeholders.
• Deliver employee orientation and occupational health and safety training.
• Facilitate Supervisor Health & Safety Competency, Incident Investigation, Hazard Assessment, and Code Brown training.
• Provide consultation on redevelopment, construction, and renovation projects.

What You Bring

Education

• Undergraduate degree in Occupational Health & Safety, Occupational Hygiene, Environmental Health, Health Sciences, Public Health, or a related discipline.
• Master's degree in a related field is considered an asset.

Experience

• 3-5 years of occupational health and safety experience in healthcare or another complex public-sector environment.

Professional Credentials

• CRSP, CIH, ROH, or equivalent designation, or eligibility/in-progress status.
• Membership in relevant professional associations is considered an asset

Knowledge & Skills

• Advanced knowledge of the Occupational Health & Safety Act and related regulations.
• Experience conducting investigations, workplace inspections, and risk assessments.
• Knowledge of workplace violence prevention and occupational hygiene principles.
• Strong analytical, report-writing, facilitation, and presentation skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to influence and collaborate across all levels of the organization.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and incident management systems