Health Safety Specialist

About the Role

The Amir Group of Companies (Amir Quality Meats; Sierra Custom Foods; Amir Specialty Poultry) is one of Canada’s largest, and most trusted, independent processors and distributors of zabiha halal meats. Muslim-owned and proudly certified and endorsed by the Dr. Imam Hamid Slimi of the Syeda Khadija Centre and Manna Halal Monitoring and Certification Agency, we only produce high-quality halal food that we would bring home to our own families.

The Role: We are looking for a detail-oriented and proactive Health & Safety Specialist to join our team at our Amir Specialty Poultry (ASP) facility in Arthur, Ontario. Reporting to the Plant Manager (with a dotted line to the Director of HR), you will be responsible for developing, implementing, and maintaining the plant’s occupational health and safety programs in compliance with the Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), WSIB requirements, and internal company standards. You will work closely with the Food Safety and Quality Assurance (FSQA) team to ensure that health and safety practices align with, and support, the plant’s CFIA-regulated food safety environment. This is a critical role in protecting employee wellbeing and maintaining a safe, compliant, and productive federally registered facility.

Key Responsibilities:

Health & Safety Program Management

• Develop, implement, and maintain the plant’s occupational health and safety program, policies, and procedures in accordance with OHSA and applicable regulations.
• Conduct and maintain risk assessments, job hazard analyses, and standard operating procedures for equipment, machinery, and processes across the plant.
• Maintain and update the plant’s Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) program, including meeting schedules, minutes, and workplace inspections.

Incident Management & Regulatory Compliance

• Lead investigations of workplace accidents, injuries, and near-misses, identifying root causes and implementing corrective and preventive actions.
• Prepare and submit required documentation to the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD) and WSIB, including incident reports and claims management.
• Act as the primary point of contact for Ministry of Labour inspectors and other regulatory bodies during workplace inspections and audits.

Training & Employee Engagement

• Deliver health and safety orientation and ongoing training to new hires, employees, and supervisors, including WHMIS, lockout/tagout, working at heights, forklift safety, and PPE use.
• Maintain accurate training records and certifications for all plant personnel, ensuring compliance with legislated and company requirements.
• Promote a strong safety culture on the plant floor through toolbox talks, safety campaigns, and employee engagement initiatives.

Monitoring, Auditing & Continuous Improvement

• Conduct regular workplace inspections, safety audits, and equipment checks, identifying hazards and tracking corrective actions to completion.
• Maintain and analyze health and safety metrics (e.g., incident rates, near misses, corrective action status) and report trends to management.
• Support the coordination of contractor and visitor safety orientations, ensuring compliance with plant safety requirements while operating within a CFIA-regulated environment.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Collaborate closely with the FSQA team to ensure health and safety programs are aligned with food safety, sanitation, and CFIA regulatory requirements.
• Work with Production, Maintenance, and Human Resources to resolve safety-related concerns and support a safe working environment.
• Support and liaise with other Amir Group divisions as required on an occasional basis.
• Perform other duties as assigned by management.

Qualifications

• Post-secondary education in Occupational Health & Safety, or a related field, or equivalent industry experience.
• Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP) designation, or working toward certification, is considered an asset.
• 5-7 years of experience in a health and safety role, ideally within a federally registered (CFIA) meat, poultry, or food manufacturing facility.
• Working knowledge of the Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), WSIB processes, and applicable food manufacturing safety standards.
• Experience leading incident investigations, preparing regulatory documentation, and liaising with Ministry of Labour representatives.
• Strong attention to detail, organizational skills, and the ability to manage documentation in a fast-paced production environment.
• Effective communication and training skills, with the ability to influence safety culture across all levels of the organization.
• Comfortable working in a cold, wet, and physically active plant environment as required.

What We Offer

• Competitive base salary with performance-based incentives.
• Comprehensive benefits package including extended health, dental, vision, and life insurance.
• Paid vacation and sick leave.