Occupational Health and Safety Specialist

Classification & Regular Hours

Hours per Week: 35

Salary Grade: 14

About Western

Since 1878, Western University has been committed to serving our communities through the pursuit of academic excellence and by providing students, faculty, and community members with life-long opportunities for intellectual, social, and cultural growth. We seek excellent students, faculty, and staff to join us in what has become known as the "Western Experience" - an opportunity to contribute to a better world through the development of new knowledge, new abilities, new connections, and new ways to make a difference.

About Us

Health, Safety and Employee Well-being adds value by developing proactive human resource strategies and delivering exemplary employment related services. As a team of innovative professionals we encourage a productive and respectful work and learning environment through collaboration, partnership and technology.

Responsibilities

The Occupational Health and Safety Specialist supports the identification, assessment and control of workplace health and safety hazards across Western University, a large research-intensive institution with more than 14,000 workers. Working as part of a multidisciplinary team of health and safety professionals, the Specialist applies their professional knowledge to complete occupational hygiene and safety assessments, support incident investigations, administer selected personal protective equipment processes. The Specialist contributes to Western’s safety system management by identifying and updating hazard and control information, monitoring and ensuring compliance with the Health, Safety and Well-being Risk Management Framework across campus, supporting risk mitigation actions and continuous improvement across academic, research, laboratory, facilities and administrative work environments. By staying informed of evolving occupational health and safety legislation, regulations and industry best practices, the Specialist helps ensure Western meets its regulatory obligations while contributing to a proactive culture of safety and well-being across campus.

Qualifications

Education:

• Undergraduate Degree in Science, Engineering, Environmental Science or a related discipline
• Occupational Health and Safety Diploma
• Completed or working toward a Canadian Registered Safety Professional designation

Experience:

• Experience in laboratory safety, environmental monitoring or other Occupational Health and Safety related experience (including work-integrated learning opportunities)
• Experience collecting, organizing and interpreting scientific or technical information and preparing written reports
• Experience participating in safety management processes, completing audits and inspections and leading training, safety committees and working groups

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Knowledge of the Occupational Health & Safety Act and Regulations, Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, Environmental Protection Act, Public Health Agency of Canada guidelines and other relevant legislation and regulations
• Familiarity with hazards and associated risks in a research-intensive environment
• Ability to apply scientific and critical thinking to observations, measurements and workplace information
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to accurate, timely and defensible documentation
• Ability to communicate technical information clearly to individuals with varied backgrounds and levels of expertise
• Professional judgment to recognize the limits of personal knowledge, seek guidance and escalate risk promptly
• Ability to conduct respectful interviews, gather facts objectively and maintain confidentiality
• Collaborative approach and ability to build effective working relationships across a large, complex organization
• Ability to organize multiple assignments, manage follow-up actions and adapt to changing priorities
• Comfort working in varied environments and using required personal protective equipment
• Curiosity, initiative and a demonstrated commitment to continuous learning and professional development
• Commitment to equity, accessibility, respect and service excellence

Western Values Diversity

The University invites applications from all qualified individuals. Western is committed to employment equity and diversity in the workplace and welcomes applications from women, members of racialized groups/visible minorities, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, persons of any sexual orientation, and persons of any gender identity or gender expression.

Accommodations are available for applicants with disabilities throughout the recruitment process. If you require accommodations for interviews or other meetings, please contact Human Resources or phone 519-661-2194.

Please Note:

This position is an existing vacancy. This position is fully in-person, on-site. We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those chosen for an interview will be contacted.