Occupational Health and Safety Advisor

**JR101015**

**Occupational Health and Safety Advisor**

**Location**:Toronto-661 University

**Department**: Employee, Biological Safety

**The Role**:
To provide a range of training, guidance and support to Public Health Ontario (PHO) staff in the delivery of PHO’s Laboratory Occupational Health and Safety Management System at all PHO Laboratory sites.

**Key Responsibilities-**
- Works collaboratively with managers and supervisors in the promotion of workplace specific health and safety through information, interpretation, advice and facilitation of training sessions including initial orientation to managers and staff regarding Containment Levels 2 and 3 (CL2 & CL3) biosafety, Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS), Transportation of Dangerous Goods, changes to the Occupational Health and Safety legislation, fire safety, and Effluent Decontamination System (EDS).
- Establishes safety assurance, audit and inspection process for the PHO’s Laboratory and maintains the accident /incident reporting system for PHO’s Laboratory.
- Maintains current health and safety information through liaison and consultation with national biosafety networks, regulatory bodies, ministries and other relevant organizations as well as internal facility resources.
- Develops and revises all safety program manuals, applicable processes and procedures in accordance with appropriate legislation/policies/guidelines on an annual basis.
- Works collaboratively with managers and supervisors to ensure current safety data sheets (SDS) and pathogen safety data sheets (PSDS) file for all controlled products; maintaining inventories of all chemicals and biological materials at PHO Toronto sites.
- Ensures all biological safety cabinets are certified annually and fume hoods are certified semi-annually according to recognized standards.
- Prepares, reviews reports and contracts for containment devices, CL3 preventative maintenance programs, hazardous waste, first aid and Automated External Defibrillator (AED).
- Maintains PHO’s Laboratory Hazardous Waste Program Registry with RPRA and coordinates disposal of unwanted chemicals according to prescribed procedures.
- Supports PHO’s Laboratory HPTA registration, coordinates and disseminates Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) import permits, CL2 compliance and CL3 certification. Ensures compliance with Canadian Biosafety and Biosecurity Standard and Guidelines (CBSG).
- Conducts on site audits of individual PHO’s Laboratory safety management system to ensure that programs are effective. Provides written audit reports to managers and supervisors and where required provides guidance on implementation of mitigation strategies.
- Participates in the Accreditation Canada (AC) Diagnostics Laboratory Audit process and provides guidance and support to managers in preparation for, during and at the conclusion of the third party audit processes.
- Supports the Safety Risk Assessment Process and collaborates with laboratory departments, sites and microbiologists in the development and review of safety risk assessments.
- Supports the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) submission and case management process when consulted and collaborates with the Occupational Health Nurse Advisor.
- Provides the incident data from the safety incident reporting system to the Occupational Health Nurse Advisor and safety team for reporting and consults and collaborates on quarterly reports regarding accidents and incident patterns and follow-up, with recommendations for corrective action within scope.
- Provides support to all Regional PHO Laboratory sites regarding laboratory safety practices, hazardous waste disposal, transportation of dangerous goods and safety related issues.

**Knowledge and Skills-**
- Demonstrated knowledge of current theory, principles and practices of medical microbiology and a broad range of laboratory diagnostic methods.
- Demonstrated knowledge of pertinent legislation (including provincial and federal) and new developments in relation to equipment, materials and processes in the field of biosafety, occupational health and safety in a laboratory environment.
- Knowledge of PHO Laboratory programs, standards, policies, applicable legislation, and current issues affecting PHO Laboratory programs.
- Knowledge of relevant legislation, including national guidelines, waste management, human pathogens, building/fire codes in order to provide direction, advice and consultation to management on safety issues.
- Knowledge of adult education/training techniques in order to develop and conduct training sessions and prepare training materials.

**Education and Experience-**
- Undergraduate degree within a related health, service or laboratory discipline;
- Minimum five (5) years’ experience working in a directly related field (e.g. microbiology principles and practices); or an equivalent combination of education and experience satisfactory to PHO.
- Certified Bio-safety