Occupational Health

Home to seven regional programs and comprehensive health-care services, Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN, pronounced wren) is committed to meeting the current and emerging needs in Waterloo-Wellington and beyond.

WRHN is redefining the health-care experience through collaboration and innovation, addressing barriers to access, advancing care delivery, and setting new standards in compassionate, empowered community-driven health care.

At WRHN, every patient is at the centre of everything we do as we strive to improve lives, inspire healing, and build healthier, stronger communities. By listening to patients and partners, we strive to connect communities to the right care, at the right place, and at the right time.

Please Note: New employees must provide documentation/proof of COVID-19 vaccination status, a 2-step TB test, as well as proof of immunity to measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (chickenpox) prior to their start date at Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN). New Employees will require clearance from Employee Health, Safety and Wellness before they are able to begin any position within WRHN.

Position Vacancy : Occupational Health & Safety Position: Occupational Health & Safety Work Type: Full Time Location: WRHN @ Queen's Blvd (formerly St. Mary's General Hospital) Hours of Work: Monday – Friday, 37.5hours/ week, occasional weekend/stat holiday coverage as required

Position Summary :

The Safety Consultant is responsible for promoting safety awareness, identifying and mitigating potential risks, and providing input into the development and updating of Occupational Health and Safety policies and prevention programs.

Guided by the organizations health and safety management system, this position is responsible for planning, establishing, implementing, and maintaining a variety of safety programs to ensures that members of the organization has the knowledge, training and tools necessary to complete their jobs as safely as possible and comply with any relevant legislation.

The role of the Safety Consultant is to be the point of contact for employees in relation to safety issues. The Safety Consultant provides guidance and advice; education and training; develops and implements policies, procedures and guidelines; and conducts hazard identification, inspections and incident analysis.

This position plays a critical role in acting as an advocate for safety and demonstrating principles, practices and processes that will optimize a safe environment for all.

Responsibilities :

• Ensure organizations compliance with applicable Occupational Health and Safety regulations and legislation, and other legal requirements.
• Safety Consultant supports effective investigation of accidents and injuries to identify their causes and to determine how they might be prevented in the future.
• Analyzes injury and safety data, reports on key OHS indicators, and make recommendations to prevent future occurrences.
• Designs and implements workplace processes and procedures that help protect workers from potentially hazardous work conditions.
• Participates in the long-term accommodation process by creating/ maintaining PDA's (Physical Demands Analyses) and completing job fit analysis against worker restrictions.
• Observes work practices to support process improvement and needs assessment.
• Update and conduct risk assessments (e.g. violence prevention)
• Develops/updates Occupational Health and Safety Policies
• Develops and delivers training programs and provides advice to clients on OHS issues.
• Serves as a resource member on the Joint Health and Safety Committees and assists them in fulfilling their role as legislated by the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
• Serves as a liaison between the hospital and government agencies (e.g. Ministry of Labour)
• Monitors Occupational Health and Safety developments across the health care sector; identifies good practices and statutory changes, and analyzes and reports on impacts, opportunities and risks.
• Assists with the development of proposals, contracts, agreements and RFP's, as required.
• Evaluates and monitors health and safety hazards and develops strategies to control risks.

This role requires managing several competing priorities, demonstrating strong conflict resolution skills, and ensuring strict deadlines are met. Effective planning is crucial to achieving operational goals and meeting reporting deadlines. While the work is largely independent, the individual will have the support of the wider Safety Team.

Position Requirements:

• Completion of a university degree in Occupational Health and Safety, Ergonomics, science or related discipline from an accredited institution.
• 5-7 years of experience.
• Strong knowledge of provincial and federal regulations and legislation in health care environment and the occupational health and safety act.
• CRSP, CRST or CCPE certification would be an asset.
• Demonstrated expertise in safety and risk management practices in the healthcare sector.
• Experience in risk assessments, root cause analysis, education and related policy and procedure development to facilitate effective process changes.
• Effectively manage multiple projects and deliverables from start to finish, showing attention to detail.
• Excellent written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills.
• Exceptional presentation skills and the ability to present to and interact with large groups of people (in person and virtually).
• Exceptional organizational and planning skills, with an ability to prioritize tasks and effectively manage one's time in a fast-paced deadline driven environment.
• Effective ability to interact with others in ways that respect diverse backgrounds, experience, and styles.

Application Instructions:

EMPLOYEES OF LEGACY GRAND RIVER HOSPITAL ARE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT THEIR APPLICATION ELECTRONICALLY USING EMPATH.

Where required, as per the collective agreement, the internal recruitment process will be completed prior to the consideration of external applications.

WRHN is committed to fair and equitable employment and in our recruitment and selection practices. We strongly believe in inclusion and diversity within our organization, and welcome all applicants including, but not limited to racialized communities, all religions and ethnicities, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ2S+ persons, Indigenous people, and all others who may contribute to the further diversification of our Hospital community. We are committed to providing and fostering a respectful workplace for all employees, free from violence and harassment.

Accommodations are available during all stages of the recruitment process in accordance with the Human Rights Code. WRHN is committed to complying with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) to provide an inclusive, barrier free workplace. We will accommodate the accessibility needs of individuals with disabilities to support participation in all aspects of the recruitment process. Should you require this accommodation, please contact Human Resources.

If you are seeking employment on a temporary work or study permit we recommend reviewing work permit restrictions as it applies to healthcare organizations in Canada. Individuals holding a work or study permit seeking employment in the healthcare sector may be required to complete additional steps in the process. This may also apply to current employees seeking renewal of their work permits. It is the accountability of the applicant and/or employee to ensure they are adhering to their specific work permit restrictions.

We would like to thank all candidates in advance for their interest and only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. Due to the volume of applications, we receive, we are unable to confirm the receipt of individual applications or resumes.