Occupational Health and Safety Officer

Permanent Full-Time Excluded Position

Emily Carr University of Art + Design is a school of students, faculty, thinkers and makers unlike any other. Established in 1925, we are the only specialized, accredited, public, post-secondary university in British Columbia solely devoted to education and research in the creative sector and its associated knowledge economy. We merge research, critical theory and studio practice in an interdisciplinary environment, strengthening our work by the integration of our personal and professional practices. Our strategy, facilities, partnerships and resources are intentionally student-centred to foster dialogue, expression and open connections in support of the next generation of creative and cultural leaders.

The Occupational Health and Safety Officer plays a vital role in ensuring health and safety within the university including all its shops, studios, and media production areas. Serving as a resource to the university community, the Officer works closely with Facilities and the General Manager, P3 Facilities on a variety of safety related initiatives. The officer supports compliance with safety programs aligned with Federal & Provincial Acts and Regulations (such as WHMIS, TDG, WorkSafeBC requirements and BC Fire Code) through assisting in the development and implementation of safety training, safe work procedures, consultation, and inspection programs. The Officer supports the delivery of fire warden training, assists with OH&S inspection process, and facilitates community presentations on emergency readiness, safety, and material use/selection relevant to an art and design environment.

Benefits of Joining the Emily Carr community:

• Enrollment in a comprehensive benefits package, including Dental Coverage, Extended Health, Disability Coverage and Life Insurance.
• Membership in the College Pension Plan.
• Competitive vacation and Professional Development benefits.

As the successful applicant, you should possess:

• Two (2) year diploma in Occupational Health and Safety from an accredited post-secondary institution.
• Minimum two years experience in a comparable health and safety position in a public sector environment, preferably in post-secondary institution.
• Or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• CRSP designation or working towards CRSP, CRST is preferred.
• Considerable practical experience with health and safety legislation and a breadth of equipment, materials, techniques, processes, and protocols related to the university’s curricular areas.
• Experience researching and contextualizing complex health and safety concerns within legislation in support of university curriculum.
• Demonstrated experience developing training and instruction. 
• Considerable experience in coordinating safety programs, prior experience working in an art & design school and unionized environment is an asset 
• Proficiency in Office 365 applications, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and SharePoint, with the ability to generate reports, create comparative charts, design educational posters, and effectively utilize collaboration tools such as Teams and OneDrive.
• Possess sound judgement and analytical thinking to inform decision making while adhering to policies and guidelines.
• Ability to independently manage multiple projects and manage timelines.
• Ability to clearly communicate information to non-technical users in support of an open inclusive learning environment.
• Ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with students, staff, and faculty. 
• Strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to perform light to moderate lifting and work at heights, which may involve working from ladders or elevated surfaces.
• Demonstrated commitment to justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, and reconciliation.

Typical Duties include:

1. Provides guidance and advice to all University areas to ensure compliance with Occupational Health & Safety regulatory requirements, University policy and emergency preparedness.
2. Coordinate and contribute to Occupational Health and Safety programs which includes, but is not limited to incident/accident investigations and prevention; risk assessments; inspections; training; workplace hazard identification; safe work procedures; psychological safety, and workplace violence prevention.
3. Under the direction of General Manager, P3 Facilities and Manager, Safety, Security + Emergency Management, develops and maintains University inspection program to ensure that routine inspections are being completed, and inspectors have been adequately trained. Monitors follow-up and tracking and implementation of resolutions.
4. Supports the development of written safe work procedures for the University and ensures that policies and procedures are followed.
5. Develops and, coordinates training related to operational safety and emergency preparedness and safe art and design practices in conjunction with General Manager, P3 Facilities and Manager, Safety, Security + Emergency Management.
6. Provides operational guidance to University Staff on safety inquiries and helps develop appropriate resources and supports through research and collaborative problem solving.
7. Serves on the Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee in support capacity.
8. Coordinates volunteer floor warden program; recruits and supports floor wardens through: training, evacuation/emergency drills and follow-up, emergency kit provisioning, maintaining contact lists.
9. Supports accident investigation procedures by assisting in accident/incident investigations to determine the root causes and recommend corrective actions, completing comprehensive incident reports, submitting necessary documentation, collaborating with involved parties and team members on prevention planning for future operations.
10. Under the guidance of General Manager, P3 Facilities and Manager, Safety, Security + Emergency Management, develops Technical Services safety training protocols and facilitates Technical Services safety training.
11. Works with University supervisors to ensure compliance with Workers Compensation Act and Occupational Health and Safety regulations regarding incident investigations are being completed and submitted in a timely manner. Performs follow-up audits of submitted incident reports to ensure proper root causes and corrective actions have been made and implemented.
12. Remains current on Occupational Health and Safety legislation and emerging issues/trends in Occupational Health and Safety Management.
13. Supports various departments across the university on new safety initiatives and processes as required (e.g. incident/accident reporting and investigations, hierarchy of controls, occupational health and safety programs, best practices on general health and safety, response to emergencies).
14. Conducts risk assessments as needed and collaborates with the General Manager, P3 Facilities, and the Manager, Safety, Security + Emergency Management to develop recommendations for procedural and physical modifications to mitigate risks.
15. Assists with the implementation of university-wide Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems.
16. Manages safety inspections process of campus worksites in conjunction with OH&S committee to ensure safe work practices and conditions are met while conforming to applicable regulations and procedures. Reports recommendations and/or corrective actions to management.
17. Develop and maintain a University Respirator Protection Program and other PPE management.
18. Develop and maintain a university database of approved materials and approval process to ensure all materials used on campus are being used safely. This includes identifying materials that should be prohibited on campus.
19. Develops and maintains an Occupational Hygiene program to, identify, monitor, evaluate, and recommend control measures for common chemical and physical hazards in the workplace.
20. Assists with emergency preparedness/response and fire safety planning as a Member of Emergency Management Committee.
21. Assist with the development and implementation of employee wellness and prevention initiatives, ergonomic assessments, risk assessments and action plans.
22. Fosters a culture of Justice, Equity, and Inclusion (JEDI) by remaining current in JEDI trends that impact their field of work and make recommendations to the Director, Technical Services for improvements in support of the ECU Community and the strategic goals of the University.
23. Performs other related duties as directed to support the implementation of safety, health, and wellness objectives.

To apply for this job, please visit https://ecuad.peopleadmin.ca.  Posting open until filled. Application review will begin 31 March 2025.

Emily Carr University especially invites those who have demonstrated a commitment to upholding the values of equity, diversity, and inclusion and will assist us to expand our capacity for diversity in the broadest sense. In addition, to correct the conditions of disadvantage in employment in Canada, we encourage applications from members of groups that have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized. These include women, persons with diverse gender expressions and identities, persons of all sexual orientations, racialized persons, persons with disabilities, and First Nations, Metis, Inuit and Indigenous persons. All qualified people are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents of Canada will be given priority. While we thank all candidates for their interest, only those short-listed will be contacted.