Health and Safety Specialist

Position: Health and Safety Specialist

Employment Type: Full-time, Permanent

Location: Hybrid (Remote/Home Office, Hamilton or Kitchener ARA office, and project sites throughout Ontario)

Schedule: Monday to Friday

Salary: $80,000-$87,000 per year

About Archaeological Research Associates Ltd.

Archaeological Research Associates Ltd. (ARA) is Ontario's oldest archaeological and heritage consulting firm. Our longevity flows from this abundant experience and our ongoing commitment to ethical practice. Over the past 54 years, ARA has completed over two thousand contracts for clients in the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors across Ontario. ARA has consistently been staffed with the best and brightest archaeologists and heritage specialists in Ontario.

We continue to strive towards bringing together passionate individuals who understand what a privilege it is to work with the heritage of any community. We want to create a team that can contribute to and thrive within our family, while embracing a meaningful career journey for themselves.

Mission:

ARA is an independent consulting firm dedicated to conserving the heritage of Ontario.

We help protect heritage. Archaeological and heritage consulting services are our main specialty. With over 50 years of experience, ARA is proud of our long history of successfully completed contracts. Our work has contributed to the enrichment of Ontario’s heritage through discovery, documentation, research, and presentation.

Our core values are:

• We will always be mindful that it is a tremendous privilege to work with the heritage of any community.
• We acknowledge Indigenous stewardship over their own cultural properties, the ongoing trauma of Colonialism, and the burden it imposes on us to de-colonize all aspects of our practice.
• We hold ourselves to the highest professional, ethical, and environmental standards in everything we do.
• We seek collaborative relationships with our colleagues, clients, and partners, based on integrity and respect.

Job Summary:

Intermediate professional with empirical experience of health and safety processes, to develop, implement and maintain workplace safety programs. The role will ensure compliance with the Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), WSIB and eventually maintain the Certificate of Recognition (COR) in addition to future requirements desired or required by ARA. The focus of the role is to eliminate hazards, prevent workplace injury and cultivate a proactive safety culture. The job requires excellent verbal and written communication skills for coordination with all levels of staff, and complete reporting requirements for clients. Must be highly organized for completion of operational tasks.

Responsibilities:

• Provide day-to-day health and safety support to field operations through site visits, inspections, observations, and employee engagement;
• Collaborate with Division Managers and Supervisors to develop project-specific health and safety plans, hazard assessments, and safe work procedures prior to project mobilization;
• Serve as a health and safety resource to management and employees while promoting a proactive and positive safety culture throughout the organization;
• Coordinate and deliver health and safety training programs, project-specific Health and Safety Plans, annual employee orientations, and ongoing safety communications;
• Maintain accurate health and safety records, training documentation, and regulatory compliance requirements;
• Anticipate, identify, and evaluate workplace hazards and recommend appropriate corrective and preventative measures;
• Lead or support incident reporting, investigations, root cause analysis, corrective actions, and follow-up activities;
• Support modified work and return-to-work programs in collaboration with Human Resources and WSIB;
• Develop, implement, maintain, and continuously improve Health and Safety management system, policies, procedures, manuals, and safe work practices;
• Track and analyze safety performance indicators, incident statistics, WSIB claims data, and other health and safety metrics, prepare reports and recommendations for management;
• Coordinate and maintain Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) activities, including meetings, documentation, recommendations, and legislative requirements;
• Coordinate client health and safety prequalification requirements, audits, and documentation submissions, including safety statistics, and compliance records;
• Coordinate and support the implementation, maintenance, and continual improvement of the Certificate of Recognition (COR) program;
• Monitor changes to occupational health and safety legislation, industry standards, and emerging trends, and recommend program enhancements as required.

Qualifications and Experience:

• 3-5+ years of progressively responsible Health & Safety experience;
• Post-secondary diploma or degree from an accredited college or university; education in Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) is considered an asset;
• Holding, or actively working towards, a CRST, CRSP, or NCSO designation is considered a strong asset;
• Working knowledge of Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act safety regulations;
• Experience conducting workplace inspections, incident investigations, risk assessments, and delivering safety training;
• Proactive mindset, strong problem-solving skills, good judgment, and the ability to learn quickly;
• Effective communication skills and the ability to build rapport with site teams;
• Excellent time management skills and organizational skills;
• Self-starter who sets priorities and drives deliverables to execution with minimal supervision and is able to anticipate and proactively respond to requirements based on prior experience;
• Valid driver’s license and clean abstract;
• Flexibility to work a variety of hours and travel to project locations as part of scheduled and emergency needs.

Salary:

The salary range for this position is $80,000 - $87,000 per year.

Starting salary will be based on qualifications, skills, and relevant experience.

What We Offer:

• Paid professional development opportunities (e.g., conferences, webinars, workshops)
• Professional designation, association, and membership reimbursements
• Health benefits
• Employer-matched pension program
• Paid sick and personal days
• Work Boot Allowance Program

Why Join ARA?

Join a growing team of archaeology and heritage professionals working on diverse and impactful projects across Ontario. ARA offers opportunities for professional development, career advancement, and collaboration with experienced industry leaders, all within a supportive and employee-focused workplace.

Please send your application or questions to: hiring@araheritage.ca

We thank all interested applicants, however, only those under consideration will be contacted.

ARA is an Equal Opportunity Employer:

At ARA we are committed to equality and diversity in our hiring process and workplace. Accommodations are available upon request for applicants with disabilities throughout the recruitment process. If you require accommodations, please contact HR at stephen.coseni@araheritage.ca or by calling (905) 903-3823.