What a health and safety coordinator does
Health and safety coordinators put a company's safety program into practice. They run workplace inspections, coordinate training, investigate incidents and near misses, maintain safety records, support the joint health and safety committee and manage WSIB claims and return-to-work plans. In Ontario, employers have duties under the Occupational Health and Safety Act and its regulations, and a capable coordinator helps you meet them while building good habits on the floor. When safety slips, the costs show up as injuries, lost time, orders and higher premiums.
The role changes with the setting. A coordinator in a manufacturing plant focuses on machine guarding, lockout and forklift traffic, while one on a construction project deals with fall protection, trenching and subcontractor compliance. Finch asks about the hazards a candidate has managed, the training they can deliver themselves and how they have worked with supervisors who resist change. You receive a shortlist of coordinators who know your type of workplace and can earn respect from the people they are there to protect.
Typical responsibilities
- Conduct workplace inspections and track hazards and corrective actions
- Investigate incidents and near misses and report findings to management
- Coordinate safety orientation and training, including WHMIS, lockout and working at heights
- Support the joint health and safety committee with meetings, minutes and recommendations
- Manage WSIB claims, modified work and return-to-work plans
- Maintain safety procedures, documentation and training records
Qualifications and credentials
- A college certificate or diploma in occupational health and safety, or equivalent experience; no licence is required, and employers typically look for this training
- Working knowledge of the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the regulations for your sector, such as industrial establishments or construction projects
- JHSC certification (Part One and Part Two), which many employers ask for
- WHMIS knowledge and the ability to deliver training
- The Canadian Registered Safety Technician (CRST) designation from the BCRSP, which some employers value
Who hires a health and safety coordinator
- Manufacturing and food processing plants
- Construction contractors and builders
- Warehousing and distribution centres
- Municipalities and property management companies
- Hospitals and long-term care homes
Where we recruit health and safety coordinator candidates
We fill health and safety coordinator roles for employers across Toronto and the GTA, including North York, Scarborough, Etobicoke, Vaughan, Markham, Richmond Hill, Mississauga, Brampton, Oakville, Burlington, Oshawa and Pickering, and for employers across Canada. GTA employers can meet us at our North York office by appointment.
What Finch checks before you meet a candidate
- Ask which sector regulations they have applied, such as industrial or construction
- Confirm JHSC certification and other safety training with certificates
- Review incident investigations they have led and how corrective actions were tracked
- Discuss their experience with WSIB claims and return to work
- Check references from operations or plant managers
Interview questions to ask
- Walk me through your last incident investigation, from the first report to the corrective action.
- A supervisor keeps skipping lockout steps to save time. How do you handle it?
- How do you make safety training stick with workers who have heard it all before?