Health and Safety Professional

NOC #21120, #31301, #32102

  • Environment Primarily outdoor work
  • Education Post-secondary degree
  • Average salary $67,000 to $135,000

Career profile

Health and safety professionals review, evaluate and analyze work environments. They design programs and procedures to control, eliminate and prevent disease or injury caused by chemical, physical and biological agents or ergonomic factors. They have expertise in applicable regulations, codes and industry best practices. They may conduct inspections and enforce adherence to laws and regulations governing the health and safety of individuals.

There is a broad variety of health and safety roles that support the energy industry’s commitment to the well-being of people and the environment.

Specializations include:

  • Emergency response planners design and implement emergency response plans, training and exercises. A key aspect of this role is to continually improve the company’s ability to prepare for, respond to, and recover from an emergency event.
  • Health, safety and environment (HSE) advisors/coordinators are responsible for the day-to-day implementation of the company’s HSE strategy. They conduct inspections, implement controls on industry projects, recommend procedures and provide training.
  • Occupational health nurses design and implement programs to improve the health and well-being of workers. They conduct pre-placement, fitness-to-work, medical surveillance assessments and provide disability case management. Occupational health nurses assess, treat, follow up and refer employees for medical aid and care relating to non-occupational and occupational illness or injuries. They also provide routine health services and first aid to staff and respond to emergency situations such as workplace accidents.
  • Medics provide on-site emergency medical services within energy sector’s industrial and operational environments, tending to both urgent and non-urgent medical needs.
  • Occupational health and safety (OH&S) officers conduct workplace inspections and investigations to detect unsafe or unhealthy working conditions and ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
  • Process safety engineers develop safety strategies, programs, processes and plans to ensure safe working conditions within company facilities.
Exploration and production, Oil and gas services, Oil sands, Offshore, Pipelines, CCUS, Emissions reduction, Well site decommissioning, Engineering, design and procurement, Contracted and turnaround maintenance, Modular fabrication, Construction, Start-up and commissioning, Geothermal, Solar, Wind

When you start in this occupation activities may include:

  • Analyzing HSE procedures and programs
  • Providing initial care for sick and injured patients and basic life support to trauma patients
  • Advocating for participation in occupational health and safety programs
  • Recommending HSE procedures and programs
  • Maintaining corporate, business unit or department emergency response plans

As you advance in this occupation, you may take on additional tasks including:

  • Ensuring that safety training courses are developed, reviewed and delivered to the workforce on a particular site, in a timely and efficient manner
  • Participating in design reviews, hazard assessment reviews, incident investigations and audits
  • Providing guidance to others to ensure that all regulatory standards, company policies and procedures are adhered to
  • Providing consultation in the development of emergency response processes

Education

Educational requirements for health and safety professionals vary:

  • Emergency response planners typically require a petroleum engineering degree (or equivalent technical diploma or certificate), previous experience in the oil and gas industry, and training in emergency response management
  • HSE Advisors and OH&S Officers typically require a post-secondary degree, as well as knowledge of operational processes and the related risks, legislation and standards.
  • Occupational health nurses typically require a Bachelor of Nursing degree with additional training and certification for occupational nursing.
  • Medics typically require a license as an Emergency Medical Responder (EMR), Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), Emergency Medical Technologist-Paramedics (EMT-P), Primary Care Paramedic (PCP) or Advanced Care Paramedic (ACP).
  • Process safety engineers typically require a post-secondary diploma or degree in an engineering discipline (e.g., chemical, mechanical, electrical), a minimum of 15 years combined applicable academic training, certification and related experience, or accreditation in a safety discipline (e.g., CRSP) and strong technical expertise in process safety (e.g., hazard identification or safety management systems).

Certifications

  • Standard and emergency first aid
  • H2S Alive®
  • Specific health and safety certifications will be determined by job requirements
  • Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP)
  • Certified Safety Professional (CSP)
  • Certified Health and Safety Consultant (CHSC)
  • Certified Emergency Manager (CEM)
  • Associate Emergency Manager (AEM)
  • Auditing Association of Canada (AAC)
  • National Construction Safety Officer (NCSO)
  • International Trauma Life Support (ITLS)
  • Safety program development
  • Hazard Management

Licensing

  • Licensing for the nursing profession is granted by provincial/territorial regulatory bodies
  • Medics must hold a valid licence issued by a provincial licensing body to practice in that occupation.

  • Travel likely required
  • Shiftwork/variable work hours
  • Primarily outdoor work
  • Physical work
  • Safety-sensitive environment
  • Work away from home/in camps

You’re adaptable, innovative and have a tolerance for stress. You motivate others to focus on health and safety in the workplace.

  • Active listening
  • Law and government
  • Public safety and security
  • Analyzing systems
  • Evaluating systems
  • Judgment and decision making
  • Persuading others
  • Collaborative
  • Innovative
  • Leading and living the company vision and values