Meath County Council invites applications from suitably qualified persons who wish to be considered for inclusion on a panel for fixed-term contract posts for the position of Health and Safety Officer.
The purpose of the position of Health and Safety Officer is to maintain a robust safety management system in accordance with legal and other requirements and ISO 45001:2018 to enable a safe place of work for employees, contractors and visitors.  This will include providing service of an executive; supervisory and advisory nature, as required, in relation to safety, health and welfare at work.
The Health and Safety Officer is responsible for the planning and management of the Health and Safety Section of the Council, which currently has a total staff complement of five people.
The successful candidate will be responsible for the maintenance and further development of its safety management system in accordance with legal and other requirements to enable a safe place of work for employees, contractors and visitors or those who may be affected by our work activities.
They will be responsible for the introduction of new initiatives, policies and procedures and working with teams across the organisation. The successful candidate will work in a dynamic and progressive Council which operates various buildings and facilities and provides a multiplicity of services across the county.
The Health and Safety Officer has a very important leadership role within the Council and has responsibility for maintaining the Safety Management System in accordance with local and national requirements including ISO 45001:2018.
This will include responsibility for:

• Strategic and Change Management
• Policy Development
• Planning
• Organisational Support
• Operational Control
• Performance Monitoring and Evaluation
• Continuous Improvement 
• Employee Welfare and Well-being

The duties and responsibilities of the Health and Safety Officer will include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Keep up to date and advise the Council on legislation, codes of practice, standards, changes and new information, communicate on legal obligations and potential implications and impacts. Make relevant changes and updates as required to the safety management system.
• Manage and progress the Council’s safety management system to comply with legal and other requirements and maintain certification to ISO45001:2018.
• Proactively promote a positive health and safety culture of continuous improvement across all Council stakeholders.
• Manage and progress the delivery of the corporate health and safety objectives.
• Develop and maintain an annual programme of works for health and safety that takes account of organisational risks and needs.
• Support the organisation in effective health and safety management of day-to-day operations to assist and create a safe working environment for employees, contractors and visitors.
• Assist employees in carrying out their health and safety responsibilities by making them aware of their obligations.
• Provide, as a competent person, advice and assistance to all sections on all matters relating to safety, health and welfare at work.
• Review and develop safety statements, policies, procedures, risk assessments, training and awareness programmes; safety, health and welfare management programmes of works and implement identified requirements.
• Manage and progress a risk management programme of work for completion, review, update and communication of risk assessments of organisational activities including hazardous substances, well-being and occupational diseases.
• Manage communication and consultation processes with internal and external stakeholders including officials from regulatory authorities.
• Manage and progress a programme of works for health and safety inspections and audits (compliant to ISO45001:2018) including monitoring compliance of preventative and corrective actions.
• Manage and progress the management of preventative and corrective actions.
• Manage and progress health and safety requirements on construction activities and projects.

• Manage and progress the management for emergency preparedness and response.
• Manage and progress incident reporting, including the investigation of incidents and the identification and management of preventative and corrective actions.
• Report all appropriate incidents to the Health and Safety Authority and/or other bodies as required.
• Develop and maintain a process for the management of change.
• In conjunction with the Learning and Development section of the Human Resources Department and other relevant sections, assist with the identification of training needs and the development and delivery of the Health and Safety training and awareness programme. 
• Regularly report to senior management on the suitability, adequacy and effectiveness of the safety management system including advising on opportunities for improvement and update.
• Line manage the Council’s Health and Safety Section employees and undertake relevant administration tasks, including the management of the procurement of services / materials, as relevant.
• Prepare, manage and monitor the budget for the Health and Safety Section.
• Participate and take part in the duties as required as part of the organizational response to Climate Action to promote and ensure capacity building, empowering change and delivering action.
• Undertake any other duties as may be required or assigned from time to time.