Health & Safety Officer

t Western Care we aim to provide the most appropriate care, in the most appropriate setting for the people we support. And right now, we are looking to grow and support our team across County Mayo.

Why not be part of a progressive team, that’s delivering for its community.

Western Care - Supporting People To Live Their Lives.

Health & Safety Officer, Castlebar, Co. Mayo

• Permanent 35 hours per week
• Reference Number 2025-132
• Closing date: June 15th, 2025

Application Details

• Please apply using current C.V.
• Further information available from Anne Chambers Head of Operations, Tel: 087-2256694
• Please note Panels may be formed as a result of this competition for similar posts within the Organisation

Job Brief

Reporting to the Head of Quality, Safety and Service Improvement the Health and Safety Officer will have responsibility for ensuring staff are safely supported in a manner that enables continuous improvements in the quality of care and support we deliver.

The role incorporates the administration of the safety and risk components of the overarching Safety Systems in line with best practice in a person-centered model of service.

The successful candidate will support an organisational culture that embraces positive risk taking within a person-centred and self-directed model of service in line with priorities and rights of the people we support.

They will also support the Head of Quality, Safety and Service Improvement in all aspects of the delivery of Safe Systems of Care.

Main Responsibilities

• Health and Safety
• Operational Management
• Outcome Measurement
• Safety and Risk Education and Training
• Relevant Safety Committee Support
• Culture of Safety and Rights

Please see full details in Job Description following

Qualifications

1. Hold a Qualification Level 7 (or higher) major academic award in Occupational Health and Safety, or other relevant area

2. A minimum of 2 years experience in a Health and Safety Officer / Advisor role

Experience & Other Requirements

• Experience of participating in quality processes and/or initiatives is desirable
• Knowledge of the Social Care Sector
• Excellent IT Skills required
• Ability to analyse and interrogate data to present to Management and other relevant stakeholders
• Ability to present and lead training events
• Good Communication skills
• Full Drivers Licence and use of own vehicle for work

Recruitment Requirements

• All applicants will be subject to Irish Garda Vetting & Reference checks
• All applicants from Countries outside the E.U. will be required to provide relevant work authorization to take up employment in Republic of Ireland. This must be submitted along with Application
• All applicants will be required to access Overseas Police Clearance if they have lived outside of the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland more than 6 months since the age of 18 years

Employment Benefits

• Competitive salary
• Pension and Life Insurance Scheme 
• Annual leave in excess of statutory entitlement
• Dedicated learning and development
• Flexible working opportunities
• Staff initiatives e.g. Employee Assistance Programme, Bike-to-Work Scheme
• Sick pay scheme

Salary Scale

Grade VI Pay Scale (Scale Range €51,590 to €63,502 per annum)

Health

Applicants must be fully competent and capable of undertaking the duties attached to this post and be in a state of health such as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Summary

• Reporting to the Head of Quality, Safety and Service Improvement the Health and Safety Officer will have responsibility for ensuring staff are safely supported in a manner that enables continuous improvements in the quality of care and support we deliver.
• The role incorporates the administration of the safety and risk components of the overarching Safety Systems in line with best practice in a person-centered model of service.
• Support an organisational culture that embraces positive risk taking within a person-centred and self-directed model of service in line with priorities and rights of the people we support. This includes:
• Implementing effective health and safety systems to support staff of Western Care Association.
• Supporting effective proactive and reactive risk management strategies.
• Presenting data and information from relevant data streams to enable analysis of the information to drive improvement across the organisation.
• Identification of appropriate education and training to staff to support their involvement in safety and risk systems, in partnership with the Training & Development function.
• Providing support and relevant analysis, statistical data and reports as required.
• Preparing reports as required.
• Support the Head of Quality, Safety and Service Improvement in all aspects of the delivery of Safe Systems of Care. 

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Health and Safety

• Implement Western Care Association’s Health and Safety Programme in line with the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 and associated statutory instruments.
• Maintain knowledge and competency in all related safety and risk practice.
• Ensure the Western Care Association Health and Safety Statement is up to date and publicly displayed.
• To provide specialist advice, guidance and instruction regarding health and safety matters to the Senior and Operations Management Teams as well as frontline managers and staff.
• Monitor all Health and Safety incidents to ensure they are appropriate followed up, reported appropriately internally and externally as required, and closed out.
• Support Line Managers to undertake regular Health and Safety Risk Assessments.

Operational Management

In Conjunction with the Head of Department and in line with Organisational Objectives:

• Promote a positive health and safety culture across the Organisation in ensuring the effective implementation of the health and safety policy.
• Support management and staff teams in ensuring a proactive and systematic approach to managing health and safety.
• Issue recommendations on control measures to reduce adverse effects on the health, safety and wellbeing of staff, people in receipt of services and members of the public.
• Assist management in ensuring the management of health & safety in their services meets with the overall objectives of legislation.
• Manage Key Performance Indicators for example:
• Collect (from local responsible persons/managers/line managers at all levels), collate and report key performance indicator data to the local management teams, etc.
• Ensure the efficient administration of Health & Safety data collection.
• Analyse and trend internal & external data including reviews / incidents / risk / quality indicators / quality improvement action plans / national quality improvements & audits in preparation for periodic KPI and other corporate reports as applicable.
• Respond to changes in legislation and organisational policy in relation to health and safety and develop organisational procedures and guidelines (PPPG) as appropriate to ensure compliance and implementation.
• Establish systems to allow for appropriate organisational responses to national recommendations from relevant regulatory bodies.
• Work with property & facilities to ensure an effective and co-ordinated approach to infrastructural risk at Service level.
• Where appropriate act as lead liaison with the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) on health and safety management matters relating to the organisation
• Act as liaison with insurers in relation to health and safety issues
• Develop fit for purpose health and safety procedures and guidelines as appropriate for the Organisation with respect to new activities or processes where identified or requested by service areas.
• In developing such PPPGs ensure that these align with the Corporate Safety Statement.
• Advise the Organisations leadership team on planning for health and safety, including the setting of realistic short and long term objectives, priorities and establishing adequate systems and performance standards.
• Ensure that systems are in place to evaluate and review performance against agreed targets and performance indicators. Provide such information to the Senior Management Team where required.
• Develop and maintain effective systems for learning and improvement with regard to health and safety within the Organisation.
• Adequately identify, assess, manage and monitor risks within their area of responsibility.
• Liaise with key internal stakeholders to identify strategies and prioritise actions for managing risk.

Outcome Measurement

• Support the Head of Quality, Safety and Service Improvement in the development of organisational measures to determine the ongoing level of safety and risk.
• On an ongoing basis, collate the data for the organisational measures and display the data in a format that can be reviewed and interrogated by the Head of Quality, Safety and Service Improvement and the Line Management Team.
• With the input of the Head of Quality, Safety and Service Improvement, support Line Managers to identify measures relevant to their area which would promote continuous safety improvement.

Safety and Risk Education and Training

• Engage with relevant stakeholders regarding promotion of training related to and including the following:
• In conjunction with senior members of the Department, Identify and Deliver appropriate education and training to all relevant staff on:
• Incident management in line with Western Care Association policy and procedure.
• The process for developing departmental risk registers including the identification of risks, risk assessment, allocation of severity ratings, identification of control measures and how to review the register on an ongoing basis.
• Other relevant training as required.

Relevant Safety Committee Support

• Support the Head of Quality, Safety and Service Improvement on implementing a schedule of meetings; preparing and circulating relevant documentation in advance of the meetings; coordinating attendance by Committee Members; preparing and circulating minutes after the meeting; and following up on any actions identified from the meeting.

Culture of Safety and Rights

• Support the Head of Quality, Safety and Service Improvement in relation to people we support and staff safety, engagement, and continuous quality improvement, including positive risk taking, risk acceptance and self- determination.

Qualifying Criteria

Required

• Hold a Qualification Level 7 (or higher) major academic award in Occupational Health and Safety, or other relevant area
• A minimum of 2 years experience in a Health and Safety Officer / Advisor role

Desirable

• Experience of participating in quality processes and/or initiatives is desirable.
• Knowledge of the Social Care Sector

Other Requirements:

• Excellent IT Skills required
• Ability to analyse and interrogate data to present to Management and other relevant stakeholders
• Ability to present and lead training events
• Good Communication skills
• Full Drivers Licence and use of own vehicle for work

Working Relationships and Communication

• Develop and contribute to good working relationships in the Organisation and with all other relevant personnel.
• Report to and appraise line manager or designate of all work-related issues and difficulties.
• Follow the Association’s Grievance and Disciplinary Procedure, available on the Association’s intranet.
• Maintain strict confidentiality relating to matters regarding personnel and services.
• Attend and actively participate in staff meetings as required.
• Actively participate in supervisory support as per Organisation Procedure.
• Be familiar with and operate within relevant local and organisational procedure, directives and general information made available through the line manager.

General

• Promote and develop good community networks which support people we support inclusion and integration.
• Promote a positive image and name of the Association in the wider community.
• Be accountable and responsible for input into service planning and delivery, together with job performance as per role within the Association.
• Promote dignity at work and show respect to people we support, colleagues and stakeholders in the course of duty. 
• Act in a confidential manner when dealing with personal information relating to people we support, families and staff.
• Attend staff training events as required and implement learning in the workplace.
• Perform any other appropriate duties as requested by the person in charge.

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