Health & Safety Officer

Job Title - Health & Safety Officer (Part-Time, Fixed-Term)

Location - Retail Offices -Toughers Business Park Naas

Reports to - Property Manager

Contract:

Fixed-Term Contract until February 2027

Part-Time - 2 Days per Week - 14.8 hours

Salary: €22,000 - €25,000 pro-rated for 14.8 hours

Job Summary:

Vision Ireland (Formerly NCBI National Council for the Blind of Ireland) is Ireland's national charity working for the rising number of people affected by sight loss. Our practical and emotional advice and supports help 8,000 people and their families.

Our Property Team is imperative to the success of our charity work. Our profits from the retail stores fund our services. The work as a Health and Safety Officer ensures the success and safety of all stakeholders and is critical to ensure compliance and mitigate risks. Vision Ireland currently has 4 stores in Northern Ireland (under name Forsight), 121 retail stores in the republic, 6 apartments, 2 warehouses and 26 service offices.

As Health and Safety Officer you will organise and manage the auditing of all buildings in the property portfolio. From these audits you will communicate the findings to the Property Team and work to resolve any health and safety issues that are identified. Each audit will consist of a scoring sheet and accompanying report. You will be responsible for your own documents management and communications. You will work with the Property and Facilities Managers to close out any findings from the audits and document them for buildings histories.

Another key area of this role is training. You will be accountable for all Health & Safety related training within the organisation, liaising with Vision Ireland's Learning & Development Manager for training delivery and training records. This will include Manual Handling, DSE, First Aid, Mental Health and Fire Safety. You will schedule all trainings and track the participants for refreshers. You will use your Health and Safety qualifications to follow the latest requirements and best practices to ensure our charity is fully compliant and all risks are mitigated.

In your work you will communicate efficiently and effectively with the Property Manager and take a proactive approach to all workings. You will use software to track and update the health and safety sections of all portfolio buildings and report them to the Property Manager. You must have excellent reporting skills as communication in this work is imperative. You will add to the success of a growing team and will bring energy and enthusiasm. In return you will be a valued member of a charity that embodies positivity, innovation, teamwork, collaboration, diversity and inclusion. You will demonstrate the Vision Ireland leadership behaviours and values and have a dynamic way of thinking.

Key Responsibilities:

Health & Safety Management

Ensure compliance with the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 and all relevant Irish health and safety legislation.

Review, develop and implement the organisation's Safety Statement.

Develop and maintain health and safety policies and procedures.

Advise managers on legislative and best practice requirements.

Risk Assessment

Coordinate and review organisational risk assessments.

Identify workplace hazards and recommend appropriate control measures.

Monitor implementation of corrective and preventative actions.

Maintain the organisational risk register.

Workplace Inspections

Carry out scheduled workplace inspections and compliance audits.

Report findings and recommend improvements.

Monitor corrective actions until completion.

Incident Investigation

Investigate accidents, incidents and near misses.

Prepare investigation reports identifying root causes and preventative actions.

Maintain accident and incident records.

Analyse trends and report findings to senior management.

Training & Awareness

Coordinate employee health and safety induction programmes.

Deliver or arrange mandatory health and safety training including:

Manual Handling

Display Screen Equipment (DSE)

Fire Safety Awareness

Risk Assessment Awareness

Promote employee engagement in health and safety initiatives.

Work with Learning and development function with all Health and safety training and tracking for compliance

Emergency Planning

Assist with emergency planning procedures.

Coordinate fire evacuation drills.

Monitor fire safety compliance and emergency equipment inspections.

Liaise with appointed Fire Wardens and First Aiders.

Contractor Management

Review contractor safety documentation.

Monitor contractor compliance with organisational safety procedures.

Ensure appropriate permits and method statements are in place where required.

Compliance Monitoring

Maintain statutory health and safety records.

Monitor mandatory inspections and certification.

Prepare reports for senior management and Board/Committee meetings where required.

General

Liaise with the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) where appropriate.

Keep informed of legislative developments and emerging best practice.

Undertake other duties appropriate to the post.

Person Specification:

Essential Qualifications

NEBOSH National General Certificate (or equivalent recognised occupational health and safety qualification).

Membership of IOSH (or working towards membership).

Essential Experience

Minimum 2 - 3 years' experience in a Health & Safety role.

Experience implementing health and safety management systems.

Experience conducting workplace risk assessments.

Experience investigating workplace incidents.

Experience delivering health and safety training.

Experience developing Safety Statements and organisational policies.

Essential Knowledge

Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005.

General Application Regulations 2007-2020.

HSA Codes of Practice and Guidance.

Risk assessment methodologies.

Fire safety management.

Incident investigation techniques.

Essential Skills

Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Strong report writing abilities.

Excellent organisational and planning skills.

Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

Proficiency in Microsoft Office 365.

Desirable

Diploma in Occupational Safety and Health.

Internal Auditor qualification.

Train-the-Trainer qualification.

Experience in the charity, healthcare, community, education or public sector.

Experience using electronic health and safety management systems.

Personal Attributes

Professional and approachable.

Excellent attention to detail.

Strong interpersonal and influencing skills.

Ability to maintain confidentiality.

Self-motivated and proactive.

Commitment to continuous improvement.

Key Performance Indicators

Annual review and update of the Safety Statement.

Completion of scheduled workplace inspections.

Completion of organisational risk assessments.

Timely investigation of all incidents and near misses.

Delivery of mandatory health and safety training programme.

Compliance with statutory inspection schedules.

Reduction in workplace incidents and corrective action backlog.

Positive outcomes from internal and external audits.

Terms and Conditions:

This is a fixed-term, part-time appointment of 2 days per week (14.8 hours). The successful candidate will be expected to organise their working time flexibly to meet the needs of the organisation, including occasional attendance outside normal working hours for training, inspections or incident investigations.

The appointment is subject to satisfactory references and, where applicable, Garda Vetting.

This job description is intended as a guide to the duties attached to the post and may be amended to meet the changing needs of the organisation.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion:

Vision Ireland is committed to creating an inclusive environment where diversity is celebrated, and everyone is afforded equality of opportunity. It is our policy to recognise people as a key resource required for successful attainment of the organisation's mission. In support of this, it is important to remember that differences between people, whether devised from their different backgrounds and personalities, cultures and/or their different abilities, can be a source of strength to the organisation.

Vision Ireland is also committed to providing reasonable accommodation for a person with a disability, whether they are an applicant for employment or an employee requiring special facilities.

Additional information:

Informal enquiries to recruitment@vi.ie

Our website: https://www.vi.ie

Retail Services: https://www.vi.ie/shop-with-us/retail-stores/

Vision Ireland Services: https://www.vi.ie/supporting-you/adults/services-available/

NCBI Strategy 2021-23: https://www.vi.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/NCBI-Strategy-2021-2023-Accessible.pdf