A good safety advisor doesn't just know the regulations — they know how to make safety work in the real world of Alberta construction, oil and gas, and industrial operations. Here is what to look for when you're hiring.
Every responsible workplace should have a Safety Advisor in place that is the keeper and go-to-person for everything safety. But what makes a good Safety Advisor? While a Safety Advisor can be a valuable resource for safety knowledge and coordination, the employer remains legally responsible for ensuring a healthy and safe workplace. The Safety Advisor supports this by helping communicate safety information, assisting with hazard assessments, and maintaining safety documentation, but safety is a shared responsibility involving supervisors, workers, and the JHSC where required.
A good Safety Advisor should ensure that all new staff have been properly advised and trained on safety procedures and should have a Safety Orientation Program in place to introduce new employees or contractors easily and efficiently to all the applicable safety information.
A good Safety Advisor should assist with safety matters and support the employer and supervisors in maintaining safety records and documentation. While they may be involved in incident investigations, the employer is responsible for ensuring investigations are conducted by competent persons.
A great Safety Advisor fosters a workplace culture of safety. They rally the troops and get them engaged and involved in safety. This can easily be done by creating buzz around topical and timely safety matters in the news or even notable dates, such as Emergency Preparedness Week, National Fire Prevention Week, Mental Health Week and more.
A great Safety Advisor celebrates a company’s safety wins with the entire team, such as no injuries or no near-misses, a COR certification, a reduction in time lost, and cost savings due to lack of safety matters. These are achievements that take a fully dedicated team to achieve and are not just attributed to the Safety Advisor.
Does your workplace have a Safety Advisor? Do they take safety to heart? Do you feel safe? Does your company take safety seriously? Should you or your team need help getting a proper safety program in place or if your Safety Advisor could use additional support, contact us at Safety Ahead – we’re here to help! Let’s make safety a priority and ensure your Safety Advisor is the right person for the job – after all we all want to go home safe.
Written by
Safety Ahead Team
Alberta-based safety consultants with decades of field experience — COR auditors, OHS advisors, and WCB specialists working with employers across the province.
About Safety AheadWe build and maintain Alberta safety programs that hold up under audit and inspection — hazard assessments, orientations, procedures, and ongoing support.
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