Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Coordinator

Position Description

The OHS Coordinator holds senior specialist responsibility for the occupational health and safety function across YDHS. Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the position leads the development, implementation, coordination, review and continuous improvement of the organisation's OHS management system — spanning physical and psychosocial health — in line with the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Vic), its Regulations, applicable Compliance Codes and relevant standards.

The position is the organisation's principal source of authoritative OHS advice. It designs and coordinates the systems, policies and processes that keep employees, consumers, contractors, volunteers and visitors safe; drives a positive and just safety culture; ensures the organisation meets its consultation and hazard-management duties; and administers the YDHS injury management and return-to-work program so that workers are supported to recover and safely return to work.

Scope, Autonomy and Accountability

Consistent with Grade 5 of the Enterprise Agreement, the position operates with the following level of responsibility:

• Function ownership — is generally responsible for a significant organisation-wide function (occupational health and safety), applying a high degree of technical proficiency gained through extensive experience and appropriate qualifications.
• Latitude — exercises considerable latitude in the design of OHS work programs, the recommendation and adaptation of techniques and methods that affect other areas of the organisation, and the independent allocation of assigned resources, within the constraints of YDHS policy, Departmental guidelines and professional standards.
• Resources and budget — plans OHS resource requirements and contributes to, and monitors, the OHS operating budget.
• Coordination and influence — coordinates and provides leadership across multiple related activities (hazard and risk management, psychosocial health, injury management, emergency management, contractor safety, education), using persuasive skills to gain the commitment of managers, peers and employees where priorities compete.
• Accountability — is held accountable for the integrity of OHS advice and for delivering significant projects and functions that make safety improvements happen and sustain compliance.

Key Responsibilities

1. OHS management system and leadership

• Develop, implement, coordinate, review and continuously improve the YDHS OHS management system, policies, procedures and objectives.
• Provide authoritative, contemporary OHS advice to the Board, CEO, Executive, managers and employees, and lead organisation-wide safety improvement initiatives.
• Act as Secretary to the OHS Committee (or equivalent consultative body); set agendas, maintain records and drive closure of agreed actions.
• Champion a positive, just and reporting-focused safety culture aligned with the YDHS values.

2. Legislative compliance and regulator liaison

• Maintain current, expert knowledge of the OHS Act 2004 (Vic), OHS Regulations 2017 (Vic), OHS (Psychological Health) Regulations 2025 (Vic), applicable Compliance Codes, WorkSafe guidance and relevant Codes of Practice.
• Monitor legislative and regulatory change, assess organisational impact, and lead the changes needed to maintain compliance.
• Act as the primary liaison with WorkSafe Victoria, including managing notifiable incidents, entry by inspectors, and responses to improvement or prohibition notices.

3. Hazard identification and risk management

• Establish and maintain systems to identify hazards and to assess, control, monitor and review risks across all YDHS sites and activities.
• Apply the hierarchy of controls, eliminating hazards at the source so far as is reasonably practicable and, where not practicable, reducing risk through higher-order controls.
• Integrate OHS risk into the YDHS Risk Management Framework and maintain the corporate hazard/risk register.
• Coordinate hazards common to health services, including manual handling, occupational violence and aggression, infection and biological hazards, hazardous substances, ergonomics (including work-from-home and hot-desking), plant and security.

4. Psychological health and psychosocial hazards

In line with the Occupational Health and Safety (Psychological Health) Regulations 2025 (Vic) and the WorkSafe Compliance Code, the position leads the organisation's management of psychosocial risk. Specifically, the position will, so far as is reasonably practicable:

• Identify psychosocial hazards arising from work design, systems of work, management of work, the carrying out of work, and work-related interactions.
• Eliminate risks associated with psychosocial hazards or, where elimination is not reasonably practicable, reduce them — prioritising controls that alter the management of work, plant, systems of work, work design and the workplace environment ahead of information, instruction or training alone.
• Address the recognised psychosocial hazards, including aggression or violence, bullying, sexual harassment, gendered violence, exposure to traumatic content or events, high or low job demands, low job control, poor support, low role clarity, poor organisational change management, poor organisational justice, poor workplace relationships and conflict, remote or isolated work, and work-related fatigue.
• Maintain psychosocial hazard risk assessments and (where used) prevention plans, and monitor, review and revise control measures.
• Establish confidential, supportive reporting pathways and coordinate early, trauma-informed responses to reports of psychosocial harm, in conjunction with People & Culture.

5. Consultation, HSRs and Designated Work Groups

• Maintain effective consultation arrangements and consult employees and HSRs on matters that affect their health and safety, including when identifying hazards and deciding on risk controls.
• Support the establishment and maintenance of Designated Work Groups (DWGs) and the election, training, resourcing and functioning of HSRs and Deputy HSRs.
• Facilitate the flow of OHS information across the organisation and issue-resolution processes.

6. Incident management, investigation and notification

• Maintain the incident and hazard reporting system; encourage and support early reporting and ensure reporters are treated supportively.
• Lead or oversee incident investigations using recognised methodology, identify root causes and contributing factors, and ensure corrective actions are implemented and evaluated.
• Ensure timely notification of notifiable incidents to WorkSafe Victoria and preservation of incident sites as required.
• Analyse incident, hazard and near-miss data to identify trends and drive prevention.

7. Injury management and return to work

• Administer the YDHS return-to-work program and act as the Return to Work Coordinator, consistent with the Workplace Injury Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2013 (Vic).
• Apply early-intervention principles and coordinate rehabilitation with employees, managers, treating practitioners, the WorkCover agent and rehabilitation providers to achieve durable, safe return to work.
• Develop and monitor return-to-work plans and suitable-duties arrangements, and maintain related records consistent with privacy and health-records obligations.

8. Emergency management and contractor safety

• Contribute to emergency planning, response and business-continuity arrangements, and coordinate related drills and training.
• Ensure contractor, volunteer and visitor safety, including induction, verification of controls, permit-to-work and monitoring of on-site activity.

9. Education, training and safety culture

• Coordinate the delivery of OHS induction, education and refresher programs, and evaluate their effectiveness.
• Build the OHS capability of managers so they can meet their safety leadership responsibilities, including for psychosocial risk.

10. Governance, reporting and resource management

• Prepare accurate, timely OHS performance reporting for the Executive, relevant sub-committees and the Board, including leading and lagging indicators.
• Plan and monitor OHS resources and budget, and evaluate the performance of the OHS function against agreed objectives and standards.
• Undertake OHS audits, inspections and management reviews, and contribute to accreditation against the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards and Aged Care Quality Standards.

Key Selection Criteria

Qualifications and experience

• Tertiary qualification in occupational health and safety, or a related discipline, and/or extensive relevant experience commensurate with a senior specialist OHS role.
• Demonstrated experience leading an OHS function, ideally in a health, aged care or comparably regulated environment.

Essential

• Contemporary, expert knowledge of Victorian OHS legislation, regulations, Compliance Codes and Codes of Practice, including the OHS (Psychological Health) Regulations 2025 and psychosocial risk management.
• Demonstrated ability to design, implement and continuously improve an OHS management system, policies and procedures.
• Sound knowledge of workers' compensation, rehabilitation and return-to-work obligations under the WIRC Act 2013 (Vic).
• Proven ability to identify hazards, assess and control risk, and lead incident investigation and root-cause analysis.
• Strong consultation, influencing and negotiation skills, with the ability to work with and gain the commitment of staff at all levels.
• Ability to plan, prioritise and independently deliver key activities and projects, and to manage assigned resources and budget.
• Well-developed written and verbal communication skills, including report writing for governance audiences.
• Competence with the Microsoft Office suite (including Outlook, Word and Excel).
• Current Victorian driver's licence.

Desirable

• Formal training in incident investigation, auditing (e.g. lead auditor), or mental health first aid.
• Experience with OHS/quality information systems and data analysis.

Standard Position Requirements

Quality and safety

• Support the delivery of safe, high-quality services through the application of professional standards and participation in quality improvement activities, audits and surveys.
• Contribute to accreditation and compliance under the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards and the Aged Care Quality Standards, as applicable.
• Comply with YDHS policies, procedures, values and strategic objectives.

Occupational health and safety (all employees)

• Take reasonable care for your own health and safety and that of others affected by your work.
• Comply with YDHS OHS policies and procedures and with reasonable safety instructions.
• Report hazards, incidents and near misses promptly through the incident reporting system, and notify the relevant manager.

Risk and infection control

• Contribute to the YDHS Risk Management Framework and apply it to identify, evaluate and minimise risk.
• Comply with infection prevention and control policies and procedures.

Child safety and conduct

• Uphold YDHS's commitment to child safety and the Victorian Child Safe Standards, and act consistently with the YDHS Code of Conduct.

Relevant information

YDHS is responsible for employing and contracting applicants who meet stringent community and public and public sector expectations. Applicants shall be required to provide and maintain:

• An original National Police Record Check completed within the last twelve (12) months prior to commencement.
• An employee Working with Children Check.
• A NDIS Worker Screening Check.
• Relevant professional registrations.
• Complete a Pre-existing injury declaration form.
• Undergo any other relevant checks, education or licencing as directed at own cost.

What’s on offer 

• Diverse service.
• Salary packaging up to $9,000 per annum.
• Meals/Entertainment benefit up to $2,650 per annum.

• Free access to a brand-new state of the art, onsite gymnasium.
• Brand new onsite Cafe.
• Experienced and friendly team to offer support at all times.
• Access to continuing professional development to improve skills and knowledge.
• Beautiful location - Yarram is a major hub for surrounding areas. 

How to apply

If you would enjoy the variety of this role and the close-knit community this township has to offers, we want to hear from you! For more information about this position, please contact Stacey O’Neill – Human Resources Manager on 03 5182 0279 or via email: humanresources@ydhs.com.au. Please click here for a copy of the Position Description. 

Join us in our quest to provide exceptional healthcare services to our local community. Apply today and make a difference in the lives of our patients and their families. Please click the APPLY button for direct application. Applications should include a cover letter addressing the Key Selection Criteria and current resume.
Applications close: Sunday 13th September 2026

About us

The Yarram and District Health Service (YDHS) is based in Yarram, 220 kilometers southeast of Melbourne on the South Gippsland Highway in rural Victoria. Yarram is 73 kilometers southwest of Sale and 62 kilometers southeast of Traralgon.

We provide our community with Acute Inpatient services, Dialysis, Urgent Care, Aged Care, Respite Care, Primary Health, Community Services, and an Integrated Health Care Centre. Our consumers and community are at the core of every decision we make. YDHS is committed to the Child Safe Standards.

YDHS want to attract and retain the best staff to provide an exceptional service to our community. We promote and develop opportunities for people to contribute to and encourage innovation, leadership, and collaboration. We are committed to making YDHS a Centre of Excellence in everything we do.

Before commencement, the successful applicant will:

Provide an original National Police Record Check – no older than twelve (12) months, an Employee Working with Children Check, be willing to apply for and pass a NDIS Workers Screening Check, a current season influenza vaccine (if applicable to work area), unless a valid medical exemption applies and complete a Pre-existing injury declaration form.

Diversity and inclusion

We embrace workforce diversity and actively encourage applications from across our community including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with linguistically diverse backgrounds, people of all genders and gender identities and people with disabilities.