WEEK 3 PART 1

Introduction to Health and Safety

• Focuses on motivation for safety practices and their importance
• Outlines consequences of poor safety practices, including fatalities and liabilities
• Explains internal responsibility system and due diligence in workplaces
• Discusses professional responsibility and ethics related to health and safety
• Differentiates rights and responsibilities of workers, supervisors, and employers
• Describes the content of safety orientation training programs

Costs, Components, and Responsibilities

• Every workplace has potential hazards
• Employers, supervisors, and workers have legal duties to prevent injuries and illnesses
• Understanding causes and costs of workplace injuries is essential
• Knowledge of health and safety laws and regulations is crucial

Causes of Workplace Injuries

• Approximately 1000 workplace fatalities occur annually in Canada
• Workplace injuries impact families, friends, colleagues, and wider communities
• Five main causes of workplace injuries:
  • Lack of safety training
  • Inadequate supervision
  • Fear of asking questions/lack of knowledge
  • Insufficient experience for new workers
  • Distraction, weariness, balancing work and outside activities

Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA)

• Outlines employer, supervisor, and worker duties and rights
• Provides specific requirements for different workplaces, professions, and hazards
• Includes regulations for working safely with hazardous materials (training, warnings, information sheets)
• Specific regulations apply to diverse workplaces (construction, healthcare, industrial, mines, etc.)

Role of Government

• Each province has a health and safety body (often in a ministry of health or labour)
• Government inspectors enforce health, safety, and labour laws
• Conduct unannounced workplace inspections
• Issue work-related orders and stop unsafe work practices
• Investigate complaints, work refusals, incidents, and fatalities
• Issue tickets and lay charges

Worker Rights

• "Right to know," "right to participate," and "right to refuse" are core worker rights
• Right to know: Employers provide information about workplace hazards
• Right to participate: Workers participate in health and safety committees or as representatives
• Right to refuse: Workers can refuse unsafe work if they reasonably believe it poses a risk

Work Refusal Process for Unsafe Work

• Workers can refuse unsafe work and provide details to the employer
• Refusal is not automatic, and local guidelines apply

Student as Worker

• Provincial jurisdictions define when students are considered workers (internships, monetary compensation)

Employer Role and Responsibilities

• Responsible for worker safety
• Ensure workers are aware of hazards
• Develop health and safety policies and procedures
• Ensure supervisor training on health and safety
• Ensure everyone knows and follows health and safety procedures
• Provide appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE)

Supervisor Role and Responsibilities

• Similar responsibilities for worker safety as employers
• Know OHSA and regulations; maintain a safety-focused culture
• Identify hazards, communicate to workers, enforce policies and procedures
• Monitor work, advise on practices, ensure safe equipment use

Considerations for Supervisors

• Document and respond to safety issues appropriately
• Check machinery operation
• Supervise work procedures to prevent errors
• Routinely inspect for hazards; gather worker feedback

Worker Role and Responsibilities

• Follow laws and company health and safety policies & procedures
• Use required personal protective equipment (PPE)
• Act safely to prevent harm to self and others
• Report unsafe conditions or violations immediately

Safety is a Legal Requirement

• Provincial legislation dictates necessary safety procedures
• All individuals involved (academic staff, principle investigators, students) have duties and obligations

Safety Delivered on our Moral Imperative

• Institutionally considers students and instructors as a workplace's people, necessitating a strong health and safety program

Identifying Hazards and Potential Hazards

• Employers must provide readily available safety information (including OHSA)
• Regularly identify hazards and potential hazards (e.g., machinery function, warnings, moving equipment, trip hazards)

Employee Orientation Training for Health and Safety

• All employees, interns, and students require thorough training
• Training must include employer contact details, health and safety committees, rights and responsibilities
• Details on health and safety procedures, codes of practice, first aid, incident reporting, emergency preparedness, and PPE (especially for new/young workers) are crucial

Professional and Ethical Responsibilities

• Engineering profession, through provincial bodies, defines ethical behavior
• Engineering ethics prioritize public safety and professional integrity