Being Safe at Work PDF - Manitoba Workplace Safety

BEING SAFE AT WORK  WHAT YOU WILL FIND IN THIS BOOKLET 1 There are laws in Manitoba that protect you at work 2 People can get hurt at work in lots of ways...

BEING SAFE AT WORK  WHAT YOU WILL FIND IN THIS BOOKLET 1 There are laws in Manitoba that protect you at work 2 People can get hurt at work in lots of ways 3 Workers and employers share the responsibility for safety at work! 6 Some things that can hurt you at work 7 The way people treat you at work can be unsafe too 9 To work safely you have to 10 Your employer has the responsibility to  1 THERE ARE LAWS THAT PROTECT YOU AT WORK! Since 1976 the Manitoba government has had laws that tell employers and workers what they need to do to keep everyone safe at work. Forty-four (44) regulations on specific topics are covered under the Workplace Safety and Health Act (the Act). The most important things in the Act include: Your employer’s rights and responsibilities Your worker rights and responsibilities What to do if someone gets hurt at work.  2 WHY DO PEOPLE GET HURT AT WORK? Most injuries happen to new workers or workers not properly supervised or trained. It can hurt if you... To be safe you can... Lift too many small Carry objects too far. objects at the same time. Holding things too far from your body when lifting them. Stop and rest for a Put many smaller things in moment when you get tired. boxes that are easy to lift. Use carts to carry items. Use carts to carry items. Bring things close to you before you lift them.  3 WORKERS AND EMPLOYERS SHARE THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR SAFETY AT WORK! According to Manitoba Workplace Safety and Health Legislation, everyone has a duty to contribute to and maintain a safe and healthy workplace. In some cases workers may accept unsafe or dangerous work in order to be seen as a 'good worker', but this is not correct.  4 Agreeing to do unsafe, or dangerous work does not meet the worker and employer duties under the Manitoba Workplace Safety and Health Act and could put you in danger. Workers with a “good work ethic” are those who follow good established workplace policies and procedures. These can include, but are not limited to: Reporting unsafe work conditions and work concerns Arriving to work on time and taking breaks when allocated Following safe work procedures and practices for every job Appropriate use of work authority and position Following workplace rules such as no harassment Participating in safety programs such daily inspection of work materials before use.  5 Workers may not understand how to do things safely if there are language or cultural differences at work. People can get hurt if they use broken equipment Some people work in dangerous or don’t know how to use their equipment. conditions or with dangerous materials. Some people work alone or in isolation. Some people don’t follow rules for working safely. Injuries can happen if we don’t know what the dangers at work are and how to prevent them.  6 SOME THINGS THAT CAN HURT YOU AT WORK Chemicals and biological Slips, trips, falls Working in extreme heat or materials such as mould and obstructions cold and working with items and asbestos that are hot or cold Fires, burns, explosions, Falling objects Working at heights and poor air quality Working with electricity Moving machinery Working in confined spaces Repetitive actions, Broken equipment Violence in the exertion, heavy lifting workplace  7 THE WAY PEOPLE TREAT YOU AT WORK CAN BE UNSAFE TOO Unfair or unkind actions may be called harassment or discrimination, and include: Insults Slander or malicious gossip Abuse or violence Unwanted touching Being treated differently Intimidation and bullying Not given breaks or rest periods Isolation from co-workers Threats and sabotage Workers are protected from discrimination and harassment. You cannot be fired for raising safety concerns.  8 In Manitoba all workers have 4 rights, no matter where they work or what they do. The Right The Right to The Right The Right to to Know Participate to Refuse Protection From discipline SAY “NO” if it is not or reprisal for What rules are in place By asking what makes safe to do your job and exercising your rights to keep you safe at your work safe if you are not trained to or responsibility to work do your job safely work in a safe and healthy manner SAY “No” if proper How to do your By talking about equipment and tools job safely workplace safety are not there to make your job safe What hazards are By reporting unsafe involved in your job conditions By making suggestions Where safety to keep work safe for equipment is located everybody By being a member of Who can help the workplace safety you at work and health committee What to do if you are hurt  9 TO WORK SAFELY YOU HAVE TO Learn and follow all safe work procedures for your job Use safety equipment properly Ask for more training to help if you don’t know how to do your job safely Report hazards or dangerous situations to your supervisor right away. What are safe work procedures? Safe work procedures are developed based on the risks associated with a work task. As a worker, you must be trained in the safe work procedures for your facility so that you understand the steps and equipment you must use to work safely. Supervisors must ensure that safe work procedures are followed. Safe work procedures should be readily available for you to access and reference.  10 YOUR EMPLOYER HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY TO Tell you the rules for being safe at work and make sure you understand them Train you how to do your job safely and have safe work procedures in place to protect you from hazards Show you the safety equipment at work and make sure you know how to use it Tell you who is in charge of your safety at work Make sure the workplace is safe and not ask you to do anything that might hurt you Tell you what to do if you get hurt Follow the law and make sure you do too! Employers have the greatest responsibility for safety at work!  11 SPOT THE HAZARD Every job has risks and dangers. You need to be told what they are. You need to know how to protect yourself. And, you need to know what steps to follow to keep safe. ASSESS THE RISK Once you know the hazards of your job, ask “Can this hurt me? Do I need to know how to do this safely?” FIND A SAFER WAY If it isn’t safe, ask for help, change how you do it, and use proper safety equipment. EVERY DAY IF YOU DON’T KNOW — ASK!  SPOT THE HAZARD Every job has risks and dangers. You need to be told what they are. You need to know how to protect yourself. And, you need to know what steps to follow to keep safe. ASSESS THE RISK Once you know the hazards of your job, ask “Can this hurt me? Do I need to know how to do this safely?” FIND A SAFER WAY If it isn’t safe, ask for help, change how you do it, and use proper safety equipment. EVERY DAY IF YOU DON’T KNOW — ASK! SAFE Work Manitoba 204-957-SAFE (7233) 1-855-957-SAFE (7233) [email protected] safemanitoba.com SW2152E-14/06/21