Guides & Toolkits

Starting Your Health and Safety Program

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4 © 2011, Safe Workplace Promotion Services Ontario, publicly known as Workplace Safety & Prevention Services. 1 877 494 WSPS (9777) | 905 614 1400 | www.wsps.ca Starting Your Health and Safety Program during the early months of employment. This is a clear indication of the need for adequate health and safety orientation of new employees. You must also ensure that supervisors are competent when appointed, that is, that they have knowledge of the work, of OHSA and the regulations that apply to the work, and of potential and actual dangers to health and safety in the workplace (s.1(1)). Training for supervisors is equally important. If supervisors are to accept responsibility for training in proper work practices, you must ensure that they have the expertise and support to carry out this training. A supervisor's ability to train others can be a most valuable asset; every supervisor should become thoroughly familiar with training techniques. Ultimately, success as a manager depends on the knowledge and skill of people receiving this training. Your health and safety coordinator, your joint committee members or health and safety representative, and managers with special responsibilities should all receive appropriate training to enable them to carry out their functions. Certified members must receive the required training. measurement and evaluation Establish standards for all your program activities and identify the data needed to measure performance against these standards. Measure for compliance with standards, as well as, the effectiveness of the standard. Collect and analyze the data on a periodic basis, and evaluate the results to pinpoint deficiencies and make corrections or improvements as needed. Monthly analyses of your accident investigation reports (see Appendix 3 for guidelines on developing accident investigation procedures) and a recording system for workplace injuries and illnesses (see Appendix 4 for more information) will help to spotlight weaknesses in your overall health and safety program. This will also enable you to meet your legal duty to review your policy annually and update your health and safety program (s.25(2)( j)). appendix 1 Health and Safety Coordinator The basic function of a health and safety coordinator is to act as an advisor on health, safety and accident prevention to all levels of management. Responsibilities A coordinator's functions and duties should include the following: develop recommendations to improve overall health and safety operations assist senior management in the preparation and review of the workplace health and safety policy assist management to develop practices for integrating health and safety into all business operations collect and disseminate health and safety information including legal requirements develop procedures for identifying hazards, for example, procedures for workplace inspections assist all levels of management to develop procedures and company safety rules assist department supervisors to develop safe work practices coordinate program activities assist production and engineering personnel to appraise new and relocated equipment, machines and new substances ensure that there is an effective fire protection program, direct fire prevention activities and fire drills, and inspect fire protection equipment and facilities

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