1. Safety in the Workplace

2. Safety Introduction definition: freedom from danger, risks, and injury
health care workers are responsible for their own and their patients’ safety
need to report any unsafe practices and know how to respond if an emergency occurs
health care professionals are taught methods to avoid accidents

3. Preventing Accidents
training and education must be offered to all workers
each accident needs to be documented and reviewed to help prevent others
Accidents can be divided into three categories:
Accidents related to the physical environment and equipment
Accidents related to hazardous chemicals
Accidents related to client care

4. Group Activity
In your groups, think about five rules or guidelines to prevent accidents and place them into the appropriate category:
Physical environment and equipment
Hazardous chemicals
Client care

5. Governing Agencies
Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHC) – Federal
promotes a safe and healthy working environment by providing information and advice about occupational health and safety
Ministry of Labour – Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) – Provincial
responsible for setting, communicating and enforcing OHS laws that are designed to reduce or eliminate workplace injury or illness
Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) – Provincial
oversees Ontario's workplace safety education and training system, provides disability benefits, monitors the quality of health care, and assists in early and safe return to work

6. Occupational Health and Safety Legislation
Occupational health and safety (OH&S) legislation in Canada outlines the general rights and responsibilities of the employer, the supervisor and the worker
Each of the ten provinces, three territories and the federal government has its own OH&S legislation.
There is special "right-to-know" legislation that applies to hazardous products
it comprises several pieces of legislation collectively called WHMIS - the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System

7. WHMIS
WHMIS applies in all Canadian workplaces which are covered by OH&S legislation and where WHMIS-controlled products are used.
Health Canada serves as the national coordinator for WHMIS and is responsible for the governance and administration of this program in Canada.
WHMIS uses classifications to group chemicals with similar properties or hazards
the Controlled Products Regulations specifies the criteria used to place materials within each classification
there are 6 classes although several classes have divisions or subdivisions
Each class has a specific symbol to help people identify the hazard quickly (see handout)

8. Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)
in Canada, every material that is controlled by WHMIS must have an accompanying MSDS
an MSDS is a document that contains information on the potential hazards (health, fire, reactivity and environmental) and how to work safely with the chemical product
activity in pairs: MSDS awareness assignment