Occupational Health and Safety What You Need To Know

Before we begin here’s something to think about We all deserve to go home safe at the end of each day

TRUE OR FALSE DO YOU THINK YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO A SAFE WORKPLACE?

BOTH The Occupational Health and Safety Act gives you the framework to make it safe. The system requires the participation of all parties, the employer and the employees, in creating and maintaining a safe workplace.

THE OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT IS THE LAW The act is based on a principle called The Internal Responsibility System What this means is that EVERYONE is responsible for health and safety in the workplace- to the extent of their authority. SO- you are not responsible for something working, but you are responsible to tell your supervisor if it is not.

THREE BASIC RIGHTS Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act every worker has three rights The Right to Refuse The Right to Know The Right to Participate

THE RIGHT TO REFUSE YOU MAY REFUSE, AT ANY TIME, TO PERFORM WORK THAT YOU FEEL IS A DANGER TO YOUR HEALTH AND SAFETY. WHEN AN EMPLOYEE REFUSES TO WORK, THE BOARD WILL REASSIGN THE EMPLOYEE TO ANOTHER SCHOOL WHILE THE JOHSC IS INVESTIGATING. THE EMPLOYER HAS A RIGHT TO ASSIGN SOMEONE ELSE TO DO THE JOB, HOWEVER, THEY MUST INFORM THE PERSON TAKING THE JOB THAT THERE HAS BEEN A WORK REFUSAL. THAT PERSON THEN MAY DECIDE IF THEY WISH TO EXERCISE THEIR RIGHT TO REFUSE.

THE RIGHT TO KNOW YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO KNOW ABOUT ANYTHING IN YOUR WORKPLACE THAT MAY BE HARMFUL TO YOUR HEALTH AND OR SAFETY. IF YOU SEE SOMETHING DON’T WAIT UNTIL SOMEONE HAS ALREADY BEEN AFFECTED.

THE RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE ON THE WORKPLACE JOINT OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMITTEE. DO YOU KNOW WHO YOUR REP IS ON YOUR SCHOOL’S JOHSC? IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A REP PLEASE NOTIFY THE OH&S COMMITTEE AT cupe5047ohs@members.cupe.ca

LEGAL RESPONSIBILITIES You are responsible for your health and safety, and that of your co-workers. You are responsible to report any and all hazards in your workplace. You are responsible to use any and all protective equipment, training, etc provided to you by your employer.

MORAL RESPONSIBILITY IF YOU SEE A HAZARD AND DO NOT REPORT IT YOU ARE POSSIBLY ENDANGERING THE NEXT PERSON WHO WORKS IN THAT AREA, OR WITH THAT STUDENT. A HAZARD IS ANYTHING THAT CAN HARM A WORKER.

YOUR EMPLOYER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR HEALTH AND SAFETY AT WORK. IS RESPONSIBLE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH ANY SAFETY EQUIPMENT YOU REQUIRE TO DO YOUR JOB.

Remember, you can’t have a workplace injury without a hazard!

REPORTING HAZARDS When an employee feels there is a hazard that may affect their health, and or safety at work they must report it IN WRITING 1- to your supervisor, for CUPE members this is your principal 2- if you are not satisfied with the outcome, you then report to your CUPE rep on your schools JOHSC committee.

REPORTING HAZARDS CONT’D 3- if not resolved at the committee level the committee will file a Request For Action with the HRSB. The employer then has 21 days to report back. 4- if no resolution is found you may report to the Department of Labour

DID YOU KNOW... WORKPLACE VIOLENCE IS AN OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY HAZARD. IN NOVA SCOTIA THERE ARE REGULATIONS AROUND THIS. VIOLENCE IS ONE OF THE MOST COMMON, YET UNREPORTED HAZARDS IN OUR WORKPLACE.

VIOLENCE IN THE WORKPLACE Employers must post a statement respecting workplace violence in all workplaces. The Statement must include Recognition that violence is an OHS hazard at the workplace Recognition of the physical and emotional harm resulting from violence Recognition that any form of violence is unacceptable Employer’s commitment to minimize, and to the extent possible, eliminate the risk of violence in the workplace

The HRSB has posters in all of our schools that say, Violence in the workplace is an occupational health and safety hazard and is unacceptable in any form. Recognizing the physical and emotional harm resulting from violence, the Halifax Regional School Board is committed to minimizing, and to the extent possible, eliminating the risk of violence in the workplace.

FORMS IF YOU ARE INJURED, HAVE AN ACCIDENT, OR A NEAR MISS AT WORK YOU MUST FILL OUT THE APPROPRIATE FORMS. THIS PROTECTS YOU BY HAVING A RECORD OF YOUR INJURY SHOULD YOU REQUIRE FUTURE MEDICAL INTERVENTION. ie PHYSIO MASSAGE

FORMS THIS IS BENEFICIAL TO THE SCHOOL AND STUDENT BECAUSE IT PROVIDES A RECORD OF BEHAVIOUR TO ASSIST IN PROGRAM PLANNING FOR THE STUDENT. ie behaviour specialists, autism team etc.

FORMS TO COMPLETE AT PRESENT THERE ARE MANY FORMS TO FILL OUT. THE CUPE OH&S AND HRSB JOINT COMMITTEES ARE WORKING TO STREAMLINE REPORTING THIS WILL BE BETTER FOR EVERYONE.

WORKPLACE VIOLENT INCIDENT REPORT THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FORM TO FILL OUT. YOU CAN FIND IT ON DOCUMENT DEPOT. THE NEXT SLIDE SHOWS YOU WHAT THE FORM LOOKS LIKE.

WORKERS COMPENSATION FORMS AVAILABLE ON LINE AT DOCUMENT DEPOT. MUST BE FILLED OUT WITHIN 5 BUSINESS DAYS OF ACCIDENT OR INJURY.

SIP FORM SCHOOL INSURANCE PROGRAM AVAILABLE ON LINE AT DOCUMENT DEPOT AND OFTEN ON YOUR SCHOOL’S HOME PAGE. MUST BE FILLED OUT BY A WITNESS TO THE ACCIDENT OR INJURY.

CUPE VIOLENT INCIDENT REPORT OBTAIN FROM THE CUPE REP ON YOUR SCHOOL’S JOHSC. FILL OUT KEEP ONE COPY FOR YOUR RECORDS. GIVE A COPY TO YOUR CUPE JOHSC REP AND ASK THEM TO FORWARD IT TO THE LOCAL OFFICE.

SOME STATS CUPE surveyed their members about Workplace Violence and what they found was very eye opening. How many CUPE members do you think experienced violence in the workplace? 61.2% Types of violence 69% verbally abused 38% struck with an object 30% hit 29% were grabbed 28% scratched 27% kicked 18% slapped In 43.3% of cases no action was taken 71.5% of workers reporting violence were women

What can you do? Encourage co workers to report all violent incidents. Encourage co workers to realize what constitutes violence, i.e. that verbal abuse, threats, etc. are violent acts and that such acts can lead to physical violence. Find out what concerns co workers have regarding potential violence.

Did you think about our opening statement? We all deserve to go home safe at the end of each day HEALTH AND SAFETY IS EVERYBODY’S RESPONSIBILITY