1. Safety Groups New Participant Orientation

2. Orientation Agenda Benefits of becoming a Safety Group member
Eligibility and Requirements
WSIB Vision & Safety Groups Objectives
SGP History & Enhancements
The 5-Step Management System Model
Overview of SG Program Year
Rebate Formula & Past Performance
Getting Started:
Employer Guidelines
Workplace Assessment
Action Plan
Element List & Requirements
The 5-Steps
Year-end Reporting
Review/Q&A
Safety Groups Program

3. To Join Safety Groups A firm must:
Have Owner/Senior Management commit to participate in the Program
Be a Schedule 1 firm paying WSIB premiums
Be in good standing with the WSIB without charges or convictions under the WSIA
Committed to participate for at least one full year
Be in only one Safety Group at a time
Not be a current participant of Small Business Health and Safety Program or Accreditation
While you’re on the subject of element maintenance, discuss the requirements and why maintaining your elements is overall an important exercise. 3

4. Benefits The benefits of participation include:
Networking opportunities
Presentations, resource material, training and Consultant Trainer assistance
To keep in tune with new legislation and industry best practices
Guidance in health and safety management system development and advancements
Bring Safety Groups program binder to each meeting for reference during workshop activities

5. Participant Requirements
Complete Workplace Assessment & Action Plan
Implement/Improve elements of your health & safety program
Report Progress & Achievement to Sponsor
Attend Safety Group general meetings
Provide and accept health & safety mentoring, networking and sharing of best practices
Participate in validation audit if selected
Review your progress in the program. Review any sections that have already been completed and explain where what you are going to cover next.
All the bullets are hyperlinks. To go to any section click on the bullet.

6. Safety Groups Program Objectives
Prevention initiative to help eliminate workplace injuries, illnesses and fatalities
Collective approach to health & safety
Success achieved through pooling of resources, mentoring and sharing of best practices
Utilize the 5-step Health & Safety Management System
Incentive to develop sustainable health & safety programs
Rewards are demonstrated through achievements in health & safety
Potential WSIB premium rebate with no surcharge

7. Safety Groups Program History
WSIB launched three year trial in 2000 (OFSWA an initial sponsor)
BoD approved as an ongoing WSIB program in July 2002
Program grew from 9 groups in 2000 to 47 in 2011
Health and Safety system partners are heavily involved in this program
Employer participation levels grew from 450 in 2000 to approximately 4,000 workplaces in 2011
Since 2012 our Northern Safety Group has had representation from all business sectors with a greater participation level from higher-risk rates groups

8. 5-Steps to Managing Health and Safety
Once the action plan elements are selected, they must be expanded to address each of the 5 steps to managing health and safety which include:
*Record-keeping of all documentation

9. Safety Group 1 – 5 Year Program Timeline Guide
Orientation/ Leadership
MTG 1
MTG 2
MTG 3
MTG 4
( Validation Audits )
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun July Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Conduct Workplace Self Assessment and select Action plan elements
Create written Standard for each element
Communicate and Train
(Remember to keep in mind confirming the status of maintenance elements)
Evaluate
Make improvements and acknowledge success
ACTION PLAN
DUE: FEB 27
PROGRESS REPORT 1
DUE: Spring
APPLICATION
DUE: DEC 15
PROGRESS REPORT 2
DUE: Fall
YEAR END REPORTING
DUE: DEC 15

10. Year-end Reports and Spot Checks
Group Rebate -2019
Group Achievement
Year-end Reports and Spot Checks 7%
MAX* =
Achievement 7%
*Based on total premium of Safety Group
Based on the average Year-end Achievement score or the Validation Audit
average score, whichever is the lowest score to factor in the 7%
A participant with a traumatic fatality during the program year will be excluded from the rebate

12. Safety Groups Program – Incentives Earned
Program Year
Incentive Paid
Amount
NUMBER OF FIRMS
2014
Oct 2015
$1,532,176.96 73
2015
Oct 2016
$1,640,415.78 75
2016
Oct 2017
$1,819,850.87 74
2017
Oct 2018
$1,238,347.23
From 2000 to 2017 the rebate for our group was $21.2 million

13. Getting Started: Workplace Assignment
Identifies the strengths and weaknesses of a firm’s health & safety program
Self-assessment at start of year and end of year
Your industry or workplace specific assessment tool
Identifies the selection of 5 elements for the Action Plan
Reviewed during Validation Audit
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14. Getting Started: Action Plan
Each firm must select and implement 5 Safety Group Program Elements from their Workplace Assessment:
Each firm must select the Group element: “Supervisor Competency”
Each firm must select a Return to Work element
Each firm must select a Leadership element (category A)
Each firm must select an Organization element (category B) OR Hazard Recognition & Assessment element (category C)
Each firm will select the last element from any category
Discuss “other” elements and changing elements.
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15. Getting Started: SG Program Elements
The Element Requirement Chart (starting on page 20) provides minimum requirements and will be used during the Validation Audit process.
Firms will be measured against the Requirement Chart.
Most elements include resources to assist in the development of the standard. They are for reference only.
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16. Standards should answer
Step 1 – Set Standards
Written statements outlining H&S expectations and policies
Employer Guidelines - page 11
policy statements - management’s expectations and policies about health & safety
procedures - step by step instructions for particular tasks or processes
safe work procedures - written directions that include health & safety in the work processes
Include the points in the “Element Requirement Chart”
Meet minimum legal requirements
Current date and signed
Management commitment to a systematic approach to health and safety is important but
Step 1 -Setting company standards is a particularly critical management responsibility. Setting standards means that management identifies their expectations and policies regarding health and safety.
Many minimum standards are prescribed by law. Some health and safety standards and guidelines are published by other groups such as:
Canadian Standards Association
Standards Council of Canada
Canadian General Standards Board
Ministry of Labour
In addition, companies can establish their own policies and rules and improve on the minimums set in law. Examples of common workplace rules include:
no eating in the work area
replacement of hearing protection annually
first aid training for all employees
Having and following clear, measurable expectations and standards helps all employees know what is expected of them. They also help to:
implement a solid health and safety program
show leadership and commitment for health and safety
provide a benchmark to use when evaluating risk to workers from that
aspect of health and safety on the job.
Standards should answer
the 5 W’s and How
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Suggested Resources:
Occupational Health and Safety Act and Regulations (green books) available from the Ontario Government Bookstore
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17. Step 2 – Communicate General awareness of H&S elements
Ensure that everyone knows and understands what is expected of them and what they can expect of others
Many different ways to communicate:
staff meetings
safety talks
print or electronic notices – memos, newsletters, s
Posters/notices
Payroll stuffer
Company expectations and standards need to be communicated.
Employers need to ensure that all appropriate people in the workplace have a clear understanding of the workplace standards/expectations. They need to know what is expected of them and what to expect of others.
Communication should be a two-way process - from employer/manager to employees and vice versa. Typically workers know exactly what and where the problems are.
Can happen through various means such as tail-gate meetings, notices on bulletin boards or in pay envelopes, , meetings, and guest speakers and new employee orientation.
All communications should be in a form and language understood by the recipients of the message.
Maintain records of how you communicated each element
Page 13 - Employers’ Guidelines
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18. Training records/certificates required for each element
Step 3 – Train
Managers, supervisors and workers attain the knowledge and skill to work safely
Appropriate to their job duties and workplace
Various training methods:
During orientation training
Planned training sessions for specific staff
Demonstrations by supervisors
Observing another co-worker (mentoring or buddy system)
Health &
Safety
Training records/certificates required for each element
Page 14 - Employers’ Guidelines
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19. Step 4 - Evaluate
Are your Safety Group standards working? How do you know?
Compare actual workplace activities to your written health & safety standards and expectations
Is the standard working and achieving the desired result?
Keep track and document your evaluation process & analysis
There are many different ways to evaluate:
Analysis of observations/inspections/plant or job-site audits
Survey of employees – interviews or questionnaire
Statistical review & analysis - i.e. WSIB information
Review and analysis by JHSC
Management review and analysis
Third party assessment and analysis
Evaluating for health and safety means checking to see if what is done in the workplace meets the company standards/expectations and whether they are still relevant and adequate. Checking to see if standards/expectations are being followed appropriately includes using tools such as inspection, air quality testing, observation, task analysis and others.
For example you should check:
Is the health and safety policy read, understood and being respected?
Are the health and safety goals being met?
Is communication to and from employees clear and understood?
Is training being completed and are employees using what they learned?
The different methods used for evaluating whether standards are being followed include (as mentioned above):
Observing people at work, equipment, materials and other hazards or rules not being followed.
Examining workplace records such as first aid reports, injury /illness statistics and WSIB claims to look for trends
Asking employees for feedback
Asking a third part to do a workplace assessment and give you feedback
Credit given even if evaluation outcome is negative
Page 16 - Employers’ Guidelines
Suggested Resources:
Safety Groups Workplace Assessment
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20. Step 5 – Acknowledge Success and/or Make Improvements
Based on results of your Evaluation:
recognize everyone who contributed to successful accident prevention activities by meeting and surpassing company standards
performance evaluations, letter/memo from president, health & safety awards, public recognition - i.e. coffee & donuts for JHSC and/or employees, staff meeting, banquet, newsletter article, bulletin board display
Develop an action plan to make changes and improvements where needed
YOU
Giving positive feedback is an excellent way of re-enforcing a good health and safety program. You can acknowledge people’s efforts and contributions to maintaining the company standards, which usually helps them want to do more in the future. Include recognition of individual worker activities and efforts. This is also an opportunity to re-confirm the importance of health and safety to the success of the company and your commitment to it.
You can accomplish this in many ways including:
performance appraisals
employee rewards
public recognition
Constructive comments or corrections in equipment and processes should also be made at regular intervals such as at management meetings or natural review periods. A good approach may be to encourage the development of teams to help you solve problems and re-set company standards. Teams may be of any size and composition. They may include management, supervisors, lead hands, joint health and safety committee members, health and safety representatives, health and safety professionals, WSIB representatives, suppliers’ representatives and others appropriate to the issue or problem at hand.
Page 18 - Employers’ Guidelines
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21. Year-End Requirements
Complete Year-end Achievement Report and submit to sponsor Northern Ontario Safety Group Consultant by due date
have verification documentation available
Complete/update your Workplace Assessment
10% of Safety Group participants receive Validation Audits starting in March of the following year
Firms
- final opportunity for firms to double check each of the five steps for each of the five elements
- firms need to have documentation available for possible spot-check
- best practice - peer audits at final meeting, steering committee contact members personally, sponsor spot-check firms, role play spot-check - to assist firms with understanding what's required and ensuring documentation is available
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22. Questions! Presentation Title - View Header and Footer to edit
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