Health and Safety

An Overview: Employees' Duties and Rights

Employees are to work safely, in accordance with the regulations set out in the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

 Workers have:  

·        The Right to Participate in the process of identifying and resolving workplace health and safety concerns. This right is expressed through worker membership on joint health and safety committees or through worker health and safety representatives. 

·        The Right to Know about any potential hazards to which they may be exposed. This means the right to be trained and to have information on machinery, equipment, working conditions, processes and hazardous materials. 

·        The Right to Refuse Work that they believe is dangerous to their own health and safety or that of another worker. The Act describes the exact process for refusing dangerous work and the responsibilities of the employer in responding to such a refusal.

 

Duties & Responsibilities of workers:

1.     to work in compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act;

 

2.     to report to an employer/supervisor any defects in equipment, existence of a hazard, or contraventions of the Act or regulations (e.g. build up of ice on schoolyard pavement;

 

3.     to report injuries/accidents to immediate supervisor;

 

4.     not to use or operate equipment or work in any way that may endanger any worker;

 

5.     shall not engage in any prank, contest or rough and boisterous conduct.

 

6.     Contact Site representative and white Health and Safety Binder 

 

Important:

All employees (not just teachers) need to be reassured that there is no need to be concerned about reprisals arising from health & safety complaints. To summarize this – No employer or person acting on behalf of an employer may:

1       dismiss, or threaten to dismiss;

2       discipline or threaten to discipline;

3       impose any penalty; or

4       intimidate or coerce a worker because she/he has acted in compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

 

Duties & Responsibilities of the School Board:

1       to ensure the Ontario Health & Safety Act is complied with;

2       to provide workers with information and instruction, protective equipment if prescribed;

3       to develop an occupational health and safety policy;

4       to make workers and the Joint Health & Safety Committee aware of reports and results concerning health and safety issues; and

5       to take every precaution reasonable to protect workers.

 

Duties & Responsibilities of a supervisor/principal:

1       to ensure workers comply with the Occupational Health and Safety Act and its regulations;

2       to advise workers of any potential or actual danger to their health and safety;

3       to take every precaution reasonable in the circumstances for the protection of workers; and

4       to forthwith investigate any work refusal.