Safety For Supervisors in

Safety for Supervisors in
Saskatchewan
Canada's middle Safety Hub
P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

Why Supervisor Training?
• Front line Supervisors play an important role
in the health and safety
– Closest to the work
– Have the greatest control over work activities
– Have the greatest influence on workers
– Have the greatest influence on health and safety

Safety and Health
Programs

Benefits of Effective Safety and
Health Programs
• Reduce work related injuries and
illnesses
• Improve morale and productivity
• Reduce workers’ compensation
costs

Major Elements
• An effective occupational safety and health
program includes the following four elements:
 Management commitment and employee
involvement
 Worksite analysis
 Hazard prevention and control
 Safety and health training

Management Commitment and
Employee Involvement
• These are complementary elements
• Management commitment provides
motivation and resources
• Employee involvement allows workers
to develop and express commitment to
safety and health

Policy and Goals
• Clearly state a worksite safety and health policy
• Establish and communicate a clear goal and
objective for the safety and health program
• Involve top management in implementing the
program

Employee Involvement
• Encourage employees to get involved in the
program and in decisions that affect their
safety and health
• Communicate responsibility for all program
aspects

Responsibility
• Parties responsible for the safety and health
program must have authority and resources
• Managers, supervisors, and employees must be
held accountable for meeting their
responsibilities
• Program operations must be reviewed at least
annually, to evaluate, identify deficiencies, and
revise, as needed

Worksite Analysis
• Examine the worksite and identify:
-- existing hazards
-- conditions and operations where
changes might occur to create
hazards
• Management must actively analyze
the work and the worksite to
anticipate and prevent harmful
occurrences

Comprehensive Survey
• Conduct a comprehensive baseline
survey for safety and health
• Job Hazard Analysis

Safety and Health Inspections
• Conduct regular (usually weekly) site inspections
• Establish daily work area inspection procedures
• Develop and use a checklist
• Provide a reliable system for employees, without fear
of reprisal, to notify management about apparent
hazardous conditions and to receive timely and
appropriate responses

Hazard Prevention and Control
• Start by determining that a hazard or
potential hazard exists
• Where feasible, prevent hazards by
effective design of job or job site
• If the hazard cannot be eliminated, use
hazard controls
• Eliminate or control hazards in a timely
manner

Controlling the Hazards
To prevent and control hazards:
• Engineering controls
• Administrative controls
• Personal protective equipment
• Safe work practices communicated
– via training, positive reinforcement,
– correction of unsafe performance,
– and enforcement

Hazard Prevention Planning
• Maintain the facility and equipment
• Emergency planning
 Training and drills, as needed
• Medical program
 First aid on site
 Physician and emergency care
nearby

Safety and Health Training
• Address the safety and
health responsibilities of all
personnel
• Incorporate it into other
training and job
performance/practice

Safety and Health Orientation
• Employees must understand the

hazards they may be exposed to
and how to prevent harm to
themselves and others from
hazard exposure
• Orientation training must be
given to site and contract
workers

Supervisor Responsibilities
• Analyze work to identify potential hazards in area of

responsibility
• Maintain physical protections in work areas
• Reinforce employee training through performance
feedback and, if needed, enforcement of safe work
practices

Workplace Injuries

Saskatchewan
• In 2008
– Saskatchewan time loss injury rate: 3.7%
– Alberta time loss injury rate: 1.9%
– Manitoba time loss injury rate: 4.1%
• Canadian time loss injury rate: 2.3% (2007)

Cost of Injuries
• Direct costs include wage loss, medical costs,
vocational rehabilitation costs and long term
replacement, where applicable
• Indirect costs include training, overtime,

downtime, damage to property and
equipment, injury investigation

Cost of Injuries
Direct Costs (2009)
WCB Claims $665,000
Insurance premium $994,500

Surcharge $507,000
Total premium $1,501,500
For every $1 in direct costs associated

with workplace injuries, there are $4 - $11
in Indirect Costs

Cost of Injuries
• Impact on individual
• Impact on families
• Impact on the work community
• Impact on communities

Internal Responsibility System
• We all must take ownership in health and
safety in the workplace
• It is a shared responsibility between the
employer, management and staff
• Worker participation is critical to achieving
effective health and safety
SAFETY IS EVERYONE’S JOB

Internal Responsibility System
• Advantages
– Harnesses the knowledge of all to improve health
and safety
– Motivates everyone to protect their health and
safety and that of their coworkers
– It is better suited to developing solutions that
make sense in each workplace
– It enhances co-management of health and safety

Health and Safety Policy
• Health, Safety and Environmental Protection
Policy
– The University of Saskatchewan provides a place
of employment and learning that is as free as
possible from recognized hazards
– A safe and healthy environment is created and
maintained through the provision of proper
facilities, equipment, training, services, and by
promoting safety consciousness

• Health, Safety and Environment Protection
Policy
– The Board of Governors shall meet these
objectives through the assignment of duties and
responsibilities to the President, Vice-Presidents,
Associate Vice-Presidents, Deans, Associate and
Assistant Deans, Department Heads, Heads of
Administrative units, Principal Investigators,
Managers, Supervisors, and all other employees
in positions of authority

• Health, Safety and Environmental Protection
Policy
– Workplace Safety and Environmental Protection
plan is designed to take any action deemed
necessary and appropriate to meet all health,
safety and environmental legislative
requirements

Safety Committees
• Responsibilities of safety committees
– Participate in the identification and control of
hazards
– Help identify and resolve health and safety concerns
of workers
– Receive and distribute information relating to health
and safety
– Inspect the workplace regularly
– Investigate reportable accidents
– Help establish and promote health and safety policies
and programs
– Investigate refusals to work

Discrimination and Harassment
Prevention Services
• Services are available to all students and
employees and include
– Confidential consultation and as requested taking
action to resolve the concern
– Providing University officials with advice and
assistance to prevent, resolve or investigate issues
– Workshops and presentations
– Programs and activities that encourage respectful
interactions on campus
– Advocating for due process and fair treatment

Legislation

Legislation
• Other federal, provincial or civil legislation
that may apply to your work activities include
– Occupational health and safety
– Environmental protection
– Hazardous materials
– Transportation
• Take time to know and understand the

legislation that affects your job!

Legislation
• Occupational health and safety in
Saskatchewan is regulated through the
– Occupational Health and Safety Act and
Regulations
• The Saskatchewan Ministry of Advanced

Education, Employment and Labour (MAEEL)
is the provincial governing body for
occupational health and safety
Due Diligence
• Due diligence is the level of judgment, care,
prudence, determination, and activity that a
person would reasonably be expected to do
under particular circumstances
• Applied to occupational health and safety, due

diligence means that employers shall take all
reasonable precautions, under the particular
circumstances, to prevent injuries or accidents in
the workplace

Due Diligence
• To exercise due diligence, an employer must
implement a plan to identify possible
workplace hazards and carry out the
appropriate corrective action to prevent
accidents or injuries arising from these
hazards
35
Duties and Responsibilities

Employer Accountabilities
Towards Supervisors
• An employer shall ensure
– All work at a place of employment is sufficiently
and competently supervised
– Supervisors comply with the OHS Act and
Regulations any other applicable legislation

Employer Accountabilities
Towards Supervisors
• An employer shall ensure Supervisors have
sufficient knowledge of
– The activities in which they supervise
– OHS Act and Regulations
– Employer health and safety program
– Safe handling of hazardous materials
– The need for and use of personal protective
equipment
– Emergency procedures

Employee Accountabilities
• All employees are obligated to
– Take reasonable care to protect his or her health
and safety and the health and safety of other
workers who may be affected by his or her acts or
omissions
– Use safeguards, safety appliances and personal
protective equipment provided by the employer
– Follow safe work practices and procedures
required by the University
– Comply with the OHS Act and Regulations

Rights and Obligations
• All employees have the following rights
– The right to know

– The right to participate
– The right to refuse

Right to Know
• Every employee has the right to

– Be informed about hazards in the workplace
– Be trained to recognize those hazards
– Be trained to protect himself or herself from
these hazards

Right to Participate
• Every employee has the right to be involved in

making health and safety decisions that affect
them
– Ask for information about health and wellness
– Report health and safety concerns to your supervisor
– Participate in decisions related to health and safety

Right To Refuse
• A worker has the right to refuse work that the

worker has reasonable grounds to believe is
unusually dangerous (Act, Part IV, Section 23)

Right To Refuse
• An unusual
danger could
include
– A danger
that would
normally
stop work

Right To Refuse
• An unusual danger
could include
– A situation for
which you are not
properly trained,
equipped or
experienced

What are your Responsibilities?

Supervisor Safety Responsibilities
• Operational
– Assist the employer to decide what resources are
required for health and safety
– Assessing the hazards in the workplace and the
appropriate controls
– Integrating responsibilities for health and safety
into each employee’s regular work activities
– Ensuring safe tools, materials, machinery and
personal protective equipment are provided,
used and maintained properly

• Human Resource
– Educating workers about their role in managing
health and safety issues
– Ensuring that workers have appropriate safety
training
– Instructing workers about hazards in the
workplace
– Monitoring the health and safety of the work
environment

• Supervisory
– Ensuring that workers know about and comply
with organizational and regulatory standards
– Ensuring workers comply with health and safety
rules
– Reporting incidents and assisting with
investigations
– Promptly informing senior management about
health and safety complaints and concerns that
cannot be resolved at the supervisory level

• Leadership
– Promoting health and safety awareness and
correcting unsafe behavior and working
conditions
– Involving workers in problem solving and decision
making in the resolution of concerns
– Mentoring staff
– Leading by example

• Safety should be fully integrated into all
supervisor and employee activities
• Safety is not an “add-on”

Safety Culture
Five Stages to World Class Safety ©
Utopia
Happens naturally
Employee driven
Empowerment
Behavior based
5 Employee empowered
Team concepts
4
Group focused goals
Observation
3 Behavior based
Compliance driven
Little employee involvement
Traditional
2 Establish policies/procedures
Rules and regulations
Legalistic compliance
Activity based
1 MBO
Realization
We need to do something!
HSEMS

Safety Program Elements
• Standards, rules and procedures are in place
• Supervisor and employees understand and abide
by legislative requirements
• Hazards in the workplace are identified and
addressed accordingly
• Procedures and rules are developed in support
of health and safety
• Employees are appropriately trained and
understand their accountabilities and obligations

Safety Program Elements
• Equipment, tools and working environment is
appropriately maintained
• Safety is discussed at regularly scheduled
meetings
• The work site is inspected regularly
• Safety issues are promptly addressed
• Incidents are reported and responded to
appropriately
• Regular program review

Make Safety a Recognized Value
• Things you can do
– Develop a questioning attitude
– Speak up whenever you feel safety is not being
properly considered
– Challenge employees who do not appear to take
safety seriously or who may not understand what
they need to do to be safe
– Inspect work sites regularly – stop work if things
are not right
– Meet with employees regularly to discuss safety

Make Safety a Recognized Value
– Do not lay blame for events – focus on learning
– Do not make excuses when things do not go right
– accept accountability
– Recognize that everything you say and do (and
don’t say or do) reflects your values and priorities
in safety

Don’t Compromise Standards, Rules
and Procedures
• Standards, rules and procedures are there for
a reason
• It is simply not possible to have a health

safety culture in an organization if people do
not respect and follow standards, rules and
procedures

and Procedures
– Know the standards, rules and procedures and
follow them yourself
– Ask employees to tell you their understanding of
the procedures and rules to check they are well
known
– When you have to make decisions under pressure
do not violate a rule or a procedure (without
getting approval)

and Procedures
– Do not walk past a situation or a behaviour that is
not meeting expected requirements – What you
accept you approve
– Encourage employees to tell you if they cannot
follow the rules or they are unsure of the rules

Lead Behaviours Through Observation, Example
and Explanation
• Behaviours have the greatest impact on
safety
• Almost all events have their roots in

behaviours
• For a healthy safety culture, it is essential that

supervisors know what behaviours foster
safety and which ones threaten safety
Lead Behaviours Through Observation, Example
and Explanation
– Visit the work site, talk to people and observe
them at their work
– Give positive feedback and recognition when you
see people doing the right things – be specific
– Explain why we need to do things – give examples
of what not to do
– Do not ignore inappropriate behaviours – they
become habits

Maintain Positive Control Over
Conditions and Activities
• “Positive Control” means that we have control
over what is going on
• Lack of positive control can arise from

– Poor behaviours
– Poor maintenance of equipment, tools and work
environment
– Lack of oversight of employees
– Not responding appropriately to situations when
they arise

Maintain Positive Control Over
Conditions and Activities
– Make sure that you know what is going on in your
area of responsibility
– If conditions change or decisions have to be
made, make sure that your are not making
assumptions about the real conditions or how the
activities will unfold – Don’t assume
– Request employees to tell you if they encounter
unexpected changes or conditions in their work

Recognize Warning Signs – Don’t Live
With Problems
• Virtually all safety events give warning signs
before they happen
• Warning signs are not always dramatic; they

are usually minor if we judge them by their
actual consequences

Recognize Warning Signs – Don’t Live
With Problems
– Look out for minor occurrences (warning signs) –
minor occurrences may be a precursor to a major
event
– Do not judge the severity of a warning sign by its
actual consequences but by its potential
consequences
– Talk to employees about the potential consequences
of things that you have seen going on
– Never discourage people from raising questions or
reporting concerns
– Take action to get things put right

Recognizing Hazards

Recognizing Hazards
• A Safety Hazard is any force strong enough to
cause injury in the event of an accident
– Working environment
– Mechanical and electrical equipment and systems
– Powered mobile equipment
– Hand tools
– Trip and fall hazards
– Working from elevations
– …..
The Human Factor
Self - Own actions cause or
contribute to incident/injury
Other People - someone else's

behaviour causes or
contributes to incident/injury
Events - something unexpected

happens without you or someone
else involved (e.g. wire rope breaks,
traffic lights start working incorrectly,
P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada coupling fails, hose bursts, etc.)
Resolving Health and Safety Issues

Health and Safety Concerns
• Common health and safety concerns
– Lack of knowledge and/or training
– Insufficient and/or inappropriate equipment and
tools
– Equipment and tools not properly maintained
– Poor working conditions (ergonomic, occupational
hygiene, housekeeping, etc.)
– Inadequate rules and procedures
– Inadequate controls
– Inadequate personal protective equipment
– Not following applicable legislation

Health and Safety Concerns
• Common supervisory concerns
– Management does not value safety
– Management does not lead by example
– Employees discouraged to raise concerns
– Employees blamed when incidents occur

Workplace Incidents
1. Call for help

2. Obtain medical attention as necessary
3. Notify your Supervisor
4. Complete an Incident Report
5. If you were required to see a physician,
complete Workers’ Compensation Board
forms
Incident Reporting and Investigation
• Incident reporting process
– The individual involved in the incident completes
an incident report
– His/her Supervisor follows up with the individual
and completes the corrective actions and
preventative measures portion of the report
• An incident report should be completed

within 24 hours of the incident

Incident Reporting and Investigation
• Complete a WCB E1 form
• Submit the form to Health and Wellness
• The E1 form must be submitted to the WCB

within five days of becoming aware of the
incident

WHAT YOU ACCEPT, YOU APPROVE
LEAD BY EXAMPLE

Safety For Supervisors in

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Safety For Supervisors in

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Safety for Supervisors in

P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

• Employees must understand the

P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

• Analyze work to identify potential hazards in area of

P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

• Canadian time loss injury rate: 2.3% (2007)

P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

• Indirect costs include training, overtime,

P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

Insurance premium $994,500

For every $1 in direct costs associated

P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

SAFETY IS EVERYONE’S JOB

P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

• Take time to know and understand the

P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

• The Saskatchewan Ministry of Advanced

• Applied to occupational health and safety, due

P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

– The right to know

P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

• Every employee has the right to

P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

• Every employee has the right to be involved in

P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

• A worker has the right to refuse work that the

P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

P bar Y Safety Consultants Alberta Canada

• Safety is not an “add-on”