Setting a Safety Culture
All of our high school interns must take HCS3000, a comprehensive workplace safety course, before applying for positions. HCS3000 covers the following topics:
- Hazard assessment and control
- Incident reporting and investigation
- Job safety and the law
- WCB
- Employment standards code and regulations
- WHMIS
- Harassment and bullying
- Mental health and wellness
Worksite Inspections: What to expect
The Alberta Off-campus Education Handbook states that “All work sites must be inspected to ensure a safe and caring learning environment that is appropriate for educational activities.” This inspection is the responsibility of the school authority, and must involved a certificated teacher.
The Alberta Off-campus Education Handbook provides the following recommendations for teachers to consider when inspecting worksites for their students:
- Will the employer/onsite supervisor provide a safe and caring learning environment?
- Is the employer/onsite supervisor willing and able to meet the expectations of the placement?
- Ask yourself, “Would I want my child to be placed at this work site?”
- If in doubt, either do not approve the site or request a second opinion from your occupational health and safety district representative
SUPERVISOR'S ROLE
Behind every organization with a strong health and safety culture is an employer who values worker health and safety, and who empowers its leaders to foster a safe and healthy work environment for those reporting to them.
As a supervisor you have responsibility for the health and safety of the workers you supervise. You don’t have to be an expert in the law to be successful as a supervisor. You need to know your employer’s health and safety standards. Those must, at minimum, comply with the law — that’s your employer’s responsibility. You need to make sure the people you supervise are working in a way that will keep them healthy and safe. To do that, you need to understand everyone’s health and safety responsibilities. Start by understanding your own.
Supervisor’s Role:
- You must do everything reasonable (due diligence) to ensure the health and safety of the workers you supervise on the job.
- You must inform workers about any known workplace hazards, existing controls for those hazards and/or safe work practices.
- You must involve workers in the process of hazard identification and controls.
- You must make sure all workers have the proper training and equipment (tools/PPE) for the job they’re expected to do.
- You must know and communicate workers’ health and safety rights and responsibilities. Occupational health and safety legislation recognizes three fundamental rights:
- The right to know about workplace hazards
- The right to participate in hazard identification
- The right to refuse unsafe work without negative consequence
