OHS Management Systems and Programs in Canada

1. OHS Management Systems and Programs in Canada Technical Workshop on Voluntary Programs and OSH Management Systems March 10-12, 2003

2. Overview of Presentation • OHS jurisdictions in Canada • Internal Responsibility System concept • Organizational models • Selected examples of OHS programs • Conclusion

3. OHS Jurisdictions in Canada • 14 OHS jurisdictions • Areas of federal jurisdiction • Employees of federal government • Crown Corporations • Banking and telecommunications • Interprovincial/international transportation • Areas of provincial/territorial jurisdiction • Construction and manufacturing • All other fields that are not federal

4. Internal Responsibility System • Legislative basis • 14 OHS Acts • 14 Workers’ Compensation Acts • Commonalities of OHS Acts • Internal Responsibility System (IRS) approach • Employers and workers working together to eliminate hazards • Government has a secondary role

5. Primary Roles - Employers Basic employers’ responsibilities • General duty clause • Specific responsibilities spelled out in the Act • Complying with detailed requirements that are in regulations • Developing OHS policy and prevention programs • Assessing, eliminating and controlling hazards • Informing workers of hazards • Providing training to workers • Working with joint labour-management health and safety committees and health and safety representatives

6. Primary Roles - Workers Basic workers’ rights • To know • To participate • To refuse dangerous work

7. Secondary Role of Government • Enforcement • Several models • From voluntary compliance to strong coercion • Information/Training • Promotion Campaigns • Funding of workers’/employers’ OHS associations • Education • Worker Training

8. Organizational Models • Focus on counselling • Focus on prevention • Focus on inspection • Ministries of Labour • Workers’ Compensation Boards • OHS and workers’ compensation under the same agency

9. Selected Examples of Programs • A wide variety of approaches • Examples from six jurisdictions with explicit legislated requirements (British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia) • Examples from two jurisdictions with no explicit requirements (Alberta, New Brunswick)

10. British Columbia - Program Content • Statement of aims and responsibilities • Regular inspections • Written instructions • Periodic management meetings for review and planning • Incident investigation • Records and statistics • Instruction and supervision of workers • Small businesses only need an informal OHS program

11. B.C. - Focus Firm Strategy • Voluntary initiative • Targets large employers and employers with high rates of injury • Government support in a four-stage process: • Planning • Compliance and Education • Evaluation • Maintenance of Program

12. Ontario - Program Content • Written policy and program to implement that policy • Program Content (Guidelines Document) • Worker training • Workplace inspections and hazard analysis • Analysis of occupational accidents and illnesses • Health and safety budget • Formal means of communication to address concerns of workers • Specific procedures (confined space entry, lock-out, materials-handling, first-aid, rescue, emergency, etc.) • Machine guarding • Maintenance and repairs and housekeeping • Electrical safety • Fire prevention • Engineering controls

13. Ontario - Experience Rating Programs • Prevention incentive programs to adjust workers’ compensation premiums • Refunds or surcharges depending on employer health and safety record • CAD-7 for the Construction Sector • Merit Adjusted Premium Plan (MAP) For Small Business • New Experimental Experience Rating (NEER) Program for larger employers

14. Ontario - Voluntary Incentive Programs Safety Groups Program • Groups of employers • Each year each employer selects five safety elements for improvement • Must show how each element has been integrated into its management system • Group can receive a premium rebate based on success in implementation of their selected safety elements

15. Ontario - Voluntary Incentive Programs Safe Communities Incentive Program • Community Based • Firms must complete a twelve hour training program, do a self-evaluation of their OHS management system, develop a OHS policy and health and safety roles of employers and employees • Participating firms can receive a five percent premium rebate

16. Quebec - Program Content • Basic objective is to eliminate, at the source, risks to the health, safety and physical well-being of workers • Programs must contain • Programs for the adaptation of the establishment to the standards prescribed by the regulations respecting • Layout of workplaces • Work organization • Equipment and Material • Contaminants and dangerous substances • Processes • Collective safety measures and equipment (ctd.)

17. Quebec - Program Content (ctd.) • Programs must contain (ctd.) • Measures of supervision of the quality of the work environment and of preventive maintenance • The specific standards of hygiene and safety for the establishment • The terms and conditions of implementation of any other rule relating to health and safety in the establishment • Identification of appropriate protective devices and equipment • Training and information programs for workers in matters of health and safety

18. Manitoba - Program Content • Policy • Hazard identification, and measures to reduce, eliminate or control the hazards • Emergency procedures and resources • Statement of responsibilities of employer, supervisors and workers • Regular inspection schedule • Plan for control of biological or chemical substances • Procedures to protect OHS where another employer or self-employed person is involved in work at the workplace • Plan for training workers and supervisors in safe work practices and procedures • Incident investigation procedure • Procedure for worker participation in OHS activities • Procedure to review OHS program at least every three years

19. Saskatchewan • Mandatory for moderate to high-hazard workplaces with ten or more employees • Program content and requirements are similar to those in Manitoba, except for requirement to develop a plan to safeguard contracted employer(s) or self-employed person(s)

20. Nova Scotia - Program Content • Training and supervision of employees • Written work procedures • Health and safety committee or representative • Hazard identification system • Workplace evaluation • Procedures and schedules for regular inspections • Hazard reporting procedures • System for OHS monitoring, prompt follow-up and control of identified hazards • System for investigation of hazardous occurrences • Maintenance of records and statistics • Monitor program implementation/effectiveness

21. Nova Scotia - Certificates of Recognition • Independent Health and Safety Consultants can do OHS audits and provide Certificates of Recognition • Potential suppliers may need to have a Certificate of Recognition to bid on contracts • Government can review audits against established criteria and endorse audits

22. Alberta - Partnerships in Health and Safety Programs • Voluntary program • Certificate of Recognition is issued by a Certifying Partners and is co-signed by government • Health and Safety Management System must include: • Clearly-stated company policy and management commitment • Hazard identification and control measures • Worker competency and training • Inspection program • Incident/accident investigation • Emergency response planning • Program administration (ctd.)

23. Alberta - Partnerships in Health and Safety Programs (ctd.) • External audit • Certifying Partner issues COR • Internal audits at one year and two year points to maintain COR • External audit every three years to renew COR • Separate “Small Employer COR” for employers with fewer than ten employees

24. Alberta - Partners In Injury Reduction • Voluntary incentive based program • Reduction of workers’ compensation premiums • Minimum five per cent discount for a COR • Up to twenty per cent discount if claims performance improves up to twenty per cent • Up to twenty per cent discount if consistently better than industry average

25. New Brunswick - Health and Safety Improvement System • Voluntary Program • Based on five fundamental areas with twenty-two topics • Management commitment • Employee involvement • Health and safety responsibility • Hazard and risk management • Health and safety education

26. N.B. - Management Commitment • Health and safety communication • Management support • Well-being of employees

27. N.B. - Employee Involvement • Health and safety orientation • Employee participation • Required safe work practices

28. N.B. - Health and Safety Responsibility • Health and safety policy • Health and safety plan • General health and safety rules • Health and safety procedures or practices • Legal obligations • Health and safety actions

29. N.B. - Hazard and Risk Management • Identification of hazards and risks • Control of hazards and risks • Hazard and risk reporting • Accident reporting • Accident investigation • Accident and injury analysis • Health and safety inspections

30. N.B. - Health and Safety Education • Health and safety educational needs • Health and safety education delivery • Health and safety education effectiveness

31. Conclusion • A variety of approaches in Canada • Have presented selected examples from a number of jurisdictions • Discussion – Questions and Answers