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Recommended  Practices  in  Health  + Safety 
A guide  for 

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TABLE  OF 
CONTENTS 


/////////////////////////////////A//// 


Key  Messages 3 

About  this  Document 1 5 

Section  1:  Organizational  Commitment  to  Health  and  Safety 9 

Section  2:  Responsibilities  under  OHS  Legislation 13 

i ry  ' h*H  ]q  ? »'  ^ 23 

Section  4:  Health,  and  Safety  Management  Systems  29 

Section  5:  Company  Health  and  Safety  Policy 33 

Section  6:  Hazard  Identification,  Assessment  and  Control  37 

Section  7:  Worksite  Inspection 4?' 

Section  8:  Harmful'  Substances  and  Workplace  Hazardous 

'Materials  Information  System  (WHMIS) L. 51 

Section  9:  Worker  Competency  and  Training 53 

Section  10:  Emergency  Preparedness  and  Response  Plan 59 

Air  : ' 1 ; of 

Section  12:  Workplace  Violence 75 

Section  13:  Working  Alone 81 

Section  14:  Incident  Management  and  Investigation 83 

Sec  tion  15:  Program  Monitoring  and  Evaluation  ..... 91 

Section  16:  Glossary 93 

Section  17:  Resources 95 

Evaluation  Form 97 


Section  1 


Management  commitment  is  critical  for  developing  a work  site  culture  that  allows  your 
health  and  safety  management  system  to  succeed. 

Section  2 

There  are  minimum  legislated  requirements  that  employers  and  workers  need  to 
comply  with.  Know  your  responsibilities. 


gecti.9.M:3 

It  is  important  to  define  your  work  sites  and  determine  if  you  need  to  designate  a 
prime  contractor  where  there  is  more  than  one  employer  working  at  the  work  site 
at  the  same  time. 

Section  4 

A health  and  safety  management  system  is  a formal  process  to  help  you  achieve 
compliance  and  ensure  you  have  a safe  workplace. 

Section  5 

The  best  way  for  management  to  show  they  are  committed  to  health  and  safety  is  to 
develop  and  display  a health  and  safety  policy  statement. 

Section  6 

Conducting  a detailed  hazard  identification,  assessment  and  control  process  is  critical 
to  ensuring  worker  safety. 

Section  7 

Work  site  inspections  are  one  way  to  ensure  you  haven’t  overlooked  any  hazards  at 
your  worksite. 

Section  S 

Workers  must  be  trained  and  competent  to  deal  with  the  harmful  substances  and 
chemicals  they  work  with  or  are  near. 


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Section  9 


Employers  must  provide  training  to  ensure  they  have  competent  staff.  Workers  must 
use  this  training  to  accomplish  tasks  safely. 

Section  10 

Emergency  planning  is  critical  to  everyone’s  safety  when  the  unthinkable  happens. 

Section  11 

Training  workers  in  first  aid  is  the  first  step  to  ensuring  prompt  medical  treatment. 

Section  12 

Identifying  situations  where  workers  may  be  exposed  to  violence,  training  them  and 
putting  in  appropriate  controls  can  minimize  the  risk  to  workers. 

Section  13 

Employers  must  consider  working  alone  as  a workplace  hazard  and  ensure  an  effective 
system  is  in  place  to  provide  assistance  to  employees  working  alone  if  there  is  an 
emergency,  injury  or  illness. 

Section  14 

Prompt  reporting  and  thorough  investigation  of  all  incidents  allows  an  employer 
to  identify  root  causes  and  implement  controls  aimed  at  preventing  the  incident 
from  recurring. 

Section  15 

Safety  management  system  evaluation  will  help  employers  ensure  that  the  system 
elements  in  place  are  effective  and  identify  areas  where  improvement  is  required. 


4 Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers 


This  document  was  developed  with  the  unique  needs  of  building  owners  and  managers 
in  Alberta  in  mind.  Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety:  A Guide  for  Building 
Owners  and  Managers  includes  the  information  most  commercial  building  owners  or 
managers  need  to  begin  to  create  a safe  and  healthy  workplace  for  their  staff,  including: 

• an  overview  of  their  legal  obligations  under  the  Occupational  Health  and  Safety 
(OHS)  Act,  Regulation  and  Code 

• the  importance  of  management  and  organizational  commitment  to  health  and  safety 
including  promotion  of  the  Partnerships  Certificate  of  Recognition  (COR)  Program 

• the  need  for  employee  involvement  in  health  and  safety  planning 

• sources  of  information  and  support  to  help  them  set  up  a successful  health  and 
safety  plan  for  their  specific  needs. 

The  users  of  this  document  are  intended  to  be,  but  not  limited  to: 

• Employers  and  workers  of  property  management  companies 

• Including  members  of  Building  Owners  and  Managers  Association  (BOMA) 
and  Building  Operators  Association  (BOA)  Calgaray  and  others  in  the  building 
management  industry 

• Service  provider  companies  which  may  include,  but  are  not  limited  to: 

• Construction  contractors 

■ Custodial  companies 

■ Vendors  and  suppliers 

■ Electrical  contractors 

■ Mechanical  contractors 

• Materials  suppliers 
Environmental  consultants 

• Property  tenants 

Not  all  requirements  under  the  OHS  Act,  Regulations  and  Code  are  discussed  in  this 
resource.  This  resource  is  not  intended  to  be  legal  advice  nor  is  it  a definitive  guide 
to  the  legislation.  You  are  advised  to  review  the  legislation  thoroughly  and  to  consult 
a lawyer  if  you  have  any  specific  legal  issues.  In  case  of  inconsistency  between  this 
resource  and  the  occupational  health  and  safety  legislation  or  any  other  legislation, 
the  legislation  will  always  prevail.  For  more  detailed  information,  refer  to  the  OHS  Act, 
Regulation  or  Code,  and  explanation  guide. 


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The  Alberta  OHS  legislation  referenced  in  this  document  is  highlighted  inside 
yellow  boxes.  These  boxes  contain  the  minimum  requirements  every  work  site 
must  meet,  although  many  businesses  do  exceed  these. 


LEGISLATEDREQUIREMENTS  Other  pieces  of  legislation  that  relate  to  work  site  health  and  safety  are 

highlighted  inside  blue  boxes. 


LEGISLATED  REQUIREMENTS 


Other  legislation  that  may  apply  to  your  worksite 

• Employment  Standards  Code: 
http://www.employment.alberta.ca/SFW/1698.html 

• Alberta  Human  Rights  Legislation: 
www.albertahumanrights.ab.ca/ 

• Workers’  Compensation  Board: 
www.wcb.ab.ca 

• Alberta  Building  Code: 

http://www.lrc.education.gov.ab.ca/pro/resources/item.htm?item-no=683161 


Copyright  and  Terms  of  Use 

This  material,  including  copyright  and  marks  under  the  Trade  Marks  Act  (Canada), 
is  owned  by  the  Government  of  Alberta  and  protected  by  law. 

This  material  may  be  used,  reproduced,  stored  or  transmitted  for  non-commercial 
purpose.  However,  Crown  copyright  is  to  be  acknowledged.  If  it  is  to  be  used, 
reproduced,  stored  or  transmitted  for  commercial  purposes,  written  consent  of  the 
Minister  is  necessary. 


Disclaimer 

The  information  provided  in  this  Recommended  Practices  Guide  is  solely  for  the  user’s 
information  and  convenience  and,  while  thought  to  be  accurate  and  functional,  it  is 
provided  without  warranty  of  any  kind.  If  in  doubt,  please  refer  to  the  current  edition 
of  the  Act,  Regulation  and  Code.  The  Crown,  its  agents,  employees  or  contractors  will 
not  be  liable  to  you  for  any  damages,  direct  or  indirect,  arising  out  of  your  use  of  the 
information  contained  in  this  Guide. 

This  Recommended  Practices  Guide  is  current  to  July  1, 2009. 

• All  references  to  the  Occupational  Health  and  Safety  Act  refer  to  the  Occupational 
Health  and  Safety  Act,  Chapter  0-2,  R.S  A.  2000. 

• All  references  to  the  Occupational  Health  and  Safety  Regulation  refer  to  the 
Occupational  Health  and  Safety  Regulation,  AR  62/2003. 

• All  references  to  the  Occupational  Health  and  Safety  Code  refer  to  the  Occupational 
Health  and  Safety  Code,  2009. 

• All  references  to  the  Criminal  Code  of  Canada  refer  to  the  Criminal  Code  of  Canada, 
(R.S.,  1985,  c.C-46) 

• All  references  to  the  Canada  Labour  Code  Part  II  refer  to  the  Canada  Labour  Code 
(R.S.,  1985,  c.  L-2) 


6 Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers 


Acknowledgements 

This  Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety:  A Guide  for  Building  Owners  and 
Managers  has  been  developed  in  consultation  with  The  Building  Owners  and  Managers 
Association  of  Calgary  (BOMA  Calgary),  the  Building  Operators  Association  of  Calgary 
(BOA  Calgary),  the  Alberta  Association  for  Safety  Partnerships  (AASP)  and  the  Alberta 
Government  - Employment  and  Immigration  (AEI),  Occupational  Health  and  Safety 
and  Alberta  Infrastructure. 

We  acknowledge  the  valuable  contributions  of  the  organizations  and  their 
representatives  who  participated  in  this  project. 

• 20  VIC  Management 

• BGE  Service  and  Supply  Limited 

• Brookfield  Properties  Corporation 

• Cadillac  Fairview  Corporation  Ltd. 

• Calgary  TELUS  Convention  Centre 

• CB  Richard  Ellis 

• GE  Water  Technologies  Inc. 

• GWL  Realty  Advisors  Inc. 

• MacKenzie  Management  Consulting  Inc. 

• Oxford  Properties  Group 

• Realex  Property  Management 

• Siemans 

• Tillyard  Management 

• Tonko  Realty  Advisors  Ltd. 


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7 


8 Rec 


ORGANIZATIONAL  COMMITMENT 
TO  HEALTH  + SAFETY 


////A/////////////////////////////////, 


Why  should  we  pay  attention  to  health  and  safety? 

It  is  the  right  thing  to  do. 

Protecting  workers  from  injury  and  illness  is  the  right  thing  to  do. 


It’s  the  law. 

Occupational  health  and  safety  is  about  the  prevention  of  workplace  injury  or  illness. 
Because  it  is  such  an  important  issue,  there  are  laws  in  place  to  ensure  that  Albertans 
have  a safe  and  healthy  place  to  work. 

Breaching  the  obligations  set  out  in  the  OHS  Act  can  result  in  a fine  of  up  to  $500  000 
for  a first  offense,  six  months  in  jail  or  both.  For  subsequence  offences  the  penalty  can 
rise  to  a fine  of  $1  000  000,  a one  year  jail  sentence  or  both. 

Reference:  OHS  Act,  section  41 


Every  one  who  undertakes,  or  has  the  authority,  to  direct  how  another  person  does 
work  or  performs  a task  is  under  a legal  duty  to  take  reasonable  steps  to  prevent 
bodily  harm  to  that  person,  or  any  other  person,  arising  from  that  work  or  task. 


LEGISLATED  REQUIREMENTS 


Reference:  Criminal  Code  of  Canada,  section  217  (1) 


Health  and  Safety  is  also  good  business. 


Informed  employers  also  realize  that  health  and  safety  is  good  business  - and  that 
health  and  safety  pays  in  more  ways  than  one. 


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9 


DID  YOU  KNOW? 


More  Business,  Better  Business 

A safe  and  healthy  business  is  a well-managed  business.  That’s  why: 

• many  companies  check  to  ensure  that  suppliers  have  a good  health  and  safety  record 
before  they  contract  them  for  work  or  to  provide  services 

• financial  institutions  are  interested  in  a firm’s  health  and  safety  record  when 
considering  a loan  application 

• a good  health  and  safety  record  shows  that  your  building  is  a desirable  place  to  work 
and  can  increase  your  tenancy  rates 

• a Certificate  of  Recognition  (COR)  is  a pre-bid  requirement  on  many  contracts 
An  unsafe  business  exposes  you  to  liabilities  that  others  don’t  want  to  assume. 

More  Motivated  Workers 

An  active  commitment  to  health  and  safety  lets  workers  know  that  they  matter  most. 
You  have  already  invested  in  your  workers  through  training  and  on-the-job  experience. 
It  makes  sense  to  keep  them  in  their  jobs  by  preventing  injury  and  illness. 

Better  Quality 

Many  businesses,  large  and  small,  have  found  that  the  quality  of  their  products  and 
services  improved. 

Many  factors  contribute  to  improved  quality,  such  as 

• training 

• effective  communication 

• worker  involvement 

• a system  for  ensuring  standards  are  met 

Like  quality,  health  and  safety  has  to  start  at  the  top  with  management  commitment. 

This  document  is  meant  to  provide  information  and  strategies  to  help  building  owners 
and  managers  meet  the  requirements  of  the  legislation  and  provide  for  the  health  and 
safety  of  their  workers. 

The  lost  time  claims  costs  for  our  industry  was  $1  431  248  in  2008  in  Alberta.  This  is 
an  increase  of  more  than  200%  from  2007.  Those  are  only  the  direct  costs  related  to 
compensation,  treatment  and  rehabilitation  of  the  workers.  This  doesn't  include  the  costs  to 
their  family  or  the  business.  It  all  adds  up. 

4403  days  of  work  were  lost  to  our  workers  in  2008  because  of  workplace  injuries.  We  can  do 
better  for  our  workers.  The  average  cost  per  claim  was  $7  228.53  (2008).  Some  were  less,  but 
some  were  much  more;  eleven  claims  cost  more  than  $25  000. 

Reference:  WCB  Alberta  Industry  Synopsis.  Industry:  89702  Property  Management.  Run  date:  7/7/2009. 


10 


Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers 


Health  and  Safety  in  Our  Industry 

The  most  frequently  compensated  mechanisms1  of  disabling  injury  to  workers 
employed  in  property  management  over  the  past  five  years  (2004  - 2008)  have  been: 


Type  of  Incident 

Percentage  of  Disabling  Injuries 

Falls 

23.5% 

Overexertion 

22.3% 

, : :«  : . ..  . . ! . ? . 

Bodily  reaction  and  exertion 

17.0% 

Struck  by  an  object 

9.0% 

Slipping 

6.4% 

These  injuries  occurred  most  commonly  to  the  following  areas  of  the  body: 

Part  of  Body 

Percentage  of  Disabling  Injuries 

Back,  including  spine,  spinal  cord 

25.4% 

Wrist(s)/Hand(s)/Finger(s) 

16.3% 

Leg(s) 

12.8% 

Trunk 

12.5% 

Ankle(s)  and  Foot  (Feet)  except  toes 

10.4% 

The  most  common  natures  of  injury  for  these  workers  are: 

Nature  of  Injury 

Percentage  of  Disabling  Injuries 

Sprains,  strains  and  tears 

50.3% 

Other  traumatic  injuries  and  diseases 

11.0% 

Surface  wounds  and  bruises 

10.5% 

Fractures  and  Dislocations 

9.1% 

Open  wound 

8.8% 

Measuring  Your  Commitment  and  Involvement 

As  an  employer,  you  should  take  every  possible  opportunity  to  show  your  workers  that 
you  are  committed  to  health  and  safety  practices  by  becoming  actively  involved.  Talk 
to  your  workers  about  your  health  and  safety  practices.  Offer  your  suggestions  for 
improvements,  and  solicit  theirs.  Make  your  workers  feel  comfortable  coming  to  you  to 
discuss  their  concerns.  At  meetings,  make  sure  health  and  safety  is  discussed  and  take 
an  active  role. 


1 Reference:  WCB  Alberta  Industry  Synopsis.  Industry:  89702  Property  Management.  Run  date:  7/7/2009. 


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Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers  11 


Take  this  quiz  to  see  how  committed  you  really  are. 


To  determine  the  extent  of  your  commitment  to,  and  involvement 

in,  health  and  safety,  read  the  questions  in  the  following  list:  Yes  No 


Do  you  set  realistic  health  and  safety  goals,  assign  responsibilities 
and  hold  people  accountable  for  them? 

Do  you  hold  yourself  accountable  for  all  your  health  and  safety 
responsibilities? 

Do  you  have  a joint  worksite  health  and  safety  committee? 

Is  health  and  safety  discussed  at  alt  your  meetings? 

Are  your  workers  given  the  opportunity  to  express  their  concerns? 
Do  they  feel  comfortable  about  doing  this? 

Do  you  follow  up  on  the  concerns  raised  by  your  workers? 

Do  you  do  regular  maintenance  of  equipment  or  machinery? 

Do  you  enforce  proper  work  procedures  regardless  of  the  work 
schedule? 

Do  you  ensure  that  proper  safety  procedures  are  reviewed  before 
the  job  starts? 

Are  health  and  safety  concerns  considered  in  budget  planning? 

Do  you  take  an  active  role  in  all  aspects  of  your  health  and 
safety  system? 


This  is  not  a comprehensive  list.  It  should  only  be  considered  an  indicator  of  your  commitment  to 
good  health  and  safety  practices. 


If  you  answered: 

Yes  to  all  of  these  questions  - you  are  probably  very  committed  and  involved  in 
your  program. 

Yes  to  only  some  of  them  - you  may  need  to  reassess  your  commitment  in  the  specific 
areas  where  you  did  not  answer  yes. 

You  need  to  be  fully  committed  and  demonstrate  that  by  being  involved  in  all  aspects  of 
your  health  and  safety  program.  This  publication  will  help  you  answer  yes. 

This  form  is  for  example  purposes  only.  Completing  this  form  alone  will  not  necessarily  put  you  in 
compliance  with  the  legislation.  It  is  important  and  necessary  that  you  customize  this  document  to  meet 
the  unique  circumstances  of  your  worksite.  Further,  it  is  essential  that  this  document  is  not  only  complete, 
hut  is  used,  communicated,  and  implemented  in  accordance  with  the  legislation.  The  Crown,  its  agents, 
employees  or  contractors  will  not  be  liable  to  you  for  any  damages,  direct  or  indirect,  arising  out  of  your  use 
of  this  form. 


Resources  for  a Improving  Organizational  Commitment 
Alberta  Association  for  Safety  Partnerships: 

http:/A/vww.safetypartnershipsaasp.com/aasp_tmpl.php?content=home 


12  Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers 


2 RESPONSIBILITIES  UNDER 
OHS  LEGISLATION 


A///////////A//A/////////////////////A 


What  are  my  Responsibilities  under 
the  OHS  Legislation? 

Whether  your  management  company  is  big  or  small,  based  at  one  location  or  many,  you 
are  legally  responsible  to  make  sure  that  the  working  environment  is  a safe  and  healthy 
place  to  work. 

Availability  of  Legislation 

A current  paper  or  electronic  copy  of  the  OHS  Act,  OHS  Regulation  and  OHS  Code 
must  be  readily  available  to  all  workers. 

Reference:  OHS  Code,  section  2.1 

In  Alberta,  the  requirements  for  workplace  health  and  safety  are  outlined  in  the 
Occupational  Health  and  Safety  Act  (OHS  Act),  Regulation  (OHS  Regulation),  and  Code 
(OHS  Code).  These  documents  are  available  for  viewing  or  downloading  on  the  Alberta 
Employment  and  Immigration  (AEI),  Occupational  Health  and  Safety  (OHS)  web  site 
at:  www.worksafely.org.  Printed  copies  may  be  purchased  from  the  Queen’s  Printer  at: 


Phone:  780-427-4952 
Fax:  780-452-0668 

Call  any  Government  of  Alberta  office  toll-free 
Dial  310-0000,  then  the  area  code  and  telephone 
number  you  want  to  reach 


www.qp.gov.ab.ca  or  at: 

Main  Floor,  Park  Plaza 
10611  - 98  Avenue 
Edmonton,  AB 
T5K2P7 


What  if  I have  questions  about  the  legislation? 

If  you  have  questions  about  the  legislation,  check  the  Work  Safe  Alberta  website  at: 
www.employment.alberta.ca  or  call  the  Occupational  Health  and  Safety  Contact  Centre  at 
1-866-415-8690  (Toll  free  in  Alberta),  780-415-8690  (Edmonton  and  surrounding  area). 


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Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers  13 


Employer  Obligations 

Under  the  OHS  Act  and  OHS  Regulation,  employers  are  responsible  for  ensuring 
the  health  and  safety  of  all  workers  at  the  work  site.  There  are  also  more  specific 
requirements  of  employers  depending  on  the  hazards  and  the  work  that  is  to  be  done, 
in  the  OHS  Code. 

LEGISLATED  REQUIREMENTS 

Who  is  an  Employer? 

Employer  means 

• a person  who  is  self  employed  in  an  occupation 

• a person  who  employs  one  or  more  workers 

• a person  designated  by  an  employer  as  the  employer's  representative 

• a director  or  officer  of  a corporation  who  oversees  the  occupational  health  and  safety 
of  the  workers  employed  by  the  corporation. 

Reference:  OHS  Act,  section  l(k) 

LEGISLATED  REQUIREMENTS 

Employer  Responsibilities 

Under  the  OHS  Act,  employers  are  responsible  for  ensuring  the  health  and  safety  of  all 
workers  at  the  work  site.  There  are  also  specific  requirements  of  employers  depending 
on  the  hazards  and  the  work  that  is  to  be  done.  These  include,  but  are  not  limited  to: 

: 

Every  employer  shall  ensure,  as  far  as  it  is  reasonably  practicable  for  the  employer  to 
do  so,  the  health  and  safety  of 

• workers  engaged  in  the  work  of  that  employer,  and 

• those  workers  not  engaged  in  the  work  of  that  employer  but  present  at  the  work  site 
at  which  that  work  is  being  carried  out,  and 

that  the  workers  engaged  in  the  work  of  that  employer  are  aware  of  their  responsibilities 
and  duties  under  this  Act,  the  regulations  and  the  adopted  code. 

Reference:  OHS  Act,  section  2(1) 

Under  the  OHS  Regulation,  there  are  more  specific  requirements  of  employers  that 
include  but  are  not  limited  to: 

LEGISLATED  REQUIREMENTS 

Equipment 

An  employer  must  ensure  that  all  equipment  used  at  a work  site 

• is  maintained  in  a condition  that  will  not  compromise  the  health  or  safety  of  workers 
using  or  transporting  it, 

• will  safely  perform  the  function  for  which  it  is  intended  or  was  designed, 

• is  of  adequate  strength  for  its  purpose,  and 

• is  free  from  obvious  defects. 

If  a worker  is  required  under  the  Act  to  use  or  wear  specific  equipment,  the  employer  must 
ensure  that  the  worker  uses  or  wears  the  equipment  at  the  work  site. 

Reference:  OHS  Regulation  section  12 

14  Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers 


General  Protection  of  Workers 


LEGISLATED  REQUIREMENTS 

If  work  is  to  be  done  that  may  endanger  a worker,  the  employer  must  ensure  that  the 
work  is  done 

■ by  a worker  who  is  competent  to  do  the  work,  or 

• by  a worker  who  is  working  under  the  direct  supervision  of  a worker  who  is  competent 
to  do  the  work. 

An  employer  who  develops  or  implements  a procedure  or  other  measure  respecting  the  work 
at  a work  site  must  ensure  that  all  workers  who  are  affected  by  the  procedure  or  measure  are 
familiar  with  it  before  the  work  is  begun. 

An  employer  must  ensure  that  workers  who  may  be  required  to  use  safety  equipment  or 
protective  equipment  are  competent  in  the  application,  care,  use,  maintenance  and  limitations 
of  that  equipment. 

If  a regulation  or  an  adopted  code  imposes  a duty  on  a worker,  the  worker's  employer  must 
ensure  that  the  worker  performs  that  duty. 

Reference:  OHS  Regulation,  section  13(1-3) 

Safety  training 

An  employer  must  ensure  that  a worker  is  trained  in  the  safe  operation  of  the  equipment 
the  worker  is  required  to  operate. 

An  employer  must  ensure  that  the  training  includes  the  following 

• the  selection  of  the  appropriate  equipment 

• the  limitations  of  the  equipment 

• an  operator's  pre  use  inspection 

• the  use  of  the  equipment 

• the  operator  skills  required  by  the  manufacturer's  specifications  for  the  equipment 

• the  basic  mechanical  and  maintenance  requirements  of  the  equipment 

• loading  and  unloading  the  equipment  if  doing  so  is  a job  requirement 

• the  hazards  specific  to  the  operation  of  the  equipment  at  the  work  site. 

If  a worker  may  be  exposed  to  a harmful  substance  at  a work  site,  an  employer  must 

• establish  procedures  that  minimize  the  worker's  exposure  to  the  harmful  substance,  and 

• ensure  that  a worker  who  may  be  exposed  to  the  harmful  substance 

■ is  trained  in  the  procedures, 

■ applies  the  training,  and 

■ is  informed  of  the  health  hazards  associated  with  exposure  to  the  harmful  substance. 

Reference:  OHS  Regulation,  section  15 

Employers  are  required  by  the  Alberta  OHS  legislation  to  ensure,  as  far  as  reasonably 
practicable/reasonably  achievable,  the  health  and  safety  of  both  the  workers  engaged  in 
the  work  of  that  employer  and  those  workers  not  engaged  in  the  work  of  that  employer, 
but  present  at  the  employer’s  work  site  at  which  that  work  is  being  carried  out. 


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IT  MAKES  SENSE 


What  do  “reasonably  practicable  and 
reasonably  achievable”  mean? 

“Reasonably  practicable”  is  a legally  defined  term  that  is  assessed  using  the  “reasonable 
person  test”  What  would  a dozen  of  your  peers  consider  reasonable  in  a similar  set  of 
circumstances?  Your  peers  would  likely  review  what  you  did  and  compare  it  against 
what  they  do  in  their  own  operations.  Some  of  them  might  do  more,  others  less.  The 
result  would  be  a balanced  and  wise  judgment  that  could  be  defended  to  others. 

Reasonably  Practicable  is  an  OHS  legal  term  that  has  been  tested  in  the  Canadian 
Courts  and  has  supported  a high  standard  for  effective  workplace  protection. 
Understanding  of  the  term  reasonably  achievable  comes  from  the  Canadian  Nuclear 
Safety  Commission  Regulatory  Guide  (2004),  for  “Keeping  Radiation  Exposures  and 
Doses  As  Low  as  Reasonably  Achievable  (ALARA)”.  Though  the  term  reasonably 
achievable  has  not  been  given  definite  meaning  by  the  Canadian  Court  system,  it  is 
generally  accepted  in  industry  and  by  regulators  to  encompass  the  same  considerations 
as  the  concept  of  “reasonably  practicable”. 

Refer  to  http://employment.alberta.ca/documents/WHS/WHS-PUB_li015.pdf 


Worker  Responsibilities 

Safety  is  not  just  the  employer’s  job.  Workers  have  many  responsibilities  as  well. 

These  may  include  but  are  not  limited  to: 

LESlSl  AT£D  REQ-J^E ?-AB  Workers  must 

• take  reasonable  care  to  protect  the  health  and  safety  of  themselves  and 
other  workers 

• cooperate  with  the  employer  for  the  purposes  of  protecting  health  and  safety 

• immediately  report  to  their  employer  any  equipment  that  is  in  a condition  that  will 
compromise  the  health  or  safety  of  workers  using  or  transporting  it,  will  not  perform  the 
function  for  which  it  is  intended  or  was  designed,  is  not  strong  enough  for  its  purpose,  or 
has  an  obvious  defect 

■ follow  health  and  safety  work  procedures  developed  by  their  employer 

■ participate  in  and  apply  training  provided  by  the  employer  regarding  safe  operations 
of  equipment  or  harmful  substances  they  may  be  exposed  to 

■ wear  personal  protective  equipment  required  by  their  employer 

• refuse  to  do  work  that  may  put  them  or  another  worker  in  "imminent  danger". 

Reference:  OHS  Act,  sections  2(2),  35.  OHS  Regulation,  sections  14, 15 


Imminent  Danger 

Both  the  employers  and  workers  have  specific  roles  in  regard  to  the  workers’ 
responsibility  to  refuse  work  where  an  imminent  danger  exists. 


LEGISLATED  REGI 


Imminent  danger  means  "a  danger  that  is  not  normal  for  that  occupation,  or  a danger 
under  which  a person  engaged  in  that  occupation  would  not  normally  carry  out  the 
person's  work". 

Reference:  OHS  Act,  section  35  (2) 


16  Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers 


Worker  Responsibilities 


No  worker  shall 

• carry  out  any  work,  if  on  reasonable  and  probable  grounds,  the  worker  believes  that 
there  exists  an  imminent  danger  to  the  health  or  safety  of  that  worker 

■ carry  out  any  work  if,  on  reasonable  and  probable  grounds,  the  worker  believes  that 
it  will  cause  to  exist  an  imminent  danger  to  the  health  or  safety  of  that  worker  or 
another  worker  present  at  the  work  site 

• operate  any  tool,  appliance  or  equipment  if,  on  reasonable  and  probable  grounds, 
the  worker  believes  that  it  will  cause  to  exist  an  imminent  danger  to  the  health  or 
safety  of  that  worker  or  another  worker  present  at  the  work  site 

A worker  who  refuses  to  carry  out  work  or  operate  a tool,  appliance  or  equipment  shall, 
as  soon  as  practicable,  notify  the  employer  at  the  work  site  of  the  worker's  refusal  and 
the  reason  for  refusal. 

Reference:  OHS  Act,  section  35 

Employer  Responsibilities 

On  being  notified  of  refusal  to  work  under  imminent  danger,  the  employer  shall 

• investigate  and  take  action  to  eliminate  the  imminent  danger 

• ensure  that  no  worker  is  assigned  to  use  or  operate  the  tool,  appliance  or  equipment 
or  perform  the  work  for  which  a worker  has  made  notification  of  refusal  to  work  unless 

■ the  worker  to  be  assigned  is  not  exposed  to  imminent  danger  or 

■ the  imminent  danger  has  been  eliminated 

• prepare  a written  record  of  the  worker's  notification,  the  investigation  and  action  taken 

• give  the  worker  who  gave  the  notification  a copy  of  the  record. 

Workers  cannot  be  disciplined  for  refusing  this  work. 

Reference:  OHS  Act,  sections  35  (4),  36 


During  a workplace  inspection,  it  is  determined  that  some  piping  needs  to  be  replaced. 

The  maintenance  supervisor  assigns  a junior  technician  to  remove  all  the  insulation  on 
the  pipe  so  contractors  can  come  in  and  replace  the  piping  on  the  weekend.  The  junior 
technician,  having  recently  seen  a television  program  on  the  dangers  of  asbestos,  wonders 
if  the  insulation  could  contain  some  asbestos.  He  knows  removing  asbestos  requires  a lot 
of  technical  knowledge,  which  he  doesn't  have  and  asbestos  insulation  removal  is  not  a part 
of  his  normal  duties. 


Because  the  danger  of  asbestos  is  not  normal  for  this  occupation,  the  maintenance  worker 
informs  the  employer  of  his  refusal  to  do  the  work  and  why.  The  employer  hadn't  considered 
the  possibility  of  there  being  asbestos  so  he  investigates  and  take  action  to  eliminate  the 
imminent  danger. 


LEGISLATED  REQUIREMENTS 


LEGISLATED  REQUIREMENTS 


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One  morning,  a building  manager  is  startled  by  an  alarm  coming  from  the  refrigerant 
room.  He  goes  down  and  checks  through  the  window  in  the  door  and  it  appears  that 
there  has  been  some  sort  of  mechanical  failure.  He  contacts  the  building  owner  who 
tells  him  to  go  in  and  fix  it  before  the  problem  gets  worse. 

Although  the  building  manager  is  competent  at  inspection  of  the  cooling  unit,  fixing  the 
leak  could  present  imminent  danger  to  the  worker  as  it  could  pose  a danger  not  normal  for 
the  occupation. 

The  maintenance  worker  refuses  to  carry  out  the  work  and  informs  the  employer  of  the 
refusal  and  the  reason  for  the  refusal.  Upon  consideration  of  this  information,  the  building 
owner  realizes  the  potential  danger  of  what  he  has  asked  and  hires  a hazardous  materials 
response  team  to  come  and  assess  the  situation  and  make  any  required  repairs. 


Legal  Consequences  of  Non- Compliance 

Provincial  Legislation 

Under  Alberta’s  OHS  Act  the  following  penalties  can  be  applied: 

A person  who  fails  to  comply  with  the  Act,  an  order  made  under  the  Act,  Regulation 
or  Code,  or  an  acceptance,  is  guilty  of  an  offence  and  liable 

• The  first  time 

• to  a fine  of  not  more  than  $500  000,  and  further  fine  of  not  more  than  $30  000 
for  each  day  during  which  the  offence  continues  or 

• to  imprisonment  for  a term  not  exceeding  6 months,  or  to  both  fines  and  imprisonment 

• The  second  time 

■ to  a fine  of  not  more  than  $1  000  000,  and  further  fine  of  not  more  than  $60  000 
for  each  day  during  which  the  offence  continues  after  the  first  day  or 

• to  imprisonment  for  a term  not  exceeding  12  months,  or  to  both  fines  and  imprisonment. 
A person  who  fails  to  comply  with  an  order  is  guilty  of  an  offence  and  liable  to  a fine  of  not 
more  than  $1  000  000  or  imprisonment  for  a term  not  exceeding  12  months  or  to  both  fine 
and  imprisonment. 

A person  who  knowingly  makes  any  false  statement  or  knowingly  gives  false  information  to 
an  officer  or  a peace  officer  engaged  in  an  inspection  or  investigation  is  guilty  of  an  offence 
and  liable  to  a fine  of  not  more  than  $1000  or  to  imprisonment  for  a term  not  exceeding 
6 months  or  to  both  fine  and  imprisonment. 

A prosecution  under  this  Act  may  be  started  within  2 years  after  the  action  of 
non-compliance. 

Reference:  OHS  Act,  section  41 

The  court  also  has  powers  to  apply  alternate  penalties  where  appropriate. 


18 


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Federal  Legislation 

The  Criminal  Code  of  Canada  was  amended  in  2004  by  Bill  C-45  to  allow  criminal 
charges  to  be  laid  in  specific  circumstances  where  a workplace  injury  or  fatality  has 
occurred  and  focuses  to: 

• Establish  criminal  liability  to  organizations  for  the  acts  of  their  representatives 

• Establish  a legal  duty  for  all  persons  “directing  the  work  of  others”  to  take 
reasonable  steps  to  ensure  their  safety 

• Set  factors  considered  in  sentencing  and  provide  optional  conditions  of  probation. 


The  Criminal  Code  holds  organizations  responsible  for  acts  or  omissions  which  result 
in  workplace  fatalities.  Organizations  are  defined  in  the  Criminal  Code  as: 

(a)  a public  body,  body  corporate,  society,  company,  firm,  partnership,  trade  union 
or  municipality,  or 

(b)  an  association  of  persons  that 

(i)  is  created  for  a common  purpose, 

(ii)  has  an  operational  structure,  and 

(iii)  holds  itself  out  to  the  public  as  an  association  of  persons. 


Every  one  who  undertakes,  or  has  the  authority,  to  direct  how  another  person  does 
work  or  performs  a task  is  under  a legal  duty  to  take  reasonable  steps  to  prevent 
bodily  harm  to  that  person,  or  any  other  person,  arising  from  that  work  or  task. 
Reference:  Criminal  Code  of  Canada,  section  217(1) 


LEGISLATED  REQUIREMENTS 


Charges  can  be  laid  against  senior  officers  or  other  representatives  of  the  organization. 
It  is  not  necessary  for  a single  person  to  have  carried  out  the  offense  for  it  to  be 
considered  one;  the  actions  of  several  representatives,  acting  independently  of  one 
another,  can  be  combined  and  treated  as  an  offence  by  the  organization. 

Three  employees  each  disable  one  of  three  linked  safety  switches  without  informing 
anyone  of  their  activities.  These  three  employees  each  think  there  is  no  danger  because 
they  think  the  other  two  switches  are  on.  The  individual  employees  would  not  likely  be 
held  criminally  responsible  for  any  injuries  because  they  lack  the  guilty  mindset. 

The  organization,  however,  could  be  held  criminally  responsible  because  it  was  three  of 
their  representatives  who  disabled  the  switches.  If  it  was  found  that  the  organization  had 
not  properly  trained  these  employees,  or  that  they  maintained  a workplace  culture  which 
encouraged  unsafe  behaviour,  a conviction  could  result. 


Sections  of  the  Occupational  Health  and  . 

Safety  Code 

Specific  requirements  for  health  and  safety  are  included  throughout  the  OHS  Act, 
Regulations  and  Code.  Parts  of  the  OHS  Code  that  can  apply  to  all  industries  include, 
but  are  not  limited  to: 

For  more  detail  and  explanation  of  each  part  of  the  legislation,  refer  to  the  OHS  Code 
and  the  OHS  Code  Explanation  Guide  available  at:  http://employment.alberta.ca/ 
SFW/307.html 


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1 Definitions  and  General  Application 

2 Hazard  Assessment,  Elimination  and  Control  (see  Section  6 of  this  document) 

3 Specifications  and  Certifications 

4 Chemical  Hazards,  Biological  Hazards  and  Harmful  Substances 
(see  Section  8 of  this  document) 

5 Confined  Spaces 

6 Cranes,  Hoists  and  Lifting  Devices 

7 Emergency  Preparedness  and  Response  (see  Section  10  of  this  document) 

8 Entrances,  Walkways,  Stairways 

9 Fall  Protection 

10  Fire  and  Explosion  Hazards 

11  First  Aid  (see  Section  11  of  this  document) 

12  General  Safety  Precautions 

13  Joint  Work  Site  Health  and  Safety  Committee 

14  Lifting  and  Handling  Loads 

15  Managing  the  Control  of  Hazardous  Energy 

16  Noise  Exposure 

17  Overhead  Power  Lines 

18  Personal  Protective  Equipment 

19  Powered  Mobile  Equipment 

20  Radiation  Exposure 

21  Rigging 

22  Safeguards 

23  Scaffolds  and  Temporary  Work  Platforms 

24  Toilets  and  Washing  Facilities 

25  Tools,  Equipment  and  Machinery  . 

26  Ventilation  Systems 

27  Violence  (see  Section  12  of  this  document) 

28  Working  Alone  (see  Section  13  of  this  document) 

29  Workplace  Hazardous  Materials  Information  System  (WHMIS) 

(see  Section  8 of  this  document) 

30  Demolition 


20  Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers 


Parts  of  the  OHS  Code  that  apply  to  specific  industries  include,  but  are  not  limited  to: 


Part 

Topic 

31 

Diving  Operations 

32 

Excavating  and  Tunnelling 

33 

Explosives 

34 

Forestry 

35 

Health  Care  and  Industries  with  Biological  Hazards 

36 

Mining 

37 

Oil  and  Gas  Wells 

39 

Tree  Care  Operations 

40 

Utility  Workers  - Electrical 

41 

Work  Requiring  Rope  Access 

What  is  the  role  of  an  Occupational  Health 
and  Safety  (OHS)  Officer? 

The  role  of  an  OHS  Officer  is  to  ensure  that  employers  are  meeting  the  minimum 
legislated  standards  required  in  the  OHS  Act,  Regulation  and  Code.  Officers  typically 
do  this  through  a combination  of  education  and  inspection  at  worksites. 

OHS  Officers  may  visit  work  sites  for  a variety  of  reasons,  including  but  not  limited  to: 

• To  address  complaints  received  about  possible  health  and  safety  concerns 

• To  investigate  a serious  incident  or  worker  fatality 

• To  respond  to  a reportable  incident  under  Section  18  of  the  OHS  Act 

• To  meet  with  an  employer  as  part  of  the  Occupational  Health  and  Safety  Employer 
Injury  and  Illness  Prevention  Program 

» To  conduct  a presentation  to  provide  information  on  the  legislation 

• To  conduct  an  inspection  as  a part  of  a strategic  inspection  initiative 

• To  conduct  an  unannounced  inspection  of  a worksite. 

An  officer  may 

• at  any  reasonable  hour  enter  into  any  work  site  and  inspect  that  work  site 

• require  the  production  of  any  documents  that  relate  to  the  health  and  safety  of  workers; 
examine  them,  make  copies  of  them  or  remove  them  temporarily  for  the  purpose  of 
making  copies 

• inspect,  seize  or  take  samples  of  any  material,  product,  tool,  appliance  or  equipment  being 
produced,  used  or  on  the  work  site  that  is  being  inspected 

• make  tests  and  take  photographs  or  recordings  in  respect  of  any  work  site 

• interview  and  obtain  statements  from  persons  at  the  work  site. 

Reference:  OHS  Act,  section  8 


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The  Officer  may  write  orders  to  the  employer  to  correct  any  deficiencies  related  to  the 
legislation  and  follow-up  at  a later  date  to  ensure  compliance.  If  an  OHS  Officer  sees 
something  at  a work  site  that  could  immediately  be  dangerous  to  workers,  they  can 
write  a stop  work  order  or  stop  use  order  for  a particular  piece  of  equipment. 


When  an  officer  believes  that  the  work  is  unsafe  or  unhealthy  at  a work  site,  the  officer 
may  write  an  order  for  the  person  responsible  for  the  work 

• to  stop  the  work  that  is  specified  in  the  order,  and 

• to  take  measures  to  ensure  that  the  work  will  be  carried  out  in  a healthy  and  safe  manner. 
Reference:  OHS  Act,  section  9 

OHS  Officers  do  have  authority  to  enforce  the  OHS  Act,  Regulation  and  Code, 

they  cannot: 

• Assist  employers  in  writing  or  comment  on  the  quality  of  health  and  safety  policies 
and  procedures.  This  is  the  employer’s  responsibility. 

• Grant  acceptances  to  legislated  requirements.  This  must  be  done  by  making  written 
application  to  the  Workplace  Policy  and  Legislation  Branch. 

• Assist  employers  in  conducting  investigations. 

• Have  any  involvement  or  influence  with  the  Workers’  Compensation  Board. 

If  you  would  like  another  person  to  speak  to  about  the  requirements  of  an  OHS  Officer 
that  has  contacted  you,  please  call  the  Occupational  Health  and  Safety  Contact  Centre 
(1-866-415-8690).  After  hours,  please  call  the  same  number.  The  Officer  on  call  can 
connect  you  with  a Compliance  Program  Manager. 

Resources  for  OHS  Laws 

• eLearning  tool  on  the  legislation  at: 

http://employment.alberta.ca/whs/learning/Legislation/Legislation.htm 

• OHS  Act:  http:/'www.qp.alberta.ca/574.cfm?page=002.cfm&leg_ 
type=Acts&isbncln=0779749200 

• OHS  Regulation:  http:/A/vww.qp.alberta.ca/574.cfm?page=2003_062.cfm&leg_ 
type=Regs&isbncln=077971752X 

• OHS  Code: 

http://www.employment.alberta.ca/documents/WHS/WHS-LEG_ohsc_2009.pdf 

° OHS  Code  Explanation  Guide: 

http://www.employment.alberta.ca/SFW/3969.html 

• Employer's  Guide:  Occupational  Health  and  Safety  Act: 

http://employment.alberta.ca/documents/WHS/WHS-PUB_li009.pdf 

• Worker's  Guide:  Occupational  Health  and  Safety  Act: 

http://employment.alberta.ca/documents/WHS/WHS-PUB_M008.pdf 

• Due  Diligence: 

http://employment.alberta.ca/documents/WHS/WHS-PUB_M015.pdf 

• Reporting  Injuries  and  Incidents: 

http://employment.alberta.ca/documents/WHS/WHS-PUB_M016.pdf 

• Bill  C-45:  The  Westray  Bill:  http://'www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/legisl/billc45.html 

• A Plain  Language  Guide  to  Bill  C-45:  Amendments  to  the  Criminal  Code  Affecting  the 
Criminal  Liability  of  Organizations: 

http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/dept-min/pub/c45/index.html#toc 


22  Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers 


MULTIPLE  EMPLOYE 

environment! 


W//////////////////////////////A//// 


It  can  become  quite  confusing  as  to  who  is  in  charge  where  there  are  several  employers 
working  close  to  each  other  at  the  same  time  such  as  in  a shopping  mall  or  office  tower. 
If  in  doubt,  ensure  you  consult  all  your  legal  contracts  such  as  leases  and  your  legal 
representation,  in  addition  to  the  applicable  legislation. 


A work  site  with  only  one  employer  present  does  not  require  a prime  contractor. 

A work  site  having  multiple  employers  engaged  in  work  at  the  same  time  must  have  a 
single  prime  contractor  for  the  site. 

If  there  are  2 or  more  employers  involved  in  work  at  a work  site  at  the  same  time, 
there  must  be  a prime  contractor.  The  prime  contractor  for  a work  site  is: 

• The  contractor,  employer  or  other  person  who  enters  into  an  agreement  with  the 
owner  of  the  work  site  to  be  the  prime  contractor,  or 

• If  no  agreement  has  been  made  or  is  in  force,  the  owner  of  the  work  site. 

Reference:  OHS  Act,  section  3 

To  prove  that  an  agreement  has  been  made  between  the  parties,  AEI  recommends 
that  the  agreement  be  in  writing.  In  transferring  this  responsibility,  the  owner  should 
be  sure  that  the  other  party  is  capable  of,  and  likely  to,  fulfill  the  prime  contractor 
responsibilities.  This  is  necessary  because  prime  contractor  responsibilities  originate 
with  the  owner  and  the  owner  must  be  diligent  in  transferring  these  responsibilities. 


What  is  a work  site? 

It  is  important  to  remember  to  define  your  work  site  when  determining  if  you  need  a 
prime  contractor  or  not.  This  may  need  to  be  re-evaluated  if  changes  are  made  to  the 
work  site. 


Work  site  "means  a location  where  a worker  is,  or  is  likely  to  be,  engaged  in  any 
occupation  and  includes  any  vehicle  or  mobile  equipment  used  by  a worker  in 
an  occupation". 

Reference:  OHS  Act,  section  l(cc) 




. ; JfSLATEO  REQUIREMENTS 

list 


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This  table  provides  some  work  site  examples  of  when  a prime  contractor  is  required. 


One  employer  performing  work  at  the  work  site  No 

Two  or  more  employers  performing  work  at  the  work  No 
site  but  at  different  times 


Two  or  more  employers  performing  work  at  the  work  Yes 
site  at  the  same  time 


A contractor  at  the  work  site  directing  one  or  more  Yes— the  contractor  counts  as  the 

self-employed  workers  at  the  work  site  first  employer,  the  self-employed 

worker  counts  as  the  second 
employer 


A tenant  of  a shopping  mall  hires  a contractor  Yes— if  they  are  present  at  the 

same  time;  the  tenant  is  the  first 
employer,  the  contractor  is  the 
second 

No— if  the  contractor  is  only 
present  after  the  tenants  leave 


Two  or  more  employers  working  at  neighboring  work  No— they  are  on  separate 

sites  at  the  same  time  worksites 


A work  site  .within^  work  site 

Situations  may  arise  on  very  large  work  sites  where  there  is  some  advantage  to  creating 
one  or  more  smaller  work  sites  within  the  larger  work  site.  Doing  so  allows  the  owner 
of  the  larger  site  to  transfer  prime  contractor  responsibilities  for  the  smaller  site  to 
someone  else,  yet  the  owner  or  the  owner’s  designate  continues  to  be  responsible  for 
the  remainder  of  the  larger  site.  Such  a transfer  of  responsibility  forms  the  basis  of  an 
agreement.  AEI  recommends  that  the  agreement  be  in  writing. 

Two  conditions  should  be  met  when  partitioning  a work  site: 

• The  hazards  at  one  work  site  should  not  impose  a danger  to  workers  at  the 
other  work  site(s).  This  means  that  in  some  cases  the  perimeter  of  the  partitioned 
work  site  will  need  to  be  clearly  defined  and  effectively  marked  to  prevent 
movement  of  workers,  equipment  and  materials  between  sites. 

• There  should  be  no  work-related  interaction  between  workers  of  the  partitioned 
work  sites. 


24  Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers 


A floor  in  an  office  tower  is  being  renovated.  During  this  time  the  workers  in  the  suite 
have  been  relocated  to  another  floor.  The  building  owner,  signs  over  prime  contractor 
for  this  floor,  to  the  construction  contractor.  The  prime  contractor  can  then  hire  their  own 
sub  contractors  (i.e.  electricians,  plumbers,  carpet  layers,  etc.)  to  conduct  the  appropriate 
work.  Even  though  the  prime  contractor  is  not  performing  the  work  themselves,  while  the 
contractors  are  on  their  site,  they  are  responsible  for  ensuring  they  are  complying  with  the 
OHS  legislation. 

Although  this  office  tower  could  be  considered  one  work  site,  it  is  appropriate  to  partition  this 
site  because  the  hazards  created  by  construction  will  not  affect  workers  on  the  other  floors. 
The  building  owner  retains  the  prime  contractor  responsibility  for  the  rest  of  the  office  tower. 


Fulfilling  prime  contractor  responsibilities-  • 

The  prime  contractor  has  the  overall  responsibility  for  health  and  safety  at  the  work 
site.  In  fulfilling  this  responsibility,  the  prime  contractor  must  ensure  that  each  of  the 
employers  at  the  work  site  complies  with  the  legislation. 


The  prime  contractor  is  responsible  for  ensuring  all  reasonable  measures  have  been 
taken  to  ensure  the  OHS  Act,  Regulation  and  Code  are  being  complied  with  on  the 
work  site. 

Reference:  OHS  Act,  section  3(3) 


One  way  a prime  contractor  can  ensure  health  and  safety  requirements,  is  to  establish 
and  maintain  a system  or  process  that  ensures  compliance  with  the  OHS  Act,  Regulation 
and  Code. 

Reference:  OHS  Act,  section  3(4) 

An  effective  health  and  safety  management  system  (see  section  4 of  this  document)  is 
one  way  of  meeting  this  requirement  although  other  equally  effective  alternatives  may 
also  be  used.  The  purpose  of  the  system  or  process  is  to  have  employers  cooperate  with 
one  another  to  ensure  the  health  and  safety  of  workers  at  the  work  site.  Having  a prime 
contractor  also  helps  to  make  clear  who  is  accountable  for  what.  ' 

The  prime  contractor  is  required  to  monitor  activities  at  the  work  site  to  ensure  that 
the  health  and  safety  system  is  functioning  properly.  This  is  intended  to  be  high  level 
oversight  or  auditing.  The  employer  is  responsible  for  the  details  of  their  workers  health 
and  safety.  The  prime  contractor  is  not  required  to  be  present  at  the  work  site. 


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First  Aid 


LEGISLATED  REQUIREMENTS 


LEGISLATED  REQUIREMENTS 


A prime  contractor  must  ensure  that  in  accordance  with  the  applicable  requirements  of 
Schedule  2,  Tables  3 to  7,  first  aid  services,  supplies  and  equipment  and  a first  aid  room, 
are  available  at  the  work  site  suitable  for  the  type  of  work  site  and  the  total  number  of 
workers  at  the  work  site. 

Reference:  OHS  Code,  section  178(2) 


The  required  services,  equipment  and  supplies  vary  depending  on  the  location  of  the 
work  site,  the  number  of  workers  at  the  site  and  whether  the  work  being  performed  is 
considered  to  be  of  a low,  medium  or  high  hazard.  More  information  can  be  found  in  the 
First  Aid  section  of  this  document,  section  11. 


Erecting  or  InstaMiig  Equipment 

If  a requirement  of  this  Code  imposes  a duty  on  an  employer  with  respect  to  the  design, 
construction,  erection  or  installation  of  equipment,  and  the  equipment  is  erected  or 
installed  by  or  on  behalf  of  a prime  contractor,  the  prime  contractor  must  comply  with 
the  requirement  as  if  the  requirement  were  directly  imposed  on  the  prime  contractor. 
Reference:  OHS  Code,  section2(l) 

This  applies  in  those  situations  where  a prime  contractor  erects  or  installs  equipment 
that  is  shared  among  multiple  employers.  Sharing  equipment  in  this  way  may  have 
safety,  logistical  and  economic  advantages.  It  also  avoids  confusion  as  to  who  is 
responsible  for  the  initial  and  ongoing  safety  of  the  installed  equipment. 

Equipment  that  may  be  erected  by  or  on  behalf  of  a prime  contractor  and  for  which  the 
prime  contractor  has  responsibility  can  include: 

• toilet  facilities  - the  prime  contractor  can  have  these  installed  for  use  by  all 
workers  at  the  site  rather  than  having  individual  employers  supply  toilet  facilities. 
For  example,  in  most  shopping  malls,  there  are  washrooms  all  workers  and  the 
public  can  use;  each  store  doesn’t  have  their  own. 

• scaffolds  - erected  by  or  on  behalf  of  the  prime  contractor,  many  employers  may  use 
the  scaffolds  throughout  the  project.  The  prime  contractor  retains  responsibility  for 
inspecting  and  maintaining  the  scaffolds. 

• guardrails  - once  installed  by  or  on  behalf  of  the  prime  contractor,  the  guardrails 
remain  in  place  for  the  duration  of  the  project. 

• garbage  collection  and  waste  disposal  - in  many  cases  it  may  be  more  efficient  if 
the  use  and  removal  of  waste  bins  is  coordinated  through  the  prime  contractor  and 
then  employers  can  share. 

• propane  tanks  for  site  heating  - this  is  a shared  resource  that  may  best  be  looked 
after  by  the  prime  contractor. 

• entry  and  exit  ramps  - used  at  construction  sites  by  workers  entering  and  leaving 
the  premises,  this  is  a shared  resource  that  maybe  best  maintained  by  the  prime 
contractor. 

• fall  protection  anchors  - if  used  by  multiple  trades  and  employers  during  a project, 
installation  of  anchorages  by  a prime  contractor  may  be  a preferred  option. 


26  Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers 


> Hazard  Assessment 

The  prime  contractors  must  ensure  the  communication  of  hazards  at  their  work  site  to 
all  the  employers.  One  of  the  ways  to  accomplish  this  may  be  to  have  a site  meeting  at 
the  start  of  each  day,  often  called  a “toolbox  talk”,  to  ensure  all  contractors  are  aware  of 
each  others  activities  and  the  hazards  they  may  pose  to  each  other. 

I LEGISLATED.  REQUIREMENTS 


Sometimes,  work  conducted  by  a neighbouring  employer  can  affect  the  health  and 
safety  of  workers  at  another  business.  It  is  important  to  remember  that  the  person  or 
company  that  employs  a worker  is  the  one  responsible  for  their  health  and  safety. 

Music  Metropolis  moves  into  the  local  shopping  mall.  This  store  hosts  concerts  with 
local  bands  on  Friday  evenings.  The  workers  at  the  nearby  book  store,  Rapid  Readers, 
are  concerned  about  the  noise  as  they  often  have  to  shout  to  hear  each  other  during  the 
concerts.  These  workers  approach  their  manager  and  discuss  how  to  proceed.  The  manager 
refers  to  their  hazard  assessments  on  site  and  realized  they  need  to  be  revised  to  include 
noise.  The  manager  and  workers  evaluate  potential  engineering,  administrative  and  personal 
protective  equipment  options  before  settling  on  a course  of  action  to  ensure  their  workers 
hearing  is  being  protected. 


The  prime  contractor  must  ensure  that  any  employer  at  a work  site  is  made  aware 
of  existing  or  potential  hazards  that  may  affect  their  workers. 

Reference:  OHS  Code,  section  7(5) 


Resources  for  Multiple  Employer  Environments 

• Due  Diligence: 

http://employment.alberta.ca/documents/WHS/WHS-PUB_li015.pdf 

■ Prime  Contractor: 

http://employment.alberta.ca/documents/WHS/WHS-PUB_li018.pdf 

• Occupational  Health  and  Safety  Code  Explanation  Guide: 

http://employment.alberta.ca/SFW/3969.html 

■ Occupational  Health  and  Safety  Act  Amended  in  2002  — Highlights: 

http://employment.alberta.ca/documents/WHS/WHS-PUB_M020.pdf 


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28  Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers 


4 


HEALTH  + SAFETY 
MANAGEMENT  SYSTEMS 


What  is  a Health  and  Safety  Management  System? 


A health  and  safety  management  system  is  a process  to  minimize  the  incidence  of 
injury  and  illness  at  the  workplace.  The  scope  and  complexity  of  a health  and  safety 
management  system  varies,  depending  on  the  type  of  workplace  and  the  nature  of  the 
work  performed. 

The  AEI  Partnerships  in  Injury  Reduction  Program  is  based  on  the  premise  that  when 
employers  and  workers  voluntarily  build  effective  health  and  safety  programs  in  their 
own  workplaces,  the  human  and  financial  costs  of  workplace  injuries  and  illnesses  will 
be  reduced.  Supporting  health  and  safety  programs  leads  to  larger  reductions  in  injuries 
than  regulatory  compliance  alone. 

The  purpose  of  a health  and  safety  management  system  is  to  identify,  assess  and  control 
workplace  hazards.  To  be  effective  and  form  the  foundation  of  the  health  and  safety 
management  system,  the  following  components  are  considered  in  the  Partnerships  in 
Injury  Reduction  Program2 . 

• Management  leadership  (see  section  5 of  this  document)  and  organizational 
commitment  (see  section  1 of  this  document) 

• Hazard  identification  and  assessment  (see  section  6 of  this  document) 

• Hazard  control  (see  section  6 of  this  document) 

• Ongoing  worksite  inspections  (see  section  7 of  this  document) 

• Qualifications,  orientations  and  training  (see  section  9 of  this  document) 

• Emergency  response  plan  (see  section  10  of  this  document) 

• Incident  investigation  (see  section  14  of  this  document) 

• Program  administration 


2 Building  an  Effective  Health  and  Safety  Management  System.  Partnerships  in  Injury  Reduction. 
Accessed  from:  http://employment.alberta.ca/documents/WHS/WHS-PS_building.pdf  on 
12  August  2009. 


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Where  Can  I Get  Help  with  Developing  a Health  and  Safety- 
Management  System? 

Training  and  courses  on  building  health  and  safety  systems  and  health  and  safety 
system  auditing  are  available  from  several  sources.  AEI  works  with  groups  and 
associations  called  Certifying  Partners  who  provide  training  for  the  Partnerships  in 
Injury  Reduction  - Certificate  of  Recognition  (COR)  Program  and  will  provide  training 
and  assistance  in  developing  health  and  safety  management  systems. 

Detailed  contact  information  for  the  Partnerships  in  Injury  Reduction  Program 
and  the  Certifying  Partners  is  available  on  the  AEI  website  under  Partnerships  at 
http://employment.alberta.ca/SFW/277.html.  Employers  can  choose  any  Certifying 
Partner  to  work  with;  BOMA  Calgary  recommends  the  Alberta  Association  for  Safety 
Partnerships,  for  the  building  management  industry  sector. 

Certifying  Partners 


Website 


Website 

Alberta  Association  for  Safety  Partnerships  (AASP) 

www.safetypartnershipsaasp.com 

: 

Alberta  Construction  Safety  Association  (ACSA) 

www.acsa-safety.org 

Alberta  Corporate  Human  Resources  (CHR) 

www.chr.alberta.ca 

Alberta  Food  Processors  Association  (AFPA) 

www.afpa.com/main.shtml 

Alberta  Forest  Products  Association  (AFPA) 

www.albertaforestproducts.ca 

Alberta  Hotel  Safety  Association  (AHSA) 

www.albertahotelsafety.com 

Alberta  Motor  Transport  Association  (AMTA) 

www.amta.ca 

Alberta  Municipal  Health  & Safety  Association 
(AMHSA) 

www.amhsa.net 

Alberta  Safety  Council  (ASC) 

www.safetycouncil.ab.ca 

Continuing  Care  Safety  Association 

www.continuingcaresafety.ca 

ENFORM 

www.enform.ca 

Manufacturers'  Health  and  Safety  Association 
(MHSA) 

www.mhsa.ab.ca 

Western  Wood  Truss  Association  of  Alberta 

www.wwta.ab.ca 

30  Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers 


Other  Health  and  Safety  Management  Systems 

There  are  numerous  health  and  safety  management  systems  that  have  been  developed 
and  that  are  in  use  throughout  the  world.  Some  are  industry  specific  and  developed  by 
companies  for  internal  use.  Others  are  developed  by  jurisdictions  including  Alberta’s 
COR  program.  Although  the  health  and  safety  management  systems  may  vary  in  their 
content,  application  and  evaluation,  their  goal  is  the  same  - to  minimize  the  incidence 
and  severity  of  injuries  and  illnesses. 

Canada  has  a standard  for  health  and  safety  programs  known  as  the  Canadian 
Standards  Association  (CSA)  Z1000.  The  Standards  Council  of  Canada  (SCC) 
encourages  the  use  of  CSA  Z1000  by  Canadian  jurisdictions  and  industries.  Some  of 
Alberta’s  Certifying  Partners  are  interested  in  becoming  accredited  by  the  SCC  to  offer 
CSA  Z1000  to  employers.  Partnerships  in  Injury  Reduction  is  working  with  the  SCC 
and  CSA  in  pursuing  mutual  recognition  between  the  Alberta  COR  and  CSA  Z1000. 
The  SCC  also  works  with  other  countries  including  the  United  States  and  Britain  to 
encourage  mutual  recognition  of  other  health  and  safety  management  systems.  The 
United  States  has  developed  ANSI  Z10  and  Britain  BSI 18001. 

At  an  international  level  the  International  Standards  Organization  (ISO)  appears  to 
have  adopted  OHSAS 18001  as  its  health  and  safety  management  standard.  Having  a 
health  and  safety  management  system  standard  that  is  recognized  internationally  may 
benefit  employers  that  conduct  international  trade. 

Resources  for  Health  and  Safety  Management  Systems 

• eLearning  tool  on  the  Health  and  Safety  Management  Systems: 

http://employment.alberta.ca/whs/learning/HealthAndSafety/HandS/ 

HealthAndSafety.html 

• Partnerships  in  Injury  Reduction: 

http://www.employment.alberta.ca/SFW/277.html 

■ Building  an  Effective  Health  and  Safety  Management  System.  Partnerships  in  Injury 
Reduction:  http://employment.alberta.ca/documents/WHS/WHS-PS_building.pdf 

• Alberta  Association  for  Safety  Partnerships: 
http://www.safetypartnershipsaasp.com/ 

■ CSA  Z1000  Occupational  Health  and  Safety  Management: 
http://www.shopcsa.ca/onlinestore/GetCatalogDrillDown.asp?Parent=4321 

• ANSI  Z10:  http://webstore.ansi.org 

• OHSAS  18001:  http://www.ohsas-18001-occupational-health-and-safety.com/ 


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POOOOPPOOOOOOOOOOOeOOOOPOOOOOOOOBC 


32  Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers 


COMPANY  HEALTH 
+ SAFETY  POLICY 


/////////////////////////////////////a 


5 


Establishing  a Company  Health  and  Safety  Policy 

A written  health  and  safety  policy  is  an  important  part  of  managing  health  and  safety 
in  your  workplace  and  an  important  step  in  demonstrating  management  commitment. 
A health  and  safety  policy  states: 

• employer’s  commitment  to  health  and  safety 

• overall  goals  and  objectives  for  health  and  safety 

• many  employers  set  zero  incidents  as  their  ultimate  goal 

• to  achieve  their  goals,  employers  must  also  have  adequate  systems  of  incident 
tracking,  reporting  and  investigation 

• the  requirements  set  out  in  the  OHS  Act  can  serve  as  baseline  goals  for  employers 

• responsibilities  of  management,  workers,  as  well  as  visitors  and  contractors, 
if  applicable 

Process 

1.  Draft  your  company  health  and  safety  policy  and  have  is  signed  by  the  owner  or  CEO 
of  the  company. 

2.  Communicate  the  policy  in  prominent  places  at  the  work  site  such  as  health  and 
safety  meetings  and  also  post  it  for  reference  (i.e.  bulletin  boards,  lunch  rooms). 

3.  Include  the  health  and  safety  policy  as  a part  of  new  worker  orientation. 

4.  Include  the  health  and  safety  policy  in  the  health  and  safety  manual. 

5.  Ensure  everyone  commits  to  health  and  safety.  Build  it  into  performance  reviews 
at  all  levels. 

6.  Senior  management  should  tour  the  worksite  at  least  annually  to  communicate 
and  reinforce  health  and  safety  practices  and  behaviours. 

7.  Develop  a process  for  addressing  health  and  safety  for  contractors  and  visitors 
at  your  site. 


Reference:  From:  Partnerships,  Building  an  Effective  Health  and  Safety  Management  System  pg.  8 
http://employment.alberta.ca/documents/WHS/WHS-PS_building.pdf 


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Resources  for  a Health  and  Safety  Policy 

• CCOHS  Guide  to  Writing  an  OHS  Policy  Statement: 

http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/hsprograms/osh_policy.html 

• How  to  prepare  an  Occupational  Health  and  Safety  Policy: 

http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/hs/ohsaguide/ohsag_appa.html 

• Alberta  Association  for  Safety  Partnerships  training  courses: 

http://www.safetypartnershipsaasp.com/aasp_tmpl.php?content=calendar 


34  Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers 


Health  and  Safety  Policy 


This  company  is  committed  to  providing  a safe  and  healthy  work  environment  that  meets  or  exceeds  the  standards  of 
the  Provincial  Occupational  Health  and  Safety  Act,  Regulation  and  Code  with  a purpose  of  protecting  employees,  visitors, 
contractors,  clients,  company  property  and  the  environment. 

Everyone  employed  by  this  company  (management,  employees,  contractors,  and  sub-contractors)  is  responsible 
for  maintaining  the  safety  management  system  by  setting  a good  example  as  well  as  understanding  their  assigned 
responsibilities  and  the  legislative  requirements  as  they  apply  to  their  work  site  and  job  tasks. 

It  is  the  responsibility  of  management  to  provide  leadership  and  the  required  resources  to  promote  the  safety 
management  system.  Management  will: 

• establish  and  maintain  acceptable  standards  for  the  worksite 

• ensure  that  safety  and  health  hazards  are  identified,  controlled  or  eliminated 

• develop  work  procedures  that  will  achieve  operational  targets  without  incidents  or  illness 

• provide  training  and  required  personal  protective  equipment  where  necessary 

■ monitor  worker  health  and  safety  performance. 

It  is  the  responsibility  of  every  supervisor  to  set  an  example  and  provide  leadership  in  the  health  and  safety  management 
system.  Supervisors  will: 

■ ensure  that  work  site  inspections  are  completed 

• employees  receive  appropriate  training  in  safe  work  procedures 

• monitor  worker  health  and  safety  performance 

• correct  unsafe  practices  or  conditions 

• enforce  site  safety  rules  and  legislation 

• investigate  all  work  site  incidents. 

It  is  the  responsibility  of  every  worker  to: 

■ Refuse  unsafe  work 

• Follow  all  safe  work  procedures 

• Perform  all  duties  in  a safe  manner 

• Report  any  identified  hazards 

• Observe  all  site  safety  rules  and  legislation 

• Cooperate  in  creating  a safe  and  healthy  working  environment. 

It  is  the  responsibility  of  every  contractor  to: 

• Follow  safe  work  procedures 

• Perform  duties  in  a safe  manner 

• Report  any  identified  hazards 

• Observe  all  site  safety  rules  and  legislation 

• Cooperate  in  creating  a safe  and  healthy  working  environment. 

Our  company's  goal  is  a healthy,  injury-free  workplace.  Through  everyone's  personal  commitment  and  active 
participation,  we  can  achieve  this  goal. 


SIGNED  DATE 

This  form  is  for  example  purposes  only.  Completing  this  form  alone  will  not  necessarily  put  you  in  compliance  with  the  legislation.  It  is 
important  and  necessary  that  you  customize  this  document  to  meet  the  unique  circumstances  of  your  worksite.  Further,  it  is  essential 
that  this  document  is  not  only  complete,  but  is  used,  communicated,  and  implemented  in  accordance  with  the  legislation.  The  Crown,  its 
agents,  employees  or  contractors  will  not  be  liable  to  you  for  any  damages,  direct  or  indirect,  arising  out  of  your  use  of  this  form. 


BP006  08/2009 


Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers 


36  Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers 


HAZARD  IDENTIFICATION, 
ASSESSMENT  + CONTROL 


Hazard  identification,  assessment  and  control  are  at  the  foundation  of  occupational 
health  and  safety,  and  are  an  important  requirement  under  the  Alberta  OHS  Code. 


Why  Conduct  a Hazard  Assessment? 

Assessing  hazards  means  taking  a careful  look  at  what  could  harm  workers  at  the  work 
site.  The  purpose  of  hazard  assessment  is  to  prevent  work-related  injury  or  illness  to 
workers. 

In  its  simplest  form,  a hazard  assessment  answers  the  question  “What  if...” 

• ...there  is  no  guardrail  around  that  elevated  work  platform? 

• ...seat  belts  are  not  worn  in  all  company  vehicles? 

• ...workers  do  not  wear  eye  protection  while  grinding? 

• ...workers  do  not  test  the  atmosphere  before  entering  a vessel? 

• ...one  of  our  workers  becomes  injured  or  dies  because...? 

Benefits  of  performing  a hazard  assessment  may  include: 

• Reducing  the  number  and  severity  of  workplace  injuries 

• Identifying  the  need  for  worker  training 

• Identifying  poor  or  missing  procedures 

• Increasing  worker  participation  and  ownership  of  workplace  health  and  safety 

• Reducing  production  losses  and  damage  to  equipment  and  property 

• Providing  a useful  tool  when  investigating  incidents. 


Employer  Responsibilities 

Employers  must: 

• Assess  a work  site  and  identify  existing  and  potential  hazards  before  work  begins 
at  the  site  or  prior  to  the  construction  of  a new  work  site 

• Involve  affected  workers  in  the  hazard  assessment  process  and  ensure  they  are 
informed  of  the  hazards  and  the  control  or  elimination  of  the  hazards  identified 

• Prepare  a written  and  dated  hazard  assessment,  including  the  methods  used  to  control 
or  eliminate  the  hazards. 

Reference:  OHS  Code,  sections  7(1  -3)  and  8 

A properly  completed  hazard  assessment  checklist  is  acceptable  as  long  as  it  identifies 

the  appropriate  control  measures  for  each  hazard. 


BP006  08/2009 


Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers  37 


When  to  Repeat  the  Hazard  Assessment 


An  employer  must  make  sure  that  a hazard  assessment  is  repeated: 

• At  reasonably  practicable  intervals  to  prevent  the  development  of  unsafe  and 
unhealthy  working  conditions 

• When  a new  work  process  is  introduced 

• When  a work  process  or  operation  changes,  or 

• Before  the  construction  of  significant  additions  or  alterations  at  a new  work  site. 

Reference:  OHS  Code,  section  7(4) 

Mobile  Work  Sites 

For  work  where  an  employer  may  send  workers  out  to  different  sites  several  times  a 
day,  such  as  for  service  or  repair  work,  a general  written  hazard  assessment,  instead 
of  an  assessment  at  each  site,  may  be  done  on  the  tasks  that  workers  will  be  doing,  and 
respective  control  measures  identified  provided  the  conditions  at  the  work  sites  do  not 
differ  significantly. 

One  of  the  hazards  identified  on  the  hazard  assessment  maybe  “working  in  an 
unfamiliar  area,”  and  the  appropriate  control  maybe  “contact  the  prime  contractor/site 
foreman  to  discuss  site  hazards  and  do  a worksite  walk  around  before  starting  work.” 

Multiple  Work  Sites 

If  an  employer  has  several  work  sites  with  similar  hazards,  and  the  safe  work  practices 
to  be  followed  at  each  work  site  are  identical,  a single  hazard  assessment  applicable 
to  all  work  sites  is  acceptable.  The  employer  must  ensure  that  there  are  no  unusual 
circumstances  present  at  any  of  the  worksites  that  differ  significantly  from  the  others. 

Field  Level  Hazard  Assessment 

At  work  locations  where  the  activities  and  conditions  change  frequently,  employers 
and  workers  often  rely  on  a field  level  hazard  assessment.  These  assessments  are  done 
on  the  spot  at  the  beginning  of  a work  day  or  when  a new  job  is  started.  The  sample 
template  at  the  end  of  this  section  can  be  used  for  these  hazard  assessments  as  well. 

What  is  a Hazard? 

A hazard  is  any  situation,  condition  or  thing  that  may  be  dangerous  to  the  safety 
or  health  of  workers. 

Reference:  OHS  Code,  Part  1 


38  Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers 


Step  1:  Identifying  and  Assessing  Hazards 

Hazards  may  be  grouped  into  four  categories.  They  may  include  but  are  not  limited  to: 


■ Lifting  and  handling  loads  e.g.  manual  materials  handling 

• Repetitive  motions 

• Slipping  and  tripping  hazards  e.g.  poorly  maintained  floors 

• Moving  parts  of  machinery 

• Sharp  objects  and  tools  e.g.  knives,  needles,  box  cutters 

• Working  at  heights  e.g.  elevated  platforms,  roofs 

• Pressurized  systems  e.g.  piping,  vessels,  boilers 

• Vehicles  e.g.  forklift  trucks,  trucks,  pavers 

• Fire 

• Electricity  e.g.  poor  wiring,  frayed  cords 

• Excess  noise  e.g.  portable  hand  held  tools,  engines 

• Inadequate  lighting 

• Extreme  temperatures 

• Vibration 

■ Ionizing  radiation 

• Workplace  violence 

• Working  alone 

• Confined  or  restricted  spaces 

• Chemicals  e.g.  solvents,  cleaners,  water  treatment  chemicals 

• Dusts  e.g.  from  grinding,  sandblasting 

• Fumes  e.g.  welding 

• Mists  and  vapors  e.g.  spray  paint 

• Gases  e.g.  Carbon  monoxide,  refrigerants 

• Viruses,  fungi,  bacteria 

• Moulds 

• Blood  and  body  fluids 

• Sewage 

• Working  conditions 

• Stress 

■ Fatigue 

• Violence 


page  43 


BP006  08/2009 


Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers 


Who  Should  Conduct  a Hazard  Assessment? 

It  is  best  to  have  a few  trained  people  with  different  perspectives  involved  to  ensure  all 
the  hazards  are  identified  and  the  most  appropriate  control  measures  for  the  situations 
are  found.  At  a minimum,  the  employer  and  an  affected  worker  must  be  involved.  Where 
possible,  it  can  be  beneficial  to  have  a representative  from  the  work  site  health  and 
safety  committee. 


How  to  Conduct  a Hazard  Assessment 

There  are  a number  of  ways  to  find  hazards  in  the  workplace  including: 

• Walk  around  and  look  at  your  workplace  and  observe  how  work  is  done. 

Ask  your  workers  what  they  consider  unsafe. 

• Think  about  what  could  possibly  go  wrong  and  do  not  overlook  the  things  that 
people  may  have  ‘worked  around’  for  years.  Ask  yourself  “what  if....?” 

• Review  any  information  you  may  have  on  a particular  piece  of  equipment 
(manufacturer’s  specifications)  or  a chemical  [Material  Safety  Data  Sheets  (MSDS)] 
to  see  what  it  says  about  safety  precautions. 

• Talk  to  others  in  similar  industries  to  find  out  what  sort  of  incidents  they  have  had. 

More  formal  processes  for  conducting  a hazard  assessment  may  include: 

• Physical  inspections  - using  a checklist  (see  Section  7 of  this  document) 

• Task  or  job  hazard  analysis  - breaking  jobs  down  into  tasks  or  a series  of  events 
and  identifying  the  hazards  involved  with  each  task 

• Manufacturing  process  analysis  - following  a process  from  start  to  finish  and 
identifying  the  hazards  involved  at  each  stage 

• Incident  investigation  - results  of  incident  investigation  may  identify  the  hazards 
involved  (see  Section  14  of  this  document) 


Considerations  when  Looking  for  Hazards 

• What  is  your  work  site?  E.g.  an  office,  vehicle,  etc. 

• How  suitable  are  the  tools  you  use  for  the  task?  Are  they  easy  to  access? 

• How  might  people  be  hurt  directly  by  equipment,  machinery  and  tools? 

• How  might  people  be  hurt  indirectly  through  noise,  fumes,  radiation,  etc? 

• How  might  people  be  hurt  by  using  chemicals  and/or  other  materials 
(paints,  solvents,  fuels,  toner,  oils,  plastics,  acids,  pesticides,  gases, 
biological  samples,  wastes)? 

• Are  workers  using  equipment  and  materials  correctly? 

• Who  are  the  neighboring  employers?  Do  they  pose  a risk? 


40  Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers 


Step  2:  Eliminating  and  Controlling  Hazards 

There  are  many  different  ways  to  control  workers’  exposures  to  hazards: 


First  try  to  eliminate  the  hazard  completely.  This  could  mean 
removing  trip  hazards  on  the  floor  or  disposing  of  unwanted 
chemicals,  etc. 

If  it  is  not  practical  to  eliminate  the  hazard  completely,  try 
to  substitute  it  with  something  safer,  such  as  using  smaller 
packages  to  reduce  the  weight  of  items  that  have  to  be 
manually  handled;  using  a less  toxic  chemical,  etc. 

Isolate  the  hazard:  for  example,  use  sound  proof  barriers  to 
reduce  noise  levels,  use  an  enclosed  spray  booth  for  spray 
painting,  use  remote  control  systems  to  operate  machinery 
Use  trolleys  or  hoists  to  move  heavy  loads,  place  guards 
around  moving  parts  of  machinery 
Ventilation 

Use  safe  work  procedures 

Provide  training  and  supervision  for  workers 

Ensure  regular  maintenance  of  machinery  and  equipment 

Limit  exposure  times  by  using  job  rotation 

Includes  gloves,  hard  hats,  hearing  and  eye  protection, 
safety  harnesses,  protective  clothing,  respirators,  CSA 
approved  footwear 
Ensure  that 

• The  right  type  of  PPE  is  selected  for  the  job 

■ PPE  fits  properly  and  is  comfortable  under  working 
conditions 

■ Workers  are  trained  in  the  need  for  PPE,  its  use 
and  maintenance 

• PPE  is  stored  in  a clean  and  fully  operational  condition 

Engineering 

Administrative 

PPE 


Administrative 

Controls 


Reference:  OHS  Code,  Section  9 


See  Hazard  Assessment  Fori' 

page  43 


BP006  08/2009 


Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers  41 


'tESdUECES 


Samples  of  a completed  hazard  assessment  and  a blank  template  are  included  at  the  end 
of  this  section.  It  is  important  that  whatever  layout  you  use  addresses  all  existing  and 
potential  hazards  at  your  work  site. 

Standard  templates  that  meet  your  needs  may  be  available  through: 

• Industry  health  and  safety  associations  or  private  health  and  safety  consultants. 

• Access  a list  of  resources  on  the  Information  Sharing  Network  web  site  at: 
http://employment.alberta.ca/whs/network/ 

• Your  Certifying  Partner:  http://www.employment.alberta.ca/SFW/337.html 


Resources  for  Hazard  Assessment  and  Control 

• Hazard  Assessment  eLearning  tool  at: 

http://employment.alberta.ca/whs/learning/hazard/Hazard.htm 

• Canadian  Centre  for  Occupational  Health  and  Safety: 

http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/ 

• Reference:  OHS  Explanation  Guide:  Part  2: 

http://www.employment.alberta.ca/SFW/3969.html 


42  Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers 


STEP  1:  Identifying  Hazards 


Hazard  Assessment 

t*  0 f m (Completed  Sample) 

On  the  Hazard  Identification  checklist,  check  off  all  the  hazards  or  potential  hazards  that  are  present  at  your  work  site. 
Add  any  identified  hazards  specific  to  your  work  site  to  the  list: 

ABC  Property  Management  Company 

December  20,  200S 

COMPANY 

COMPLETED  BY 

5ton\/  Creek,  Alberta 

Will.  B Safe 

LOCATION 

WORKER'S  REPRESENTATIVE 

Joe  Smitln 

Jane  Doe 

DATE  OF  ASSESSMENT  EMPLOYER'S  REPRESENTATIVE 


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Type 

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Type 

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Type 

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j 

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□ Other: 

. 

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S^Mil 

□ Sewage 

□ Other: 

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□ Other: 

BP006  08/2009 


Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers  43 


Take  the  hazards  identified  on  the  checklist  and  list  them  on  this  sheet 

Identify  the  controls  that  are  in  place:  engineering,  administrative,  PPE  or  a combination  for  each  hazard 
• Where  controls  are  identified  that  are  not  in  place,  develop  an  action  plan  to  ensure  they  are  completed. 


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44  Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers 


This  form  is  for  example  purposes  only.  Completing  this  form  alone  will  not  necessarily  put  you  in  compliance  with  the  legislation.  It  is  important  and  necessary  that  you  customize 
this  document  to  meet  the  unique  circumstances  of  your  worksite.  Further,  it  is  essential  that  this  document  is  not  only  complete,  but  is  used,  communicated,  and  implemented  in 
accordance  with  the  legislation.  The  Crown,  its  agents,  employees  or  contractors  will  not  be  liable  to  you  for  any  damages,  direct  or  indirect,  arising  out  of  your  use  of  this  form. 


STEP1:  Identifying  Hazards 


Hazard  Assessment  Form 

On  the  Hazard  Identification  checklist,  check  off  all  the  hazards  or  potential  hazards  that  are  present  at  your  work  site. 
Add  any  identified  hazards  specific  to  your  work  site  to  the  list: 


COMPANY 

COMPLETED  BY 

LOCATION 

WORKER’S  REPRESENTATIVE 

DATE  OF  ASSESSMENT 

EMPLOYER'S  REPRESENTATIVE 

□ Lifting  and  handling  loads 

□ Chemicals  (identify  types) 

□ Repetitive  motion 

Type: 

□ Slipping  and  tripping 

Type: 

□ Moving  parts  of  machinery 

Type: 

□ Working  at  heights 

Type: 

□ Pressurized  systems 

Type: 

□ Vehicles 

□ Dusts 

□ Fire 

□ Fumes  (identify  types) 

□ Electricity 

Type: 

□ Noise 

Type: 

□ Lighting 

Type: 

□ Temperature  - heat  or  cold 

□ Mists  and  Vapors  (identify  types) 

□ Vibration 

Type: 

□ Ionizing  Radiation 

Type: 

□ Workplace  Violence 

Type: 

□ Working  Alone 

I □ Other: 

□ Other: 

□ Other: 

□ Other: 

□ Other: 

□ Other: 

□ Other: 

□ Viruses 

□ Working  conditions 

| □ Fungi  (mould) 

□ Fatigue 

□ Bacteria 

□ Stress 

□ Blood  and  Body  Fluids 

□ Other: 

□ Sewage 

□ Other: 

□ Other: 

□ Other: 

□ Other: 

□ Other: 

BP006  08/2009 


Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers  45 


Take  the  hazards  identified  on  the  checklist  and  list  them  on  this  sheet 

Identify  the  controls  that  are  in  place:  engineering,  administrative,  PPE  or  a combination  for  each  hazard 
• Where  controls  are  identified  that  are  not  in  place,  develop  an  action  plan  to  ensure  they  are  completed. 


Hazard  Assessment  Form 


46  Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers 


SIGNATURE  SIGNATURE 

This  form  is  for  example  purposes  only.  Completing  this  form  alone  will  not  necessarily  put  you  in  compliance  with  the  legislation.  It  is  important  and  necessary  that  you  customize 
this  document  to  meet  the  unique  circumstances  of  your  worksite.  Further,  it  is  essential  that  this  document  is  not  only  complete,  but  is  used,  communicated,  and  implemented  in 
accordance  with  the  legislation.  The  Crown,  its  agents,  employees  or  contractors  will  not  be  liable  to  you  for  any  damages,  direct  or  indirect,  arising  out  of  your  use  of  this  form. 


* # ® « 


« « ® 8 


& « © 8 


« » « * » « «■  « i i i j j g i a i « i i j i i j j i u i a i j mjj  i i yy i - g - - 


7 


WORKSITE 

INSPECTION 


////////////////////////////////////// 


Worksite  Inspection  is  a type  of  Hazard 
Identification 

One  of  the  most  important  ways  to  ensure  the  health  and  safety  of  your  workplace  is 
to  regularly  inspect  your  work  site  to  identify  hazards,  and  then  eliminate  or  control 
the  hazards.  Inspection  is  an  ongoing  task  as  the  workplace  is  constantly  changing. 
Systems  of  inspections  that  are  both  scheduled  and  unscheduled  make  identifying 
and  controlling  hazards  a normal  part  of  everyday  work.  Formal  inspections  should  be 
conducted  by  a supervisor  and  a worker  whenever  possible. 

Inspections  provide  two  important  pieces  of  information  about  the  work  site: 

1.  Information  about  hazards  or  potential  hazards  that  have  not  previously  been  noted; 
and 

2.  The  effectiveness  of  controls  for  eliminating  or  reducing  the  risk  of  known  hazards 
is  confirmed. 

During  the  inspection 

• look  at  how  work  is  performed 

• identify  unsafe  or  unhealthy  conditions  and  acts  that  can  cause  injury  or  illness, 
so  you  can  take  corrective  measures. 

Observe  workers  to  ensure  they  are  using  proper  lifting  procedures  for  moving 
heavy  materials. 

After  the  inspection 

• develop  ways  to  eliminate  or  control  all  hazards  you’ve  found 

• remedy  serious  hazards  or  unsafe  work  practices  immediately 
■ control  other  hazards  as  soon  as  possible. 

Igflllll  Vi  , p - ■ ■ 1 - A ! ' lipi 

If  you  find  that  a ladder  has  a loose  or  damaged  rung,  immediately  remove  it  from 
service  by  taking  it  out  of  service  yourself  or  notifying  a supervisor  who  can  do  it. 

This  ladder  can  then  be  repaired  or  replaced  with  a new  ladder. 


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Resources  for  Work  Site  Inspection 

• CCOHS  Prevention  & Control  of  Hazards:  Effective  Workplace  Inspections: 

http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/prevention/effectiv.html 

• CCOHS  Health  & Safety  Programs:  Workplace  Housekeeping  - Sample  Checklist  for 

• General  Inspection:  http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/hsprograms/cklstgen.html 
■ CCOHS  Health  & Safety  Programs:  Inspection  Checklists  - Sample  Checklist  for  Offices: 

http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/hsprograms/list_off.html 


48  Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers 


LOCATION  INSPECTOR  NAME 


Work  Site  inspection 


LU 

I— 

< 

Q 


i 

j 


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49 


This  form  is  for  example  purposes  only.  Completing  this  form  alone  will  not  necessarily  put  you  in  compliance  with  the  legislation.  It  is  important  and  necessary  that  you 
customize  this  document  to  meet  the  unique  circumstances  of  your  worksite.  Further,  it  is  essential  that  this  document  is  not  only  complete,  but  is  used,  communicated,  and 
implemented  in  accordance  with  the  legislation.  The  Crown,  its  agents,  employees  or  contractors  will  not  be  liable  to  you  for  any  damages,  direct  or  indirect,  arising  out  of  your 
use  of  this  form. 


50  Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers 


HARMFUL  SUBSTANCES 

•f  W H M K (Workplace  Hazardous  Materials 
* Information  System) 


Many  building  operators,  through  the  course  of  their  work,  will  encounter  harmful 
substances.  It  may  be  cleaning  chemicals,  a biocide  used  to  condition  water,  pesticides 
or  even  asbestos  in  a building.  Having  basic  knowledge  about  how  to  deal  with  these 
situations  will  help  to  ensure  worker  safety.  For  more  information  please  see  Parts  4 
and  29  of  the  OHS  Code  and  OHS  Code  Explanation  Guide. 

Employer  Responsibilities 

If  a worker  may  be  exposed  to  a harmful  substance  at  a work  site,  the  employer  must 

• establish  procedures  that  minimize  the  worker's  exposure  to  the  harmful  substance 

• ensure  that  a worker  who  may  be  exposed  to  the  harmful  substance 
■ is  trained  in  the  procedures 

• applies  the  training,  and 

• is  informed  of  the  health  hazards  associated  with  exposure  to  the  harmful  substance. 
Reference:  OHS  Regulation,  section  15 

LEGISLATED  REQUIREMENTS. 

What  is  a harmful  substance? 



A harmful  substance  means  a substance  that,  because  of  its  properties,  application  or 
presence,  creates  or  could  create  a danger,  including  a chemical  or  biological  hazard, 
to  the  health  and  safety  of  a worker  exposed  to  it. 

Reference:  OHS  Code,  Parti 

LEGISLATED  REQUIREMENTS 

Worker  Exposure 

If  a worker  may  be  exposed  to  a harmful  substance  at  a work  site,  the  employer  must 

• ensure  the  worker's  exposure  is  kept  as  low  as  reasonably  achievable,  and 

• the  worker's  exposure  does  not  exceed  the  occupational  exposure  limit. 

Reference:  OHS  Code,  section  16(1)  and  (2) 


ISLATED  REQUIREMENTS 


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LEGISLATED  REQUIREMENTS 


What  is  an  Occupational  Exposure  Limit? 

An  occupational  exposure  limit  is  the  concentration  of  a chemical  in  the  workplace  to 
which  most  people  can  be  exposed  without  experiencing  harmful  effects3.  There  are 
three  different  types  of  exposure  limits  but  the  one  most  commonly  used  is  a Time- 
weighted  average  (TWA)  exposure  limit.  This  is  average  concentration  of  a chemical 
in  air  for  a normal  8-hour  work  day  and  40-hour  work  week.  In  this  way,  higher  and 
lower  exposures  are  averaged  over  the  day  or  week.  Although  this  level  is  legislated 
(for  a list  of  the  substances  with  an  occupational  exposure  limit  in  Alberta,  please  refer 
to  Table  2 of  Schedule  1 in  the  OHS  Code ) employers  are  still  required  to  ensure  the 
exposure  levels  are  kept  as  low  as  reasonably  practicable/reasonably  achievable.  For  a 
refresher  on  the  meaning  of  reasonably  practicable/reasonably  achievable,  go  back  to 
section  2 of  this  document. 


Training 

Employer's  must  ensure  that  workers  working  with  or  near  a controlled  product 
has  training  that  includes  information  on 

• product  labeling  requirements 

• material  safety  data  sheets  (MSDS),  their  significance  and  information  contained  on  them 

• storage,  use  and  handling  procedures 

• how  to  transfer  products  between  containers 

• how  to  deal  with  emergencies,  spills  and  fugitive  emissions. 

Reference:  OHS  Code,  section  397 

Resources  for  Harmful  Substances  and  Workplace  Hazardous 
Materials  Information  System 

• Asbestos  at  the  Work  Site: 

http://www.employment.alberta.ca/documents/WHS/WHS-PUB_ch019.pdf 

• Asbestos  notification  form: 

http://www.employment.alberta.ca/documents/WHS/WHS-PUB_whs3910.pdf 

• Guidelines  for  workers  applying  insecticides: 

http://www.employment.alberta.ca/documents/WHS/WHS-PUB_ch056.pdf 

• Health  and  Safety  Issues  Associated  with  the  Refrigerant  HCFC-123: 

http://www.employment.alberta.ca/documents/WHS/WHS-PUB_ch043.pdf 

• Alberta  Asbestos  Abatement  Manual: 

http://www.employment.alberta.ca/documents/WHS/WHS-PUB_asbestos_manual.pdf 

• Transportation  of  Dangerous  Goods:  http://www.transportation.alberta.ca/740.htm 

• Alberta  Environment,  http://environment.gov.ab.ca/info/topics.asp 

• PCBs  in  Light  Ballasts:  http://www.publications.gov.sk.ca/details.cfm?p=23829 

• OHS  Code  Explanation  Guide:  http://employment.alberta.ca/SFW/3969.html 

• Due  Diligence:  http://employment.alberta.ca/documents/WHS/WHS-PUB_M015.pdf 


3 Summarized  from  MSDS  Glossary  of  Terms:  A-G.  Canadian  Centre  for  Occupational  Health  and 
Safety.  Accessed  on  28  September  2009  from:  http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/chemicals/glossary/ 
msds_gloss_a.html#_l_65. 


52  Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers 


9 


WORKER  COMPETENCY 
+ TRAINING 


The  general  requirements  for  worker  training  are  included  in  the  OHS  Regulation. 
Specific  requirements  for  different  types  of  worker  training  are  identified  throughout 
the  OHS  Code.  Training  is  only  part  of  becoming  competent  at  a particular  task. 


Employer  Responsibilities 


Employers  must  ensure  that  a worker  is  trained  in  the  safe  operation  of  the  equipment 
the  worker  needs  to  operate.  This  training  must  include: 


:gislated  requirements 


■ selection  of  the  appropriate  equipment 

• limitations  of  the  equipment 

• operator's  pre-use  inspection 

• use  of  the  equipment 

• operator  skills  required  by  the  manufacturer's  specifications  for  the  equipment 

• mechanical  and  maintenance  requirements  of  the  equipment 

• loading  and  unloading  the  equipment  if  doing  so  is  a job  requirement 

■ the  hazards  specific  to  the  operation  of  the  equipment  at  the  work  site. 
Reference:  OHS  Regulation,  section  15 

What  is  equipment? 

Equipment  means  a thing  used  to  equip  workers  at  a work  site  and  includes  tools, 
supplies,  machinery  and  sanitary  facilities. 

Reference:  OHS  Regulation,  section  1 


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Worker  Responsibilities 


LEGISLATED  REQUIREMENTS 

Workers  must 

■ participate  in  the  training  provided  by  an  employer,  and 
• apply  the  training. 

Reference:  OHS  Regulation,  section  15 

Competent  Workers 

Employers  must  be  able  to  demonstrate  their  workers  are  competent.  A competent 
worker  must  be: 

LEGISLATED  REQUIREMENTS 

"...adequately  qualified,  suitably  trained,  and  with  sufficient  experience  to  safely 
perform  work  without  supervision  or  with  only  a minimal  degree  of  supervision." 

Reference:  OHS  Regulation,  section  1 

A worker  must  demonstrate  competency  whenever  undertaking  a new  task,  or 
whenever  a task  which  was  performed  in  the  past  has  changed  to  include  new  hazards. 
Note  that  training  and  competency  are  not  the  same  things. 

Trained  Worker 

Competent  Worker 

• Training  is  a formal  process  of  instruction 

• Trained  workers  need  mentoring  or 
supervision  to  ensure  they  can  complete 
work  assigned.  This  continues  until  the 
supervisor  is  comfortable  with  their 
skills  to  complete  the  tasks  alone  or  with 
minimal  supervision 

• Requires  the  appropriate  application  of 
training  to  their  work 

• Has  sufficient  experience  to  be  able 
to  complete  a task  safely  and  properly 
without  supervision  or  only  minimal 
supervision 

Example 

A worker  attends  an  eight  hour  training 
course  for  the  operation  of  a scissor  lift  in 
the  training  company's  warehouse. 

Example 

A worker  has  attended  a training  course 
for  the  model  of  scissor  lift  they  use 
at  their  work  site  and  has  experience 
operating  it  in  the  many  different  site 
conditions  he  encounters  in  his  work. 

If  work  is  to  be  done  that  may  endanger  a worker,  the  employer  must  ensure  that  the 
work  is  done 

• by  a worker  who  is  competent  to  do  the  work,  or 

• by  a worker  who  is  working  under  the  direct  supervision  of  a worker  who  is  competent  to 
do  the  work. 

Reference:  OHS  Regulation,  section  13 


54  Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers 


Resources  for  Worker  Competency  and  Training 

• 40  Questions  on  Labour  Competency: 

http://www.ilo.org/public/english/region/ampro/cinterfor/temas/complab/xxxx/ 

index.htm#a 

• Competency-based  Training  Manual: 

http://www.inwent.org/imperia/md/content/bereich4-intranet/abteilung4-01/1_ 

competency_based_training.pdf 

• Effective  Health  and  Safety  Training: 
http://www.edp-uk.com/newsletters/training+competence.htm#ARTICLE 


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Worker  Orientation  Record 


This  is  an  example  of  a checklist  you  may  wish  to  use  when  training  new  workers  on  health  and  safety  in 
your  workplace.  Ensure  you  include  any  topics  that  are  relevant  to  your  specific  job  site. 


WORKER'S  NAME 

SUPERVISOR'S  NAME 

DATE  OF  HIRE 

JOB  TITLE 

DATE  OF  ORIENTATION 

Health  and  safety  responsibilities 
Health  and  safety  rules 
How  to  get  first  aid 
Location  of  first  aid  kit(s) 

Emergency  procedures 
How  to  report  unsafe  conditions 
Responsibility  to  refuse  unsafe  work 
WHMIS 

Location  of  MSDSs 
Use  of  personal  protective  equipment 
Violence  policies  and  procedures 
Working  alone  procedures 

Job  specific  orientation  (list  below): 
Other  topics  covered  ( list  here): 


Comments: 


This  form  is  for  example  purposes  only.  Completing  this  form  alone  will  not  necessarily  put  you  in  compliance  with  the  legislation.  It  is 
important  and  necessary  that  you  customize  this  document  to  meet  the  unique  circumstances  of  your  worksite.  Further,  it  is  essential  that 
this  document  is  not  only  complete,  but  is  used,  communicated,  and  implemented  in  accordance  with  the  legislation.  The  Crown,  its  agents, 
employees  or  contractors  will  not  be  liable  to  you  for  any  damages,  direct  or  indirect,  arising  out  of  your  use  of  this  form. 

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COMPANY  TRAINING  COMPLETION  DATE 


Record  of  Training 


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57 


This  form,  is  for  example  purposes  only.  Completing  this  form  alone  will  not  necessarily  put  you  in  compliance  with  the  legislation.  It  is  important  and  necessary  that  you  customize 
this  document  to  meet  the  unique  circumstances  of  your  worksite.  Further,  it  is  essential  that  this  document  is  not  only  complete,  but  is  used,  communicated,  and  implemented  in 
accordance  with  the  legislation.  The  Crown,  its  agents,  employees  or  contractors  will  not  be  liable  to  you  for  any  damages,  direct  or  indirect,  arising  out  of  your  use  of  this  form. 


Training  Attendance 


COMPANY  LOCATION 


NAME  OF  COURSE 


NAME  OF  TRAINER 


DATE(S)  OF  TRAINING 


TRAINER'S  SIGNATURE 

This  form  is  for  example  purposes  only.  Completing  this  form  alone  will  not  necessarily  put  you  in  compliance  with  the  legislation.  It  is 
important  and  necessary  that  you  customize  this  document  to  meet  the  unique  circumstances  of  your  worksite.  Further,  it  is  essential 
that  this  document  is  not  only  complete,  but  is  used,  communicated,  and  implemented  in  accordance  with  the  legislation.  The  Crown,  its 
agents,  employees  or  contractors  will  not  be  liable  to  you  for  any  damages,  direct  or  indirect,  arising  out  of  your  use  of  this  form. 


58  Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers 


i n - 

A\J  + li  .AN 


////////////////////////////////////// 


An  emergency  may  be  defined  as  “any  situation  or  occurrence  of  a serious  nature, 
developing  suddenly  and  unexpectedly,  and  demanding  immediate  attention  "4 
There  are  many  types  of  emergencies  including,  but  not  limited  to: 

• Fires 

• Spills 

• Critical  injuries 

• Explosions 

• Medical  emergencies 

• Vehicle  collisions 

• Social  unrest/rioting 

• Power  or  fuel  loss 

• Workplace  violence 

• Bomb  threats 

• Natural  disasters  such  as:  ice  storms,  tornados  or  severe  storms,  floods 

Planning  and  preparing  in  advance  for  emergencies  is  important.  An  emergency 
response  plan  will  protect  the  health,  safety  and  lives  of  people  at  your  work  site. 

It  will  also  minimize  business  losses  related  to  damage  to  the  environment  and 
property.  The  OHS  Code,  Part  7 requires  employers  to  establish  an  emergency 
response  plan  for  response  to  an  emergency  that  may  require  rescue  or  evacuation. 


4 Canadian  Centre  for  Occupational  Health  and  Safety.  (2004)  Emergency  Response  Planning  Guide. 
First  Edition,  p.  2. 


i 


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Emergency  Response  Plans 


The  emergency  response  plan  must  be  written,  and  affected  workers  must  be  consulted 
in  the  development  of  the  plan. 

The  emergency  response  plan  must  include: 

• The  identification  of  potential  emergencies  (based  on  the  hazard  assessment) 

• Procedures  for  dealing  with  the  identified  emergencies 

• The  identification  of,  location  of  and  operational  procedures  for  emergency  equipment 
° The  emergency  response  training  requirements 

• The  location  and  use  of  emergency  facilities 

• The  fire  protection  requirements 

• The  alarm  and  emergency  communication  requirements 

• The  first  aid  services  required 

• Procedures  for  rescue  and  evacuation 

• The  designated  rescue  and  evacuation  workers 
Reference:  OHS  Code,  sections  115, 116 


Coordinating  Emergency  Response  Plans 

Although  every  employer  in  a multi-tenant  building  will  have  their  own  emergency 
preparedness  and  response  plan,  the  Alberta  Fire  Code  requires  a coordinated  response 
to  ensure  everyone’s  safety  in  the  following  situations: 


LEGISLATED  REQUIREMENTS 


Emergency  planning  is  required  for  occupancies  that  include: 

• Assembly,  daycares  or  detention  occupancy 

• Every  building  required  by  the  Alberta  Building  Code  to  have  a fire  alarm  system 

• Demolition  and  construction  sites 

• Storage  areas  required  to  have  a fire  safety  plan  - examples  include  indoor  rack  storage 
facilities,  outdoor  storage  of  hazardous  materials 

• Areas  where  flammable  and  combustible  liquids  are  stored  or  handled 

• Areas  where  hazardous  processes  or  operations  occur. 

Reference:  Section  2.8.1. 1,  Division  B,  Alberta  Fire  Code 2006 


The  requirements  of  a fire  safety  plan  and  for  fire  drills  are  specified  in  the  Alberta  Fire 
Code.  Take  the  time  to  ensure  your  plan  is  the  appropriate  one  for  your  work  site  and 
that  you  are  conducting  fire  drills  at  the  appropriate  intervals.  Conducting  fire  drills  will 
show  you  if  it  is  really  the  best  plan  for  your  staff  and  business.  Reviewing  the  things 
that  worked  and  those  that  didn’t  after  a drill  will  allow  you  to  revise  the  plan  and  to 
ensure  staff  is  familiar  with  their  roles. 

This  legislation  is  enforced  by  municipal  Safety  Codes  Officers  in  many  communities  or 
the  Provincial  Government  under  Alberta  Emergency  Management  Agency. 


60  Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers 


How  do  I develop  an  emergency  response  plan? 

A very  simple  plan  will  be  appropriate  in  offices,  small  retail  shops  and  small 
manufacturing  settings  where  there  are  few  or  no  hazardous  materials  or  processes 
and  workers  evacuate  when  alarms  sound  or  when  notified  by  public  address  systems. 
More  complex  plans  are  required  in  workplaces  containing  hazardous  materials 
or  workplaces  that  must  delay  evacuation  after  alarms  sound  to  shut  down  critical 
equipment,  for  example. 

It  is  essential  that  the  emergency  response  plan  be  site  specific.  To  assist  you  in  your 
planning,  a sample  of  a completed  response  plan  is  provided.  A sample  blank  plan  is 
provided  at  the  end  of  this  section.  You  may  use  this  or  develop  your  own  format,  as  long 
as  all  components  outlined  in  the  OHS  Code  are  addressed. 

Resources  for  Emergency  Preparedness  and  Response  Planning 

• Canadian  Centre  for  Occupational  Health  and  Safety: 

http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/hsprograms/planning.html 

■ Canadian  Centre  for  Occupational  Health  and  Safety,  Emergency  Planning  Response: 

Guide:  http://www.ccohs.ca/products/publications/emergency.html 

• How  to  prepare  an  Emergency  Response  Plan  for  your  Small  Business: 

http://www.worksafebc.com/publications/health_and_safety/by_topic/assets/pdf/ 

emergency_response_guide.pdf 

• Centers  for  Disease  Control  and  Prevention  Emergency  Preparedness  and  Response  Site: 

http://www.bt.cdc.gov/ 

• Alberta  Fire  Code  - Alberta  Government  Learning  Resources  Centre: 

http://www.lrc.education.gov.ab.ca/pro/resources/item-title.htm 

• Best  Practice  Guideline  for  Workplace  Health  & Safety  During  Pandemic  Influenza: 

http://www.employment.alberta.ca/documents/WHS/WHS-PUB_bp002.pdf 


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Emergency  Response  Plan  ( Completed  Sample) 


Joe's  Property  Management  - Head  Office 

COMPANY 

bO  £lm  Street,  Small  Town, Alberta 

ADDRESS  OR  LOCATION 


September  I,  2009 

DATE  OF  ASSESSMENT 

Joe  Smith,  Owner 

COMPLETED  BY 


EMERGENCY  RE5PONS 
EQUIPMENT  TRAINING 
& REQUIREMENTS 

(U$f  the  names  of  workers 
to  Use  e 


HHi 


The  following  are  identified  as  potential  emergencies: 

• Fire 


In  the  event  of  a fire  occurring  within  or  affecting  the  work  site 

• The  office  manager  is  the  Fire  Warden 

• Pull  the  fire  alarm  to  initiate  an  evacuation  and  alert  the  fire  station 

• All  staff  to  calmly  exit  the  buildings  via  the  stairs  and  meet  at  the  muster 
point  or  alternate  muster  point  as  determined  by  the  Fire  Warden 

• Fire  Warden  is  to  ensure  all  staff,  clients  and  visitors  are  accounted  for  and 
provide  this  information  to  emergency  services  personnel 

• No  one  may  enter  the  building  until  the  Fire  Warden  allows  it 

• Fire  Alarm 

• 1 at  the  reception  desk 

■ 1 by  the  back  door 

• Fire  Extinguisher 

• 1 in  the  office  hallway 

■ Fire  Hose 

■ 1 in  the  office  hallway  next  to  the  fire  extinguisher 

• Panic  Alarm 

• 1 at  the  main  reception  under  the  computer  desk 


NAME 

Jane  Doe 


Will  B.  Safe 


TRAINING  RECEIVED 

Fire  extinguisher 
Fire  Warden  training 
Standard  First  Aid 


FREQUENCY 

Orientation  and  annual 
refresher  training 

Every  3 years,  with  annual 
CPR  retaining 


62  Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers 


The  nearest  emergency  services  are  located  at: 

• Fire  Station:  10  Fir  Street  - 2 blocks  east:  780-555-1234 

• Ambulance:  40  Sun  Street  - 10  blocks  south  : 780-555-4567 

• Police:  1 Police  Plaza  - 20  blocks  west:  780-555-3456 

• Hospital:  101  Hospital  Avenue  - 4 blocks  east : 780-555-2345 

• Sprinkler  systems  are  located  in  all  rooms  of  the  work  site 

• Appropriate  fire  extinguishers  at  various  locations 

• Fire  hose  - only  for  use  by  emergency  services  personnel 

• Pulling  the  fire  alarm  will  automatically  alert  the  fire  department  and  initiate 
an  alarm  within  the  building 

■ The  fire  alarm  signal  is  intermittent  sharp  beeps 


First  Aid  Supplies  are  located  at: 

• No.  2 First  Aid  Kit  at  the  main  reception  desk 

• Blankets  in  the  storage  room 

First  Aiders  are: 

• Jane  Doe  - Reception 

Transportation  for  ill  or  injured  workers  is  by  ambulance  - Call  911. 


• Evacuate  and  direct  all  persons  to  the  safe  designated  gathering  point  via 
stairs  in  the  staff  parking  lot  and  account  for  staff,  visitors  and  clients 

• Assist  ill  or  injured  workers  to  evacuate  the  building 
■ Provide  first  aid  to  injured  workers  if  required 

• Call  911  to  arrange  for  transportation  of  ill  or  injured  workers  to  the  nearest 
health  care  facility  if  required. 


The  following  workers  are  trained  in  rescue  and  evacuation: 

• Jane  Doe  - Fire  Warden 

• Will  B.  Safe  - Standard  First  Aider. 


Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers 


Emergency  Response  Plan  Template 


COMPANY  DATE  OF  ASSESSMENT 


ADDRESS  OR  LOCATION  COMPLETED  BY 


If  an  emergency  identifies  above  occurs,  these  steps  need  to  be  taken  by  the 
assigned  personnel: 


64  Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers 


The  nearest  emergency  services  are  located: 

• Fire  Station: 

• Ambulance: 

• Police: 

■ Hospital: 

Fire  protection  equipment  listed  below  can  be  accessed  by  trained  personnel 

at  the  following  locations 

• First  Aid  Kit  Type: 

fjjj  1 A fjj 

• Location: 

* Other  Supplies: 

• First  Aiders  are: 

AA  f") B § 1 

• Work  Station  & Shift: 

• Transportation  arrangements: 

! • 

A, A ' 

• 

I • 

: 1 1 

• Name: 

• Work  Station/Area: 

• Name: 

AA'A  A 

• Work  Station/Area: 

This  form  is  for  example  purposes  only.  Completing  this  form  alone  will  not  necessarily  put  you  in  compliance  with  the  legislation.  It  is 
important  and  necessary  that  you  customize  this  document  to  meet  the  unique  circumstances  of  your  worksite.  Further,  it  is  essential 
that  this  document  is  not  only  complete,  but  is  used,  communicated,  and  implemented  in  accordance  with  the  legislation.  The  Crown,  its 
agents,  employees  or  contractors  will  not  be  liable  to  you  for  any  damages,  direct  or  indirect,  arising  out  of  your  use  of  this  form. 


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- 


- 


66  Recommended  Pi 


No  one  wants  to  hurt  workers  at  their  work  site.  Just  in  case  it  happens  though,  first  aid 
arrangements  need  to  be  established. 


What  S first  aid? 


First  Aid  - means  the  immediate  and  temporary  care  given  to  an  injured  or  ill  person 
at  a work  site  using  available  equipment,  supplies,  facilities,  or  services,  including 
treatment  to  sustain  life,  to  prevent  a condition  from  becoming  worse,  or  to 
promote  recovery. 

Reference:  OHS  Code,  Parti 


Who  is  a first  aider? 


First  Aider  - means  an  emergency  first  aider,  standard  first  aider  or  advanced  first  aider 
designated  by  an  employer  to  provide  first  aid  to  workers  at  a work  site. 

Reference:  OHS  Code,  Part  1 


Each  level  of  first  aid  training  can  provide  specific  skills  summarized  below: 

The  purpose  of  emergency  first  aid  is  to  provide  basic  first  aid  for 
life  threatening  situations.  It  covers  the  essentials  of  maintaining 
an  airway,  effective  breathing  and  cardiopulmonary  resuscitation 
(CPR),  control  of  bleeding  and  how  to  prevent  further  injury  until 
medical  care  is  available. 

The  standard  first  aid  course  covers  the  basic  areas  of  preserving 
life,  preventing  further  injury  and  providing  first  aid  care  until 
medical  aid  is  available. 

The  advanced  first  aid  course  provides  a more  in-depth  coverage 
of  basic  first  aid  and  also  includes  triage,  rescue,  transportation  of 
casualties  and  oxygen  administration. 


LEGISLATED  REQUIREMENTS 


LEGISLATED  REQUIREMENTS 


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LEGISLATED  REQUIREMENTS 


LEGISLATED  REQUIREMENTS 


LEGISLATED  REQUIREMENTS 


First  aiders  must  be  trained  by  an  approved  training  agency  that  meets  the  standards 
of  the  AEI  Director  of  Medical  Services. 

Reference:  OHS  Code,  section  177 

A list  of  approved  first  aid  training  agencies  is  available  at: 
http://employment.alberta.ca/SFW/1348.html 


Employer  Responsibilities 

Employers  must  ensure  adequate  first  aid  training,  supplies  and  equipment  for 

their  workers. 

Employers  are  responsible  for: 

• Providing  first  aid  services,  supplies  and  equipment  in  accordance  with  Schedule  2, 
Tables  3 to  7 of  the  OHS  Code 

• Ensuring  that  the  services,  supplies  and  equipment  are  located  near  the  work  site  they 
serve  and  are  maintained,  available  and  accessible  during  all  working  hours 

• Ensure  workers  know  the  location  of  or  post  signs  directing  people  to  the  location  of 
first  aid  services,  supplies  and  equipment 

• Ensure  an  emergency  communication  system  is  in  place  for  workers  to  summon  first 
aid  services 

■ Ensuring  arrangements  are  in  place  to  transport  injured  or  ill  workers  from  the  work  site 
to  the  nearest  health  care  facility 

• Ensuring  that  first  aiders  are  trained 

• Ensuring  that  injuries  and  acute  illnesses  are  reported  to  the  employer  and  recorded, 
and  that  records  are  kept  confidential. 

Reference:  OHS  Code,  Part  11 

In  a multi-tenant  facility,  it  may  be  more  effective  for  the  prime  contractor,  owner  or 

facility  manager  to  coordinate  these  services  for  all  work  sites. 


The  employers  and  prime  contractor  for  a work  site  may  enter  into  a written  agreement 
to  collectively  provide  first  aid  services,  supplies  and  equipment  and  first  aid  room 
(if  required). 

Reference:  OHS  Code,  section  1 78(3) 


68  Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers 


If  a worker  has  been  injured,  it  needs  to  be  reported  to  the  employer,  even  if  it  may  seem 
minor  at  that  time. 

Workers  must  report  any  acute  illness  or  injury5  at  the  work  site  to  the  employer  as 
soon  as  possible. 

Reference:  OHS  Code,  section  182 

Employers 


Employers  must  record,  on  a first  aid  record,  every  acute  illness  or  injury  that  occurs 
at  the  work  site  as  soon  as  possible  after  it  is  reported  to  them. 

The  first  aid  record  must  contain: 

• Name  of  worker 

• Name  and  qualifications  of  the  person  giving  first  aid 

• Description  of  the  illness  or  injury 

• Type  of  first  aid  given  to  the  worker 

■ Date  and  time  of  the  illness  or  injury 

• Date  and  time  the  illness  or  injury  was  reported 

■ Where  at  the  work  site  the  incident  occurred 

• Work-related  cause  of  the  incident,  if  any. 

Reference:  OHS  Code,  section  183 


m 


The  person  in  charge  of  first  aid  records  must  ensure  they  are  kept  confidential. 
Access  to  first  aid  records  is  limited  to  the  worker,  the  Director  of  Medical  Services 
or  a person  authorized  by  the  Director  of  Medical  Services,  except  where  written 
permission  of  the  worker  is  obtained.  First  aid  records  must  be  kept  for  3 years  from 
the  date  of  the  incident. 

Reference:  OHS  Code,  sections  183, 184 


5 Acute  illness  or  injury  means  a physical  injury  or  sudden  occurrence  of  an  illness  that  results  in  the 
need  for  immediate  care. 

Reference:  OHS  Code,  Part  1. 


LEGISLATED  REQUIREMENTS 


LEGISLATED  REQUIREMENTS 


LEGISLATED  REQUIREMENTS 


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69 


Determining  your  first  aid  requirements 

Use  the  following  process  to  ensure  the  appropriate  first  aid  is  available  at  your 
work  site: 


WJiat  type  of  work  is  performed  at  the  work  site? 


'W 


Is  it  low  hazard  work 

Is  it  high  hazard  work 

The  work  is  considered 

as  listed  in  Table  1 of 

as  listed  in  Table  2 of 

to  be  medium  hazard. 

Schedule  2? 

Schedule  2? 

■% 

* 

MO  MQ 

r 

What  is  the  travel  time 

What  is  the  travel  time 

What  is  the  travel  time 

to  the  nearest  health 

to  the  nearest  health 

to  the  nearest  health 

care  facility? 

care  facility? 

care  facility? 

• < 20  minutes 

• < 20  minutes 

• < 20  minutes 

(close  to  work  site) 

(close  to  work  site) 

(close  to  work  site) 

• 20-40  minutes 

• 20 -40  minutes 

• 20-40  minutes 

(distant  work  site) 

(distant  work  site) 

(distant  work  site) 

• > 40  minutes 

• > 40  minutes 

• > 40  minutes 

(isolated  work  site) 

(isolated  work  site) 

(isolated  work  site) 

r 

How  many 

How  many 

How  many 

workers  per  shift? 

workers  per  shift? 

workers  per  shift? 

• 1? 

i • 1? 

• 1? 

• 2-9? 

• 2-4 

■ 2-9? 

■ 10-49? 

• 5-9? 

• 10-19? 

• 50-99? 

• 10-19 

• 20-49 

; • 100-199? 

• 20-49? 

• 50-99? 

! • > 200? 

• 50-99? 

• 100-199? 

• 100-199? 

• *5  200? 

| 

• *5  200? 

ir 

'W 

Use  Table  5 

Use  Table  7 

Use  Table  6 

of  Schedule  2 

of  Schedule  2 

of  Schedule  2 

Note;  Number  of  first  aiders  indicated  is  for  a shift  at  ail  tinm 


70  Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers 


For  example  only,  the  medium  hazard  work  site  table  is  shown  here  (Table  6).  For  the 
low  hazard  (Table  5)  and  high  hazard  (Table  7)  tables,  as  well  as  the  definitions  of  low 
and  high  hazard,  please  refer  to  the  Schedule  2 of  the  OHS  Code. 


I- 

. 

1 

Type  P First  Aid  Kit 

Type  P First  Aid  Kit 

Type  P First  Aid  Kit 

2-9 

1 Emergency  First  Aider 
No.  1 First  Aid  Kit 

1 Standard  First  Aider 
No.  2 First  Aid  Kit 
3 blankets 

1 Standard  First  Aider 
No.  2 First  Aid  Kit 
3 blankets 

10-19 

1 Emergency  First  Aider 
1 Standard  First  Aider 
No.  2 First  Aid  Kit 

j 

1 Emergency  First  Aider 
1 Standard  First  Aider 
No.  2 First  Aid  Kit 
3 blankets 

2 Standard  First  Aiders 
No.  2 First  Aid  Kit 

3 blankets 

20-49 

1 Emergency  First  Aider 
1 Standard  First  Aider 
No.  2 First  Aid  Kit 

1 Emergency  First  Aider 
i 1 Standard  First  Aider 
No.  2 First  Aid  Kit 
| 3 blankets 

j 2 Standard  First  Aiders 
No.  2 First  Aid  Kit 
3 blankets 

50-99 

2 Emergency  First  Aiders 
1 Standard  First  Aiders 
No.  3 First  Aid  Kit 

2 Emergency  First  Aiders 
1 Standard  First  Aider 
No.  3 First  Aid  Kit 

3 blankets 

3 Standard  First  Aiders 
No.  3 First  Aid  Kit 
3 blankets 

100-199 

2 Emergency  First  Aiders 
2 Standard  First  Aiders 
No.  3 First  Aid  Kit 

Designated  area  for  first 
aid  services 

\ 

2 Emergency  First  Aiders 
j 2 Standard  First  Aider 
No.  3 First  Aid  Kit 

I 3 blankets,  stretcher, 
j splints 

Designated  area  for  first 
aid  services 

1 

| 3 Emergency  First  Aiders 
1 Advanced  First  Aider 
No.  3 First  Aid  Kit 

3 blankets,  stretcher, 
i splints 

j Designated  area  for  first 
aid  services 

i j 

200 

2 Emergency  First  Aiders 

| 

2 Emergency  First  Aider 

S : 

; 4 Standard  First  Aiders 

or  more 

2 Standard  First  Aiders 
1 Nurse  or  1 EMT-P 

1 Standard  First  Aider 
for  each  additional 
increment  of  1 to  100 
workers 

First  Aid  Room 

2 Standard  First  Aiders 
l 1 Nurse  or  1 EMT-P 

| PLUS 

1 Standard  First  Aider 
for  each  additional 
increment  of  1 to  100 
workers 

First  Aid  Room 

1 1 Nurse  or  1 EMT-P 

| PLUS-- 

l • 

1 Standard  First  Aider 
for  each  additional 
| increment  of  1 to  100 
| workers 

First  Aid  Room 

I | 

Nate;  N ■s*mfe.er  a#  first  indicated  h for  a shift  at  all  times. 


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LEGISLATED  REQUIREMENTS 


What  is  a health  care  facility? 

A health  care  facility  means  a hospital,  medical  clinic  or  physician's  office  that  can 
dispense  emergency  medical  treatment  during  the  time  the  workers  are  at  the  work  site. 
Reference:  OHS  Code,  Part  1 


First  Aid  Kits 


The  contents  of  first  aid  kits  are  standardized  and  are  available  at  many  safety  supply 
stores.  Ask  for  an  Alberta  First  Aid  Kit  and  specify  the  number  of  the  kit  required. 

¥di$  for  Vehicles 

There  is  not  a specific  first  aid  kit  for  a vehicle.  It  is  still  based  on  the  hazard  level  of 
the  work  site  (driving  would  generally  be  considered  medium  hazard)  and  how  many 
workers  there  are.  It  is  best  to  use  the  kit  for  the  maximum  number  of  people  the  vehicle 
can  safely  hold. 


Resources  for  First  Aid 

• List  of  approved  first  aid  training  agencies  is  available  at: 

http://employment.alberta.ca/documents/WHS/WHS-EP_firstaid_courses.pdf 

• Publication  on  First  Aid  Records: 

http://employment.alberta.ca/documents/WHS/WHS-PUB_fa009.pdf 

• Developing  a First  Aid  Plan: 

http://employment.alberta.ca/documents/WHS/WHS-PUB_fa012.pdf 

• Workplace  First  Aiders  and  Legal  Requirements: 

http://employment.alberta.ca/documents/WHS/WHS-PUB_fa011.pdf 

• First  Aid  in  the  Workplace:  Trade,  Investment  and  Labour  Mobility  Agreement  & 
Agreement  on  Internal  Trade: 

http://www.employment.alberta.ca/documents/WHS/WHS-PUB_fa016.pdf 

■ Quality  Management  Plan  Requirements  for  First  Aid  Training  in  Alberta  Workplaces: 

http://www.employment.alberta.ca/documents/WHS/WHS-PUB_fa010.pdf 


72  Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers 


First  Aid  Record  (Completed  Sample): 


XYZ  Property  Management 

09  /Ol  / 2009 

10:00 

0 AM 

DATE  OF  INJURY  OR  ILLNESS  (M/D/Y) 

TIME 

□ PM 

09  /Ol  / 2009 

10:02 

0 AM 

DATE  OF  INJURY  OR  ILLNESS  REPORTED  TO  FIRST  AIDER  (M/D/Y) 

Jane  Doe 

TIME 

□ PM 

FULL  NAME  OF  INJURED  OR  ILL  WORKER 

Worker  tripped  and  -fell  in  the  mechanical  room.  When  she  fell  she  cut  her  left  hand  on  a tool  left  on 
the  floor. 

Incident  occurred  in  the  mechanical  room  of  XYZ  Property  Management. 


DIRECT  CAUSE(S) 


Worker  fell  over  debris  while  carrying  tools. 

CONTRIBUTING  CAUSE(S) 

Poor  lighting 
Poor  housekeeping 
Poor  tool  storage 

No  □ Yes  IZ1  (If  yes,  complete  the  rest  of  this  page) 

Bill  Jones 


□ Emergency  First  Aider 
1Z1  Standard  First  Aider 

□ Advanced  First  Aider 

□ Registered  Nurse 


□ Emergency  Medical  Technician  - Paramedic 

□ Emergency  Medical  Technician  - Ambulance 

□ Emergency  Medical  Technician 

□ Emergency  Medical  Responder 


Cut  cleaned  with  water  and  gauze  dressing  applied.  Worker  returned  to  work. 


CONFIDENTIAL  Keep  this  record  for  at  less!  3 years  from  the  date  of  injury  or  illness. 


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First  Aid  Record  Template 


DATE  OF  INJURY  OR  ILLNESS  (M/D/Y) 


DATE  OF  INJURY  OR  ILLNESS  REPORTED  TO  FIRST  AIDER  (M/D/Y) 


DAM 

TIME  □ PM 

DAM 

TIME  □ PM 


FULL  NAME  OF  INJURED  OR  ILL  WORKER 


Description  of  whej 


DIRECT  CAUSE(S) 


CONTRIBUTING  CAUSE(S) 


No  □ Yes  □ (If  yes,  complete  the  rest  of  this  page) 


□ Emergency  First  Aider 

□ Standard  First  Aider 

□ Advanced  First  Aider 

□ Registered  Nurse 


□ Emergency  Medical  Technician  - Paramedic 

□ Emergency  Medical  Technician  - Ambulance 

□ Emergency  Medical  Technician 

□ Emergency  Medical  Responder 


CONFIDENTIAL  Keep  this  record  for  at  least  3 years  from  the  date  of  injury  or  illness. 

This  form  is  for  example  purposes  only.  Completing  this  form  alone  will  not  necessarily  put  you  in  compliance  with  the  legislation.  It  is 
important  and  necessary  that  you  customize  this  document  to  meet  the  unique  circumstances  of  your  worksite.  Further,  it  is  essential  that 
this  document  is  not  only  complete,  but  is  used,  communicated,  and  implemented  in  accordance  with  the  legislation.  The  Crown,  its  agents, 
employees  or  contractors  will  not  be  liable  to  you  for  any  damages,  direct  or  indirect,  arising  out  of  your  use  of  this  form. 


74  Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers 


-i  4T>  WORKPLACE 

violence 


W//////////////////////////////////A 


Violence  in  the  Workplace 

The  potential  for  violence  in  the  workplace  is  a hazard.  Identifying  situations  where 
workers  may  be  exposed  to  violence  assists  the  employer  in  implementing  controls  to 
improve  worker  safety. 


Assessing  your  risk  of  workplace  violence 

When  assessing  the  potential  for  violence,  ask  yourself  if  your  work  could  include  any 
of  the  following:  look  at  the  day-to-day  concerns  for  routine  operations,  and  consider 
other  things  such  controversial  gatherings  - G8  summit,  Petroleum  Conferences  - that 
may  disrupt  your  business  and  could  impact  your  workers'  safety. 


Industry-Related  Risks  Location-Related  Risks 


• Working  alone  or  in  small  numbers 

• Working  in  retail,  especially  with 
■ money 

• prescription  drugs 

• jewelry 

• other  valuables 

• Working  between  11  pm  and  6 am 

• Working  where  alcohol  is  sold  or 
consumed 

• Providing  social  assistance  or  emergency 
interventions 

• Working  with  patients  in  a healthcare 
facility 

• Working  in  law  enforcement,  corrections, 
security  or  any  other  inspection  or 
regulatory  occupation 

• Working  with  unstable  or  violent 
individuals 

• Employers  targeted  by  protestors  or 
action  groups 


• Working  near  businesses  that  experience 
an  elevated  risk  from  any  of  the  industry- 
related  risks 

• Working  in  or  near  high  crime  areas 

• Working  in  isolated  or  remote  areas 

• Working  in  community  based  settings 
such  as  social  work  or  home  care 

• Working  during  peak  business  cycles  such 
as  the  holiday  shopping  rush;  lunch  or 
dinner  hours 

• Working  during  a time  of  significant 
organizational  change 

• Working  in  a business  to  which  the  public 
has  access 


Be  aware  of  your  workers  safety  when  coming  to  or  leaving  the  work  site,  for  example, 
when  they  are  waiting  for  public  transit  or  in  parking  lots. 


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Prevention  of  Workplace  Violence 


Policy  Statement 


The  management  of recognizes  the  potential  for  workplace  violence  and 

other  aggressive  behavior  directed  at  our  employees.  We  will  not  tolerate  behavior  from  anyone  that  intimidates, 
threatens,  harasses,  abuses,  injures  or  otherwise  victimizes  our  employees  and  will  take  whatever  steps  are  appropriate 
to  protect  our  employees  from  the  potential  hazards  associated  with  workplace  violence.  We  are  committed  to  providing 
our  employees  with  an  appropriate  level  of  protection  from  the  hazards  associated  with  workplace  violence. 

Management  Responsibilities 

Management  will: 

• Inform  employees  if  they  are  working  in  an  area  where  there  is  a potential  for  violence  and  identify  any  risks  that 
are  specific  to  that  area. 

• Ensure  that  appropriate  procedures  are  in  place  to  minimize  the  risk  to  our  employees  from  violence. 

• Ensure  that  employees  are  trained  in  recognizing  and  responding  to  situations  involving  workplace  violence. 

• Ensure  that  every  reported  incident  of  workplace  violence  is  investigated,  and  potential  areas  for  improvement 
are  identified. 


Employee  Responsibilities 

• Employees  of are  required  to  be  familiar  with  and  follow  the  procedures 

that  are  in  place  to  protect  them  from  workplace  violence. 

• All  employees  must  participate  in  the  instruction  of  workplace  violence  prevention. 

• Employees  are  required  to  immediately  report  all  incidents  of  workplace  violence  to  their  supervisor  or  alternate 
e.g.  manager,  foreman,  security. 

• Employees  are  also  responsible  for  participating  in  work  site  hazard  assessments  and  implementing  controls 
and  procedures  to  eliminate  or  control  the  associated  hazards. 

No  employee  can  be  penalized,  reprimanded  or  in  any  way  criticized  when  acting  in  good  faith  while  following  the 

procedures  for  addressing  situations  involving  workplace  violence. 


SIGNATURE  OF  COMPANY  OWNER/PRESIDENT  DATE 


This  form  is  for  example  purposes  only.  Completing  this  form  alone  will  not  necessarily  put  you  in  compliance  with  the  legislation.  It  is 
important  and  necessary  that  you  customize  this  document  to  meet  the  unique  circumstances  of  your  worksite.  Further,  it  is  essential 
that  this  document  is  not  only  complete,  but  is  used,  communicated,  and  implemented  in  accordance  with  the  legislation.  The  Crown,  its 
agents,  employees  or  contractors  will  not  be  liable  to  you  for  any  damages,  direct  or  indirect,  arising  out  of  your  use  of  this  form. 


Reference:  Alberta  WCB:  Preventing  Violence  at  Work.  Order  from:  http://www.wcb.ab.ca/webforms/violence_materials.asp 


76  Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers 


Employer  Responsibilities 


Employers  must: 

• Ensure  that  workplace  violence  is  considered  a hazard  for  the  purposes  of 
conducting  a hazard  assessment 

• Develop  a policy  and  procedures  for  potential  workplace  violence 

• Ensure  workers  are  instructed  in 

• recognition  of  workplace  violence 

■ the  policy,  procedures  and  arrangements  that  effectively  minimize  or  eliminate 
workplace  violence 

■ the  appropriate  response  to  workplace  violence,  including  how  to  obtain  assistance 

■ procedures  for  reporting,  investigating  and  documenting  incidents  of  workplace  violence. 

• Investigate  an  incident  of  workplace  violence  according  to  the  OHS  Act 

• Ensure  a worker  is  advised  to  consult  a health  professional  for  treatment  or  referral  if 
the  worker 

• reports  an  injury  or  adverse  symptom  resulting  from  workplace  violence,  or 

■ is  exposed  to  workplace  violence. 

Reference:  OHS  Code,  Part  27 

Workplace  Violence  Procedures 

In  addition  to  a policy,  procedures  need  to  be  developed  and  communicated  to  all 
workers.  The  procedures6  should  address  the  following  areas: 

How  potential  hazards  will  be  identified  and  communicated  to  staff 

Ask  yourself  if  your  hazards  could  affect  other  neighbouring  tenants.  If  so,  you  may  need 
to  ensure  the  property  manager  is  aware  of  this  so  they  can  work  it  into  their  emergency 
preparedness  and  response  procedures. 


Hazard  assessments  regarding  workplace  violence  will  be  completed  as  part  of  the 
regular  hazard  assessment  program.  The  results  of  the  hazard  assessment  will  be 
communicated  to  workers  at  the  regular  staff  meetings. 


How  to  respond  to  workplace  violence 

All  workers  who  are  exposed  to  potential  or  real  situations  of  workplace  violence 
should  leave  the  immediate  area  if  possible  and  call  for  assistance  from  co-workers 
or  911  immediately. 

How  to  report  workplace  violence 


Employees  are  required  to  immediately  report  all  incidents  of  workplace  violence  to 
their  supervisor. 


Reference:  Alberta  WCB  (2001).  Preventing  Violence  at  Work. 

Order  from:  http://www.wcb.ab.ca/webforms/violence_materials.asp 


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Howto  investigate  and  document  incidents  of  workplace  violence 

All  incidents  of  workplace  violence  will  be  documented  on  the  Incident  Investigation 
Report  and  the  supervisor  is  responsible  for  investigating  the  incident  to  determine 
the  causes  and  to  identify  how  to  prevent  future  occurrences. 

For  more  information  on  conducting  an  incident  investigation  and  sample  incident 
investigation  forms  access  the  AEI  eLearning  program  on  incident  investigation  at: 
http://employment.alberta.ca/whs/learning/Incident/Incident.htm.  A sample  Incident 
Investigation  Report  template  is  included  at  the  end  of  section  14  of  this  document. 

The  support  available  for  victims  of  workplace  violence 

All  workers  exposed  to  workplace  violence  will  be  advised  to  consult  with  a health  care 
professional  for  counseling. 


Training  of  workers 

All  workers  will  be  instructed  in  the  workplace  violence  policy  and  procedures  in 
orientation  and  a review  will  be  done  annually  or  as  new  related  work  processes 
or  hazards  arise. 

The  WCB  offers  half  day  courses  on  preventing  workplace  violence.  More  information 
can  be  found  at:  http://www.wcb.ab.ca/public/preventing_violence.asp 

Resources  for  Workplace  Violence 

• Preventing  Violence  and  Harassment  at  the  Workplace  (Bulletin  vahOOl): 

http://employment.alberta.ca/documents/WHS/WHS-PUB_vah001.pdf 

• CCOHS  Health  Promotion/Wellness/Psychosocial  Resources: 

http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/psychosocial/ 

• Alberta  WCB  Preventing  Violence  at  Work: 
http://www.wcb.ab.ca/workingsafely/violence.asp 

• eLearning  program  on  incident  investigation: 

http://employment.alberta.ca/whs/learning/lncident/lncident.htm 


78  Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers 


Workplace  Violence  Procedures  Template 

Ttie.procedwres.for  dealing  with  workplace,  violence  are  as  stated  below. 


fng  ©f  w 


This  form,  is  for  example  purposes  only.  Completing  this  form  alone  will  not  necessarily  put  you  in  compliance  with  the  legislation.  It  is 
important  and  necessary  that  you  customize  this  document  to  meet  the  unique  circumstances  of  your  worksite.  Further,  it  is  essential 
that  this  document  is  not  only  complete,  hut  is  used,  communicated,  and  implemented  in  accordance  with  the  legislation.  The  Crown,  its 
agents,  employees  or  contractors  will  not  be  liable  to  you  for  any  damages,  direct  or  indirect,  arising  out  of  your  use  of  this  form. 


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13 


WORKING 

ALONE 


A worker  is  working  alone  if  they  are  alone  at  a work  site  and  assistance  is  not  readily 
available  in  case  of  emergency,  injury,  or  illness.  This  does  not  apply  if  there  are  two 
workers  of  different  employers  working  together.  It  is  reasonable  to  expect  that  the 
workers  will  assist  one  another  if  needed. 


system  consisting  of 
■ radio  communication 

• landline  or  cellular  phone,  or 

• some  other  effective  means  of  communication 

that  includes  regular  contact  by  the  employer  or  their  designate  at  intervals  appropriate  to  the 
nature  of  the  hazard  associated  with  the  worker's  work. 

If  electronic  communication  is  not  practical  at  that  work  site,  the  employer  must  ensure  that 

• the  employer  or  designate  visits  the  worker,  or 

• the  worker  contacts  the  employer  or  designate  at  intervals  appropriate  to  the  nature  of  the 
hazard  associated  with  the  worker's  work. 

Reference:  OHS  Code,  section  394 

Specific  Situations 

When  determining  if  assistance  is  readily  available  to  your  workers,  assess  these 
three  factors: 

• Awareness  - will  someone  capable  of  providing  assistance  be  aware  of  the 
worker’s  needs? 

• Willingness  - is  it  reasonable  to  expect  other  people  will  provide 
helpful  assistance? 

• Timeliness  - will  assistance  be  provided  within  a reasonable  period  of  time? 

This  must  take  into  account  the  type  of  injuries  that  person  could  incur  based 
on  their  work  and  their  environment. 


Employer  Responsibilities 


Employers  must  provide  for  any  worker  working  alone,  an  effective  communication 


VTED  REQUIREMENTS 


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Consider  these  three  factors  in  your  hazards  identification,  assessment  and  control  for 
working  alone. 

Consider  these  examples: 

• Travel  on  a busy  roadway  during  the  day  - it  is  reasonable  to  expect  that  other  road 
users  will  be  able  to  help  and  provide  assistance  in  a timely  manner  and  the  working 
alone  requirements  do  not  apply. 

• Travel  on  a remote  road  and/or  at  night  - working  alone  requirements  may  apply  as 
assistance  may  not  be  readily  available. 

Resources  for  Working  Alone 

• Working  Alone:  http://www.employment.alberta.ca/SFW/355.html 

• Work  Safe  Alberta:  Working  Alone  Safely:  a Guide  for  Employers  and  Employees: 

http://www.employment.alberta.ca/documents/WHS/WHS-PUB_workingalone.pdf 

• Canadian  Centre  for  Occupational  Health  and  Safety:  Working  Alone  FAQ: 

http^www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/hsprograms/workingalone.html 

■ Canadian  Centre  for  Occupational  Health  and  Safety:  Working  Alone  Off-Site: 

http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/hsprograms/workingalone_offsite.html 


82  Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers 


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INCIDENT  MANAGEMENT 
+ INVESTIGATION 


////////////////////////////////////// 


Incidents  are  any  occurrence  at  a work  site  that  has  the  potential  to  cause  injury  or 
illness  to  a worker. 

Now  that  you  have  developed  a health  and  safety  management  system,  you  should 
not  have  as  many  incidents  at  your  work  sites.  It  is  important  to  remember  that  the 
incidents  you  do  have  can  be  an  indicator  of  things  to  come  (Figure  1),  if  you  don’t  deal 
with  them  appropriately. 


Figure  1.  incident  Pyramid 

Reference:  Practical  Control  Leadership.  Frank  E.  Bird  and  George  L.  Germain,  1990. 


It  must  be  everyone’s  first  priority  to  ensure  the  worker  gets  prompt  and  appropriate 
medical  care.  After  this,  by  investigating  the  incident  and  implementing  corrective 
measures,  it  is  possible  to  prevent  it  from  happening  again  or  to  even  prevent  a more 
serious  incident. 


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Employer  Responsibilities 


LEGISLATED  REQUIREMENTS 


LEGISLATED  REQUIREMENTS 


Employers  must  report  to  AEI  Occupational  Health  and  Safety: 

■ An  injury  or  accident  that  results  in  death 

• An  injury  or  accident  that  results  in  a worker  being  admitted  to  a hospital  for  more 
than  2 days 

• An  unplanned  or  uncontrolled  explosion,  fire  or  flood  that  causes  a serious  injury 
or  that  has  the  potential  of  causing  a serious  injury 

• The  collapse  or  upset  of  a crane,  derrick  or  hoist 

• The  collapse  or  failure  of  any  component  of  a building  or  structure  necessary  for 
the  structural  integrity  of  the  building  or  structure. 

Reference:  OHS  Act,  section  18 


Investigation 

All  incidents  that  occur  at  a work  site  must  be  investigated,  not  just  the  ones  that  need 
to  be  reported  to  Occupational  Health  and  Safety. 

If  a worker  is  injured  or  any  other  incident  that  has  the  potential  of  causing  serious 
injury  occurs,  the  prime  contractor,  the  contractor  or  employer  responsible  for  that 
work  site  shall 

• carry  out  an  investigation  into  the  circumstances  surrounding  the  serious  injury, 

• prepare  a report  outlining  the  circumstances  of  the  serious  injury  and  the  corrective 
action(s)  put  in  place,  if  any,  to  prevent  a recurrence  of  the  serious  injury,  and 

• ensure  that  a copy  of  the  report  is  readily  available  for  inspection  by  an  officer. 

Reference:  OHS  Act,  section  18 


Near  Miss 

Near  misses  are  the  most  common  incidents.  They  cause  no  visible  injury  or 
damage  but  could  cause  serious  injuries  or  property  damage  under  slightly  different 
circumstances.  Near  misses  identify  conditions  or  work  practices  that  must  be  changed 
to  prevent  future  incidents.  Making  the  most  of  these  early  warnings  will  help  to  keep 
your  workers  as  safe  as  possible. 

A worker  is  below  some  scaffolding  with  workers  above  him.  One  of  the  workers 
unintentionally  drops  his  hammer  off  the  side  of  the  scaffold  and  it  falls  to  the  ground 
near  where  the  other  worker  is.  If  the  worker  on  the  ground  had  been  below  that, 
it  could  have  caused  him  serious  injury. 

The  workers  report  this  to  their  supervisor.  Both  work  crews  discuss  this  and  look  at  falling 
objects  now  as  a part  of  their  hazard  assessment.  They  determine  they  will  not  both  work  at 
the  same  time  and  they  will  tether  tools  to  the  upper  scaffold  to  prevent  them  from  hitting  the 
ground  below.  Now  both  groups  of  workers  are  prepared  to  finish  the  job  safely. 


84  Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers 


Goals  of  Incident  Investigation 

A successful  incident  investigation  will  determine  the  root  cause(s)  of  the  incident  and 
find  ways  to  prevent  similar  and  more  serious  incidents. 

Conducting  an  Incident  Investigation 

It  is  important  to  use  people  with  appropriate  training  in  the  applicable  fields  to 
ensure  you  will  get  the  most  complete  incident  investigation  possible.  By  following 
a standardized  process,  you  should  be  able  to  gather  enough  information  to  answer 
these  questions: 

• WHO  was  involved  or  injured? 

• WHAT  occurred? 

• WHERE  did  the  incident  occur? 

• WHEN  did  the  incident  occur? 

• WHY  was  the  unsafe  act  or  condition  allowed? 

• HOW  can  a similar  incident  be  prevented? 

Sources  of  Information 

There  are  many  places  to  find  information  during  an  incident  investigation.  The  kind 
of  information  you  will  need  will  vary  based  on  the  situation.  The  following  sources 
of  information  may  include,  but  are  not  limited  to: 

• Observations  i.e.  weather  conditions 

• Interview  witnesses 

• Training  records  of  injured  worker 

• Interview  supervisor  or  person  directing  work  even  if  they  didn’t  witness 
the  incident 

• Work  permits  (if  applicable) 

• Safety  meeting  minutes  if  that  issue  was  discussed 

• Inspection  and  maintenance  records  for  equipment 

• Engineering  analysis 

• Pictures  of  the  area,  the  work  conditions,  equipment 

• First  aid  record  form 


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Incident  Causation 

Usually  there  are  several  factors  that  cause  or  contribute  to  an  incident.  It  is  important 
not  to  focus  only  on  the  direct  causes,  but  also  look  for  other  factors  that  may  have 
contributed  to  the  incident.  If  you  do  this,  you  will  be  better  able  to  prevent  it  from 
happening  again. 

• Direct  Cause  - action,  event  or  force  that  is  the  immediate,  initiating  or  primary 
agent  which  leads  to  the  incident. 

• Indirect  Cause  - this  alone  did  not  cause  the  incident  however  it  contributed  to  the 
outcomes.  There  may  be  several  indirect  causes  for  an  incident.  For  example: 

• Poorly  maintained,  unsafe  or  defective  equipment 

• Unsafe  environment  or  conditions 

• Poor  housekeeping 

• Physical  hazards 
Poor  planning 

■ Poor  training 

• Unsafe  work  practices  - for  example  cutting  corners 

• Unusual  or  unfamiliar  work  conditions 

■ Personnel  and  behavioural  factors  - for  example,  stress,  fatigue,  etc. 

The  root  causes  of  the  incident  are  the  source  of  each  of  the  direct  and  indirect  causes; 
the  most  basic  conditions  that  allowed  them  to  occur.  Control  measures  that  address 
the  root  causes  are  best  able  to  prevent  future  incidents. 

77" " B | t ’ IlSP 

Resources  for  Incident  Management  & Investigation 

• Incident  Investigation  eLearning  tool: 

http://employment.alberta.ca/whs/learning/lncident/lncident.htm 
■ Reporting  Injuries  and  Incidents: 

http://employment.alberta.ca/documents/WHS/WHS-PUB_li016.pdf 

• Risk-based  approach  to  near  miss: 
http://www.ccohs.ca/hscanada/contributions/RITWIKARTICLE.pdf 


86  Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers 


Sample  Injury  Incident  Management  and  Investigation 


INJURY  INCIDENT 


I 


Assess  situation, 

First  Aider  to 

provide  First  Aid  if 

complete  first  aid 

required  and  safe  to 

r 

record 

do  so 

T 


r 


Contact  injured 
worker's  emergency 
contact  person 


Secure  Scene 


Prime  Contractor  or 
Employer  conduct 
Incident  Investigation 


Call  the  OHS 
Contact  Centre 

1-866-415-8690 

as  soon  as  possible 


Follow  directions 
provided  by  OHS  and 


Share  with  your 
industry  sector 
(if  applicable) 


Share  the 

i Write  Incident 

Keep  Incident  Investigation  for  2 years 

report  internally 

j Investigation  Report 

r 

Make  available  to  OHS  if  requested 

Implement 
corrective  actions 


T 


If  Not 


Follow  up  to  ensure 
implemented  controls 
are  effective 


I Continue  to  analyze 
| trends  of  incidents 
| and  near  misses 


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Incident  Investigation  Report  Template 


NAME  OF  WORKER* 

JOB  TITLE* 

NAME  OF  EMPLOYER 

□ AM 

DATE  OF  INCIDENT  (M/D/Y) 

TIME  OF  INJURY  OR  ILLNESS 

□ PM 

□ AM 

DATE  INCIDENT  REPORTED  (M/D/Y) 

TIME  REPORTED  TO  EMPLOYER 

□ PM 

DATE  INCIDENT  REPORTED  TO  EMPLOYER  (M/D/Y) 

JOB  TITLE 

LOCATION  OF  INCIDENT 

■ 

□ Near  Miss 

□ Production  Loss 

□ Property  Damage 

□ Reportable  Incident 

(see  section  18  of  the  OHS  Act ) 

□ First  Aid 

□ Medical  Aid 

□ Serious  Injury 
Date/Time  Reoorted  to  OHS: 

NAME  JOB  TITLE 


NATURE  OF  INJURY/ILLNESS 
Severity: 

□ Fatal  □ Medical  Aid  □ Lost  Time 

□ More  than  2 days  in  hospital  □ First  Aid  • □ Permanent  Disability 


NAME 


JOB  TITLE 


NATURE  OF  INJURY/ILLNESS 

Severity: 

□ Fatal 

□ Medical  Aid 

□ Lost  Time 

□ More  than  2 days  in  hospital 

□ First  Aid 

□ Permanent  Disability 

This  information  must:  be  kept  confidential. 


88  Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers 


NAME 


JOB  TITLE 


Statement  Attached?  □ Yes  □ No 


NAME  JOB  TITLE 

Statement  Attached?  □ Yes  □ No 


■M 


r/  P s r,  ' f , n * t X j lU  i s.  C 


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90  Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers 


•i  (J  r 

19  VALUATION 


/////////////////////////////A////////, 


Why  Should  I Review  my  Health  and  Safety 
Management  System? 

The  purpose  of  reviewing  your  health  and  safety  management  system  is  to  make  sure 
it’s  up-to-date  and  being  used  appropriately.  A review  helps  you  identify  the  strengths 
and  weaknesses  of  your  program  and  allows  you  to  focus  on  the  areas  that  need 
improvement.  It  will  also  help  you  determine  if  your  interventions  have  been  effective. 
The  review  will  be  most  beneficial  if  employees  are  involved  in  the  review  process  as 
they  see  how  it  functions  on  a daily  basis. 

Program  Administration 

Keeping  records  plays  a critical  part  in  monitoring  the  effectiveness  of  your  health  and 
safety  management  system.  Examples  of  records  that  should  be  maintained  to  assist 
you  in  evaluation  include,  but  are  not  limited  to: 

• Employee  orientation  and  training  records 

• Completed  hazard  assessments 

• Work  site  inspection  records 

• Incident  investigation  reports 

• Equipment  maintenance  records 

• Meeting  minutes  where  health  and  safety  was  discussed 


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Measuring  your  Effectiveness 

Evaluating  health  and  safety  at  your  workplace  will  indicate  where  changes  maybe 
required  to  make  your  health  safety  system  more  effective.  Common  ways  of  measuring 
effectiveness  include: 

• Monitoring  the  costs  of  injuries 

• Monitoring  the  number  of  days  lost  due  to  absenteeism 

• Maintenance  of  paperwork 

• Auditing  your  health  and  safety  management  system 

• Peer  review 

• Monitor  injury  and  illness  data  for  your  work  site.  This  can  be  accessed  through  the 
Workers’  Compensation  Board  Loss  Control  Reports  available  at:  https://ds.wcb. 
ab.ca/uidp/signon/content/logon.aspx 

• Comparing  your  company’s  safety  record  to  that  of  other  similar  companies  in  your 
industry.  You  can  download  the  latest  version  of  the  Occupational  Diseases  and 
Injuries  reports  in  Alberta  at:  http://www.employment.alberta.ca/SFW/129.html 

Resources  for  Program  Monitoring  and  Evaluation 

• Government  of  Alberta  Building  an  Effective  Health  and  Safety  Management  System: 

http://www.employment.alberta.ca/documents/WHS/WHS-PS_building.pdf* 

• Government  of  Saskatchewan,  Setting  up  an  OHS  Program: 

http://www.labour.gov.sk.ca/Default.aspx?DN=6c991c55-55f3-4c86-89af- 

343b37e88ce3 


92  Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers 


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Acute  Illness  or  Injury 

means  a physical  injury  or  sudden 
occurence  of  an  illness  that  results 
in  the  need  for  immediate  care. 

Advanced  First  Aider 

An  Emergency  Medical  Responder, 
Emergency  Medical  Technician,  nurse 
or  other  person  who  holds  a certificate 
in  advanced  first  aid  from  an  approved 
training  agency. 

Competent  Worker 

An  adequately  qualified,  suitably  trained 
and  sufficiently  experienced  worker  who 
is  capable  of  safely  performing  work  without 
supervision  or  with  only  a minimal  degree 
of  supervision. 

Direct  Cause 

An  action,  event  or  force  that  is  the 
immediate,  initiating  or  primary  agent 
which  leads  to  the  incident. 

Emergency  First  Aider 

A person  who  holds  a certificate  in 
emergency  first  aid  from  an  approved 
training  agency. 


Employer 

A person  who  is  self-employed  in  an 
occupation;  a person  who  employs  one  or 
more  workers;  a person  designated  by  an 
employer  as  the  employer's  representative; 
a director  or  officer  of  a corporation  who 
oversees  the  occupational  health  and  safety 
of  the  workers  employed  by  the  corporation. 

Equipment 

Equipment  means  a thing  used  to  equip 
workers  at  a work  site  and  includes  tools, 
supplies,  machinery  and  sanitary  facilities. 

Harmful  Substance 

A substance  that,  because  of  its  properties, 
application  or  presence,  creates  or  could 
create  a danger,  including  a chemical  or 
biological  hazard,  to  the  health  and  safety 
of  a worker  exposed  to  it. 

Hazard 

A situation,  condition;  or  behavior  that  has 
the  potential  to  cause  a danger  to  the  health 
or  safety  of  a worker. 

Health  Hazard:  a physical,  chemical, 
biological  or  psychological  hazard  which 
may  cause  acute  or  chronic  health  effects 
in  exposed  employees  (e.g.  noise,  dust, 
heat,  ergonomics,  etc.). 


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Safety  Hazard:  a substance,  process, 
action  or  condition  which  may  endanger 
the  immediate  safety  of  employees 
(e.g.  chemical  burns,  shear  points,  slips 
and  falls,  etc.). 

Hazard  Assessment 

A process  used  to  identify  and  evaluate 
the  health  and  safety  hazards  associated 
with  job  tasks.  Provides  a method  for 
prioritizing  health  and  safety  hazards. 

Imminent  Danger 

A danger  that  is  not  normal  for  an 
occupation,  or  a danger  under  which 
a person  engaged  in  that  occupation  would 
not  normally  carry  out  the  required  work. 

Incident 

Any  occurrence  that  has  the  potential  to 
cause  injury  or  illness.  This  includes  "near 
miss"  incidents. 

Indirect  Cause 

This  factor  did  not  cause  the  incident 
however  it  contributed  to  the  outcomes. 
There  may  be  several  indirect  causes  for 
an  incident. 

Near  Miss 

An  incident  in  which  injury  did  not  occur 
but  which  could  have  caused  an  injury 
under  slightly  different  circumstances. 

Occupation 

Every  occupation,  employment,  business, 
calling  or  pursuit  over  which  the  Legislature 
has  jurisdiction.  Farming,  ranching  and  work 
in,  on  or  around  a private  dwelling  performed 
by  the  owner  or  occupant  of  the  dwelling  is 
excluded  from  this  definition. 

Occupational  Exposure  Limit 

The  concentration  of  a chemical  in  the 
workplace  to  which  most  people  can  be 
exposed  without  experiencing  harmful 
effects.  Specific  limits  are  defined  within  the 
Occupational  Health  & Safety  Code,  Schedule  1. 


Officer 

Someone  appointed  as  an  occupational 
health  and  safety  officer  under  the  OHS  Act. 

Owner 

The  person  in  legal  possession  of  the  work 
site  or  the  person  with  an  ownership  interest 
in  the  work  site  who  requests  that  the  work 
be  done. 

Prime  Contractor 

The  contractor,  employer  or  other  person 
who  enters  into  an  agreement  with  the 
owner  of  the  work  site  to  be  the  prime 
contractor,  or  the  owner  of  the  work  site 
if  no  agreement  exists. 

Root  Cause 

The  underlying  or  basic  factors  which 
contribute  to  an  incident. 

Safe  Work  Procedures 

A written,  step-by-step  instruction  of  how 
to  perform  a task  from  beginning  to  end. 

Standard  First  Aider 

A first  aider  who  holds  a certificate 
in  standard  first  aid  from  an  approved 
training  agency. 

Worker 

A person  engaged  in  an  occupation. 

Work  Site 

A location  where  a worker  is  or  is  likely  to 
be  engaged  in  an  occupation.  This  includes 
any  vehicle  used  for  work  purposes. 


94  Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers 


Here  is  a summary  of  all  the  additional  resources  you  can  access  for  more  information 

• Employment  Standards  Code: 

http://www.employment.alberta.ca/SFW/1698.html 

• Alberta  Human  Rights  Legislation: 

www.albertahumanrights.ab.ca/ 

• Workers'  Compensation  Board: 

www.wcb.ab.ca 

■ Alberta  Building  Code: 

http://www.lrc.education.gov.ab.ca/pro/resources/item.htm?item-no=683161 

• Partnerships  Program: 
http://employment.alberta.ca/SFW/277.html 

■ Occupational  Health  and  Safety: 
http://employment.alberta.ca/sfw/53.html 

• eLearning  tools: 

http://www.employment.alberta.ca/SFW/268.html 

• OHS  Act: 

http://www.qp.alberta.ca/574.cfm?page=002.cfm&leg_type=Acts&isbncln=0779749200 

• OHS  Regulation : 

http://www.qp.alberta.ca/574.cfm?page=2003_062.cfm&leg_type=Regs&isbncln=077971752X 

• OHS  Code: 

http://www.employment.alberta.ca/documents/WHS/WHS-LEG_ohsc_2009.pdf 

• OHS  Code  Explanation  Guide: 

http://www.employment.alberta.ca/SFW/3969.html 

• A Plain  Language  Guide  to  Bill  C-45:  Amendments  to  the  Criminal  Code  Affecting  the  Criminal 
Liability  of  Organizations:  http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/dept-min/pub/c45/index.html#toc 

■ CSA  Z1000  Occupational  Health  and  Safety  Management: 

http://www.shopcsa.ca/onlinestore/GetCatalogDrillDown.asp?Parent=4321 

• ANSI  Z10: 

http://webstore.ansi.org 

■ OHSAS 18001: 

http://www.ohsas-18001-occupational-health-and-safety.com/ 

Continued  on  next  page 


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Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers  95 


• CCOHS: 

http://www.ccohs.ca/ 

• Transportation  of  Dangerous  Goods: 
http://www.transportation.alberta.ca/740.htm 

• Alberta  Environment: 
http://environment.gov.ab.ca/info/topics.asp 

• International  Labour  Organization: 
www.ilo.org 

• WorkSafe  BC: 
www.worksafebc.ca 

• Centers  for  Disease  Control  and  Prevention  Emergency  Preparedness  and  Response  Site: 

http://www.bt.cdc.gov/ 

■ Alberta  Fire  Code  - Alberta  Government  Learning  Resources  Centre: 

http://www.lrc.education.gov.ab.ca/pro/resources/item-title.htm 

■ Government  of  Saskatchewan: 

http://www.labour.gov.sk.ca/ 


96  Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers 


Evaluation  Form 


AEI  would  like  your  feedback  on  the  Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety:  A Guide  for  Building  Owners  and 
Managers.  All  responses  are  kept  confidential  and  will  be  grouped  with  other  responses  to  provide  an  overall  evaluation 
of  the  document.  Please  send  the  completed  form  to: 


Lisa  Chen 

Program  Development  and  Research 
Occupational  Health  and  Safety 
9th  Floor,  10808-99  Avenue 
Edmonton,  Alberta  T5K  0G5 


Fax:  1-780-422-0014  or  Email  to:  lisa.chen@gov.ab.ca 


□ BOM  EX  Conference  □ Industry  Association  - Specify: 


□ BUILDEX  Conference 

□ Website:  □ Government  D Other  - Specify: 

□ BOMA  Calgary 

□ BOA  Calgary 




Strongly 

Agree 

The  information  was  easy  to  find. 

□ 

The  information  was  easy  to  understand. 

□ 

The  information  was  useful. 

□ 

1 will  be  able  to  apply  this 
information  to  my  workplace. 

□ 

There  was  enough  information  provided. 

□ 

Somewhat 

Somewhat 

Strongly 

No 

Agree 

Disagree 

Disagree 

Opinion 

□ 

□ 

□ 

□ 

□ 

□ 

□ 

□ 

□ 

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□ 

□ 

□ 

□ 

□ 

□ 

□ 

□ 

□ 

□ 

BP006  08/2009 


Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers 


97 


□ Yes  □ No -Why  not?. 


IMl 

□ Yes  - from  CD  □ Yes  - in  book  or  copied  from  book 

□ No  - Why  not? 


PiPPI 


p us  understand  how  the  needs  ar.d  views  of  g/ 
products.  AH  answers  will  be  kept  confidential. 


in  i 

IE 


s your  age  category  (select  one) 


□ 15  or  under  0 25-34  □ 45-54  0 65  or  over 

□ 16-24  □35-44  055-64 


What  is  the  highest' teve*  of  educat  loh  you  hav|  cof^S>1oted rtsef#: f <ms}: 

□ Less  than  Grade  12  □ University  certificate  or  diploma 

□ High  school  diploma  □ University  - Bachelors  degree 

□ Trades  certificate  or  diploma  □ Masters  degree 

□ College  certificate  or  diploma  □ PhD 

□ Professional  Certification;  please  list 

□ Alberta  □ Outside  of  Alberta,  but  within  Canada  □ Outside  of  Canada 


W-  c'  J££- of  r JU;Uy  sc*. too.  ) am  you 1 op  v/ed  ir ) ; m oct  ( I 4 a., ape  yl 

□ Agriculture  and  Forestry 

□ Business,  Personal  and  Professional  Services  (includes  property  management) 

□ Construction  and  Construction  Trade  Services 

□ Manufacturing  and  Processing 

□ Mining  and  Petroleum  Development 

□ Public  Administration,  Education  and  Health  Services 

□ Retail  and  Wholesale  Trade  Services 

□ Transportation,  Communication  and  Utilities 

□ Other:  


How  many  total  workers  are  there  in  your  company? 

□ Less  than  10  010-19  0 20-39  040-99  0100  or  more 


What  is  your  current  occupation  or  position?  (select  all  that  apply): 


□ Employer 

□ Labourer 

□ Front  line  manager 

□ Supervisor 

□ Industry  Association  Employee 

□ Health  and  Safety  Professional 

□ Student 


□ Tradesperson 

□ Front  line  worker 

□ Senior  manager 

□ Labour  Organization  Employee 

□ Government  Agency/WCB  Employee 

□ Self-employed 

□ Other:  


98  Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers 


□ Yes,  please  proceed  to  response  request 

□ No,  please  proceed  to  next  question 

Why  not? 


□ Yes,  less  than  1 year  □ No  - Why  not?  

□ Yes,  3-5  years  □ No  - have  a different  health  and  safety  management  system 


RESPONSE  REQUEST 

If  you  would  like  a response  to  your  comments  please  provide  the  following  information: 

NAME 

CONTACT  E-MAIL  CONTACT  PHONE  NUMBER 

If  you  have  any  questions  or  comments  about  the  feedback  form,  please  contact  Lisa  Chen  at  lisa.chen@gov.ab.ca. 

Thank  you  for  taking  the  time  to  provide  us  with  your  feedback,  Alberta  Employment  and  Immigration  values 
everyone?s  opinion. 


BP006  08/2009 


Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers  99 


A 

WORK  SAFE 

ALBERTA 


Contact  Us 

PROVINCE-WIDE  CONTACT  CENTRE 

Edmonton  & surrounding  area 

780-415-8690 

Throughout  Alberta 

1-866-415-8690 

Deaf  or  hearing  impaired 

In  Edmonton:  780-427-9999  or  1-888-232-7215  throughout  Alberta 

Website 

www.worksafely.org 


Getting  copies  of  OHS  Act Regulation , & Code 

Queen's  Printer 

www.qp.gov.ab.ca 
Edmonton  780-427-4952 

Occupational  Health  and  Safety 

http://employment.alberta.ca/SFW/295.html 

Call  any  Government  of  Alberta  office  toll-free 

Dial  310-0000,  then  the  area  code  and  telephone  number  you  want  to  reach 


© 2009,  Government  of  Alberta  Employment  and  Immigration 

This  material  may  be  used,  reproduced,  stored  or  transmitted  for  non-commercial  purposes.  The  source  of  this  material 
must  be  acknowledged  when  publishing  or  issuing  it  to  others.  This  material  is  not  to  be  used,  reproduced,  stored  or 
transmitted  for  commercial  purposes  without  written  permission  from  the  Government  of  Alberta,  Employment  and 
Immigration.  This  material  is  to  be  used  for  information  purposes  only  no  warranty  express  or  implied  is  given  as  to  the 
accuracy  or  the  timeliness  of  the  material  presented. 


100  Recommended  Practices  in  Health  and  Safety  - A Guide  for  Building  Owners  & Managers