Stakeholders in Health and Safety PDF

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Major stakeholders in Health & Safety and their roles:Occupational health and safety (OH&S) can be defined as the identification, evaluation, and control of hazards associated with the work environment. A hazard is any source of potential adverse health effect, damage, or harm on som...

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Major stakeholders in Health & Safety and their roles: Occupational health and safety (OH&S) can be defined as the identification, evaluation, and control of hazards associated with the work environment. A hazard is any source of potential adverse health effect, damage, or harm on something or someone under certain conditions at work. The major stakeholders include: Government, Employers, Employees and Organized Labour. However, there are other stakeholders such as Contractors, Families, Communities, Health Care Providers, Public Organizations such as Workers’ Compensation Boards and Joint Health & Safety Committee. Since this is a matter of public safety, we are all stakeholders in the process. Let’s examine the role each major stakeholder plays in Health & Safety: Government – The general responsibilities of government for occupational health and safety include:      

Enforcement of occupational health and safety legislation Workplace inspections Incident investigations (e.g., those incidents involving serious injuries or deaths) Dissemination of information Promotion of training, education and research Resolution of OH&S disputes

Ontario was the first province in Canada to enact compensation legislation with Workmen's Compensation Act in 1914. The government also introduced The Occupational Health and Safety Act in 1979, which has seen changes since its original enactment. This act provides the legal framework and tools to achieve the common goal of ensuring healthy and safe working environment for all stakeholders involved. It sets out the rights and duties of all parties in the workplace and establishes procedures for dealing with workplace hazards. It also provides for enforcement of the law where compliance has not been achieved voluntarily by workplace parties. The two main goals of this legislation are (1) to ensure that injured workers received compensation and that employers accepted liability, and (2) to prevent accidents and illness by establishing safe work environments. Labour legislation falls primarily under the jurisdiction of Canada's provinces and territories. However, the federal Labour Program is the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) regulatory authority for workplaces designated under federal jurisdiction (e.g. mining, energy). Canada Labour Code gives the workplace parties—the employees and employers—a strong role in identifying and resolving health and safety concerns. The provisions of the Code are designed to strengthen employers' and employees' self-reliance in dealing with occupational health and safety issues and thereby making workplaces safer. In addition to passing laws, the government also contributes to Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) issues by coordinating the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) and monitoring workplace radiation exposure. The federal government has created

the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) as a vital health and safety research and resource organization to spread awareness and provide accurate information. Employers – The Occupational Health and Safety Act makes it clear that the employers have the greatest responsibilities with respect to health and safety in the workplace, especially since they have the resources to hire professionals and train staff to ensure compliance. The employer is responsible for preparing a written OH&S policy and for ensuring that it is prominently displayed in the workplace. Employers are also required to: • • • • • • •

Establish and maintain a health and safety committee with strong employee representation Take every reasonable precaution to ensure the workplace is safe Train employees about any potential hazards and in how to safely use, handle, store and dispose of hazardous substances and how to handle emergencies Make sure workers know how to use and handle the equipment safely and properly Make sure workers use any necessary personal protective equipment Immediately report all critical injuries to the government department responsible for OH&S Appoint a competent supervisor who sets the standards for performance, and who ensures safe working conditions are always observed

To ensure greater compliance with health and safety rules, organizations must ensure that their managerial staff are trained to recognize and control unsafe work environments. Additionally, they should be aware of their responsibilities and contribute to Internal Responsibility System. Employees – Employees play a vital role in ensuring that the work environment is safe to carry out their duties, both as individuals and as members of organized labour groups. Employees’ responsibilities include the following: • • • • •

Work in compliance with OH&S acts and regulations Use personal protective equipment and clothing as directed by the employer Report workplace hazards and dangers to the supervisor or employer Work in a safe manner as required by the employer and use the prescribed safety equipment Tell the supervisor or employer about any missing or defective equipment or protective device that may be dangerous

Employees’ have the following three basic rights: •

• •

“Right to refuse work” that they believe is dangerous and, under certain circumstances, certified Joint Health and Safety Committee members can stop work that is dangerous “Right to participate” in the workplace health and safety activities through the Health and Safety Committee (HSC) or as a worker health and safety representative “Right to know”, or the right to be informed about, actual and potential dangers in the workplace. The requirements of the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System are an important example

The Occupational Health and Safety Act prohibits reprisals being taken against workers who exercise these rights. Organized Labour – Organized labour or unions also can have a major impact in ensuring the proper management of safety at work. Unions and unionized employees are an important force in the Canadian workplace. It is reported by labour organizations that over five million people — or approximately 30 per cent of working Canadians — are unionized. Labour unions have a long and proud history of fighting for the rights of workers, particularly for health and safety rights. Unions have championed worker safety as a core value throughout their history. Many of the gains achieved in terms of improved safety at work can be attributed to the efforts and successes of unions. For example, Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) website states the following: “Health and safety is an essential part of our union’s work. CUPE members face a wide range of hazards. We provide tools, resources and training to help members stay healthy and safe and to encourage activism. We also conduct research on current and emerging health and safety hazards.” There are numerous articles on health and safety and worker’s rights, including information on CUPE’s National Health and Safety Committee. Ways in which unions contribute to occupational heathy and safety compliance are: • • •

Participate in the joint occupational health and safety committee Make the government and employers aware of emerging problems and issues in order to create pressure on different stakeholders to take corrective action Use the collective bargaining process to incorporate health and safety provisions in many contracts

After having elucidated the role major stakeholders play, there can still be barriers to successful implementation of laws due to lack of commitment from all stakeholders, ignorance of rights and responsibilities, lack of training for managerial employees and workers in organizations or even lack of research on effects of certain practices. One way to overcome the barriers to the implementation of OH&S programs is through partnership among stakeholders. For example, three of the core parties in safety: employers, employees, and unions - have the same goal: the reduction of injuries and illnesses and they can work together to achieve the common goal. In conclusion, all workplace parties are must contribute to ensure that health and safety requirements are met in the workplace. This is the basis for the Internal Responsibility System (IRS), which is the system of shared responsibility for health and safety. The IRS is a system, within an organization, where everyone has direct responsibility for health and safety as an essential part of his or her job. Each person takes initiative on health and safety issues and works to solve problems and make improvements on an on-going basis. They do this both singly and co-operatively with others. Successful implementation of the IRS should result in progressively longer intervals between accidents or work-related illnesses....