The Occupational Health and Safety Act covers a wide range of important components necessary for organizations to comply with. Compliance with this act includes following the proper policies and procedures set in place to keep workers safe on the job. Within the past September of 2018, a paving contractor was fined $325,000 for a workplace fatality that occurred due to not properly complying with the Occupational Health and Safety Act. There had been significant gaps in training of employees, adequate documentation and proper health and safety procedures that led to this death of a worker on the job. The defense of due diligence was not successful as the employer had not in fact taken the reasonable steps to comply legally with the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
This tragedy further enforces the crucial need for organizations to have specific procedures in place. To ensure you are meeting due diligence through always taking the proper precautions necessary to protect your workers from injury or fatality, implement the following:
- Hazard assessments
- Step-by-step procedures
- Including procedures that specifically pertain to certain projects
- Specific policies for your workplace that take into account the level of risk associated with the work that is being performed
- Safety training for all workers
- Adequate and consistent supervision – especially with the performance of high-risk work
For more information and specifications on the Occupational Health and Safety Act, visit: www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/90o01
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