Safety in the Workplace

Safety Introduction definition: freedom from danger, risks, and injury health care workers are responsible for their own and their patients’ safety need to report any unsafe practices and know how to respond if an emergency occurs health care professionals are taught methods to avoid accidents

Preventing Accidents training and education must be offered to all workers each accident needs to be documented and reviewed to help prevent others Accidents can be divided into three categories: Accidents related to the physical environment and equipment Accidents related to hazardous chemicals Accidents related to client care

Group Activity In your groups, think about five rules or guidelines to prevent accidents and place them into the appropriate category: Physical environment and equipment Hazardous chemicals Client care

Governing Agencies Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHC) – Federal promotes a safe and healthy working environment by providing information and advice about occupational health and safety Ministry of Labour – Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) – Provincial responsible for setting, communicating and enforcing OHS laws that are designed to reduce or eliminate workplace injury or illness Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) – Provincial oversees Ontario's workplace safety education and training system, provides disability benefits, monitors the quality of health care, and assists in early and safe return to work

Occupational Health and Safety Legislation Occupational health and safety (OH&S) legislation in Canada outlines the general rights and responsibilities of the employer, the supervisor and the worker Each of the ten provinces, three territories and the federal government has its own OH&S legislation. There is special "right-to-know" legislation that applies to hazardous products it comprises several pieces of legislation collectively called WHMIS - the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System

WHMIS WHMIS applies in all Canadian workplaces which are covered by OH&S legislation and where WHMIS-controlled products are used. Health Canada serves as the national coordinator for WHMIS and is responsible for the governance and administration of this program in Canada. WHMIS uses classifications to group chemicals with similar properties or hazards the Controlled Products Regulations specifies the criteria used to place materials within each classification there are 6 classes although several classes have divisions or subdivisions Each class has a specific symbol to help people identify the hazard quickly (see handout)

Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) in Canada, every material that is controlled by WHMIS must have an accompanying MSDS an MSDS is a document that contains information on the potential hazards (health, fire, reactivity and environmental) and how to work safely with the chemical product activity in pairs: MSDS awareness assignment