1. Sault College Career Essentials
Launching a Safe Start

2. Your Workplace Health and Safety Rights and Responsibilities
Many workplace injuries occur in the first few days of employment or after a change in duties.
Getting oriented when you start a new job helps prevent you from being injured.

3. Here’s What You Need to Know When Starting a New Job
The Law
Specifies the rights and the responsibilities for everyone in the workplace.
Gives regulations for setting up a Joint Health and Safety Committee or choosing a health and safety representative for your workplace.
Hazards
Every workplace has hazards. There are different types and you need to be aware of the ones in your workplace.

4. Here’s What You Need to Know When Starting a New Job
How to Protect Yourself
There are a few key parts of your workplace’s Health and Safety Program you should know about that will help protect you.
Are you ready?
Use the health and safety orientation checklist (at the end of slide show) to see if you have received proper orientation when you start your new job or duties.

5. The Law
There are 2 sets of regulations for health and safety in Ontario:
Canada Labour Code (CLC), Part II for workplaces under Federal jurisdiction (banks, post offices, airlines, airports)
The Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) for workplaces under provincial jurisdiction
These laws and regulations outline the roles and responsibilities of workers, supervisors, employers and other workplace parties.
If you are not sure if your workplace is under Provincial or Federal jurisdiction, contact the Ministry of Labour office.

6. Rights and Responsibilities
Workers have the right to:
Know about hazards in the workplace
Participate in keeping the workplace healthy and safe
Refuse unsafe work
Workers are Responsible for:
Always practicing safe work procedures
Reporting unsafe conditions as quickly as possible to supervisors
Properly wearing any protective equipment the job requires
Not doing anything on the job that will endanger them or others

7. Employer Responsibilities
Employers must:
Take every reasonable precaution to protect a worker’s health and safety
Make sure necessary safety equipment is provided, used properly and maintained
Inform workers and supervisors of any hazards and how to handle them
Ensure that safe procedures are followed in the workplace
Provide information, instruction, and competent supervision to protect the health and safety of workers

8. Supervisor Responsibilities
Supervisors must:
Take every reasonable precaution to protect a worker’s health and safety
Inform workers of job hazards and ensure they are trained to do their jobs safely
Ensure that workers work safely and use the equipment and protective devices properly where required

9. Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC)
Your workplace requires a health and safety representative or committee when…
Under the OHSA and CLC, when there are 20 or more workers in your workplace
Under the OHSA, when there are six or more workers in your workplace (including management)
Under the CLC, if there are five or more workers (including management)
The OHSA requires a JHSC if there is a designated substance in your workplace or on construction projects that will last three or more months and where there are 20 or more workers

10. What do JHSC’s do?
Work to solve occupational health and safety issues before someone is injured or made ill
Conduct regular inspections of the workplace and report the findings to the committee
Make recommendations to management and workers on how to make the workplace safer
Investigate serious accidents

11. Hazards
A workplace hazard is any condition, practice, behaviour, or a combination of these that can cause injury or illness to a person or damage to property. Here are some examples.
Poor housekeeping
Machine belts and pulleys, sharp blades, and moving parts
Energy hazards: electricity, hydraulics, steam, heat, or gravity
Material handling using conveyors, lift trucks, tow motors and manual lifting
Inappropriate or unsafe work practices
Excessive noise
Ergonomic problems such as repetitive motions or awkward body position

12. Hazard Control
Hazards should be eliminated or at least controlled to minimize exposure to risk. Here are a variety of ways to control hazards:
Substitution with a less hazardous material, process or equipment
Re-engineering equipment or a work process
Installing physical barriers like machine guarding
Personal protective equipment (PPE) such as hard hats, safety glasses, steel-toed boots, non-slip shoes, and hearing protection
Ventilation

13. Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System - WHMIS
Designed to make sure that workers across Canada know how to safely handle chemicals. Everyone in the workplace must receive WHMIS training that relates to the workplace.
WHMIS has three parts:
Warning labels
Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)
Worker Training

14. Procedures Safe Operating Procedures (SOPs)
Knowing the SOPs for equipment you use helps you do your job properly and safely
By following SOPs you will use your equipment the way it was intended
Emergency Procedures
Every workplace should have emergency procedures and plans
Get to know the emergency procedures at your workplace

15. Procedures
First Aid
Regulation 1101 provides first aid requirements for different workplaces covered by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act
Canada Labour Code, Part II includes a first aid regulation that applies to federally-regulated workplaces

16. Procedures Reporting an Injury
If you do get injured or feel ill, advise your supervisor.
If you receive first aid, it should be recorded in the company’s first aid record
Your employer must report your injury within 3 days to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) if you receive healthcare treatment, lose time from work, or lose wages

17. Tips to Ensure Your Safety in the Workplace…
Get to know your health and safety representative or committee members.
Always be on the lookout for hazards.
If you identify a hazard, advise your supervisor first. You may also advise your representative or committee member.
Be sure to receive training specific to the equipment, materials and work processes in your workplace.
Ask questions about the potential hazards in your job and in the workplace around you.

18. Tips to Ensure Your Safety in the Workplace…
Be sure to receive WHMIS training.
Check warning labels and ask to see the MSDS before handling substances. Read and follow the guidelines for use.
Be aware of PPE that you require, and how to wear it properly.
Ask questions if you do not completely understand the job.
Know the location of fire alarms, extinguishers, exits, and first aid, and emergency eye wash stations. Make sure they are accessible.
Obey any safety warnings such as no smoking.

19. Tips to Ensure Your Safety in the Workplace…
Be aware of hazards that can result in injury or death, including:
✓ slips and falls ✓over-exertion
✓ falling objects ✓electrical hazards
✓ machinery ✓burns
✓ workplace violence ✓explosions and fires
✓ collapsing platforms or equipment ✓confined space
✓ moving vehicles ✓hazardous chemicals

20. Who to Contact
There are both federal and provincial laws, regulations and resources concerning occupational health and safety.
Canada (Federal)
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada enforces the laws and regulations for workplaces covered by the Canada Labour Code, Part II. Check the federal listings of the blue pages of your local telephone book for the Labour Program or visit their Web site at

21. Who to Contact Canada (Federal)
Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) provides information and advice about workplace health and safety. Their Web site is and their number is
Ontario (Provincial)
The Ministry of Labour enforces the laws and regulations for workplaces covered by OHSA. Check the provincial listings of the blue pages of your local telephone book for the nearest office or visit their Web site at

22. Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB)
When a workplace injury or illness occurs, a report is sent to the WSIB, which is responsible for:
managing Ontario’s workplace safety and insurance system
providing information and services to promote prevention of workplace injury and illness
ensuring that injured workers are receiving highest quality health care if needed
helping workers and employers arrange safe return to work
providing compensation to injured workers if needed
For more information, call or visit

23. Health and Safety Orientation Checklist
I received information on the hazards specific to my job.
I know my legal workplace health and safety rights.
I know my legal roles and responsibilities and those of my Supervisor.
I received and read the workplace health and safety policy/program.
My workplace has a joint health and safety committee or a health and safety representative and know who the committee members or representative is.
I received training on the specific equipment and the materials I use as well as the work processes in my workplace.

24. Health and Safety Orientation Checklist
I will look out for hazards.
I received WHMIS training.
I received training on how to do my job safely.
I know how to report an unsafe condition or act.
I received training on the personal protective equipment I need to wear and how to use it properly.
I know where to find the MSDS’s and have or will review them when handling a WHMIS controlled substance.
I received training on emergency procedures and know where the exits and first aid stations are located.