1. Module 2 Hazard Prevention at Parks Canada

2. Module Purpose The purpose of the federal OHS legislation is to prevent work-related accidents, injuries and illnesses. Fulfilling your responsibilities in preventing such accidents, injuries and illnesses starts with preventing the hazards that lead up to them. This module will help you determine how you can contribute to hazard prevention activities at Parks Canada.

3. Module Objectives Upon successful completion of this module, you will be able to: 1. Appreciate hazard prevention as a demonstration of due diligence by the Employer 2.Outline the Agency’s Program for the Prevention of Occupational Hazards 3.Participate in the identification and control of workplace hazards

4. Module Topics Topic 1: Due Diligence Topic 2: Program for the Prevention of Occupational Hazards Topic 3: Hazard Identification and Control

5. Topic 1 Due Diligence

6. The Level 1 “CLC, Part II Employee Awareness” Online Training introduced you to the concept of Due Diligence; how it means taking every precaution reasonable under the circumstances to avoid work-related injuries, illnesses and accidents. In other words, due diligence is the level of judgement, care, prudence, determination, and activity that a person would reasonably be expected to do under particular circumstances. Managers must therefore show due diligence to adequately represent the Agency as an employer of choice that is committed to workplace health and safety.

7. Hazard Prevention is Due Diligence Hazard prevention activities are exactly the kind of reasonable precautions that must be taken by the employer in order to demonstrate due diligence. Indeed, due diligence involves assessing and managing health and safety risks. Apart from legislated requirements, keep in mind that hazardous situations that aren’t necessarily linked to such requirements may still present significant risk. Generally, the greater the risk of injury or illness, the more care that will reasonably be expected to prevent accidents, injury and illness.

8. Due Diligence and the Law On a prosecution of a person for a contravention of any provision of this Part, except paragraphs 125(1)(c) and (z.10) and (z.11) it is a defence for the person to prove that the person exercised due care and diligence to avoid the contravention. CLC Part II, section 148.(4) The importance of due diligence is highlighted by this reference indicating that any person who contravenes one of the CLC, Part II provisions may be charged with an offence and be liable for fines and/or imprisonment. For most types of contraventions, it is an acceptable defence to prove that you exercised due diligence.

9. How is due diligence demonstrated? Due diligence must be actively demonstrated by the employer, as the prosecution is not required to prove that the accused failed to take all reasonable care. Rather, the burden of proof is on the accused to show that all reasonable care was taken to prevent the incident, even though the offence or incident occurred. Managers must be able to prove that they did everything that a reasonable person would have done to prevent the contravention or incident. The manager must be able to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the court that the components of due diligence were in place before the incident. Showing due diligence does not preclude the manager from delegating certain OHS responsibilities (but not the accountability!) to a lower management level or to a local OHS advisor/ coordinator.

10. Due Diligence Requires a Safety Conscious Attitude The employer also demonstrates due diligence by exhibiting a safety-conscious attitude in the workplace. Evidence of such an attitude includes: 1.An established OHS program which identifies and assesses real and potential workplace hazards 2.Appropriate corrective or preventive measures taken to eliminate or control hazards 3.A general OHS policy communicated throughout the organization, thus showing senior management's commitment to OHS 4.Managers, Supervisors and Employees that are aware of their OHS responsibilities and are adequately trained

11. Due Diligence Requires a Safety Conscious Attitude 5.A system to monitor and evaluate the OHS program 6.Unsafe behaviours that are dealt with and subject to disciplinary measures, as appropriate 7.Records of OHS-related training, steps or actions taken to deal with OHS, and disciplinary actions.

13. In summary, to exercise due diligence, the Agency must develop and implement a systematic program in which workplace hazards are identified and preventive measures carried out in order to prevent accidents, injuries and illnesses. In this regard, the Agency has developed and implemented a formal program for the prevention of occupational hazards as required by the federal OHS legislation. Let’s learn more about this program in the next topic. Due Diligence

14. Topic 2 Program for the Prevention of Occupational Hazards

15. Program for the Prevention of Occupational Hazards A Legislated Requirement Part XIX of the Canada OHS Regulations, entitled Hazard Prevention Program, requires the employer to develop, implement and monitor a program for the prevention of occupational hazards. Rather than prescribing a specific program model, this regulation presents a prevention process which must include the following six elements: implementation plan hazard identification and assessment methodology hazard identification and assessment preventive measures employee education program evaluation Basically, the program for the prevention of occupational hazards is a tool that brings together all the efforts undertaken by the Agency in support of OHS in the workplace.

16. Parks Canada’s Program for the Prevention of Occupational Hazards The focus of the Parks Canada program for the prevention of occupational hazards has been to identify and assess tasks regularly carried out by its employees and to put in place measures that reduce the hazards associated with such tasks. The ongoing development of policies, directives, guidelines and tools by the National OHS Program does provide preventive measures recommended to address hazards common to many workplaces across the Agency. Nonetheless, in the absence of such national guidance instruments, managers must implement preventive measures to address hazards in their workplace. The program for the prevention of occupational hazards section on the intranet provides the tools developed to help managers - in consultation with employees – meet the requirements of the Agency’s program for the prevention of occupational hazards.program for the prevention of occupational hazards

17. Task Safety Analysis Process Although many techniques can be used to identify and assess hazards by observing the tasks performed in the work place, the Agency has used the task safety analysis (TSA) as the primary hazard identification and assessment technique of its program for the prevention of occupational hazards. The purpose of hazard identification by means of a TSA is to break down the steps of critical tasks - those tasks posing significant risks to the health and safety of employees - while highlighting the hazards pertaining to associated equipment, energy sources and working conditions. The TSA also determines preventive measures that can be integrated into the task to minimize the hazard.

18. Task Safety Analysis Process As part of a multi-year project, the Agency has already implemented this process at a national level, considering critical tasks collectively performed by most employees and has created generic documents (called Safe Work Practices) that are available for use. The process was facilitated through the establishment of national working groups of functional expertise with technical support from OHS coordinators/advisors. The result of the national implementation of the TSA process is the national inventory of generic Safe Work Practices (SWPs), which lists the generic SWPs by functional group. Please take a minute to see what a SWP looks like by clicking on the link above.national inventory of generic Safe Work Practices

19. Local Implementation of the TSA Process Recognizing the work that has been done nationally to develop and implement the program for the prevention of occupational hazards, what are the responsibilities of managers in terms of local implementation? Click on the image below to view an enlarged version of the process for the local implementation of the TSA.

20. Employee Education on SWPs You also may have noticed that the flowchart refers to a SWP attestation form. Indeed, to demonstrate that they have been appropriately educated about the hazards associated with their tasks, employees must acknowledge that they have read and understood all SWPs that apply to their job by filling out a Safe Work Practice Attestation Form. The manager also signs the form.Safe Work Practice Attestation Form The form must be filled out either: a.once with existing employees, as part of the local implementation of the TSA process, or b.with new employees before they are assigned their work duties The form must also be modified every time a SWP has been locally created or modified, to reflect that change in the list of SWPs applicable to the employee’s position.

21. Summary of Manager Responsibilities in the Program for the Prevention of Occupational Hazards Managers must ensure the program for the prevention of occupational hazards is implemented in their area of responsibility in consultation with the local OHS committee/representative. They must do so by: identifying all positions in their area of responsibility that perform critical tasks; identifying all critical tasks performed; ensuring all hazards in their area of responsibility are identified and assessed; ensuring SWPs are prepared for all critical tasks; ensuring appropriate training is provided to their employees; educating employees on the specific hazards related to the tasks they perform and acknowledge this in writing (i.e. SWP Attestation Form); and provide appropriate personal protective equipment.

22. Program for the Prevention of Occupational Hazards You should now have a better understanding of how you can contribute to the Parks Canada program for the prevention of occupational hazards. You were also reminded that managers are responsible - in consultation with local OHS committees - for identifying and controlling hazards in the workplace. But what kind of workplace hazards should you be looking out for, and in what ways should you control them?

23. Topic 3 Hazard Identification and Control

24. Hazard Identification and Control Parks Canada has a wide variety of workplaces that present different types of hazards. Let’s find out what type of hazards you can look for in your workplace in order to contribute to the Agency’s program for the prevention of occupational hazards and demonstrate your due diligence.

25. What is a hazard? A hazard is any source of potential damage, harm or adverse health effects on something or someone under certain conditions at work. Basically, a hazard can cause harm or adverse effects to an individual (health effects) or to Agency assets (property or equipment damage).

27. Hazard Control Once hazards have been identified, how can you go about controlling the hazards, in other words, taking corrective or preventive measures?

28. Hazard Control Hierarchy In order to prevent accidents, injuries and illnesses, some types of control measures are more effective than others. The most effective means of controlling a hazard is to do so as close to its source as possible, and the least effective is to intervene at the level of the employee. Increasing effectiveness of the Hazard Control Source EmployeePath

30. Summary You have completed Module 2. You are now able to recognize hazard prevention activities that require your participation in your workplace. You may close this window to move to “ Module 3 - Effective Hazardous Occurrence Investigations” from the Main Menu.