Occupational Health & Safety
Assessing policies and compliance with legislation under the Occupational Health & Safety Act of Ontario. Evaluating existing safety measures relating to COVID-19 preparedness.Establishing best practices and policies relating to Work Refusals, WSIB, Ergonomics assessments, Work From Home Policies, Violence and Harassment Prevention, and Workplace Investigations.
FAQs
What do I do when one of my employees refuses to work based on fears of contracting the Coronavirus?
During the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been multiple changes and questions about workplace safety guidelines. Under the Ministry of Labour/Ontario Health and Safety Guidelines, employees have the right to refuse unsafe work. As an employer, you have an obligation to provide your staff with a safe work environment. This requires diligence in ensuring the workplace is safe through OHSA compliance by following all government recommendations and safety protocols. If the employee still refuses to work, contacting the Ministry of Labour will be required. An officer will investigate the workplace refusal to make a decision on workplace safety and compliance.
How do we ensure that our employees working from home are adhering to health and safety regulations?
It is necessary to take all precautions that are reasonable to protect the health and safety of employees. Therefore, it is necessary to perform regular hazard assessments. You can ask for photographs of work areas excluding anu personal items. The JHSC representatives can conduct a remote inspection. The assessment can include the workspace relating to fire hazards (too many plugins in an outlet) and ergonomic considerations such as type of chair used, posture, etc.
Additional Resources:
https://www.pshsa.ca/courses/workplace-inspections
https://www.ontario.ca/document/guide-occupational-health-and-safety-act
https://cme-mec.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/CME-COVID-19-Resource-Guide-v5-2020.pdf
https://www.ccohs.ca/products/publications/telework.html
Investigations.