Health & Safety is your front line defense against human, material and property loss. Start by spotting obvious hazards. our simple yet effective approach to this is R-A-C! Recognize, Assess, Control!
Take a look at your workplace. Do you recognize any obvious hazards? Do employees have concerns about the safe use of equipment, tools or materials, temperature, or ergonomics? What are the past experiences with incidents, accidents and employee concerns? Is there a pattern?
How risky are the hazards you've identified? What is the potential for injury or illness? Are employees taking risks to complete work on time or to meet customer needs? Are hazardous materials and equipment manufacturer's standards being followed? By looking critically at your workplace and work practices, you can identify the degree of risk early and make action plans to prevent accidents.
Take action to eliminate or reduce risky conditions and work practices. Based on the type of hazards and your assessment of risk potential, you may decide to make some changes.
There are several types of hazards in any workplace. start by doing a little detective work. Make observations and ask some questions.
| Hazard Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Hazardous Materials | WHMIS, Material Data Safety Sheets, Storage of Chemicals, labeling, ppe, etc. |
| Physical Hazards | Slippery floors, Noise, Temperature, Lighting |
| Biological Hazards | Mold, viruses, bacteria, disposal of first aid and personal hygiene materials |
| Ergonomic Hazards | Pain, discomfort, fatigue when doing certain tasks, set of workstations, suitability to employee's physical abilities |
| Machine Hazards | Use of guards, set up of machine to manufacturer's standards, electrical cords, repair |
| Material Handling | Safe lifting, use of forklifts and hand carts, availability of proper equipment |
Conducting regular workplace inspections is the law. Think of inspections as your early warning system. They give you the chance to spot potentially hazardous conditions before something happens.
It's a good idea to vary your inspection routine. Do it regularly, but not always at the same time, same shift or same day. Remember - you want to see things as they really are.
Once you collect this information, record your findings on a Workplace Inspection Report. This form allows you to:
Share this report with your Joint Health & Safety Committee or Representative.
As an owner or manager; you need information to make sound business decisions. Investigations help you uncover important information about undetected or uncontrolled hazards. You can also rate how much risk of loss or harm these hazards present. Accidents, critical injuries and first aid incidents need to be investigated to find out how and why they happened and what you need to do to prevent them from happening again.
You need to look at five things:
Example: A worker was in too much of a hurry because there were extra tasks to complete. The increased work was a result of another staff member calling in sick. Was other help available? Could some tasks be done later?
Example: A machine with a broken safety guard was still used before it was repaired. Why was it still in use?
Example: Cleaning rags soaked with solvents were stored in a bin next to an electrical heater. Was staff trained in proper disposal? Do you have proper disposal bins in place?
Example: Do your employees work outdoors or in very hot or cold areas, such as laundries, kitchens or cold storage lockers?
Example: Forklift movement in a warehouse is not controlled with planned lanes and crossovers. Can safe pathways and traffic flows be designed?
This glossary provides a quick reference to common health and safety terms used throughout the Six Step Guide to Health and Safety.
WHMIS training has to be reviewed annually by an employer and in consultation with a health and safety representative or JHSC.