Workk Safely Compile

Secu1221 Work Safely
Secu1221: Work Safely
Table of Contents
Course Overview ......................................................................................................... 10
Module 1 Why Working Safely? ................................................................................. 11
Lesson 1: Why Be Safe on the Job......................................................................... 11
Overview................................................................................................................. 11
Objectives ............................................................................................................... 11
What Is a New Employee? ..................................................................................... 11
Why Practice Health and Safety? ........................................................................... 12
What Are Workplace Accidents, Incidents and Injuries? ........................................ 12
Common Workplace Accidents and Injuries ........................................................... 12
Knowledge Check ................................................................................................... 13
Where Are Accidents and Injuries Occurring? ........................................................ 13
How Do Accidents Happen? ................................................................................... 14
Accident Pathway ................................................................................................... 14
Effects of Accidents ................................................................................................ 15
Direct and Indirect Costs of an Accident ................................................................. 15
Financial Costs ....................................................................................................... 16
Costs of Employee Absence................................................................................... 17
Costs to an Individual Workplace ........................................................................... 17
Legal Costs............................................................................................................. 18
Human Impact of Workplace Accidents .................................................................. 18
Example: Human and Financial Costs of Workplace Harassment and Violence .... 19
Summary ................................................................................................................ 19
Resources .............................................................................................................. 20
Evaluation ............................................................................................................... 20
Module 2: Applying NB Health & Safety Legislation ................................................ 22
Lesson 1: What Is WorkSafeNB? ............................................................................ 22
Overview................................................................................................................. 22
Objective................................................................................................................. 22
What Is WorkSafeNB? ............................................................................................ 22
WorkSafeNB’s Vision, Mission and Values............................................................. 22
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Roles and Responsibilities...................................................................................... 22

WorkSafeNB Services ............................................................................................ 23
Legislation Administered by WorkSafeNB .............................................................. 23
Definition of “Worker” and “Employee” ................................................................... 24
When Does WorkSafeNB Provide Support and Compensation? ............................ 25
Knowledge Check ................................................................................................... 25
Summary ................................................................................................................ 25
Resources .............................................................................................................. 26
Lesson 2: Accessing WorkSafeNB Resources ..................................................... 27
Overview................................................................................................................. 27
Objectives ............................................................................................................... 27
Health and Safety Officers ...................................................................................... 27
Benefits of Workplace Inspections .......................................................................... 27
Joint Health and Safety Committees (JHSCs) ........................................................ 28
JHSC Training ........................................................................................................ 28
Health and Safety Representative .......................................................................... 28
Safety Topics on WorkSafeNB Website ................................................................. 29
Accessing WorkSafeNB Resources ....................................................................... 29
Summary ................................................................................................................ 30
Resources .............................................................................................................. 30
Evaluation ............................................................................................................... 30
Lesson 3: Your Basic Rights to Be Safe on the Job ............................................. 32
Overview................................................................................................................. 32
Objective................................................................................................................. 32
What Is an Employee?............................................................................................ 32
Your Rights on the Job ........................................................................................... 33
The Right to Know .................................................................................................. 33
The Right to Participate .......................................................................................... 34
The Right to Refuse Unsafe Work .......................................................................... 34
Exercising the Right to Refuse Unsafe Work .......................................................... 34
Justifying Your Decision to Refuse ......................................................................... 35
Example: Refusing Unsafe Work ............................................................................ 35
Steps for Refusing Unsafe Work ............................................................................ 36
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Knowledge Check ................................................................................................... 36

Summary ................................................................................................................ 37
Resources .............................................................................................................. 37
Lesson 4: Responsibilities of Employers and Employees ................................... 38
Overview................................................................................................................. 38
Objective................................................................................................................. 38
Employer and Employee Responsibilities under the OHS Act in New Brunswick ... 38
What Is an Employer? ............................................................................................ 38
What Is an Employee?............................................................................................ 38
Employers' Responsibilities to All Employees under the OHS Act .......................... 39
Employers’ Responsibilities to New Employees ..................................................... 40
Responsibilities of Employers Who Have 20 or More Employees .......................... 41
Employer Requirements Outlined under Other Workplace Regulations ................. 44
Employees’ Responsibilities under the OHS Act .................................................... 44
Knowledge Check ................................................................................................... 45
Summary ................................................................................................................ 46
Resources .............................................................................................................. 47
Lesson 5: Internal Responsibility System (IRS) and Due Diligence .................... 48
Overview................................................................................................................. 48
Objective................................................................................................................. 48
What Is Internal Responsibility System?................................................................. 48
Why Is It Important to Establish an IRS? ................................................................ 48
Understanding Your Role on the Job ...................................................................... 49
Exercise: Employer or Employee? .......................................................................... 49
Employer Responsibilities for Health and Safety .................................................... 49
Employee Responsibilities for Health and Safety ................................................... 50
Basic Rights of Employees ..................................................................................... 51
What Is a Proper and Adequate System?............................................................... 51
What Is the Standard of Due Diligence? ................................................................. 52
What Is Meant by Reasonable Care? ..................................................................... 52
Establishing Due Diligence ..................................................................................... 52
What Is the Defense of Due Diligence? .................................................................. 53
Foreseeability ......................................................................................................... 54
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Legal Issues ........................................................................................................... 54

Proving Due Diligence ............................................................................................ 55
Why does Due Diligence Have Special Significance? ............................................ 55
Sample Due Diligence Checklist ............................................................................. 56
Knowledge Check ................................................................................................... 56
Summary ................................................................................................................ 57
Resources .............................................................................................................. 57
Evaluation ............................................................................................................... 58
Lesson 6: WHMIS (Workplace Hazardous Material Information System) ........... 59
Overview................................................................................................................. 59
Objective................................................................................................................. 59
What Is WHMIS? .................................................................................................... 59
WHMIS Legislation ................................................................................................. 60
What Is the Goal of WHMIS? .................................................................................. 60
WHMIS and GHS ................................................................................................... 61
WHMIS 2015 .......................................................................................................... 61
What Is a Hazardous Product? ............................................................................... 62
Hazard Classification .............................................................................................. 62
Hazard Groups ....................................................................................................... 62
Hazard Classes ...................................................................................................... 63
Hazard Categories .................................................................................................. 64
Knowledge Check 1 ................................................................................................ 64
WHMIS Pictograms ................................................................................................ 65
Gas Cylinder ..................................................................................................................66
Flame .............................................................................................................................66
Flame Over Circle ..........................................................................................................66
Exploding Bomb .............................................................................................................67
Skull and Crossbones.....................................................................................................67
Corrosive to Metals ........................................................................................................67
Health Hazard ................................................................................................................68
Exclamation Mark ...........................................................................................................68
Biohazard .......................................................................................................................69
Environment ...................................................................................................................69
Where to Find Pictograms ...................................................................................... 69
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Knowledge Check 2 ................................................................................................ 70

Three Key Components of WHMIS ........................................................................ 71
WHMIS Labels........................................................................................................ 71
Supplier Label ................................................................................................................72
Signal Words, Hazard Statements and Precautionary Statements .................................73
Example: Supplier Label .................................................................................................74
Workplace Label.............................................................................................................74
Examples: Workplace Labels .........................................................................................75
Knowledge Check 3 ................................................................................................ 75
Safety Data Sheet (SDS) ........................................................................................ 76
16 Sections of an SDS............................................................................................ 76
Knowledge Check 4 ................................................................................................ 78
WHMIS Training ..................................................................................................... 78
WHMIS Exemptions ............................................................................................... 79
Where to Find Out How a WHMIS Product Affects an Employee ........................... 79
WHMIS Responsibilities ......................................................................................... 80
Employee Duties .................................................................................................... 80
What Is an Effective WHMIS Program? .................................................................. 81
How do I Get More Information about WHMIS? ..................................................... 81
Knowledge Check 5 ................................................................................................ 82
Summary ................................................................................................................ 83
Resources .............................................................................................................. 83
Evaluation ............................................................................................................... 84
WHMIS Quiz ..................................................................................................................84
Lesson 7: Assignment ............................................................................................. 89
Apply New Brunswick Health and Safety Legislation .............................................. 89
Module 3: Controlling Hazards & Risks in the Workplace ...................................... 92
Lesson 1: Applying the Accident Causation Model .............................................. 92
Overview................................................................................................................. 92
Objective................................................................................................................. 92
What Is an Accident? .............................................................................................. 92
Why did Accidents Happen?................................................................................... 93
The Loss Causation Model ..................................................................................... 93
Understanding the Loss Causation Model .............................................................. 94
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Lack of Control ....................................................................................................... 95

Basic Causes.......................................................................................................... 96
Immediate Causes .................................................................................................. 98
Incident ................................................................................................................... 99
Loss ...................................................................................................................... 100
Video: Accident Causation and Prevention........................................................... 101
Reviewing the Cause of Accidents and Accident Prevention................................ 101
Summary .............................................................................................................. 101
Resources ............................................................................................................ 102
Evaluation ............................................................................................................. 102
Appendix A: Loss Causation & Problem Solving Model ....................................... 105
Lesson 2: Controlling Workplace Hazards .......................................................... 106
Overview............................................................................................................... 106
Objectives ............................................................................................................. 106
Employer and Employee Responsibilities Under the OHS Act ............................. 106
Recognizing Hazards in Your Workplace ............................................................. 107
What I s the Difference between a Hazard and a Risk? ................................. 107
How do Risks and H azards Affect People? ...................................................... 108
How can Workplace Health and Safety Hazards Be Controlled? ......................... 108
Step 1 – Identifying the Hazards at Work ............................................................. 108
Types of Hazards ................................................................................................. 108
Knowledge Check ................................................................................................. 110
Contributing Factors that Cause Hazards ............................................................. 110
How Are Hazards Identified? ................................................................................ 111
Case Study: Identify Types of Hazards ................................................................ 112
Step 2 - Assessing the Risks ................................................................................ 113
Ranking or Prioritizing the Risks ........................................................................... 114
Step 3 - Controlling the Risks ............................................................................... 115
Hierarchy of Hazard Control ................................................................................. 116
Implementing Control Measures ........................................................................... 116
Standard Practice ................................................................................................. 117
Step 4 - Monitoring Control Measures .................................................................. 118
Reporting Hazards Immediately ........................................................................... 118
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Workplace Inspection ........................................................................................... 118

Formal vs. Informal Inspections ............................................................................ 119
Informal Inspections ............................................................................................. 119
Formal Inspections ............................................................................................... 119
Developing an Inspection Checklist ...................................................................... 120
Summary .............................................................................................................. 120
Resources ............................................................................................................ 120
Evaluation ............................................................................................................. 121
1. Office .............................................................................................................. 122
2. Confined Space.............................................................................................. 123
3. Electrical ........................................................................................................ 124
4. Chemical ........................................................................................................ 125
5. Health Care .................................................................................................... 126
6. Kitchen ........................................................................................................... 127
7. Retailing ......................................................................................................... 128
Lesson 3: Operating Equipment Safely ............................................................... 129
Overview............................................................................................................... 129
Objective............................................................................................................... 129
Equipment Must Be Operated by a “Competent” Operator ................................... 129
Employers’ Responsibility ..................................................................................... 129
Employees’ Responsibility .................................................................................... 129
Safe Operation and Use of Equipment ................................................................. 130
Working at Heights ............................................................................................... 130
Mobile Equipment ................................................................................................. 131
Electrical Safety .................................................................................................... 132
Lockout for Moving Parts ...................................................................................... 132
Machine Guards ................................................................................................... 133
Powered Hand Tools ............................................................................................ 134
Summary .............................................................................................................. 134
Resources ............................................................................................................ 134
Evaluation ............................................................................................................. 135
Lesson 4: Applying Workplace Safety and Accident Prevention Procedures .. 136
Overview............................................................................................................... 136
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Objective............................................................................................................... 136
Safety Procedures and Legislation ....................................................................... 136
Why Employees Must Follow Procedures ............................................................ 137
Why Employees Not Following Rules ................................................................... 138
Adopting a Health and Safety System at the Workplace ...................................... 139
Codes of Practice and Codes of Safe Conduct in the Workplace ......................... 140
Accident Prevention .............................................................................................. 141
Best Practices for Health and Safety .................................................................... 141
Summary .............................................................................................................. 142
Resources ............................................................................................................ 142
Evaluation ............................................................................................................. 142
Lesson 5: Safe Lifting ............................................................................................ 143
Overview............................................................................................................... 143
Objective............................................................................................................... 143
Primary Risk Factors Associated with Lifting ........................................................ 143
Risk Factor: Forceful Exertions ............................................................................. 144
Risk Factor: Awkward Postures ............................................................................ 144
Common Improper Lifting Injuries ......................................................................... 145
What Are Musculoskeletal Injuries (MSIs)? .......................................................... 145
Everyone’s Responsibility to Prevent Musculoskeletal Injuries............................. 146
Warm-Up and Stretch Program ............................................................................ 147
Implementing Lifting Control Measures ................................................................ 148
Video: Example of Control Measures ................................................................... 148
Basic Steps of Safe Lifting and Handling .............................................................. 148
Video: Top 10 Lifting Rules................................................................................... 149
Summary .............................................................................................................. 149
Resources ............................................................................................................ 150
Class Activity: Demonstration ............................................................................... 150
Lesson 6: Proper Use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) ....................... 151
Overview............................................................................................................... 151
Objective............................................................................................................... 151
What Is PPE? ....................................................................................................... 152
Types of PPEs ...................................................................................................... 152
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Other Types of PPE .............................................................................................. 153

Knowledge Check................................................................................................. 154
Benefits and Limitations of PPE ........................................................................... 155
PPE Regulations in New Brunswick ..................................................................... 156
General Responsibilities ....................................................................................... 156
When Can PPE Be Used to Protect Workers? ..................................................... 156
Selecting, Using, and Maintaining PPE ................................................................ 157
Training Employees on PPE ................................................................................. 157
Summary .............................................................................................................. 157
Resources ............................................................................................................ 158
Class Activity: Demonstrate Proper Use of PPE ................................................... 158
Appendix A: Sample Selection Guidelines for PPE .............................................. 158
Lesson 7: Responding to Emergencies ............................................................... 161
Overview............................................................................................................... 161
Objective............................................................................................................... 161
What Is a Workplace Emergency? ....................................................................... 161
Preparing for E mergencies ................................................................................ 162
Planning................................................................................................................ 162
Emergency Plan ................................................................................................... 162
Who S hould I Call in an Emergency?................................................................ 163
Emergency First Aid ............................................................................................. 163
Emergency Involving a WHMIS Product ............................................................ 164
Knowledge Check ................................................................................................. 164
Training................................................................................................................. 164
Accident Reporting Requirements ........................................................................ 165
Knowledge Check ................................................................................................. 165
Accident Reporting Procedure .............................................................................. 165
Reporting an Accident .......................................................................................... 166
Why D o e s WorkSafeNB Have to Conduct an Accident Investigation? ......... 166
Summary .............................................................................................................. 167
Resources ............................................................................................................ 167
Evaluation ............................................................................................................. 167
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Course Overview
This course introduces students to the importance of working safely, roles and
responsibilities of employers and employees as well as WorkSafeNB. This course
also explains how they all work together to reduce workplace hazards and risks and
prevent accidents and incidents in the workplace. It is everyone's role to ensure a
safe and healthy workplace. Note: This is an instructor-led course.
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

 Explain the importance of working safely
 Apply New Brunswick health and safety legislation to their occupation
 Control hazards and risks in the workplace
Modules Lessons Activities

Why Why Be Safe on the Job  Case Study: identifying direct and
Working indirect costs and human impact
Safely associated with Bob's accident.
 Discussion 1: Costs of Accidents
 Report paper: Costs of Accidents
Applying  What Is WorkSafeNB?  Discussion 2: Access

NB Health  Accessing WorkSafeNB WorkSafeNB Resources
& Safely Resources  Discussion 3: Rights and
Legislation  Your Basic Rights to Be Safe on responsibilities, and due diligence
the Job  WHMIS quiz
 Responsibilities of Employers and  Assignment: applying sections of
Employees NB Health and safety regulations
 Internal Responsibility System
(IRS) and Due Diligence
 WHMIS (Workplace Hazardous
Materials Information System)
 Applying Sections of NB Health
and Safety Regulations
Controlling  Applying the Accident Causation  Discussion 4: case study-applying
Hazards & Model the accident causation model
Risks in the  Controlling Workplace Hazards  Discussion 5: virtual inspection-
Workplace  Operating Equipment Safely identifying hazards in a given
 Applying Workplace Safety and workplace scene
Accident Prevention Procedures  Discussion 6: program specific
 Safe Lifting equipment examples
 Proper Use of PPE (Personal  Discussion 7: brainstorming the
Protective Equipment) best practice of workplace safety
 Responding to Emergencies and accident prevention procedures
 Demonstration: proper lifting
technique (chosen by instructor)
 Demonstration: program specific
PPE
 Discussion 8: emergencies and
emergency procedures in the
student's workplace
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Module 1 Why Working Safely?

Lesson 1: Why Be Safe on the Job
Overview
Statistically, workers aged 15-24 suffer injuries on the job three times more as often
as experienced workers. The most common reasons for these injuries are:
 Inexperience and lack of training
 Lack of understanding of their job
 Not prepared for the job
 Asked to do more dangerous work/jobs
 Sense of youth invincibility
 Unwillingness to ask questions
 Distractions (internal & external to job)
A workplace injury can happen anytime, anywhere so always make sure to put safety
first.
Objectives
Upon successful completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
 Discuss the direct and indirect costs and losses associated with workplace
incidents or accidents.
 Discuss the human impact of workplace accidents.
What Is a New Employee?

Under the New Brunswick Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act, the term "new
employee" means any employee who is:
(a) new to a position or place of employment ("place of employment" means "any
building, structure, premises, water or land where work is carried on by one or
more employees, and includes a project site and a mine”),
(b) returning to a position or place of employment in which the hazards have
changed during the employee’s absence,
(c) under 25 years of age and returning to a position or place of employment after
an absence of more than six months, or
(d) affected by a change in the hazards of a position or place of employment.
In addition, a new employee can include, but is not exclusive to, the following:
 Full or part-time workers,
 Students,
 Trainees,
 Employees who have changed jobs within the organization,
 Contractors,
 Sub-contractors,
 Visitors,
 Volunteers.
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Why Practice Health and Safety?

Every employee in the province of New Brunswick has the legal right to be safe on the
job. It has long been recognized that health and safety improvements to any
employee’s workplace environment result in a more motivated and productive
employee. Workplace culture plays an important role in maintaining a safe and healthy
environment.
The employer is responsible to set the standard

for the development and implementation of a
supportive and safe workplace by promoting and
enforcing workplace health and safety initiatives.
If the employer is dedicated to this initiative,
employees are protected and are less likely to
be involved in workplace accidents. Although
employers are continuing to make improvements
to their health and safety programs, employees
must understand that they play a key role in their
duty to work safely while on the job.
What Are Workplace Accidents, Incidents and Injuries?

An accident may be defined as an unplanned event that interrupts the completion of
an activity, and that may (or may not) result in injury and/or property damage.
An incident usually refers to an unexpected event that did not cause injury or damage,
but had the potential to do so. An incident is often called a “near miss." Incidents are
just as important to recognize, as they are potential accidents.
An injury is damage to the body that restricts activity and/or causes pain or discomfort
as a result of action or inaction.
Common Workplace Accidents and Injuries

Accidents at work can happen at any time and to anyone whether you work in an
office, a shop or warehouse. Many of these will depend on the type of working
environment e.g., Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) is more likely to happen in an office
and back injuries from manual work. Though it is the responsibility of the employer to
minimize the risk of accidents, they do unfortunately happen from time to time.
Although different jobs may be associated with different accidents/injuries, the

following are examples of common accidents/injuries that are seen across a variety
of occupations:
 Slip and fall injuries caused by wet floors, unattended spillages, a step with
no warning sign, loose tiles or worn mats, cables trailing across the floor or
obstructions in areas
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 Lifting injuries including back strain or knee damage that may be caused by
lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling or carrying large items on a regular basis
 Repetitive motion injuries caused by repetitive tasks in any field
 Injuries from falling objects such as a moving or flying object
 Burns which may be caused by use of chemical materials or overheated
machinery
 Electric accidents due to electrical short circuit or failure of electrical
machinery, plant or apparatus, resulting in explosion, fire or structural damage
 Occupational diseases that are caused by a job site condition such as
workers repeatedly exposed to toxic materials in the workplace
Knowledge Check
Which of the following are not accidents in the workplace? Choose all that apply.
a. The coffee pot is empty.
b. The phone won’t stop ringing at the office.
c. An employee tripped over a cable in the office.
d. An employee slipped on a wet floor with no warning sign.
e. There is no place to park in the company’s parking lot.
f. A mobile crane topples at a worksite but there are no injuries.
Where Are Accidents and Injuries Occurring?

In New Brunswick, the top 5 workplaces where accidents/injuries to inexperienced or
young workers aged 15 – 24 occur are:
• Manufacturing
• Construction
• Finance and insurance
• Retail
• Whole sale
Many workplace injuries are occurring in a variety of industries across New

Brunswick, but these industries carry a higher rate of injuries reported. As you can
see, these injuries also have a common element:
 Fast-paced
 Machinery and other tools which can easily cause injuries if one is not careful
 Potential for MSI-related injuries (musculoskeletal injuries) due to the nature of
the work that must be completed (force, repetition, awkward postures & static
stances)
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Watch the video of five workplace accidents:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwCyVku1HvI
In this video, people involved in the accidents all say, “There really are no accidents!”
Do you agree? Why or why not?
How Do Accidents Happen?

Statistically, workplace accidents involving workers are occurring for a number of
reasons:
 Lack of orientation and training
 Lack of skill or knowledge of the job and the hazards associated with the job
tasks
 Lack of internal procedures and processes
 Lack of supervision and enforcement of standards
 Lack of knowledge of workplace legislation
 Knowledge of workplace legislation but lack of compliance
 Too complacent or not caring
 Too rushed or feeling pressure to produce more in less time
Accident Pathway
There are many factors which may lead to an accident; therefore, there are many
opportunities for the accident to be prevented. The following diagram and explanation
represents the pathway for an accident.
1. Lack of control on the part of management; failure to plan, organize, lead
or control
2. Basic causes including personal and job factors that are the actual origin of
the accident
3. Immediate causes, which are symptoms of a greater problem, rather than
the true cause of an accident. Immediate causes can be seen or sensed
(unsafe acts and conditions)
4. Incident or accident, which may cause harm or damage
5. Loss, which is the result of an accident; harm to people, property or
process
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Lack of Immediate Incident or

Basic Causes Loss
Control Causes Accident
Employee was Employee Employee Employee’s Employee

not trained to operates the loses balance hand comes loses fingers
use the table table saw while working into contact
saw properly without a with the blade
and would guard
routinely
reach over the
blade
Effects of Accidents
When an accident occurs in a workplace, the costs resulting from the accident can
quickly add up due to the following reasons:
 Direct and indirect costs and losses associated with the workplace accidents
 Human costs of workplace accidents
 Legal costs for accidents resulted from a failure to comply with the
Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act
Direct and Indirect Costs of an Accident

A workplace accident can be costly. First, there are direct costs, i.e., the medical
costs of the injury. Then, there are follow-up medical examinations, compensation for
days of work lost, physiotherapy, and finally, raised premiums for the employer.
In addition to the direct costs, the indirect costs of an injury can often be far worse.
 For an employer, indirect costs include production downtime, lower employee
morale, loss of products or services, and hiring, training, and paying
replacement workers.
 For the employee, indirect costs can include emotional trauma or depression.
The direct and indirect costs of an accident can be compared to an iceberg where the
“top” of the iceberg (direct costs) is visible and can be easily detected and the “bottom”
of the iceberg (indirect costs) is often hidden.
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Surface or direct costs of a workplace accident are often easier to project and money
can be allocated from capital budgets to offset these expenditures, even though the
direct costs may quickly add up. Direct costs are factored in to the day-to-day
operational budgets.
Beneath the surface of the iceberg, the massive, hidden bulk of the structure
constitutes an iceberg’s enormous size. Since this portion of an iceberg is invisible
from the surface, the structure’s entire size is unpredictable and more difficult to
estimate (indirect costs). These hidden costs represent the human costs of an accident
that are not often considered when looking for reasons to develop, manage and
monitor a solid health and safety system. Although the (financial) direct costs can be
significant, the indirect costs not only affect the company, they can also become
societal costs as well.
Financial Costs
As the costs of medical care increase, they can be directly or indirectly passed on to
the employer either through compensation premiums or health care benefits.
Increasing costs of operating a business day-to-day are impacted greatly by
unexpected expenses of workplace injuries.
Accidents cost money for both the employer and employee. Safety organizations,
small business owners and major corporations alike now realize that the actual cost
of a lost workday injury is substantial. For every dollar spent on the direct costs of a
worker’s injury or illness, much more will be spent to cover the indirect and hidden
costs. Consider what one lost workday injury would cost the company in terms of:
• Productive time lost by an injured employee;
• Productive time lost by employees and supervisors attending the accident
victim;
• Clean up and start-up of operations interrupted by the accident;
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• Time to hire or to retrain other individuals to replace the injured worker until
his/her return;
• Time and cost for repair or replacement of any damaged equipment or
materials;
• Cost of continuing all or part of the employee’s wages, in addition to
compensation;
• Reduced morale among your employees, and perhaps lower efficiency;
• Increased workers’ compensation insurance rates;
• Cost of completing paperwork generated by the incident.
Costs of Employee Absence

Replacing a skilled employee costs:
Additional costs through orientation of new employee to workplace and specific job
tasks (time):
 Advertising
 Time lost waiting to find replacement employee
 Orientation and training
 Paying two salaries – injured worker and new employee
 Long term disability – continuing to pay for two salaries or a portion thereof
Costs to an Individual Workplace

Although some may consider costs to be solely associated with a dollar amount, the
impact of a workplace injury also results in:
 Mistrust in the management system
 Employee motivation and job satisfaction diminishes and may eventually vanish
 Employees who perceive their workplace as an “uncaring” institution are 40%
more likely to find a reason to miss work.
Why does this matter?
When employees feel their contributions to their organizations or workplaces matter,
they in turn will care more about their work and strive to go the extra mile. Employees
who see that management espouses the importance of workplace health and safety will
believe in the overall management system and reciprocate the practice.
Imagine a workplace that has just had a workplace accident and there has been no
discussion of prevention, review of procedure and everyone is expected to continue to
work as “normal,” the workplace develops a feeling that the management of the
company is only interested in production. When this happens, employees begin to feel
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they are dispensable and that their work and contribution to the company is unimportant.
When people do not feel as though they “matter,” they will adopt a different perception
of the company and they may start to display these feelings outward in the form of:
 Not working to their potential
 Not following procedures
 Developing a negative and poisonous attitude towards management
 Finding or developing reasons to not work or not to come to work
Legal Costs
Occupational Health & Safety Act (sec. 47(1)) states “Every person who violates or
fails to comply with any provision of this Act or the regulations or fails to comply with
an order made under this Act or the regulations, commits an offence and is liable on
conviction
(a) To a fine of not more than $250,000, or
(b) To a term of imprisonment not exceeding six months, or to both.”
Human Impact of Workplace Accidents

Accidents cost more than money – they cost an individual’s normal life in varying
degrees, for varying lengths of time. For instance, a cut finger may heal and be forgotten
after a week, whereas an injured back may disrupt a person’s daily routine for years.
When sudden change occurs in any person’s life, people can quickly become thrown
into a world that is completely new and terrifying to them. A workplace accident can
impact the employee, not only physically but also psychologically, socially and
financially. The injured employee’s self-esteem may be diminished due to their reduced
ability or inability to maintain their regular lifestyle. The injured employee may face
issues such as:
• Withdrawal/isolation from family, friends, colleagues
• Personal sense of self
• Possible addiction dependency
• Complications from injuries resulting in extended physiotherapy, consultations
and appointments to doctors, surgeons, specialists, and other medical services
• Renovations, remodeling expenses to home to accommodate wheelchairs,
walkers and other assisted devices
• Specially equipped vehicles to assist in daily transportation for an injured
employee (including wheelchair accessibility)
• Reduced levels of income, benefits and job security
• Psychological trauma from injury resulting in conditions such as insomnia,
nightmares, chronic pain, learning to use and cope with prosthetics, paralysis,
self-blame and guilt
• Overall lifestyle change – learning to live again
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Example: Human and Financial Costs of Workplace Harassment and Violence

Consider an example of the human and financial costs of workplace harassment and
violence. The costs are great. Employees experiencing harassment and violence can
be affected physically and psychologically.
 Each individual reacts to these incidents in their own unique way, but common
responses can range from low morale and productivity at work, changes in eating
and sleeping patterns, denial, panic and anxiety, depression, fear, post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD), and thoughts of suicide.
 Organizations are impacted. Decreased productivity, low morale, increased
absenteeism and healthcare costs, and potential legal expenses can impact
organizations that do not take steps to prevent harassment and violence.
Summary
Workplaces face different challenges every day when it comes to keeping employees
safe. Some workplaces tend to see more accidents than others, simply due to the
nature of the job or the type of company. The goal of occupational safety and health
programs is to foster a safe and healthy work environment. Both employer and
employee need to work together and understand the risks and consequences when it
comes to workplace injuries.
Workplace injuries affect not only the workplace; they have far reaching effects into
personal life.
 human
 social
 financial
 organizational
The costs of workplace injuries can directly or indirectly affect the organization and
the employees!
Practicing health and safety is the key to prevent workplace accident and incidents.
All workplace accidents are preventable!
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Resources
 New Brunswick Occupational Health and Safety Act
 http://www.youthsafenb.ca
Evaluation
Discussion 1: 10% of the final total grade
Report paper: 10% of the final total grade
Case Study
1. Instructor-led discussion (can be online or in class) read the following scenario
and in groups, discuss both direct and indirect costs (examples), as well as the
human costs that can be associated with Bob’s accident. Go to Brightspace to
start Discussion 1 – Costs of Accidents. Refer to the discussion grading rubric
for expectations and grading information on Brightspace.
2. After the discussion, write a one-page report (about 300 words) to describe both
direct and indirect costs as well as human costs that may be associated with Bob’s
accident.
Bob’s Story
Bob, a skilled tradesperson of twenty years, recently had an accident at his
workplace. While replacing a chain on a conveyer, Bob did not lock and tag out his
machine. The machine unexpectedly started pulling Bob’s hand in to the machine,
severing 3 fingers. His screams alerted his co-workers and frantically, two co-workers
rushed to his station and were able to stop the machine. Bob was quickly rushed to
the outpatient department where emergency room personnel took him to surgery.
Because this accident occurred in the workplace, the Health and Safety Officers were
called and they spent three days investigating the accident. To do this effectively, the
production line where Bob worked was shut down until the accident investigation was
complete.
After surgery, Bob was required to attend physiotherapy and cannot return to work.
A temp worker was hired under contract to replace him. The hiring process took
approximately 8 weeks.
Bob remains at home recovering. He relies on his pain medication to “take the edge
off” his daily struggles from losing part of his hand. His salary has decreased
because he no longer is bringing home extra money from over-time and production
bonuses. The family continues to get by financially but with a reduced household
income, budgets are tight.
Co-workers of Bob who witnessed the accident are having difficulty dealing with the
situation. One employee has been off on stress leave since the accident and has also
been replaced; the other tried to shrug off the scene but he repeats in his head the
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screams from Bob and the blood on the floor every time he tries to go to sleep at night.
Not coping well, he slowly begins to withdraw from the workplace and he, too, goes off
on stress leave.
Some of the men’s co-workers in the plant have been quietly discussing how they
believe that the company is responsible for the accident and are feeling somewhat
hostile towards management.
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Module 2: Applying NB Health & Safety Legislation

Lesson 1: What Is WorkSafeNB?
Overview
WorkSafeNB can answer your questions about:
 Safety at work
 Your basic rights at work
 The Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act and regulations
 Compensation claims if you've been injured on the job
 What you're entitled to under the Workers' Compensation (WC) Act
Objective
 Identify the role of the WorkSafeNB as New Brunswick’s health and safety
regulator
What Is WorkSafeNB?
WorkSafeNB is a crown corporation, not a provincial government department. It is
administered by a Board of Directors whose members represent the interest of
employers, workers, government and general public.
WorkSafeNB is committed to protecting all New Brunswick workers and preventing

workplace injuries and illness through education and the enforcement of the
Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act and its regulations.
WorkSafeNB’s Vision, Mission and Values

WorkSafeNB is committed to promoting healthy and safe workplaces for New
Brunswick's workers and employers.
WorkSafeNB’s vision, mission and core values are:
 Keeping people safe and healthy at work
 Collaborating with all stakeholders to design, build and manage an effective
continuum of safety and care.
 The client is the priority.
Roles and Responsibilities
WorkSafeNB’s responsibility is to provide high quality workers’ compensation and
related services to employers and workers. Employers, workers and health care
providers are also responsible for supporting the workers’ compensation system.
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WorkSafeNB must:
 Provide injured workers with clear, timely information.
 Provide injured workers with effective compensation and rehabilitation services to
help them return to work.
 Collaborate with workers, employers and labour organizations to promote injury
prevention and develop effective disability management services.
 Maintain sound financial and administrative management practices.
WorkSafeNB Services
WorkSafeNB offers a variety of services and resources to employers and employees in:
 Accident prevention services
 Compensation and rehabilitation services
 Cost-effective disability and liability insurance to employers and workers in New
Brunswick
WorkSafeNB administers no-fault workplace accident and disability insurance system

for employers and their workers, funded solely through employer assessments.
Workers are eligible to receive benefits for work-related injuries or occupational
diseases, no matter who is at fault, while workers and employers waive the right to
sue.
Legislation Administered by WorkSafeNB

WorkSafeNB administers four pieces of legislation:
(1) Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act and Regulations;
(2) Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission (WHSCC) Act;
(3) Workers’ Compensation (WC) Act and Regulations;
(4) Firefighters' Compensation (FC) Act and Regulations; and
(5) Smoke-Free Places Act
Legislation What does it do?

Occupational Health and Asserts that every worker is entitled to a safe and
Safety (OHS) Act and healthy workplace, places primary responsibility for
Regulations occupational health and safety in the hands of the
workers and employers, and gives employees three
basic and fundamental rights, i.e., the right to know,
the right to participate, and the right to refuse
dangerous work.
Workplace Health, Safety and Sets out the operational guidelines for
Compensation Commission WorkSafeNB and empowers it to administer the
(WHSCC) Act OHS and WC Acts, and provides for an arm’s
length Appeals Tribunal
Workers’ Protects workers from a loss of earnings if they
Compensation are injured while doing their jobs; it is
(WC) Act and
administered through a no-fault insurance system
Regulations
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funded by employers and, in exchange, injured

workers give up the right to sue their employers for
compensation of work-related injuries.
Firefighters’ Compensation Created a Disability Fund to provide benefits to
Act employed and volunteer firefighters who:
• Are disabled by or die from a heart attack
that occurs within 24 hours after
attendance at an emergency response
scene in his or her capacity as a firefighter,
or
• Are disabled by or die from a prescribed
disease, and
- Have served as a firefighter for a
minimum period prescribed by
regulation;
- Have been regularly exposed to the
hazards of a fire scene in their
capacity as a firefighter, other fire
scene, throughout that period of
service.
Smoke-Free Places Act Protects New Brunswickers from exposure to
second-hand smoke by prohibiting smoking in
all enclosed public places, indoor workplaces,
on school grounds and in vehicles with children
under the age of 16.
Definition of “Worker” and “Employee”

Both terms “worker” and “employee” are defined under two different pieces of
legislation administered by WorkSafeNB.
What is an employee?
The term “employee” is defined under the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act
as:
 a person employed at a place of employment, or
 a person at a place of employment for any purpose in connection to the place
of employment.
What is a worker?
The term “worker” is defined under the Worker’s Compensation (WC) Act as: a
person who has entered into or works under a contract of service or apprenticeship,
written or oral, expressed or implied, whether by way of manual labour or otherwise,
and includes:
• A learner.
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• An emergency services worker within the meaning of any agreement made

under the Emergency Measures Act between the Government of Canada and
the Government of New Brunswick in which provision is made for
compensation with respect to the injury or death of such workers.
• A member of a municipal volunteer fire brigade.
• A person employed in a management capacity by the employer, including an
executive officer of a corporation, where that executive officer is carried on the
payroll.
When Does WorkSafeNB Provide Support and Compensation?

When a worker is hurt on the job, WorkSafeNB is there to help the worker get back to
work and feel like themselves again. WorkSafeNB can provide compensation
coverage and arrange for treatment.
For instance, in the case of workplace harassment and violence, WorkSafeNB can
provide compensation coverage to a worker when the incident has resulted in a
diagnosable injury or illness. With violence, it may be physical, but for harassment,
the injury may be psychological. Compensation is available for psychological injuries
when they meet the criteria of a traumatic event, which is defined as being exposed
to one or more of the following:
 Death
 Threat of death
 Actual or threatened serious injury
 Actual or threatened sexual violence
Knowledge Check
Question 1
If I am covered by workers’ compensation insurance, can I sue the person or
company responsible for my injury?
A. Yes
B. No
Question 2
Are volunteer firefighters covered as they perform duties relating to the maintenance
of firefighting equipment and as they attend training sessions authorized by the fire
chief?
A. Yes
B. No
Summary
WorkSafeNB prevention staff consult with employers on safety legislation. They offer
a variety of safety-related services to help employers develop health and safety
practices to prevent workplace injuries and illness.
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WorkSafeNB provides employers and employees with numerous health and safety
resources on its website. It allows you to search for information relevant to your
workplace.
In workplaces with 20 or more employees, a JHSC is required and must be established by

the employer. The JHSC is a group of employee and employer representatives that
recommend solutions to address health and safety concerns. In workplaces with 5-19
employees, a health and safety representative may be elected to address safety
concerns much like a JHSC. The purpose of both the JHSC and a health and safety
representative is to act as a liaison between the workforce and management to
resolve health and safety concerns.
Resources
 Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act and Regulations:
http://www.worksafenb.ca/acts-and-regulations
 Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission (WHSCC) Act:
http://laws.gnb.ca/en/ShowPdf/cs/W-14.pdf
 Workers’ Compensation (WC) Act and Regulations:
http://laws.gnb.ca/en/ShowPdf/cs/W-13.pdf
 Firefighters’ Compensation Act: http://laws.gnb.ca/en/ShowPdf/cs/F-12.5.pdf
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Lesson 2: Accessing WorkSafeNB Resources
Overview
Numerous health and safety resources on WorkSafeNB’s websites are available to
all employers and employees in New Brunswick workplaces. By providing information
and advice about occupational health and safety, WorkSafeNB aims to promote safe
and healthy working environments. You can search through various websites to
locate information relevant to your workplace.
Under the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act, both employees and
employers are responsible for identifying workplace hazards and resolving health and
safety issues. However, when workplace disputes cannot be resolved by labour or
management or legislated minimum standards are not met, WorkSafeNB health and
safety officers can help.
Objectives
 Identify WorkSafeNB health and safety resource persons and their role
 Access WorkSafeNB resources
Health and Safety Officers

WorkSafeNB’s health and safety officers are appointed under the authority of the
New Brunswick OHS Act. They are given the legislative responsibility to enter and
inspect workplaces to ensure a worker’s right to a safe and healthy work environment
and to enforce provincial health and safety legislation. WorkSafeNB’s health and
safety officers are responsible for:
 Conducting inspections and follow-up visits of workplaces to review and
ensure compliance
 Issuing improvement and stopping work orders to correct unsafe or unhealthy
situations
 Conducting investigations of fatalities/accidents/incidents to determine the
cause and recommend measures to prevent recurrence
 Conducting investigations of complaints by workplace parties regarding health
and safety concerns
 Responding to work refusals
 Providing guidance for legislative compliance to employers, workers and joint
health and safety committees on safe and healthy practices and working
conditions
Certain health and safety officers specialize in areas such as forestry or mining.
Benefits of Workplace Inspections

WorkSafeNB’s health and safety officers are dedicated to preventing accidents in the
province’s workplaces through inspections and investigations. Stop-work and
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improvement orders may be issued in order to better protect the worker, thus
reducing the potential for future accidents, and the costs associated with them.
Workplace inspections help prevent injuries and illnesses. Through critical
examination of the workplace, inspections identify and record hazards for corrective
action. Joint health and safety committees (JHSCs) can help plan, conduct, report
and monitor inspections. Regular workplace inspections are an important part of the
overall occupational health and safety program.
Joint Health and Safety Committees (JHSCs)

As required by the OHS Act, any workplace that regularly
employs 20 or more employees must establish a Joint Health
and Safety Committee (JHSC) at the workplace. A JHSC is a
group of worker and employer representatives working together
to identify and solve health and safety problems at the
workplace.
Joint Health and Safety Committees (JHSCs) play a critical role

in helping WorkSafeNB toward its vision of "Healthy and Safe
Workplaces in New Brunswick." They are an important
communication link between workers and management and help create and maintain
a positive health and safety culture at their workplaces. The JHSC can perform
inspections of the facility to identify safety hazards, investigate complaints and
examine policies. In addition to physical safety hazards, the committee can also help
identify ergonomic hazards and ensure policies and procedures lead to safe actions.
An effective JHSC may help reduce losses resulting from accidents and occupational
illness. A functional JHSC should:
 Assist in establishing and promoting health and safety education programs for
the employer and employees
 Consider and make recommendations to the employer about health and safety
concerns
 Keep records and investigate complaints
 Participate in inspections and investigations regarding the health and safety of
employees
JHSC Training
All JHSC members must attend the Joint Health and Safety Committee Core Training
education sessions. These sessions are provided monthly throughout the province.
For further information about these sessions, please consult the WorkSafeNB
website for a location nearest and most convenient for you.
Health and Safety Representative

A workplace with 5 to 19 employees that are not required to have a JHSC may have
a health and safety representative who performs the same function as the JHSC.
Like JHSC members, the representative is committed to improving health and safety
conditions in the workplace. The representative is elected by the employees, and the
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employer must post the representative's name in a place that can be clearly seen.
The representative is responsible to consult regularly with the employer.
Safety Topics on WorkSafeNB Website

The WorkSafeNB website provides health and safety resources. To search for a
safety topic that interests you,
1. Visit the WorkSafeNB website at https://www.worksafenb.ca/.

2. Select the Safety Topics menu.
3. From the Show All Topics drop-down list, select a topic.
4. Enter the keyword(s) in the Keywords field.
5. Click the Search button to display the topic you wish to view.
Accessing WorkSafeNB Resources

There are a variety of other health and safety resources that both employees and
employers can access to assist them in developing and improving their health and
safety practices in the workplace. They include, but are not limited, to:
 Health & Safety Resources are available on the WorkSafeNB website:
www.worksafenb.ca
 Provincial government website: www.gnb.ca
 New Brunswick Construction Safety Association (NBCSA)
 New Brunswick Forestry Safety Association
 Safety Services New Brunswick
 Various websites such as CCOHS and OHSA and other provincial prevention
corporations similar to WorkSafeNB
 CSA standards available via: www.ohs.csa.ca
 Health and Safety Topics on the WorkSafeNB website:
https://www.worksafenb.ca/safety-topics/
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Summary
WorkSafeNB prevention staff consult with employers on safety legislation. They offer
a variety of safety-related services to help employers develop health and safety
practices to prevent workplace injuries and illness.
WorkSafeNB provides employers and employees with numerous health and safety
resources on its website. It allows you to search for information relevant to your
workplace.
In workplaces with 20 or more employees, a JHSC is required and must be established by

the employer. The JHSC is a group of employee and employer representatives that
recommend solutions to address health and safety concerns. In workplaces with 5-19
employees, the health and safety representative is elected and functions like a JHSC.
The purpose of both the JHSC and a health and safety representative is to act as a
liaison between the workforce and management to resolve health and safety
concerns.
Resources
 Health & Safety Resources are available on the WorkSafeNB website:
www.worksafenb.ca
 Provincial government website: www.gnb.ca
 New Brunswick Construction Safety Association (NBCSA)
 New Brunswick Forestry Safety Association
 Safety Services New Brunswick
 Various websites such as CCOHS and OHSA and other provincial prevention
corporations similar to WorkSafeNB
 CSA standards available via: www.ohs.csa.ca
 Health and Safety Topics on the WorkSafeNB website:
https://www.worksafenb.ca/safety-topics/
Evaluation
Use the WorkSafeNB resources to contribute to the group discussion. This activity
provides you with an opportunity to access WorkSafeNB resources and share what
you have discovered with your classmates.
1. Explore the WorkSafeNB website: www.WorkSafeNB.ca to find the workplace

health and safety subject area(s) that interest you.
2. Write a brief description about the resource(s) you discovered including the
subject title(s) and URL and post it to the discussion board of the course on
Brightspace.
3. Participate by posting at least three questions of your own as well as replying to
at least three questions posted by your classmates. Note: You can ask questions
about any subject(s) you found at the WorkSafeNB website.
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Refer to the discussion grading rubric for expectations and grading information on
D2L. Go to D2L to start Discussion 2 - Access WorkSafeNB Resources.
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Lesson 3: Your Basic Rights to Be Safe on the Job
Overview
Younger and new employees are at higher risk of getting injured on the job. Many
times, such workers lack experience, are unaware of the workplace hazards or have
not received adequate training for the job they are doing. Many new workers are aiming
to please and may feel too intimidated to ask questions or to resolve concerns.
Unfortunately, there may be a fear that asking questions may affect the employer’s
assessment of their suitability for the job.
Some jobs have greater hazards and risks than others. Nonetheless, all new employees
must receive new employee orientation and training so they will feel safe and
comfortable doing the task at hand and have a sense that their safety and the safety of
others is not being compromised. As an employee, you should never be afraid to request
more training or instruction if you are unsure of the proper procedures or methods. All
employees have a right to know how to do the job safely. Seeing it done properly a
second time is well worth the time and effort.
Objective
 Apply the basic rights of an employee under the NB Occupational Health and
Safety Act
What Is an Employee?
The term “employee” is defined under the Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) Act
as:
(a) a person employed at a place of employment, or
(b) a person at a place of employment for any purpose in connection to the place
of employment
The New Brunswick OHS Act gives all employees basic rights to ensure their safety
at work.
Note: The term “employee” is defined under the Occupational Health & Safety Act
(OHS Act). The term “worker” is defined under the Worker’s Compensation Act.
Keep in mind that both terms are defined under two different pieces of legislation
administered by WorkSafeNB.
A worker or not?
You are a student who is placed in the applied workplace experience course, are you
considered a worker?
A. Yes
B. No
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The correct answer is Yes! The WC Act of New Brunswick states that a “worker”
means a person who has entered into or works under a contract of service or
apprenticeship, written or oral, expressed or implied, whether by way of manual
labour or otherwise and includes:
• A learner.
• An emergency services worker within the meaning of any agreement made
under the Emergency Measures Act between the Government of Canada and
the Government of New Brunswick in which provision is made for
compensation with respect to the injury or death of such workers.
• A member of a municipal volunteer fire brigade.
• A person employed in a management capacity by the employer, including an
executive officer of a corporation, where that executive officer is carried on the
payroll.
Your Rights on the Job

The NB OHS Act protects all employees working at full or part-time jobs. No matter
what job responsibilities and employment they may have, all employees have the
following three fundamental rights:
 The right to know
 The right to participate
 The right to refuse unsafe work
The Right to Know

All employees have a right to know about workplace hazards, and receive training on
how to do a job safely. All employees - new, transferred or experienced, need to be
informed of the following:
 Workplace hazards identified through orientation, day-to-day operations, entire
facility inspections, daily pre-use inspections of tools, equipment and machinery,
reporting mechanisms for sub-standard working conditions, communications
standards for people working alone and the process for correcting substandard
conditions.
 Safe work policies, procedures and codes of practice, as outlined in
both the legislation and the internal company standards.
 Emergency procedures, emergency evacuation, first aid legislation and first
aid procedures, accident reporting and investigation procedures.
If at any time you are unsure about tasks you have to complete on the job and/or are
concerned about personal safety or the safety of others, communicate your concerns
to your supervisor and request additional on-the-job training. In addition, you and your
supervisors need to periodically review current procedures to look for gaps in
processes that may result in injury, particularly during the introduction of new
equipment or machinery.
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Supervisors can play a key role in this process. Employees should always bring their
concerns or issues to their supervisors; and supervisors must make themselves
available to employees when they have concerns about the safety in the workplace.
The Right to Participate

All employees have a right to participate in resolving health and safety concerns and in
identifying and controlling workplace hazards. This can mean becoming a safety
representative in smaller workplaces with 5-19 employees or taking part on the JHSC
(Joint Health and Safety Committee) in larger workplaces with 20 or more employees.
Employees have the legal obligation to report unsafe conditions, and to voice
concerns about health and safety in the workplace.
The Right to Refuse Unsafe Work

All employees have the right to refuse to do any unsafe or unhealthy work, if they
believe it may be dangerous to their health or safety.
Employees who do not have proper and adequate personal protective equipment
(PPE), on-the-job-training, clear understanding of their job procedures or are placed in
a hazardous workplace situation (working alone without a communication procedure,
for example) can exercise their legal right to refuse the task at hand. They must be paid
for the time while the situation is reviewed.
Exercising the Right to Refuse Unsafe Work

Exercising the right to refuse is serious and should not be done lightly or as a routine
method of solving workplace problems. In order for the employee to exercise the right
to refuse under the section of the OHS Act (Section 19-23), the work must be
considered to be unsafe due to conditions such as:
• Absence or lack of adequate training and knowledge of the employee to
complete the task
• Absence or lack of legislative compliance (both general and specific)
• Absence or lack of proper PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) needed to do
the task
• Absence or lack of adequate supervision while working on the task
• Absence or lack of internal procedures to complete the task
Other factors that employees need to understand if exercising their right to refuse
unsafe work:
 The employee must remain in a safe place unless assigned reasonable alternate
work or given other directions by the employer while the matter is being
investigated.
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 Any re-assignment must follow the rules of the collective agreement, if one
exists.
 An employer must continue to pay wages and benefits for an employee
throughout this process unless the employee does not accept to do the alternate
work that is assigned.
 The employer can assign another employee to perform the work the first
employee has refused, provided the supervisor informs the other employee of
the refusal and the reasons for the refusal.
If another employee accepts to carry out the work and the work is completed, the
matter will be considered resolved to the satisfaction of the employee who initiated the
work refusal and the right to refuse is ended.
Watch this video (0.38 minute) to learn an example of how to refuse a dangerous job:
http://www.youtube.com/v/D2VA2gZBWMQ?version=3&hl=en_US
Justifying Your Decision to Refuse

It must be noted that although some job duties are more dangerous than others, not all
situations will always generate need for an employee refusing to do a task. Because
each situation for employees is different, consideration must be given to the facts and
details of the work refusal before it can be determined whether or not an employee is
justified in their decision to refuse to do a job.
For example, if an employee is hired as a commercial roofer and has had adequate
training, PPE, supervision and is considered to be competent, that employee may not
have the right to refuse to do the job based on his or her skills, training and availability
of supervisors on site to clarify questions and concerns.
To view a sample of Right to Refuse form, visit

http://www.worksafenb.ca/docs/RightToRefuseForm_e.pdf.
Example: Refusing Unsafe Work

Look at this example. Kevin is working for a research company. Someone spilled
hazardous chemicals in his work area. He reported the spill to his supervisor
immediately and asked the supervisor to call in professionals to clean it up. The
supervisor said he would get to it later and told Kevin to get back to work. Do you
think Kevin can refuse to work in this scenario?
The answer is Yes. In this scenario, the spill incident may put Kevin and his co-
workers in immediate, serious danger; he can refuse to work near the hazardous
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chemicals. In this scenario, OSH Act would likely protect the employee and his
employer cannot punish him for not working.
Steps for Refusing Unsafe Work

If you are unsure about your safety at work, the following is the process for the right to
refuse:
 STEP 1: report the safety concern to your immediate supervisor. If the problem is
resolved, return to work. If not, then move to step 2.
 STEP 2: report the matter to your company’s joint health and safety committee
(JHSC) or to the safety representative. If your concern is resolved, return to work.
If your concern is still not resolved or if your workplace doesn’t have a JHSC or
health representative, then move to step 3.
 STEP 3: call WorkSafeNB and explain the situation. Return to work only when
the situation is no longer dangerous.
* In all cases, only do the job when you feel that the situation is no longer
dangerous. In all cases, stay on the job-site until your shift is finished.
At all times during a work refusal process, employees are strongly encouraged to
document their concerns regarding the dangerous situation or condition, persons they
have spoken to and the outcome of any conversations. A template of this document can
be found in the sample Right to Refuse Form on the WorkSafeNB website:
www.worksafenb.ca/docs/RightToRefuseForm_e.pdf.
Knowledge Check
Question 1
If you need to exercise your legal right to refuse unsafe work, what should you do first?
a. Leave the workplace immediately
b. Notify your JHSC first
c. Address your concerns to your co-workers
d. Call WorkSafeNB safety officer first
e. Notify your immediate supervisor first
Question 2
Which are the three fundamental rights of employees?
A. The right to participate, the right to know and the right to refuse unsafe work
B. The right to participate, the right to refuse unsafe work and the right to refuse to
wear personal protective equipment
C. The right to direct work, the right to participate and the right to know
D. The right to know, the right to refuse unsafe work and the right to refuse to wear
personal protective equipment
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Summary
The Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act protects workers of all ages working
full or part-time jobs. All employees have the following basic rights to protect
themselves:
 The right to know about the workplace hazards and receive training on how
to do the job safely
 The right to participate in solving health and safety problems
 The Right to refuse the work they feel could endanger themselves or others
Resources
 Sample Right to Refuse Form:
www.worksafenb.ca/docs/RightToRefuseForm_e.pdf
 NB Occupational Health and Safety Act and Regulations:
http://www.worksafenb.ca/acts-and-regulations
 NB OHS Act (Section 19-23) http://laws.gnb.ca/en/ShowPdf/cs/O-0.2.pdf
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Lesson 4: Responsibilities of Employers and Employees
Overview
Everyone is responsible for health and safety in the workplace. Everyone in the
workplace has a role to play and a duty to actively ensure employees are safe. When
an employee sees a health and safety problem such as a hazard in the workplace,
he or she has a legal obligation to report the situation to management. Once a
hazard has been identified, the employer and supervisor have a duty to look at the
problem and eliminate any hazard that could injure employees.
Safety is everyone’s responsibility!
Objective
 Explain the legislated responsibilities of employees and employers under the NB
Occupational Health and Safety Act
Employer and Employee Responsibilities under the OHS Act in New Brunswick
The New Brunswick OHS (Occupational Health and Safety) Act and its regulations
outline employer and employee responsibilities designed to help ensure a healthy
and safe work environment.
Note: the OHS Act does not simply hold an employer accountable for compliance; the
employee must also comply. If anyone fails to comply with these responsibilities, a
WorkSafeNB health and safety officer may write an order requiring the person to do
so. Failure to comply with any order or to be non-compliant under any portion of the
Act or regulations could result in prosecution and fines. In NB, a person who violates
or fails to comply with any provision of the OHS Act, the maximum fines for non-
compliance is $250,000 or 6 months of imprisonment, or both.
What Is an Employer?
As defined under the Act, an employer is:
a) a person who employs one or more employees
b) a manager, superintendent, supervisor or any person having authority over
another, or
c) an agent of any person referred to in a) or b).
What Is an Employee?
Under the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act, "employee" means:
a) a person employed at a place of employment, or
b) a person at a place of employment for any purpose in connection to the place of
employment.
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Employers' Responsibilities to All Employees under the OHS Act

In New Brunswick, employers are responsible for managing workplace safety in their
company or organization. Outlined in the OHS Act are clearly defined responsibilities
for employers to address health and safety practices in the workplace as part of their
due diligence:
• Take every reasonable precaution to ensure health and safety: Because

employers have the ultimate control of workplaces, they also have the duty to
ensure the workplace remains a safe place for all employees, contractors, sub-
contractors and clients who are working within, and, for the company. It is the
employer’s responsibility, therefore, to develop, implement, enforce and review
the proper safety procedures and policies with everyone working in or at that
company. This training process must be documented.
• Comply with all workplace legislation: Employers are responsible to read,
understand, and comply with and provide to the workforce all applicable
workplace legislation. Updated copies of workplace legislation must be
accessible at all times to the workforce and reviewed with them so employers
can ensure the employees understand the responsibilities of both parties.
• Ensure employees comply: While it is the employer’s duty to develop a
health and safety management system, the system will only be as good as the
mandatory enforcement of the required practices. Employers must set the
example of compliance by following all policies and procedures. They, too,
must ensure employees comply.
• Maintain equipment in good condition: Employers are responsible to ensure
all materials, equipment, tools, PPE (personal protective equipment), machines
and procedures meet both manufacturer and legal standards. Through spot
checks, requiring employees to do pre-use inspections and regular
(documented) formal inspections, employers can identify and correct any sub-
standard conditions.
• Advise employees of hazards: Employers have a legal duty to inform the
workplace of any hazards that may result in a near miss or injury. Even if your
employer is not required to have a health and safety program where hazard
identification is part of that program, employers must still develop a hazard
identification system where hazards can be identified, corrected and
communicated to employees. The workplace must have the necessary policies
and procedures in place to ensure employees are not put at risk.
• Provide personal protective equipment (PPE): The employer is responsible
to either provide or make accessible to all employees the proper PPE as
required by the legislation. Some PPE may need to meet certain external
standards such as CSA or ANSI approval. Employees should check PPE for
these standards (as outlined in the legislation) as well as the condition of the
PPE (not ripped, frayed, torn or sub-standard). Employers, once notified of
sub-standard PPE, must remove or fix PPE to ensure it is safe.
• Establish a JHSC (Joint Health and Safety Committee). Depending on the
number of employees at the workplace or the type of work (construction or
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project sites) carried out at, the employer may have a duty to ensure a JHSC is
established and: meets monthly; consists of equal representation of
management, employers and employees; members complete the legislative
education program; produce and post meeting minutes; and, forwards a copy
of the JHSC minutes to WorkSafeNB.
• Develop a process and conduct workplace inspections: Employers have a
duty to develop, in conjunction with the JHSC, an inspection process that will
cover the entire workplace. Training must be provided to the designated
inspectors and any substandard conditions that are identified during the
inspection must be documented and followed closely by a process to ensure
that corrective action for the substandard conditions is carried through.
• Report accidents to WorkSafeNB: Employers are responsible to notify
WorkSafeNB immediately if an employee suffers an injury that results in:
o Loss of consciousness
o Amputation
o Fractures (other than to fingers or toes)
o Burn requiring medical attention
o Loss of vision
o Deep laceration
o Admission to hospital
o Death
Note: the requirement to report a deep laceration or a burn would mean that the
workplace’s designated first aid providers are not able to adequately treat those
types of injuries and the injured employee(s) must seek medical attention at a
medical facility (example – a trip to the Emergency Room to receive stitches for a
severe cut).
Employers must also report to WorkSafeNB immediately any:

• Accidental explosion or exposure to a biological, chemical or physical agent,
regardless if an employee has been injured.
• Catastrophic event or equipment failure that results or could have resulted in
injury.
• If the employer must report an accident to WorkSafeNB, the employer must
secure the site to prevent further injury and preserve the scene of the accident,
begin an internal investigation and contact WorkSafeNB health and safety
officers.
• Advise JHSC (Joint Health and Safety Committee) of accidents. Outlined under
subsection 43(2) of the OHS Act, where WorkSafeNB has been notified about
a workplace accident, the JHSC must also be notified.
Employers’ Responsibilities to New Employees

Under the OHS Act, an employer must deliver orientation and training to all new
employees.
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What is a new employee?

Under the OHS Act, a new employee is defined as a person who is:
(a) new to a position or place of employment,
(b) returning to a position or place of employment in which the hazards have
changed during the employee’s absence,
(c) under 25 years of age and returning to a position or place of employment after an
absence of more than six months, or
(d) affected by a change in the hazards of a position or place of employment.
Training and orientation to new employees:

 Training involves hands-on, job-specific instruction provided individually or in small
groups to employees. For hands-on tasks, it should include demonstrations and
active participation by employees so that supervisors can confirm that employees
understand safe work procedures.
 Orientation is the introduction to the new employee’s workplace and is designed to
help new and younger employees gain an understanding of the safety culture at their
workplace. Under the OHS Act, every employer will provide orientation to new
employees that includes:
o The name and contact information of the new employee’s supervisor;
o The contact information of the committee or the health and safety
representative;
o The new employee’s rights, liabilities and duties under this act and the
regulations, including reporting requirements and the right to refuse to
perform an act under section 19;
o The health and safety procedures and codes of practice related to the new
employee’s job tasks;
o The location of first aid facilities and how to obtain first aid;
o The procedures related to the reporting of illnesses and injuries;
o The procedures related to emergencies; and
o The use of personal protective equipment, if applicable.
Important note: In addition, all new employees must receive health and safety training
and orientation before new employees begin work. This means that the new
employee completes health and safety training and orientation before the new
employee actually starts to complete the tasks that expose them to the hazards
associated with the work. It does not refer to when an employee starts getting paid to
be present in the workplace.
Responsibilities of Employers Who Have 20 or More Employees

If your employer has 20 or more employees regularly employed in the province, the
employer must:
 Develop a safety policy and keep copies of that policy at each workplace. A
company’s safety policy expresses management’s commitment to the protection
of all employees’ health and safety. The policy must outline the health and safety
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responsibilities of employers and employees of the company. The policy may

also include other health and safety components such as the company’s
assurance of maintaining a respectful workplace (free of harassment) or how
unsafe acts or unsafe behaviors will not be tolerated at that workplace.
 Develop and implement a health and safety program. A health and safety
program is an organized, written action plan to identify and control hazards,
define safety responsibilities and respond to emergencies that result in the
prevention of accidents and occupational diseases.
The OHS Act outlines specific requirements that all employers must include within
their health & safety program:
Requirements of the
Health & Safety Purpose and/or Examples
Program
1. Employee training Employees must be trained (through job orientation
and supervision and / or regular training sessions) on all job
procedures necessary for them to complete their daily
tasks. In addition to regular training, supervision must
be present or readily accessible at all times,
particularly when dangerous work is being carried out
or when new employees begin working.
2. Written work Work procedures and codes of practice are step-by-
procedures and step instructions that describe the way in which a task
codes of practice must be done in order for an employee to protect
themselves and others from potential injury. Examples
of written work procedures may include step-by-step
instructions on how to clean a piece of machinery,
deal with an aggressive client or enter a confined
space.
3. Identifying the The employer must identify where, when and what
types of work types of tasks require written work procedures and
where written codes of practice. For example, if an employee’s task
work procedures is to complete electrical work on machinery (type of
and codes of task), there should be a written work procedure
practice are outlining how the employee should first properly tag
required and lock out that machine prior to starting work on the
machine (when and how to tag and lock out the
machine) .
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4. A hazard A hazard identification system recognizes, evaluates

identification and has control measures in place for the protection of
system employees while they complete their work. An example
may include:
Potential
of injury or
Task Hazard(s) Control
incident to
occur
Transferring Box may be Moderate If the items
boxes of too heavy (can cause weighs more
material from or awkward risk of than 20-25
one to carry injury or lbs., use a
department to incident) cart to
another transfer or ask
for assistance
5. Incident Employers must develop a system that requires an

investigations investigation of all workplace incidents. The purpose of
any incident investigation is to determine why the
incident occurred and how to prevent the incident from
occurring again. Investigation outcomes help
employers determine the root cause(s) of incidents,
outline strategies to correct or eliminate basic causes
and develop processes to identify and prevent
potential, future incidents.
6. Keeping health Employers must establish a system to maintain health
and safety and safety records and health and safety statistics.
records These may include:
 Inspection reports (monthly or weekly, including
log books)
 Incidents reported
 Incident investigation results
 Employee orientation, training, progressive
discipline
 JHSC meeting minutes
 Work permits (example: hot work)
 Monitoring (examples: heat & cold stress work,
noise)
 Contractor, sub-contractor and volunteer
information (training, employment agreements and
requirements)
 First aid information
 Emergency response plans
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7. Monitoring the Every component of this program must be evaluated to

program’s identify its strengths and opportunities for changes,
effectiveness improvements or revision. Your employer is
responsible to conduct an annual evaluation of the
health and safety program in consultation with your
company’s JHSC (Joint Health and Safety Committee)
or health and safety representative.
Employer Requirements Outlined under Other Workplace Regulations

In addition to the employer’s legislative requirements under the OHS Act, there are
numerous references to employer duties outlined under other workplace regulations:
 Regulation 84-26 Administration Regulation
 Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System 2016-6
 Regulation 91-191 General Regulation
 Regulation 92-106 Code of Practice for Working with Material Containing
Asbestos
 Regulation 92-133 Code of Practice for Working Alone
 Regulation 96-105 Underground Mine
 Regulation 2004-130 First Aid
 Regulation 2007-33 Training and Designated Trades Regulation
For businesses that require employees to work alone or in situations where

employees may not be in direct contact with other employees for an extended period
of time, the employer must establish and communicate a working alone policy and
procedures that will outline roles and responsibilities for supervisors and employees.
Employees’ Responsibilities under the OHS Act

It is the responsibility of employees to ensure they understand, follow and comply
with workplace legislation and the company’s internal policies and procedures.
All New Brunswick employees have legal responsibilities defined under the OHS Act:
• Comply with the OHS Act and its Regulations: Employees must familiarize
themselves with the workplace legislation and if they do not understand the
legal standards, they must ask supervisors or management for clarity or an
interpretation of the requirements. Employees should also request training for
any portion of the legal standard for which they have little or no knowledge or
training.
• Ensure safe conduct: Employees must not participate in horseplay or take
shortcuts when performing their jobs (not taking time to do a pre-use inspection
on machinery, for example). Employees are responsible for knowing,
understanding and complying with the workplace requirements for the
company’s day-to-day operations and asking for assistance when they are
unclear about a workplace process to complete a job task safely.
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• Report hazards: If an employee encounters an unsafe or harmful condition or

situation or if they are unclear if a task is safe, the employee is responsible to
report this immediately to their supervisor. This process should be documented
and the employee should not attempt to guess how to complete any task until
the hazardous condition is corrected.
• Wear the proper personal protective equipment (PPE): While it is an
employer’s responsibility to provide employees with PPE, it is the employee’s
responsibility to wear, use and inspect the PPE daily. If PPE is not provided or
is sub-standard, employees must notify their supervisor immediately.
• Co-operate with the JHSC and WorkSafeNB’s health and safety officers:
While the legal standard allows for a company to operate without third party
intervention (the internal responsibility system), there may be times when a
recommendation from an outside enforcement agency (WorkSafeNB) or a
company’s JHSC is warranted. If this happens, it is the employee’s
responsibility to co-operate with WorkSafeNB’s recommendation for the
purpose of protecting themselves and the entire workforce.
Knowledge Check
Question 1
According to the Occupational Health and Safety Act, which of the following
individuals are defined as “employees” who have rights and responsibilities under
this legislation? Select all that apply.
A. Volunteers
B. Retail store product demonstrators
C. Apprentices
D. Student at a practicum placement
E. Nursing home residents
F. Retail consumers
Question 2
In the scenario below, identify who are the employee(s) and the employer(s):
Bob, the lead hand of the company’s third shift, has been directed by Sue, the shift
supervisor, to complete Ken’s orientation training. Ken is a new hire and works as a
welding apprentice.
Bob - Employee or employer?

Sue – Employee or employer?
Ken – Employee or employer?
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Question 3
If I am hurt on the job, do I have to report this to my employer?
A. Yes
B. No
Question 4
Can my employer and I agree not to report my injury to WorkSafeNB?
A. Yes
B. No
Question 5
What is the most common reason given by employees as to why they do not follow
company safety rules?
A. Employees do not think that rules apply to them

B. Employees cannot clearly understand the rules
C. Employees have difficulty locating the rules in policy manuals
D. Employees state that the rules are outdated and ineffective
Question 6
Who is responsible for reporting to WorkSafeNB an injury at work?
A. A health and safety officer

B. The injured worker
C. The employer
D. Everyone at the workplace
Summary
Safety is everybody’s business. The OHS Act and many health and safety
regulations list responsibilities of employers and employees. For a workplace to have
a strong and sustainable health and safety culture, everyone has a part to play.
Both employers and employees have the responsibilities to report, identify and
correct hazards in order to prevent an accident and ensure a safe workplace. This
can save lots of pain, trouble and cost. The key to a positive health and safety culture
is for everyone to recognize the importance of safety and work together to make it
happen.
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Resources
 OHS (Occupational Health and Safety) Act:
http://laws.gnb.ca/en/ShowPdf/cs/O-0.2.pdf
 Regulation 84-26 Administration Regulation:
http://laws.gnb.ca/en/ShowPdf/cr/84-26.pdf
 Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System 2016-6
 Regulation 91-191 General Regulation:
Asbestos:
 Regulation 92-133 Code of Practice for Working Alone:
 Regulation 96-105 Underground Mine:
 Regulation 2004-130 First Aid:
 Regulation 2007-33 and Designated Trade Regulation:
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Lesson 5: Internal Responsibility System (IRS) and Due Diligence
Overview
The main purpose of the OHS (Occupational Health and Safety) Act is to protect
workers from injury, illness and disease on the job. It sets out duties for all workplace
parties and rights for workers. It establishes procedures for dealing with workplace
injury, illness and disease and provides for enforcement of the law where compliance
has not been achieved voluntarily. Fundamental to the successful application of the
standards under the OHS Act is the workplace Internal Responsibility System (IRS).
Objective
 Adopt the Internal Responsibility System when addressing workplace health and
safety
What Is Internal Responsibility System?

The internal responsibility system (IRS) is a system that places the responsibility of
workplace health and safety into the hands of everyone within an organization. It
means every individual is responsible for health and safety in the workplace.
Accountability is built right into the system.
Everyone has responsibilities to comply with the law and support best practices for
health and safety. The management of a company has control of the workplace and,
therefore, is more accountable to practice and enforce safety practices and
procedures. It is the ultimate responsibility of the management to first establish a
system of protecting the entire workforce by defining roles that are in compliance with
the legislation for employers and employees.
Why Is It Important to Establish an IRS?

If employers have a good health and safety
system, and are attentive and compliant with
health and safety procedures and practices, it
is less likely the workplace will have accidents.
If an accident occurs, the employer who has a
solid health and safety management system
may well be successful in establishing their
legal defense: due diligence.
Since most jurisdictions in Canada base their occupational health and safety laws on
the internal responsibility system (IRS), understanding the system is a precondition to
understanding occupational health and safety law. If senior management does not truly
understand the nature of internal responsibility, it is unlikely that they will understand
much else about how to manage occupational health and safety or ensure due
diligence.
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The internal responsibility system (IRS) does the following:

 Establishes responsibility sharing systems
 Promotes safety culture
 Promotes best practice
 Helps develop self-reliance
 Ensures compliance
Understanding Your Role on the Job

The internal responsibility places an obligation on everyone--the employer, supervisors
and employees--to ensure that the workplace is safe and in compliance with
occupational health and safety legislation.
To establish a management system for the IRS (Internal Responsibility System) for
workplace health and safety, the management of the company must first define who
is responsible for developing, implementing and enforcing the legislated and internal
standards. To help workplaces understand the legal obligations of employees and
employers, the OHS Act outlines the following roles:
Role Definition
employee a) a person employed at a place of employment, or
b) a person at a place of employment for any purpose
in connection to the place of employment.
employer a) a person who employs one or more employees,
b) a manager, superintendent, supervisor or any
person having authority over another, or
c) an agent of any person referred to in (a) or (b).
Exercise: Employer or Employee?

Debora only manages two people in the marketing office in a company. What do you
think her role is?
A. Employee
B. Employer
Employer Responsibilities for Health and Safety

Under the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act, all employers have the
responsibilities to:
 Take reasonable health and safety precautions in the workplace;

 Comply with the OHS Act and regulations;
 Ensure employees comply with the OHS Act;
 Maintain equipment in good working order;
 Advise workers of all workplace hazards;
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 Provide appropriate health and safety training and on the job

supervision of employees;
 Provide personal protective equipment (not necessarily pay for it but ensure its
use and accessibility);
 Establish a company Joint Health & Safety Committee (JHSC) where there are
20 or more employees regularly employed. For project site JHSC, please refer
to the OHS Act for provisions for establishment;
 Co-operate with the Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) or safety
representative and persons responsible for the enforcement of the OHS
Act and regulations (WorkSafeNB officers);
 Register with WorkSafeNB if three or more people are employed on either a
part-time or full-time basis, at any time during the year;
 Post a copy of the OHS Act and Regulations in a prominent place where
workers can see them;
 Develop an inspection procedure with the company’s JHSC or safety
representative
 Make certain the entire workplace is inspected at least once per month
 Report workplace injuries, accidents and exposures of a biological, chemical
or physical agents (s) to WorkSafeNB
 Draft and implement policies and procedures which become the health and
safety management system of the workplace (the IRS). If the workplace has 20
or more employees, the company’s safety policy must be submitted to the
WorkSafeNB.
To learn more about employer responsibilities, please go to the lesson in this course,
“Responsibilities of Employers and Employees.”
Employee Responsibilities for Health and Safety

Under the OHS Act, employees have responsibilities to:
 Follow the OHS Act and Regulations

 Behave in a safe manner and do not put yourself or others at risk
 Report all workplace hazards
 Wear the appropriate personal protective equipment
 Cooperate with the Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) or safety
representative
 Cooperate with WorkSafeNB and their health and safety officers
To learn more about employee responsibilities, please go to the lesson in this course,
“Responsibilities of Employers and Employees.”
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Basic Rights of Employees

No matter what job responsibilities an employee may have, all employees have the
following three fundamental rights.
 The right to know all hazards and risks associated with the job, control
measures to be taken and how to report concerns.
 The right to participate in all health and safety initiatives that can affect the
safety and the health of themselves and co-workers.
 The right to refuse unsafe work, i.e., to do any task they have not been
properly trained for and that they feel puts them at risk.
To learn more about the three fundamental rights of employees, please go to the
lesson of this course, “Basic Rights to Be Safe on the Job.”
What Is a Proper and Adequate System?

A proper and adequate IRS (internal responsibility system) must include the following
factors:
 Instruction, training and orientation programs
 Training and sufficiency of supervisory personnel
 Continual review of elimination or control of hazards
 Policies and procedures in place
 An effective discipline system for breaches of legislative standards and internal
policies and procedures
For example, when an employer hires a new employee, the employer must review
several items with the employee:
 Name and contact information of their supervisor;
 Contact information for the JHSC members or the health and safety
representative;
 The rights, liabilities and responsibilities of employees under the OHS Act and
regulations, including reporting of hazards and accidents and their right to refuse
unsafe work;
 Any health and safety procedures and/or codes of practice that are part of the
new employee’s job tasks (example, the procedures to follow when working
alone);
 Where the first aid facilities are located and how to contact first aid personnel in
the workplace;
 Workplace procedures to be followed when reporting illness or injury;
 Workplace procedures to be followed during emergencies (fire alarms,
evacuation procedures, etc.); and
 Required use of personal protective equipment (PPE), how and where to obtain
PPE and responsibilities for maintenance and use.
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Healthy and safe workplaces are evident when there is compliance and a will to start,
do and end the job in a way that will protect the entire workforce.
Safety is a mindset that must be internal to the everyday practices of the company
where there is no excuse or tolerance for shortcuts, deviations from rules or
pretending that you never saw unsafe processes.
Management must establish and set the bar for this and drive through the
organization the message that non-compliance will not only put others at risk, it is
unacceptable and will be dealt with for the sake of preventing workplace accidents
and injuries.
What Is the Standard of Due Diligence?

In occupational health and safety, due diligence means that taking all reasonable care
to protect the well-being of employees or co-workers and to prevent injuries or
accidents in the workplace and prove that they have done this.
To meet the standard of due diligence, everyone in the workplace must take
reasonable precautions when carrying out their duties and their health and safety
responsibilities. This is the standard of care required to comply with the OHS
(Occupational Health and Safety) Act and Regulations.
What Is Meant by Reasonable Care?

The care warranted in any given situation is principally governed by the:
 Gravity of potential harm
 Available alternatives
 Likelihood of harm
 Skill required when performing the task
 Extent to which the accused could control the elements of the offence
Reasonable care implies a sliding scale of caring. The greater the likelihood that an
offence may occur, and the more serious the offence should it occur, the more
stringent the system must be for monitoring and controlling the risks. Under such
circumstances, there can be less tolerance for error. Industry standards may be used
as a benchmark. However, simply asserting that a worker was the cause of an
accident is not enough. The employer must prove that there exists a management
internal responsibility system (IRS) to address the health and safety concerns of the
workplace and employees understand this system.
Establishing Due Diligence

In most workplaces, supervisors are responsible to manage and direct employees’
work and enforce compliance standards. By this standard, supervisors are effectively
exercising due diligence.
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Supervisors play an important role in new employee orientation training. Supervisors,

under the OHS Act, are by definition “employers”, and, therefore, have a legal
obligation to provide all the necessary and adequate training, hazard and risk
assessment (and control) information, as well as direction, facilitation and clarification
of all company policies, procedures and codes of practice.
The basis of due diligence is only established when management provides an

accountability system of roles and responsibilities. It is important to note that a
supervisor can only meet their due diligence obligations if management has provided
them with a detailed outline of their job responsibilities and the necessary training,
tools, equipment and resources.
If supervisors are not provided with the means or the opportunity to provide adequate
training for new employees, neither supervisors nor the company can reasonably
assume they are complying with legislation.
What Is the Defense of Due Diligence?

Employers must establish that all reasonable precautions were taken to avoid
committing the offence.
In prosecutions for violations of health and safety legislation, the prosecutor must
prove that the accused committed a prohibited act. To be acquitted, the accused must
establish that, on a balance of probabilities, all reasonable precautions were taken in
the circumstances to comply. This is the defense of due diligence. The standard the
courts apply in determining whether an accused has exercised due diligence is not
absolute – the employer is not expected to anticipate and prevent every possible
accident. However, the employer must take all the precautions that a reasonable and
prudent person would take in the circumstances.
There is no simple answer as to how much care is required to avoid health and
safety offences and prevent accidents; therefore, it is important to understand what
constitutes reasonable care?
For example, a pre-use inspection of machinery may reveal that a specific part or the
entire machine is sub-standard. Having this standard (requirement for pre-use
inspections) in place will increase the chances of discovering defective machinery
and decrease the chances of an accident occurring because of this.
First, however, there must be policies in place for the requirement for employees to
do pre-use inspections on machinery and a system to log and repair defective parts.
Through the management system if it is established that all employees do daily pre-
use inspections, employees are trained to do so and are required to report unsafe
conditions, and the employees are made aware of the penalty of non-compliance to
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this standard and are held accountable if they do not follow procedures, then the
employer has likely met the standard of taking “reasonable precautions.”
The opposite may be said for an employer who does not have a pre-use inspection
process in place for employees, who has not trained or properly supervised workers,
who does not provide or enforce the use of PPE (personal protection equipment) and
an accident occurs, the employer will more likely to be held liable for that accident.
Foreseeability
Foreseeability is also a critical factor in the due diligence standard. Due diligence
requires one to prepare for risks which are objectively foreseeable, that is, those risks
which a reasonably thoughtful person can foresee flowing from the company's
operations. Again, the graver the potential harm, the more one must guard against
improbable events within the company’s operation to eliminate or establish controls
for all foreseeable hazards to protect the workers.
Everybody forgets and makes mistakes from time to time, but due diligence does not
include carelessness. It is important to recognize, however, that due diligence does
not therefore require one to take every possible measure to protect against merely
speculative dangers. It is not reasonable to conclude that all hazards can be
eliminated or controlled by management, (an unexpected occurrence such as
lightning striking the building and starting a fire), but that in dealing with tools,
equipment, machinery, processes, etc., an injury may occur due to the omission of
policies, procedures or practices (not locking out a machine properly before doing
maintenance on equipment).
Legal Issues
Legally, everyone in a workplace has a responsibility to and is accountable for
workplace health and safety. Outlined in the OHS Act are specific duties of owners,
contractors, sub-contractors, employers and employees for controlling the safety of
workers. No one is exempt from liability simply because of their title or association with
a company (i.e., employers who are not on site have a responsibility to ensure that
there is proper and adequate supervision at the workplace).
Due diligence is as much a culture and way of doing business as it is a legal defense.
Companies with managers and workers that always ask themselves “Have I done
everything reasonably practicable to make my workplace safe?” before they do their
work will always outperform those that do not.
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Proving Due Diligence

Failure to prove that you have been duly diligent in complying with occupational
health and safety legislation can result in significant penalties. In NB, a person who
violates or fails to comply with any provision of the OHS Act, the fines for non-
compliance is maximum $250,000 or 6 months of imprisonment, or both.
To exercise due diligence, an employer must establish a proper and adequate health
and safety management system that defines the organization’s health and safety
responsibilities and outline things such as:
 Developing company safety policies and procedures that includes accountability
and responsibility for health and safety (all workforce)
 Knowing workplace legislation and making it available for everyone
 Ensuring that everyone in the company is made aware of their responsibilities
 There is a periodic review through performance evaluations to address their roles
in the company
 Ensuring there is a non-compliance standard that is enforced with everyone
 Developing a system to immediately address health and safety concerns
Why does Due Diligence Have Special Significance?

"Due diligence" is a legal defense for a person charged under occupational health
and safety legislation. If charged, a defendant may be found not guilty if he or she
can prove that due diligence was exercised. In other words, the defendant must be
able to prove that all precautions, reasonable under the circumstances, were taken to
protect the health and safety of workers.
When establishing a due diligence defense, it may be helpful to ask yourself the
following questions:
1. Can a reasonable person predict or foresee something going wrong?
2. Is there an opportunity to prevent the injury or incident?
3. Who is the responsible for preventing the accident or incident?
All of the elements of "due diligence" must be established before any accident or
injury occurs. If employers have questions about due diligence, they should either
speak to a WorkSafeNB representative or seek legal advice for their jurisdiction to
ensure that all appropriate legal requirements are in place.
Due diligence is demonstrated by your actions before an event occurs, not after.
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Sample Due Diligence Checklist

The sample due diligence checklist has been developed by the Canadian Centre for
Occupational Health and Safety to give you an idea about your ability to make a
successful due diligence defense. A negative answer to any of the questions points
to a potential hole in your defense.
Yes No
Do you know and understand your safety and health responsibilities?
Do you have definite procedures in place to identify and control hazards?
Have you integrated safety into all aspects of your work?
Do you set objectives for safety and health just as you do for quality, production, and
sales?
Have you committed appropriate resources to safety and health?
Have you explained safety and health responsibilities to all employees and made sure
that they understand it?
Have employees been trained to work safely and use proper protective equipment?
Is there a hazard reporting procedure in place that encourages employees to report

all unsafe conditions and unsafe practices to their supervisors?
Are managers, supervisors, and workers held accountable for safety and health just
as they are held accountable for quality?
Is safety a factor when acquiring new equipment or changing a process?
Do you keep records of your program activities and improvements?
Do you keep records of the training each employee has received?
Do your records show that you take disciplinary action when an employee violates
safety procedures?
Do you review your OSH program at least once a year and make improvements as
needed?
Source: Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS): Occupational Health and Safety Legislation – Due
Diligence.
Knowledge Check
Question 1
Under the OHS Act, which of the following legislative responsibility do employees
have?
A. Report workplace hazards
B. Wear only Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that is comfortable
C. Show up on time for work
D. Become a member of a workplace JHSC
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Question 2
Choose the statement that best describes an effective Internal Responsibility System
(IRS).
A. The employer has delivered a due diligence course to the employees.

B. The employer has a well-defined and well-documented health and safety
management system which includes disciplinary procedures for non- compliance.
C. The employer has provided to employees proper PPE and has taught the
employees how to use the PPE.
D. The employer has current copies of all applicable workplace legislation.
Question 3
Is this statement true or false?
All of the elements of "due diligence" must be in established after any accident or
injury occurs.
A. True
B. False
Summary
The Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act supports every worker’s right to a
safe and healthy workplace. The duty for creating and maintaining a safe and healthy
workplace falls on every person from the owners to the workers in the workplace.
An internal responsibility system (IRS) puts in place an employee-employer

partnership in ensuring a safe and healthy workplace. The goal of IRS is to get
employers and employees working together to prevent workplace injuries and
illnesses.
Under the OHS Act, employees and employers have obligations to fulfill in order to
meet the legal standard of practicing due diligence. Due diligence means everyone at
the workplace must take precautions reasonable in the circumstances to avoid a
work related injury or illness. This concept of “reasonable care” holds individuals
accountable what they do and what they fail to do. It goes beyond simple “regulatory
compliance.” What is “reasonably practicable” is determined by asking what a person
would have done to prevent the incident. When making that determination, three
main factors need to be taken into account: foreseeability, preventability and control.
Resources
 OHS (Occupational Health and Safety) Act: http://laws.gnb.ca/en/ShowPdf/cs/O-
0.2.pdf
 Sample Due Diligence Checklist:
https://elearning.nbcc.ca/d2l/lor/viewer/view.d2l?ou=6606&loIdentId=414
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Evaluation
Discuss your rights and responsibilities about health and safety that are related to
your program or field of study.
 Share your stories and examples of real experiences you have had or someone
you know has had regarding employee’s rights and responsibilities. Give
consideration to the application of due diligence.
 Participate by making at least three original posts of your own as well as by
replying to at least three of your group members' postings.
 Draw reference to the reading materials and other resources as you discuss this
very important topic.
Note: The instructor will determine whether the discussion will be online or in class.
Refer to the discussion grading rubric for expectations and grading information. Go to
Brightspace to start Discussion 3 - Know Your Rights and Responsibilities.
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Lesson 6: WHMIS (Workplace Hazardous Material Information System)
Overview
Exposure to hazardous products can:
 Result in health problems such as irritation of eyes, sensitization of the skin or
lungs, heart ailments, kidney and lung damage or cancer.
 Cause fires, explosions or other accidents when improperly stored or handled.
In Canada, if a workplace uses hazardous products, there must be a WHMIS

program in place.
 Workers or employees have the right to know the hazards of the product that can
hurt them in their job. They must be educated and trained so they understand the
hazards and know how to work safely.
 Employers must make sure that workers or employees are provided with the
information they need to work safely.
To assess your understanding of WHMIS, can you answer the following questions?
1. What are hazardous products?
2. How do I protect myself?
3. What should I do in case of an emergency?
4. Where do I obtain information?
Workers or employees who are properly educated and trained in WHMIS should be
able to answer those four questions.
Objective
 Apply the WHMIS (Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System)
legislation concerning hazardous products.
What Is WHMIS?
WHMIS stands for Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System. WHMIS:
 Is the regulatory requirement in Canada to classify chemical and biological
agents.
 Provides Canadian workers or employees with information about hazardous
products used in the workplace.
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Note: This lesson provides general training on WHMIS. Your employer is responsible
to give you information, training, and equipment for specific hazards in your
workplace. If you are a student, you will also need to learn about specific hazards in
the classroom, lab or work placement.
WHMIS Legislation
WHMIS is legislated by both Federal and Provincial governments.
 The Federal Legislation establishes which hazardous products are regulated
under WHMIS and deals with the sale and importation of hazardous products.
o Hazardous Products Act (HPA)
o Hazardous Products Regulation (HPR)
o Hazardous Materials Information Review Act (HMIRA)
 When a hazardous product is introduced into a workplace, the Provincial
Legislation “kicks in”. The Provincial Legislation covers the health and safety of
the workplace in the province.
o In New Brunswick, Regulation 2016-6 Workplace Hazardous Materials
Information System covers the use of hazardous products in the
workplace and identifies employers' responsibilities. Workers or
employees who work with or near hazardous products must know how to
use, handle, and store them safely.
What Is the Goal of WHMIS?

WHMIS was created as a response to workers’ “right to know” about health and
safety hazards under the OSH Act. WHMIS, New Brunswick Regulation 2016-6
specifies what workers need to know about each hazardous product they use--its
identity, hazards, and safety precautions.
The goal of WHMIS is to:

 Communicate specific health and
safety information about hazardous
products to workers.
 Reduce injuries, illnesses and deaths
associated with handling hazardous
products in the workplace.
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WHMIS and GHS

WHMIS was in place since 1988. In 2015, WHMIS was
updated to align with the Globally Harmonized System
(GHS) for classification and labelling of chemicals.
GHS is a system used to classify the hazards of chemicals

and communicate the hazards and precautionary
information through labels and safety data sheets (SDSs).
GHS provides many benefits, such as:

 Hazard classes and categories are globally
consistent.
 Hazard information found on supplier labels and SDSs for hazardous products
are standardized in format and globally consistent.
The adoption of GHS in WHMIS harmonized Canada’s chemical hazard

communication system with those of other countries worldwide.
WHMIS 2015
WHMIS 2015 incorporates the following GHS elements:
 Classification rules and hazard classes
 Hazard pictograms
 Supplier label requirements
 Format of Safety Data Sheets (SDSs)
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What Is a Hazardous Product?

Hazardous products are products, materials or substances that meet any of the
criteria for one or more of the 32 GHS Hazard Classes as defined in the Federal
Hazardous Products Regulation.
Hazard Classification
The following explains how hazardous products are classified.
 WHMIS 2015 divides hazardous products into two groups: physical hazards and
health hazards.
 The two hazard groups are broken down into 32 hazard classes.
 Hazard classes are further divided into categories, types, or subcategories.
Hazard Groups
WHMIS hazards are grouped into physical hazards and health hazards. Each hazard
group contains hazard classes that have specific hazardous properties.
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Physical Hazards Health Hazards Environmental

Hazards
Based on the physical Based on the ability of This group (and its
or chemical properties the product to cause a classes) is not
of the product, such health effect, such as eye mandatory in WHMIS
as flammability, irritation, respiratory 2015. However, you
reactivity or sensitization (may cause may see the
corrosivity to metals allergy or asthma environmental classes
symptoms or breathing listed on labels and
difficulties if inhaled) or Safety Data Sheets
carcinogenicity (may (SDSs). Including
cause cancer) information about
environmental hazards
is allowed by WHMIS
2015.
Hazard Classes
The two hazard groups are broken down into 32 hazard classes. Hazard classes are
a way of grouping together hazardous products that have similar properties. They are
grouped into:
 20 physical hazards
 12 health hazards
Physical Hazard Class Health Hazard Class

 Explosives*  Acute toxicity
 Flammable gases  Skin corrosion/irritation
 Flammable aerosols  Serious eye damage/eye
 Oxidizing gases irritation
 Gases under pressure  Respiratory or skin sensitization
 Flammable liquids  Germ cell mutagenicity
 Flammable solids  Carcinogenicity
 Self-reactive substances and  Reproductive toxicity
mixtures  Specific target organ toxicity –
 Pyrophoric liquids single exposure
 Pyrophoric solids  Specific target organ toxicity –
 Self-heating substances and repeated exposure
mixtures  Aspiration hazard
 Substances and mixtures which, in  Biohazardous infectious
contact with water, emit flammable materials
gases  Health hazards not otherwise
 Oxidizing liquids classified
 Oxidizing solids
 Organic peroxides
 Corrosive to metals
 Combustible dusts
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 Simple asphyxiants
 Pyrophoric gases
 Physical hazards not otherwise
classified
Note: * WHMIS2015 has not adopted the explosive hazard class as it is covered
by other legislation. Click here for more information about hazards groups and
classes.
Hazard Categories
Hazard classes are further broken down into hazard categories or types. A hazard
category indicates the severity of hazard. All hazard classes have at least one hazard
category.
 Categories are assigned a number (1, 2, 3, etc.).
 Categories may also be called "types". Types are assigned an alphabetical letter
(A, B, C, etc.). A is the greatest level of hazard (most hazardous) type.
 In a few cases, categories are divided into subcategories (depending on the
class) with a number and a letter (1A, 1B, 1C etc.).
The lower the category number, the higher the hazard. Category 1 is always the
highest level of hazard (i.e., the most hazardous category within that class).
For example, if a product is classified as follows,

 1A is the greatest level of hazard
 1B is less hazardous than 1A
 2 is less hazardous than 1B
Knowledge Check 1
1. Which of the following are potential effects of a health hazard? Select all that apply.
A. Explosive
B. Respiratory or Skin Sensitization
C. Aspiration Hazard
D. Flammable
E. Carcinogenicity
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2. What are the two main elements in GHS?

A. Classification of the hazards of chemicals
B. Standardized training of workers on WHMIS
C. Communication of the hazards and precautionary information
D. Reduced costs of regulation and enforcement
WHMIS Pictograms
WHMIS 2015 pictograms are graphic images that show the types of hazards present
in hazardous products. With a quick glance, you can see, for example, that the
product is flammable, or if it might be a health hazard. All pictograms except one has
a red diamond-shape border.
The following table shows the hazard pictograms. The name of each pictogram is
bolded and the words in the brackets describe the hazard.
Click here to watch a video (0.55 minutes) about WHMIS 2015 pictograms.
Click here for more information about WHMIS pictograms.
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Gas Cylinder
The Gas Cylinder pictogram indicates gases under
pressure including compressed gas, liquefied gas,
refrigerated liquefied gas and dissolved gas. All
compressed gases are hazardous because of the high
pressures inside the cylinders. Even at a relatively low
pressure, gas can flow rapidly from an open or leaking
cylinder.
Gas under pressure:

 May explode if heated.
 Can rocket or torpedo at great speed if ruptured.
 May cause frostbite when in contact with skin.
This pictogram is used for the following hazard classes:

 Gases under pressure
Flame
The Flame pictogram indicates the fire hazards.
 Materials can catch fire and burn easily.
 Flammable substances can ignite very easily and
will burn very vigorously when ignited.
In most workplaces, you will see this pictogram used

for the following hazard classes:
 Flammable gases
 Flammable aerosols
 Flammable liquids
 Flammable solids
Flame Over Circle

The Flame Over Circle pictogram indicates oxidizing
hazards including oxidizing gases, liquids, and solids.
Oxidizing products:
 May cause fire or explosion.
 Release oxygen or other components.
 Reacts with flammable materials to increase risks.
 Can cause combustibles to become flammable.
The oxidizer hazard pictogram is used for the following

three different oxidizer hazard classes:
 Oxidizing liquids
 Oxidizing solids
 Oxidizing gases
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Although the three classes of oxidizer may have

different physical states, they share the characteristics
of oxidizers and they all pose fire hazards if appropriate
handling and storage procedures are not followed.
Exploding Bomb
The Exploding Bomb pictogram indicates unstable or
explosive hazards.
 Materials may explode due to reaction to fire,
shock, friction, heat, puncture, or incompatible
material.
 Self-heating substances and mixtures
 Organic peroxides
Skull and Crossbones

The Skull and Crossbones pictogram indicates very
toxic material that can cause illness or death with small
amounts and short exposures.
 These products are fatal, toxic or harmful if
inhaled, following skin contact, or if swallowed.
o Toxicity may occur through single incident
contact with skin, inhalation or ingestion or a
combination of these exposures.
This pictogram is used for the following hazard class:

 Acute toxicity
Corrosive to Metals
The Corrosive to Metals pictogram indicates any
products that can:
 Cause corrosion or damage to metal containers
and structures upon contact.
 Cause destructive, irreversible damage to the skin
and eyes.

 Corrosive to metals
 Skin corrosion or irritation
 Serious eye damage or eye irritation
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Health Hazard
The Health Hazard pictogram indicates serious health
hazards that can cause or are suspected of causing
occupational diseases or death such as:
 Genetic mutations
 Respiratory sensitization
 Cancer
 Lung damage
 Reproductive damage (parent and/or fetus)
 Organ damage
These substances should never be inhaled or ingested
under any circumstances.

 Respiratory or skin sensitization
 Germ cell mutagenicity
 Carcinogenicity
 Reproductive toxicity
 Specific target organ toxicity
 Aspiration hazard
Exclamation Mark
The Exclamation Mark pictogram indicates less
serous health hazards such as skin irritation or
sensitisation, and eye irritation.
 These materials cause sensitization, irritation or
toxicity when ingested, inhaled or in contact with
eyes and/or skin.

 Respiratory or skin sensitization
 Specific target organ toxicity
 Skin corrosion or irritation
 Serious eye damage or eye irritation
 Acute toxicity
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Biohazard
The Biohazard pictogram indicates biohazardous
infectious materials that can cause mild or serious
infection.
This pictogram is used for the following hazard class:

 Biohazardous infectious materials
Note: This hazard class is unique to Canada.
Environment
The Environment pictogram indicates environmental
hazards that may cause damages to the aquatic
environment or ecosystem.

 Aquatic toxicity
Note: The environmental hazard classes are not

included in Canadian WHMIS legislation
Where to Find Pictograms

Pictograms are on the supplier labels of the hazardous products you work with. They
are also on the Safety Data Sheets (SDSs).
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Knowledge Check 2
1. Which of the following tells the severity of hazard? Select one answer.
A. Hazard Groups
B. Hazard Classes
C. Hazard Categories
D. Pictograms
2. Which category represents the highest level of hazard? Select one answer.
A. Category 1
B. Category 2
C. Category 3
3. What does this pictogram mean? Select one answer.
A. Hazards that may cause less serious health effects or damage the ozone layer
B. Hazards that may cause or be suspected of causing serious health effects such
as occupational diseases or death
C. Hazards that may cause corrosive damage to metals, and eyes and skin
D. Hazards that are toxic or fatal after short exposure
E. Biohazardous materials that may cause mild or serious infection
4. Which of the following is the pictogram for Exploding Bomb?
A. B. C.
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Three Key Components of WHMIS

After a hazardous product has been classified, the following three WHMIS
components are used to communicate health and safety information:
 Labels on hazardous products alert workers to the identities of the products,
their associated hazards, and precautions to be taken.
 Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) provide additional information to hazards outlined
on the labels.
 Employee Education and Training educate workers on how to use the
information provided, and train them on how to safely handle hazardous
products.
Click here to watch a video (4:11 minutes) of WHMIS 2015 for workers or
employees.
WHMIS Labels
Under WHMIS 2015, every product that falls into a hazard class must have a label.
All labels must meet WHMIS standards, be clear, easy to read and prominently
displayed. Labels are the first alert to workers about the major hazards associated
with that product. They also outline the basic precautions or safety steps that should
be taken.
Suppliers are responsible for labelling the hazardous products that they provide to
customers. Employers are responsible for making sure that hazardous products that
come into the workplace are labelled and preparing and applying workplace labels
when appropriate.
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There are two types of labels:

 Supplier labels developed and provided by the supplier. (Note: Supplier labels
must be bilingual in English and French.)
 Workplace labels developed by the employer and used in the workplace. (Note:
Workplace labels can be in the language(s) of the workplace.)
Supplier Label
A supplier label is provided for each hazardous product by the supplier and will
appear on all hazardous products received at a workplace in Canada. If the
hazardous product is always used in its original container with the supplier label, no
other label is required.
General labelling requirements include:

 The written information is required to be
bilingual in both English and French, easy
to read and durable.
 The pictogram(s), signal word and hazard
statement(s) must be grouped together on
a supplier label.
 The label must stand out from the
container itself and other markings on the
container (for example, the size of the
label should be appropriate for the size of
the container).
 If the label is lost, damaged, or no longer
readable, the product must be relabelled
with a new supplier label or a workplace
label.
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The supplier label is the employee’s first source of information about the product’s
hazards. Find the following information in the supplier label:
 Product Identifier
 Pictogram
 Signal word
 Hazard statement
 Precautionary statements
 Supplier information
Click here for more information.
Signal Words, Hazard Statements and Precautionary Statements

A signal word is a prompt that alerts workers about the degree or level of hazard of
the product. There are only two signal words:
 Danger (is used for higher-level
hazards)
 Warning (is used for moderate-level
hazards)
Note: Sometimes no signal word is used for
low-level hazards.
Hazard statements describe the nature and

degree of the hazard:
 Example: Fatal if swallowed; Causes
skin irritation
 Example: Extremely flammable aerosol
 Example: May be corrosive to metals
Precautionary statements describe measures to be taken to minimize or prevent

adverse effects resulting from exposure to a hazardous product or resulting from
improper handling or storage of a hazardous product. There are five types of
precautionary statements:
• General – e.g., Read label before use
• Prevention – e.g., Keep container tightly closed
• Response – e.g., If inhaled, get medical attention/advice
• Storage – e.g., Store away from other materials
• Disposal – e.g., Dispose of contents in accordance with regulatory requirements
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Example: Supplier Label

Here is an example of a supplier label.
1. The Product Identifier is the product

name exactly as it appears on the
container and on the SDS.
2. Hazard Pictograms are determined
by the hazard classification of the
product. In some cases, no pictogram
is required.
3. The Signal Word “Danger” or
“Warning” is used to emphasize
hazards and indicate their severity. In
some cases, no signal word is
required.
4. The Hazard Statement describes the
nature and degree of the hazard.
5. The Precautionary Statement
describes recommended measures to
minimize or prevent adverse effects
from exposure to the product,
including protective equipment and
emergency measures. First Aid is
included here.
6. The Supplier Identifier is the
company that sells or imports the
product and is responsible for the
label and SDS. Contact the supplier
for additional product information.
Workplace Label
As long as a hazardous product remains in its original container with a supplier label
on it, no additional labeling is required. If a hazardous product is transferred to
another container for use in the workplace, workplace labels are required.
Workplace labels must be applied to:

 Secondary containers.
 Containers of product received in bulk.
 Employer-produced products.
 Containers with lost or damaged
supplier labels.
A workplace label contains the following:
1. Product name
2. Precautionary statements
3. Reference to SDS
4. Hazard pictogram (optional)
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Workplace labels:
 Must be easy to read and durable.
 Are not required to be bilingual; can be
in the language of choice in the
workplace.
Examples: Workplace Labels

Workplace labels are less detailed than supplier labels and do not have a prescribed
format. The following are examples of workplace labels.
1 = Product 2 = Precautionary 3 = Reference 4 = Hazard pictorgram

name statements to SDS (optional)
Knowledge Check 3
1. What is missing in this workplace
label?
A. Product name
B. Hazard pictogram
C. Precautionary statement
D. Reference to SDS
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2. Which of the following statements are true about WHMIS? Select all that apply.
A. Labelled products, SDSs and worker education can help lower the risk of
accidents or injuries.
B. WHMIS is a Canada-wide system that provides supplier and workplace labels for
hazardous materials.
C. A WHMIS supplier label can be identified by its solid red border.
D. Suppliers and employers are both responsible for ensuring labels are attached to
every hazardous product.
E. All workplace labels present in New Brunswick workplaces must be in both
English and French.
Safety Data Sheet (SDS)

Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) are documents that provide
information about hazardous products and advice about safety
precautions. An SDS provides more detailed hazard
information about products than labels do:
 What hazards the product has
 How to use the product safely
 What to expect if the recommendations are not followed
 How to recognize symptoms of exposure
 What to do in an emergency
Therefore, SDSs are important resources that help workers learn more about the
hazardous products in the workplace.
Under WHMIS,
 Every hazardous product that is intended for use, handling or storage in a
workplace in Canada must have an SDS.
 SDSs must be readily available to everyone in the workplace.
 An SDS must be in both official languages of Canada (English and French).
The SDS may be provided as one bilingual SDS, or as two SDSs (one each in
English and French).
 In Canada, the SDS (and label) must be updated when significant new data
becomes available.
SDSs are usually produced by the supplier of the product. In some circumstances, an
employer may be required to prepare an SDS (e.g., when the product is produced
and used exclusively in that workplace).
16 Sections of an SDS
The SDS has a standard 16-section format with specific information requirements. A
standard SDS includes the section numbers, the headings, and required information
under the headings. The information must always be in the same section, regardless
of which supplier created the SDS.
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The following table provides an overview of the information required in each section.
(Click here to view a full list of the required information for each section.)
Note: Sections 12 to 15 require the headings to be present, but under Canadian
regulations, the supplier has the option not to provide information in these sections.
Section Heading Information Contained in Section
1. Identification Product identifier, recommended use and
restrictions on use, supplier contact
information, and emergency phone number
2. Hazard Classification (hazard class and category),
Identification label elements (pictogram, signal word, hazard
statement, and precautionary statements), and
other hazards (e.g., thermal hazards)
3. Composition/ Information on chemical ingredients; trade
Information on secret claims
Ingredients
4. First Aid Measure First-aid measures by route of exposure as well
as most important symptoms/effects
5. Fire Fighting Suitable (and unsuitable) extinguishing media,
Measures specific hazards, special equipment and
precautions for fire fighters
6. Accidental Protective equipment, emergency procedures,
Release methods and materials for containment and
Measures clean up
7. Handling and Precautions for safe handling practices and
Storage conditions for safe storage, including any
incompatibilities
8. Exposure Exposure limits, engineering controls, and
Controls/Personal personal protect equipment (PPE) that can be
Protection used to minimize worker exposure
9. Physical and Appearance, odour, odour threshold, pH,
Chemical melting/freezing point, boiling point and range,
Properties flash point, upper and lower flammable or
explosive limits
10. Stability and Reactivity, chemical stability, possible
Reactivity hazardous reactions, conditions to avoid,
incompatible materials, and hazardous
decomposition products
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11. Toxicological Description of various toxic effects by route of

Information entry, including effects of acute or chronic
exposure, carcinogenicity, reproductive effects,
and respiratory sensitization
12. Ecological Not mandatory; aquatic and terrestrial toxicity
Information (if available), persistence and degradability,
bioaccumulative potential, and mobility in soil of
other adverse effects on the environment
13. Disposal Not mandatory; information on safe handling
Considerations and methods of disposal, including any
contaminated packaging
14. Transport Not mandatory; UN number and proper
Information shipping name, hazard classes and packing
group for shipping and transporting of
hazardous products
15. Regulatory Not mandatory; safety, health, and
Information environmental regulations specific to the
product
16. Other Information Date of the latest revision of the SDS
Knowledge Check 4
1. Safety Data Sheet (SDS) is available in the workplace to______________.
A. Assist the purchasing department in buying chemicals
B. Describe workplace policy
C. Provide detailed hazard and safety information about a hazardous product
2. What should you do as a worker or employee before using a hazardous product?

Select all that apply.
A. Read the SDS to get familiar with the hazards of the product.
B. Look at the SDS and match the name of the product on the container to the
one on the SDS.
C. Understand safe handling and storage instructions.
D. Making sure the Regulatory information is on the SDS.
E. Know what to do in an emergency.
WHMIS Training
As required by New Brunswick WHMIS Regulation 2016-6, employers must properly
train all employees who work with or are in close proximity to hazardous products.
WHMIS training must include general WHMIS information and workplace-specific

health and safety information for hazardous products.
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General WHMIS Training Workplace-specific Training

 WHMIS and its purpose  Hazards related to specific
 Classification of hazardous products used in the workplace
products  Controls used in the workplace to
 Roles and responsibilities reduce risk (personal protective
 Pictograms, hazard classes and equipment, limited access, etc.)
hazard categories  Procedures for safe use, storage,
 How to read labels (supplier and handling and disposal of
workplace labels) and SDSs, and hazardous products
the significance of the information  Procedures to follow when
exposed to or using hazardous
products
 How to access SDSs
 What to do in an emergency
WHMIS Exemptions
Certain products are exempt from WHMIS labelling and SDS requirements but they
still require training. These include:
 Explosives
 Pesticides
 Cosmetics, drugs, food
 Radioactive materials
 Consumer products
 Tobacco and tobacco products
 Wood and wood products
 Hazardous waste
Where to Find Out How a WHMIS Product Affects an Employee

To find out how a hazardous product is most likely to enter the body system, consult
the supplier label and the SDS. Every hazardous product must have a label and an
SDS. In addition to information on potential for inhalation, ingestion and absorption
of the product, the SDS will also outline the personal protective equipment (PPE)
required.
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WHMIS Responsibilities
The key WHMIS participants are suppliers, employers, and workers--all have specific
responsibilities. They each have a role to play to make WHMIS work!
Supplier Duties
 Classify hazardous products appropriately
 Obtain or prepare labels and SDSs for all hazardous
products they sell, import or distribute
 Provide the labels and SDSs to customers
Employer Duties
 Educate and train workers on the hazards and safe use
of hazardous products in the workplace
 Ensure hazardous products are properly labelled
 Ensure effective control measures are in place to protect
the health and safety of workers
 Provide workers with access to up-to-date labels and
SDS
 Prepare workplace labels and SDSs as necessary
 Annually review WHMIS program with JHSC (Joint
Health and Safety Committee)
 Periodically evaluate employees’ knowledge
Employee Duties
 Participate in education, instruction and training provided
by the employer
 Take necessary steps to protect yourselves and your co-
workers
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 Always check to see if there is a label on the product before working with a
hazardous product
 Report to the employer or supervisor when the product is not labelled or the label
is unreadable
 Read and follow instructions on the label and SDS.
 Follow procedures established for the workplace, including the use of PPT
(personal protective equipment)
 Ask a supervisor if you are unsure about how to use or handle a particular
product
 Know what to do in an emergency
 Know where to find more information
What Is an Effective WHMIS Program?

A WHMIS program ensures that the information about hazardous products is
effectively communicated to workers. Effective communication of information means
that workers understand the WHMIS system, know the hazards of the products they
work with, know and apply the safe work procedures specific to their jobs and tasks,
and know how to respond in an emergency.
An effective WHMIS program:

 Reduces risk of incidents and injuries.
 Ensures hazardous products are properly
labelled.
 Ensures proper communication of hazards
through SDSs.
 Ensures workers have the correct
information to protect themselves and
others.
 Limits other employees’ exposure to
hazardous products.
Click here to view a checklist for WHMIS 2015 education, instruction and training.
How do I Get More Information about WHMIS?

For more information about WHMIS,
• See the New Brunswick WHMIS Regulation 2016-6
• Contact WorkSafeNB at 1 800 222-9775, or
• Visit the web at www.worksafenb.ca
If you have specific questions on the legislation, or enforcement that affect your
workplace, you should contact the local office of WorkSafeNB.
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Knowledge Check 5
Complete the following questions and activity:
1. What are the three major components of WHMIS?
2. What is the purpose of a WHMIS label?
3. Do you know how to access the SDSs in your workplace?
4. What do you do when you are not sure about the hazards related to a specific
product?
5. What should you do in an event of an accident or an emergency?
6. Using an SDS for a hazardous product in your workplace, review the hazards of
the product, the safe handling procedures, personal protective equipment,
storage, and shipping requirements for the product.
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Summary
The Workplace Hazardous Materials
Information System (WHMIS) is a Canada-wide
information system that provides workers with
information about hazardous products through
supplier and workplace labels.
The three key components of WHMIS are:

 Labels
 Safety Data Sheets (SDSs)
 Worker education, instruction and training
programs
The information on the labels and SDSs help

workers or employees learn about particular
hazardous products and how to handle them in
the workplace.
It is important to understand that:

 The hazardous product classification system helps workers understand product
hazard types and severity.
 Precautions are based on hazardous product classification.
 Pictograms, signal word and hazard statements help workers quickly recognize
the hazard type.
Suppliers, employers and employees all have responsibilities to make WHMIS work.
Resources
 WHMIS 2015 education, instruction and training checklist
 Federal Hazardous Products Regulation
 Hazardous Products Act (HPA)
 Hazardous Products Regulation (HPR)
 Hazardous Materials Information Review Act (HMIRA)
 Information Elements Required on a WHMIS 2015 Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
 New Brunswick WHMIS Regulation 2016-6
 Occupational Health and Safety Act
 Supplier Labels
 WHMIS2015 Hazard Groups and Classes
 Workplace Labels
 WHMIS 2015 Pictograms
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Evaluation
WHMIS Quiz: 15% of the final total mark
The purpose of this quiz is to review and Knowledge Check of the basics of WHMIS
(Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System) including:
 Overview to WHMIS
 Three key components of the WHMIS system
o Labels (supplier labels and workplace labels)
o SDSs (Safety Data Sheets)
o WHMIS education and training
 Roles and responsibilities of suppliers, employers and employees
 Classification of hazardous products
o Hazard groups
o Hazard classes
o Hazard categories
 Pictograms, hazard statement, hazard signal word, and precautionary statement
1. What does WHMIS stand for?

A. Workplace Hazardous Materials Identification System
B. Worker Hazardous Materials Information System
C. Work and Home Materials Inventory Service
D. Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System
2. What is the main purpose of WHMIS?

A. To save money
B. To promote education
C. To help workers use hazardous products safely
D. To remove unnecessary processes and rules
3. WHMIS2015 has categories within each hazard class, which are assigned a number
based on the severity of the hazard. Which of the following statements is true?
Select one answer.
A. The lower the number, the greater the degree of severity of the hazard.
B. The higher the number, the greater the degree of severity of the hazard.
C. The number is irrelevant to how a worker interacts with the chemical.
4. Which of the following is responsible for classifying hazardous products? Select one
answer.
A. Suppliers
B. Workers
C. Employers
D. Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs
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5. Which of the following products must WHMIS labels be applied on?

A. Tobacco or tobacco products
B. Consumer products
C. Transported products
D. Hazardous products
6. Which of the three ways does the WHMIS ensure the employee’s right to know
about hazardous products in the workplace?
A. Labels, PPE, SDS
B. SDS, training, labels
C. SDS, labels, communication
D. Safety rules, supplier contact info, emergency telephone number
7. Which are the two types of WHMIS labels?

A. Pesticide and Explosive Labels
B. Supplier and Transportation Labels
C. Workplace and Consumer Labels
D. Supplier and Workplace Labels
8. Look at the following example. What label is it?

A. Supplier label
B. Workplace label
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9. Which of the following are employers' responsibilities for WHMIS? Select all that
apply.
A. Establishing education and training program for workers
B. Providing safe work procedures
C. Classifying all hazardous products
D. Ensuring labels and SDS are up-to-date
10. Which of the following are employees' (or workers') responsibilities for WHMIS?
A. Participating in WHMIS training
B. Reporting missing or damaged labels
C. Updating labels and SDSs (Safety Data Sheets)
D. Providing PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) to handle hazardous
products
11. Who are responsible for WHMIS?

A. Supplier, Purchaser, Employer
B. Manufacturer, Employer, Supplier
C. Supplier, Employer, Employee (Worker)
D. Manufacturer, Store, Employer
12. Where can you find out how a hazardous product affects an employee?
A. Employee Manual
B. Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
C. WHMIS Regulation
D. Transport of Dangerous Goods papers
13. Look at the pictogram. What does the pictogram mean?
A. It means fire hazard. Materials can catch fire and burn easily.
B. It means explosive or reactive. Materials are unstable and flammable.
C. It means gases under pressure.
D. It means oxidizing materials. The product can release oxygen or other
components, react with flammable materials and cause combustibles to
become flammable.
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14. Which hazard does the Flame over Circle pictogram stand for?
A. Flammable
B. Corrosive
C. Oxidizers
D. Explosive
15. Which hazard does the Skull and Crossbones pictogram stand for?
A. Acute toxicity (fatal or toxic)
B. Corrosive
C. Explosive
D. Oxidizers
16. Which hazard does the pictogram with a bar, a hand and test tube stand for?
A. Acute toxicity (fatal or toxic)
B. Biohazardous infectious materials
C. Fire hazard
D. Corrosive damages to metals, skin, and eyes
17. Which hazard does the following pictogram represent?

A. Environmental hazard
B. Explosive or reactive hazard
C. Less serious health hazard
D. Serious health hazard
18. If a hazardous product does not affect you straight away, it’s okay to use it.
A. True
B. False
19. Which of the following statements are true about SDSs (Safety Data Sheets)?
A. They provide information about the hazards of a product and advice about
safety precautions.
B. They must be kept in a locked file.
C. They must be taped on container.
D. They must be made available and accessible to workers at all times.
20. A signal word “Danger” or “Warning” on a supplier label__________.

A. Describes the nature of the hazards of the product
B. Explains how to handle the chemical safely
C. Is always accompanied with a pictogram
D. Alerts the worker quickly to the severity of the hazards of the product
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21. If you were looking at a label, using the pictogram and hazard statement, which one
is the most hazardous in terms of skin corrosion or irritation?
A. Danger. Causes severe skin burns and eye damage

B. Warning. Causes skin irritation
C. Warning. Causes mild skin irritation
22. What is a signal word?

A. A phrase that describes the hazard
B. A single word used to alert users about the degree of hazard
C. A pictogram that represents the hazard
D. A sub-category of a hazard class
23. If an item on an SDS cannot be understood, what should the workers do?
A. Contact WorkSafeNB immediately
B. Speak to the company health and safety representative immediately
C. Speak to the supervisor immediately
D. Contact the supplier immediately
24. Where can first-aid information be found?

A. On labels and SDSs
B. In the supervisor’s office
C. In the first-aid kit
D. On the organization’s website
25. An SDS contains procedures to be followed in case of a leak or spill.

A. True
B. False
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Lesson 7: Assignment
15% of the final total mark
Apply New Brunswick Health and Safety Legislation

To better understand legislation that may apply to you and your workplace, use the
regulations indicated to answer the following questions. The goal of the exercise is not
to copy the section of regulation that applies to the question, but to become familiar
with how to research sections, summarize the sections and communicate your
understanding in your own words.
The following Questions (1-6) refer to General Regulation 91-191. This regulation
provides standards and guidelines to both employers and employees on how to
work safely. Please use this document to complete questions.
1. According to Regulation 91-191, how long would an employee’s rest period be if

that employee was scheduled to work a 10-hour shift? Please read Part II, section
8.
2. Bob, a forklift operator, does not check his forklift daily because he says he “knows
when the machine doesn’t feel right” and he is the only person who drives it. Is he
meeting his legal obligation under 91-191? Explain why or why not. Please read
Part XV, Section 216 (1)(c).
3. After a shift change, shift 2, who is just starting, discovers a tag and lockout device
left by a shift 1 employee. Can the shift 2 employee remove the device? Why or
why not? Please read Part XVI, Section 239(6).
4. While excavating, a machine operator discovers underground lines but is unaware

of what they are. The supervisor is made aware and tells the operator to stop
digging while a call is placed to head office to see what they should do. If you
worked at this head office, what advice would you give to the supervisor? Please
read Part XIII, Section 180 (2) (a),(b),(c).
5. Employee 1 and employee 2 are told by their supervisor to enter a confined space
to begin work. The supervisor points out that because they will not be in the space
for a long time, there is no need to check the atmospheric conditions. The
employees agree as they find this practice a complete waste of time since they will
only be in the space approximately 15 minutes. Is this correct? Please read Part
XVII, Section 263.1 from (a) to (i).
6. A construction company that is located close to the American border

encourages employees to purchase ANSI footwear across the border (USA)
because they are much cheaper that the CSA footwear available in Canada.
Do both types of footwear meet the standard cited in 91-191? Please read Part
VII, Section 41 (1).
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The following question (7) refers to Regulation 92-133 Code of Practice for
Working Alone. Please use this document to complete questions.
7. How would an employer ensure that an employee who is working alone is

working in a safe and healthy environment? Does the employer have any legal
obligations under Regulation 92-133? Please read section 2 and section 3.
The following questions (8-9) refer to Regulation 2004-130 First Aid. Please use
this document to complete questions.
8. Your company, “Smith’s Meat Packaging Plant”, needs to update its first aid
standards. On any given shift, approximately 130 employees are at the
workplace. Is this company considered to be a high hazardous workplace, and if
so, what are the company’s first aid requirements?
9. A company that is looking for first aid training insists that they can do the
training in-house because “that’s the way they’ve always do it and no one ever
gets hurt anyway.” Can they continue to deliver first aid training even though no
one in the company is first aid certified? Please read Section 8 (3).
The following question (10) refers to Regulation 2007-33 Training and Designated
Trades Regulation. Please use this document to complete questions.
10. An employer argues with an employee that the educational program for JHSC
core training is 3 days and that the employee must attend the entire 3-day session
to receive certification. The employee insists that he or she only has to attend 1
day. Who is correct under 2007-33? Please read Section 2.
The following questions (11-14) refer to Regulation 2016-6 Workplace

Hazardous Material Information System Training and Designated Trades
Regulation. Please use this document to complete questions.
11. An employer has sent his or her employees to a 3-hour WHMIS awareness
session. At the end of the session, the participants receive a WHMIS certificate
for participation. Would these employees be considered competent in the
handling, storing and use of WHMIS products? Explain. Please read 7(2) of
Regulation 2016-6.
12. What are the requirements for a workplace label? Please read 3, page 6 of
Regulation 2016-6.
13. If you or your co-workers discover that you can no longer read the information on a
product label, what should you do? Please read 8(6) of Regulation 2016-6.
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14. You have received a hazardous product from a supplier that does not have an
accompanying SDS. The product is new to the workplace and you have never used
it before. What should you do? Please read 14(1) and 14(2) of Regulation 2016-6.
15. Your employer requires you to clean a machine with a WHMIS product, however, the
SDS calls for specific PPE when using the product. Your employer does not have
the specific gloves or respirator available as required by the SDS, however, the
employer does supply you with alternative PPE. Since at least some form of PPE
has been provided, can your employer require you to complete the task or can you
exercise your legal right to refuse the task? Please read Occupational Health and
Safety Act, 19 to 23
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Module 3: Controlling Hazards & Risks in the Workplace

Lesson 1: Applying the Accident Causation Model
Overview
Workplaces face different challenges every day when it comes to keeping employees
safe. Some workplaces tend to see more accidents than others, simply due to the
nature of the job or the type of company. Some theories believe it is because of
unreasonable management demands for production, which causes rushing,
overexertion and eventually injuries. Others believe that it is a lack of management
support and proper systems to prevent injuries in the first place.
Statistically, workplace accidents involving workers are occurring for a number of

reasons:
 Lack of orientation and training
 Lack of skill or knowledge of the job and the hazards associated with the job
tasks
 Lack of internal procedures and processes
 Lack of supervision and enforcement of standards
 Lack of knowledge of workplace legislation
 Knowledge of workplace legislation but lack of compliance
 Too complacent or not caring
 Too rushed or feeling pressure to produce more in less time
Both employers and employees need to work together and understand the risks and
consequences when it comes to workplace injuries.
Objective
• Apply the accident causation model to determine factors that contributed to the
accidents in the given scenarios.
What Is an Accident?
The term "accident" may be defined in a variety of ways. Traditionally, accidents are
considered to involve people, not property, unless there has been a major catastrophe.
For example, we often hear of “industrial accidents” when there has been a fire or
explosion. A “mining accident” typically means that there has been a cave-in and
people are trapped. The term “accident” is also used when motor vehicles are involved
(car accident). Some companies distinguish between the terms “accidents” and
“incidents”. Regardless of how a company defines these terms, one thing is absolute:
an event that results in any loss within a company needs to be investigated so that
further loss will not occur.
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How is an accident defined?

Most companies or organizations define an accident as an unplanned event which
results in interruptions of the orderly flow of the job and which results in property
damage and/or injury or ill health to people.
Why did Accidents Happen?

This question has concerned safety and health decision makers for decades. Over
the years, several theories of accident causation have evolved that attempt to explain
why accidents occur. Models based on these theories are used to predict and
prevent accidents. It has been discovered that there are many factors which may
lead to an accident; therefore, there are many opportunities for the accident to be
prevented.
There are many models concerning accident causation, each of which has some
explanatory and predictive value. It is important to note that:
 Accidents may/may not fall under any one model
 One model cannot be applied to all accidents
When an accident /incident happens, it is sometimes assumed there is only one cause.
The psychology of human nature drives us to seek truth and logic in events that
sometimes leaves us confused and distressed. After much searching, if a reasonable
“cause” for an accident /incident is discovered, we may feel somewhat satisfied that at
least we have an answer for the question, “Why did this accident / incident happen?”
The Loss Causation Model

There are numerous accident and loss causation models in existence. The one that
will be discussed in this lesson is the loss causation model which was modified by the
International Loss Control Institute from Bird and Germaine (1985). It is one of the
most widely used models of accident causation.
The loss causation model outlines sequences of events that will lead to loss when the
health and safety management system is inadequate at some level. The following
diagram and explanation represent the pathway for an accident.
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Accident Pathway
• Lack of control on the part of management; failure to plan, organize, lead or
control.
• Basic causes including personal and job factors that are the actual origin of
the accident.
• Immediate causes which are symptoms of a greater problem, rather than the
true cause of an accident. Immediate causes can be seen or sensed (unsafe
acts and conditions).
• Incident which causes harm or damage.
• Loss which is the result of an accident; harm to people, property or process.
Bird, FE, Germain, GL. Practical Loss Control Leadership, (Revised edition). Det Norske Veritas
(U.S.A.), Inc., 1996.
Understanding the Loss Causation Model

Understanding the "cause and effect" relationship of the causal factors can help
identify the root causes of an accident, and therefore, help employers continuously
improve safety processes. By studying such factors, the root causes of accidents can
be isolated and necessary steps can be taken to prevent the recurrence of the
accidents. These root causes of accidents can be grouped as "basic" and
"immediate"/"contributing". The immediate causes are unsafe acts of the worker and
unsafe working conditions. The contributing causes could be management-related
factors, the environment and the physical and mental condition of the worker. A
combination of causes must converge in order to result in an accident.
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The loss causation model outlines sequence of events that will lead to loss when the
health and safety management system is inadequate at some level.
Lack of Control
The beginning of most workplace loss is a lack of

management control. In any workplace, controlling loss
is one the most important duties of management. To
control loss, management must ensure that an
organization has:
 A safety/loss control program

 Adequate program standards
 Adequate compliance of standards
To effectively control losses, both employers and

employees should be involved in:
 Designing the health and safety program
 Setting the standards (such as quality,
administration, employee training, emergency
preparedness, etc.)
 Providing systems to determine if people are
complying to standards
While safety is the responsibility of both employers and employees, the management
and employers have the primary responsibility for ensuring that loss control measures
are in place.
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Control of any situation allows for an individual to examine carefully the proper
procedures or steps to take in order to reduce risk.
Basic Causes
Basic causes, also referred to as root

causes, are the result of the lack of control
within an organization to set, enforce and
monitor standards for the health and safety
system.
Basic causes are the real causes behind

the substandard practices (i.e., workplace
practices below acceptable standards) and
substandard conditions (i.e., workplace
conditions below acceptable standards).
Basic causes include both:
 Personal factors
 Job system factors
Basic Causes Examples
Personal factors for loss Include things such as work standards, lack of
knowledge or skill, and as a result, an
accident/incident occurs.
Work standards:
 Inattentive, not paying strict attention to
machinery, equipment, task, co-workers or the
environment in which they are working.
 Rushing, taking shortcuts to finish tasks or
working too quickly.
 Not following the Standard Operating
Procedures (SOPS), choosing not to work to the
company’s or legislative standard because
employees believe the standard would take too
much time or is not important.
Lack of knowledge or skill:

 Inadequate training, lack of experience, or
misunderstanding directions
 Inadequate instruction, inadequate practice,
worker does not perform task very often, or
inadequate coaching
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Job factors for loss Include things such as inadequate leadership,

inadequate maintenance or excessive wear and tear
of equipment or machinery, and inadequate work
standards; and as a result, an accident/incident
occurs.
Inadequate supervision:
 Unclear or conflicting assignment of responsibility
 Improper delegation
 Inadequate procedure guidelines
 Inadequate instructions, orientation, or training
 Inadequate matching of individual qualifications
and job/task requirements
Inadequate engineering:
 Inadequate consideration of ergonomics, e.g.,
equipment design that leads to injuries
 Inadequate standards, specifications, or design
criteria
 Inadequate evaluation of changes, e.g., people
changed tasks but height of chairs or work
surfaces not changed
Inadequate maintenance:
 Inadequate servicing, cleaning, or assessment of
needs
 Inadequate scheduling of work to allow repairs,
checking equipment, and part replacement
Inadequate tools, equipment, materials:

 Inadequate standards, specifications
 Inadequate availability
 Inadequate removal of unsuitable items,
Inadequate assessment of needs
Inadequate work standards:

 Inadequate development of standards
 Inadequate communication of standards, e.g.,
distribution, publication
 Inadequate maintenance of standards, e.g.,
updating monitoring
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Immediate Causes
Immediate causes are the events that happen prior to the incident. Immediate causes
include the following two factors:
 Substandard work practices—workplace practices below acceptable standards
 Substandard work conditions—workplace conditions below acceptable standards
Accidents or injuries may be caused by one or two of the factors.
Intermediate Causes Examples

Substandard  Operating equipment without permission
practices  Failing to warn employees about hazards
 Operating equipment at improper speeds
 Making safety devices unusable
 Using defective equipment
 Using equipment improperly
 Failing to use personal protective equipment (PPE)
 Improper loading, lifting, place
 Improper position to complete a task
Substandard  Lack of guards or barriers
conditions  Improper personal protective equipment
 Defective tools, equipment or materials
 Working in an area that does not allow full range of
body movement to complete the task
 Inadequate warning systems
 Fire and explosion hazards
 Hazardous environmental conditions; gases, dust,
smoke, fumes, and vapours
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 Noise exposures
 Radiation exposures
 High or low temperature exposures
 Inadequate or excessive lighting levels
 Poor ventilation
If the system of standards does not meet or exceed levels of expectation (e.g., an
employee not following a procedure for Personal Protective Equipment), an accident or
incident may occur. What must be analyzed at this stage is whether or not the system
has failed (no procedure exists or the employee was never trained) or the employee
did not comply. If substandard work practices and substandard work conditions
continue to occur, it will only be a matter of time before an accident or incident will
occur, potentially resulting in loss.
Incident
An incident is an event that occurs before any loss because the event has exceeded
the threshold limit resulting in damage or harm or has the potential to damage or harm
people, equipment or the environment. Incidents may be defined as a potential loss or
actual loss, depending on how an organization or company refers to the outcome of the
event.
An incident can be thought of as an energy transfer. The incident is the point of contact
that transfers the energy from one object to another. For example, when a falling object
hits a person, energy is transferred from the object to the person. If the amount of
energy in the falling object is greater than the person can withstand, an injury will occur.
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Thinking of an incident in terms of an energy transfer makes it easier to identify the

appropriate controls. For example, hard hats absorb some of the energy from falling
objects. Implementing a control that requires workers to wear hard hats will reduce the
amount of energy transferred from falling objects.
The most common types of energy transfers occurring in the workplaces include:
 Running or bumping into things
 Being hit by moving objects
 Falling (e.g., either a person falling or objects falling on to things or people)
 Being caught in or on something (e.g., fingers being pinched in equipment)
 Coming into contact with electricity, extreme heat, extreme cold, radiation,
caustic chemicals, toxic chemicals, or excessive noise
 Being overstressed, overexerted, or overloaded (e.g., lifting objects that cause
back strain)
Loss
Losses are the result of incidents that may cause:

 Harm to people (e.g., illness, injury or death)
 Damage to property (e.g., building burned down)
 Interruption in the production of work
 Poor quality of product
 Reduction in profits
 Environmental damage
An organization often defines loss as “accidents” or “incidents”. Many organizations

only consider harm to people as loss. Actually the losses from property damage, lost
productivity, and profit loss, can often be much larger than injury losses. The direct and
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indirect costs of an accident can be compared to an iceberg where the “top” of the
iceberg (direct costs) is visible and can be easily detected and the “bottom” of the
iceberg (indirect costs) is often hidden.
Employees' morale will tend to decrease in an injury prone workplace, and may cause
losses, such as:
 Less productivity
 More absenteeism
 Increased incident/injury rates
Video: Accident Causation and Prevention

Watch the video (3:28 minutes) to understand the accident causation and importance of
prevention: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLKWNigRI4U.
Reviewing the Cause of Accidents and Accident Prevention

The video on the previous page shows accidents and injuries may result from very
routine situations. Factors in the scenes contributing to the accidents may include:
 Inattention while driving
 Poor housekeeping practices
 A back injury to a worker due to lifting
 A police officer training injury
 An injury while dismounting heavy equipment
 Slipping on a wet pool surface
 A work zone accident
Each scene is revisited by the injured person to reflect what could have been done
differently to prevent the accident or injury and avoid potentially life changing effects:
 Taking training seriously and following established safety rules and procedures
 Avoiding shortcuts
 Using provided safety equipment
 Taking personal responsibility for your safety
 Coaching fellow employees to work safely
 Offering to help other employees with hazardous task when appropriate.
To replay the video, please click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLKWNigRI4U.
Please visit Appendix A to learn more about the Loss Causation and problem-solving.
Summary
Loss causation models can guide organizations in preventing accidents and injuries in
the workplace. Accident causation theory espouses that there is no single cause for
any accident /incident. Most accidents /incidents are the result of several causes that
happen in sequence and /or in combination with each other. The concept of the loss
causation model is that when a loss occurs, organizations need to go back that chain,
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realize that the root cause is not the incident or the immediate cause, and solve the
problem from the root cause in order to prevent the loss from reoccurring.
The loss causation model contains the necessary key points that enable
organzations to understand and retain the critical facts important to the control of the
vast majority of accidents, losses and management problems.
Resources
 Video: Accident Causation and Prevention:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLKWNigRI4U
 Visit the Appendix A Loss Causation & Problem-solving Model on the next page
Evaluation
Case studies – applying the accident causation model
Instructor-led discussion (can be online or in class). The instructor will divide the class
into different groups, and assign one case study to the group. Each group will apply the
accident causation model to determine factors that contributed to the accidents in the
given scene.
Brightspace. Go to Brightspace to start Discussion 4: Apply the Accident
Causation Model.
Case Study #1
Sam, leaving work after a 10-hour shift, has an argument with one of his co-workers at
the entrance of the building. He becomes frustrated and angry and storms out of the
building only to reach the parking lot and find that his rear tire on the driver’s side of
the car has a slow leak. It is starting to rain and he decides to drive to the nearest
convenience store to put air in the tire rather than use his air compressor. When he
reaches the store, he calls home to say he is on his way and his wife then informs him
that their son has been in trouble again at school and the principal has requested a
meeting tomorrow morning with the family. Now more frustrated, he tells his wife he will
be home soon, puts air in the tire and decides he needs to stop at the local bar to cool
down and have a drink. After two drinks, he is tired and knows that he is late for
supper. He anticipates an argument with his wife because he knows he said he would
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be home soon but that was over 2 hours ago. It is 8:30 P.M and getting dark. He
decides to leave, exits the bar and gets into his car. He pops in his favorite CD and
starts down the highway. By now the rain is pouring out of the sky and visibility is poor.
While fiddling with the CD player to find his favorite song, he loses control of the
vehicle and slams into a guardrail. Shaken and with a few bumps and bruises, he gets
out of the car and calls for assistance.
Case Study #2
Mr. Smith has been a long-term resident at Nursing Home X. On Tuesday morning, he
is greeted by a new LPN who has entered his room to deliver personal care and dress
him for the day prior to taking him to the dining room for breakfast. She has never met
Mr. Smith and has little experience in the nursing home sector. She has also not been
informed of the following recent events:
Monday evening (the day before), Mr. Smith had a restless night’s sleep and he is
feeling tired and has no appetite. Earlier that day on route to the dining room, Mr.
Smith tripped and fell in the hall and is now feeling anxious and nervous about walking
down to the dining room this morning unassisted. He recently lost his long-time friend
and roommate of many years, Mr. Jackson, who passed away three weeks ago. His
new roommate, Mr. Long, loves to talk and also likes to watch TV well into the night,
keeping Mr. Smith awake.
The LPN enters his room and greets him with a cheerful “hello.” Mr. Smith glances at
the LPN and mutters that he does not want to be disturbed because he is tired and
does not want to eat breakfast right now. The LPN simply smiles and says that it is
time for breakfast and that he should get up to start his day. While Mr. Smith again
protests, the LPN continues to insist that he gets ready for the day. She reads his
chart that states he is able to walk on his own and tells Mr. Smith that she will be
back in a few minutes to escort him to the dining room.
Minutes pass and the LPN returns to Mr. Smith’s room to find him dressed but not
willing to walk. He requests a wheelchair. The LPN refers again to his chart and reads
to him that he is able to walk on his own (according to the notes) and says he should
do so since there are currently no wheelchairs on his wing of the nursing home. Mr.
Smith becomes agitated and begins to argue with the LPN and yells at her to get out of
his room. Frustrated, the LPN tries to calm Mr. Smith with a gentle voice and
approaches him, touching him on the shoulder. Mr. Smith pushes the LPN away,
causing her to fall to the floor. Surprised by his strength, he apologizes immediately
and rings for assistance. The LPN has hurt her back and struggles to get up.
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Case Study #3
Mr. Track has been working at the Company Cracker Factory for the past 17 years. On
Wednesday night, the line that produces the Onion and Chive Cracker continued to
jam, causing Mr. Track to repeatedly shut down the line and get assistance to free the
line. He had noticed the line slowing a few days prior but said nothing, as he didn’t see
this as a problem. The equipment is old, but new equipment will be installed soon. For
now, he is working with the old equipment and knows it can get jammed from time to
time. The tag and lockout procedure has been removed from the machine because the
company’s Health and Safety Coordinator is updating all the procedures for the
anticipated, new machinery. Having to shut the line down 3 times Wednesday night, he
is frustrated and counts the minutes until the end of his shift. He is scheduled for two
weeks’ vacation and looks forward to the break. At the end of his shift, he promptly
leaves the department and says goodbye to the crew. The company is now closed until
morning. It is 10:00 P.M.
At 7:00 A.M. Thursday morning, Mr. Wick arrives for work and is asked to help out on
the Onion and Chive Cracker line. Mr. Jovi, who is scheduled to work in this
department, has not yet shown for work and the department is backed up with orders.
Mr. Wick has been with the company for 3 months and he is not familiar with this
department or its machinery. He works in the quality department where his job is to
check the boxes for damages prior to them being forwarded to the shipping
department. Mr. Wick agrees to help out.
Mr. Wick is unaware that production the night prior was slow and the machine
continually jammed. Mr. Wick starts the machines and at first, all is running smoothly.
Without warning, however, he soon discovers that the machine is jamming. Seeing
that the lockout procedure is missing from the machine he assumes that this line and
his line (the quality control line) are similar, and he begins to free the machine only to
discover that the machines are much different. Unexpectedly the jammed machine
frees and production starts moving again. The conveyer, however, catches the
sleeve of his shirt, ripping the sleeve off at the shoulder. Stunned and shaken, he
calls quickly slams the emergency stop button and calls for assistance.
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Appendix A: Loss Causation & Problem Solving Model

Lack of Control Basic Causes Immediate Causes Incidents Losses
Inadequate Program Inadequate Personal Factors Substandard Work Practices Contact or near contact with Injury / Illness
Program Standards Lack of energy or substance
Compliance for: Inadequate Physical Operating equipment First Aid
Capability Inadequate without authority Medical Treatment Lost
Management & Supervision Mental Capability Failure to warn Struck against Workday Fatality
Employee Orientation Roles & Physical Stress Failure to secure / make safe Struck by
Responsibilities Job Descriptions Lack of Knowledge Operating at improper speed Fall to lower
Disciplinary Actions Lack of Skill Making safety devices level Fall on Part of Body Harmed
Rules / procedures enforcement inoperative Removing Safety same level
Planned Inspections & devices Caught in Head Hand
Maintenance Critical Task Using defective / Caught on Eye Finger
Analysis & Procedures Accident / improper equipment Caught between Hearing Leg
Incident Investigation Task Using equipment Burn Respiratory Knee
Observations improperly Failure to use Overexertion Trunk Ankle
Emergency Preparedness PPE properly Improper Body mechanics Digestive Track Foot
Rules & Work Permits loading Contact with (electricity, heat, Arm Toe
Accident / Incident Improper placement cold, radiation, caustic, toxics, Skin
Analysis Knowledge & noise) Back
Skill Training Shoulder
Personal Protective
Equipment Health &
Hygiene Control System Job Factors Substandard Work Conditions Property Damage / Process Loss
Evaluation
Engineering & Change Management Improper Motivation Inadequate Guards or Minor (less than $100)
Personal Inadequate Leadership & Barriers Inadequate or Serious ($100-$999)
Communications Group Supervision Improper PPE Defective Major ($1000 - $9999)
Communications Inadequate Tools, Equipment or Catastrophic (over $10000)
General Promotion Engineering Materials
Hiring and Placement Inadequate Purchasing Congestion or Restricted
Purchasing Controls Inadequate Action Inadequate Warning
Materials & Services Management Maintenance System Fire and Explosion
Inadequate Tools & Hazards Type of Property Process Loss
Off-the Job Safety
Equipment Inadequate Poor Housekeeping
Work Standards Wear Noise Exposures Building
& Tear Radiation Exposures Equipment
Abuse & Misuse Extreme Temperatures Vehicles
Inadequate Tools
Illumination Materials
Hazardous Environmental Various Process
Conditions; Gases, Dusts,
Smoke, Fumes, Vapors
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Lesson 2: Controlling Workplace Hazards
Overview
Every workplace has hazards. A workplace hazard is something that has the
potential to cause injury, illness to a person, the environment or damage property.
Workplaces can be dangerous. There are many hazards that have the potential to
kill, injure or cause ill health or disease.
 Employers have a responsibility to protect employees against health and
safety hazards at work.
 Employees have the right to know about potential hazards and to refuse work
that they believe is dangerous. Employees also have a responsibility to work
safely with hazardous materials.
Hazards in the workplace should be identified and the risk associated with the hazard
should be assessed. Eliminating or reducing the risk of the hazard is an important
step towards maintaining workplace health and safety.
Objectives
 Identify contributing factors that may cause hazards.
 Perform an inspection to identify hazards in a given scene.
Employer and Employee Responsibilities Under the OHS Act

The OHS (Occupational Health and Safety) Act states that employers have a legal
obligation to develop, implement, manage and evaluate a hazard identification
system for the workplace:
Every employer with 20 or more employees regularly employed in the province shall
establish a written health and safety program, in consultation with the committee or
the health and safety representative and a hazard identification system that includes:
 Evaluation of the place of employment to identify potential hazards,
 Procedures and schedules for inspections, and
 Procedures for ensuring the reporting of hazards prompt follow-up and control of
the hazards.
If an employer does not have 20 or more employees regularly employed within the
province to develop a health and safety program which includes a hazard
identification system, the employer is still obligated to:
 Ensure that the place of employment is inspected at least once a month to
identify any risks to the health and safety of his/her employees;
 Acquaint an employee with any hazard in connection with the use, handling,
storage, disposal and transport of any tool, equipment, machine, device or
biological, chemical or physical agent.
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 Develop a program for the inspection of the entire workplace with the JHSC
(Joint Health and Safety Committee) or the health and safety representative, and
share the results of each inspection with the committee or the health and safety
representative.
Under the OHS Act, every employee shall report to the employer the existence of
any hazard of which he or she is aware of.
Recognizing Hazards in Your Workplace

It is important you recognize hazards in your workplace. Tasks you carry out and the
equipment that you use may create hazards in your workplace. For example:
• Office equipment, including computers, chairs, desks, paper shredding
machines, guillotines and staplers
• Manual handling tasks where you are required to carry or lift something heavy or
do repetitive activities
• Clients and the general public
• Ladders, steps and stairs
• Cleaning products and chemicals
• Driving a vehicle (car, bus or tractor)
• Using electrical equipment such as stoves, extension cords, lamps or heaters
• Slippery floors and busy work areas
• Using tools such as hammers, drills, saws, hedge clippers and vacuum cleaners
• Tasks which might expose you to infection
What I s the Difference between a Hazard and a Risk?

A hazard is something with the potential to cause harm. A risk is the likelihood that the
harm will occur from exposure to the hazard. For example:
 The hazard is electricity. The risk is the likelihood that a worker might be
electrocuted because of exposure to electrical wires that are inadequately
insulated.
 The hazard is a 40kg bag. The risk is the likelihood that a worker might suffer
back strain from manually lifting 40kg bags.
 The hazard is carbon monoxide. The risk is the likelihood that a worker might
suffer carbon monoxide poisoning because they are working in the area with
inadequate ventilation.
Often, the hazards cannot be changed, but a hazard can influence the level of risk. For
example, people wear seat belts because driving can be a hazardous task, meaning
there is the potential for loss. With respect to personal injury, seat belts can decrease
risk -- the severity of an injury can be minimized or a life can be saved. The hazards
inherent in the task of driving have remained constant, but the risk of injury has been
substantially decreased due to seat belt use.
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How do Risks and H azards Affect People?
Some hazards affect your body immediately. For example, chemicals can cause skin
burns, dust can make you cough or cause asthma (shortness of breath). Some
hazards may take longer to affect your body. You may suffer from hearing loss or
become deaf after long-term exposure to noise for an extended period of time. Other
hazards, such as radiation from X-ray machines or electricity power plants, may not
be felt but may cause cancer after some time.
How can Workplace Health and Safety Hazards Be Controlled?

Risk management is introduced to control workplace hazards and to reduce the risk
of an injury or illness. Companies or organizations need to develop a risk
management policy so risks in the workplace can be controlled or eliminated. The
risk management process usually involves:
 Step 1. Identifying the hazards
 Step 2. Assessing the risks associated with the hazard
 Step 3. Controlling the risks
 Step 4. Monitoring control measures
Step 1 – Identifying the Hazards at Work

To eliminate or control the potential risk of a hazard, the first step is to identify hazards
in the work you're assigned and in the conditions you're working in. This process is a
key element in any safety program.
Types of Hazards
Hazard identification involves both finding all of the foreseeable hazards in the
workplace and understanding the possible harm that the hazards may cause. The most
common types of workplace hazards are summarized in the following table.
Hazard Type Example

Physical hazards come from contact • Electrical hazards: frayed cords,
with any kind of energy or exposure to missing ground pins, improper wiring
various forms of environmental agents • Unguarded machinery and moving
and/or unsafe conditions that can cause machinery parts: guards removed or
injury, illness, or death. moving parts that a worker can
accidentally touch
• Spills on floors or tripping hazards,
such as blocked aisles or cords running
across the floor
• Working from heights, including
ladders, scaffolds, roofs, or any raised
work area
• Constant loud noise
• High exposure to sunlight/ultraviolet
rays, heat or cold
• Vibrations
• Dust
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• Fibers
• Radiation
• Working with mobile equipment such as
fork lifts (operation of fork lifts and
similar mobile equipment in the
workplace requires significant
additional training and experience)
Ergonomic hazards occur when the • Poor lighting
type of work, body position and • Improperly adjusted workstations
working conditions put strain on a and chairs
person’s body. They are the hardest to • Frequent lifting
spot since people don't always
immediately notice the strain on their • Repetitive or awkward movements
body or the harm these hazards pose. • Excessive physical demands for
Short-term exposure may result in force, repetition, posture and static
"sore muscles" the next day or in the work, uncomfortable bodily motion,
days following exposure, but long term over exertion
exposure can result in serious long- • Physical demands from mechanical
term injuries.
equipment such as hydraulic and
pneumatic pressure, power tools,
machines, blades, pulleys and
straps
Chemical hazards come from • Liquids like office supplies, cleaning
exposure to various forms of chemicals products, paints, acids, solvents
(solid, liquid or gas), which are potentially especially chemicals in an unlabeled
toxic or irritating to one of more body container (warning sign)
systems. Chemical hazards can enter the • Vapors and fumes, for instance those
body through inhalation, ingestion, that come from welding or exposure to
absorption, or injection. Some are safer solvents
than others, but to some workers who are • Gases like acetylene, propane, carbon
more sensitive to chemicals, even monoxide and helium
common solutions can cause illness, skin • Flammable materials like gasoline,
irritation or breathing problems. solvents and explosive chemicals
Biological hazards come from • Blood or other bodily fluids
exposures to infectious agents by direct • Bacteria, molds, mildew, fungus
contact, inhalation or ingestion that may and viruses
be transmitted through contact with • Insect bites
infected persons, animals or
contaminated surfaces, equipment or air. • Animal and bird droppings
Examples could be working in daycares,
hospitals, hotel laundry and room
cleaning, laboratories, veterinary
offices and nursing homes may
expose you to biological hazards.
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Psychosocial hazards are events or • Verbal or physical abuse
situations encountered or associated with • Lack of control over job duties
the workplace or individual job that have • Negative stressors
the potential to create negative stressful • Harassment and bullying
working situations, serious emotional
strain and/or interpersonal problems.
Knowledge Check
Label each of the following examples of hazards with the appropriate category.
Examples:
1. Viruses, fungi, bacterial ( )
2. Mists and vapors ( )
3. Poor electric wiring and cords ( )
4. Constant loud noise ( )
5. Workplace bullying ( )
6. Poor lighting in the work area ( )
Category:
A. physical hazard
B. chemical hazard
C. biological hazard
D. Psychological hazard
E. Ergonomic/mechanical hazard
Contributing Factors that Cause Hazards

The following factors contribute to creating hazards when they are inappropriate,
substandard or allowed to deteriorate. These are often referred to as PEMEP
because all identified hazards will fall into one of five categories. These categories
are:
• People
• Equipment
• Materials
• Environment; and
• Process
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Establishing standards and enforcement of standards for PEMEP can help identify
and control the potential risks and hazards in the workplace.
Contributing Factor that may Cause Hazards

People The actions people take, or do not take, can create
hazards in the workplace, e.g.,
 Lack of skills and knowledge and appropriate
training in safe work practices and health and
safety procedures
 Lack of appropriate administration, leadership and
supervision manage procedures
 Unsafe practices
Equipment The tools and machines people use and work near can be
hazardous. Look for unsafe or unhealthy conditions such as:
 Inadequate guarding or barriers
 Defective tools and equipment
 Incorrect tools and equipment for the job
 Inadequate warning systems
Materials The improper handling or use of the wrong type of raw
materials, products, and hazardous chemicals can result in
explosions, fires and exposures to toxic chemicals and
physical agents (e.g., heat).
Environment The work environment can create hazards. Look for:

 The condition of all surfaces where people walk or
where things are placed
 Overcrowding and poor ventilation
 Poor lighting, extreme temperatures and noise
 Poor housekeeping
Process The combination of the other four factors in production is

process. It involves the flow of work and includes the
procedure, design, organization, ergonomics and type of
work.
How Are Hazards Identified?

Engaging all employees in managing hazards and risks in the workplace provides a
better opportunity of discovering all major hazards and risks. The overall goal of
hazard identification is to find and record possible hazards that may be present in the
workplace. It may help to work as a team and include both people familiar with the
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work area, as well as people who are not--this way both the "experienced" and
"fresh" eyes can help with the hazard identification.
There are a number of ways hazards can be identified in the workplace:

 Workplace inspections (including informal and formal)
 Accident/incident investigation
 Consultation between employees and employers
 Monitoring injury and illness records
 Regular maintenance checks
 Health and environment monitoring
 Recording complaints
 Observation
Case Study: Identify Types of Hazards

In the following picture, the hazards areas have been identified. Please put your
thinking cap on and review the areas in the scene to identify types of hazards or
contributing factors that may cause hazards. Move to the next page to compare your
response with the suggested answers.
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Case Study: Identify Types of Hazards Answer Key
Compare your response with the suggested answers in the following picture.
This is an equipment and material This is an environment

hazard. Operating machinery may hazard. Height and weather
be a factor. condition may be factors.
This is a people hazard. This is an environment

Poor communication hazard. The ramp may be
between workers may slippery or not securely
be a factor. placed.
Step 2 - Assessing the Risks

Once hazards have been identified, the level of risk associated with each hazard
should be assessed in consultation with the relevant health and safety representatives
and employees. The purpose of risk assessment is to assess the likelihood and
consequences of the risks as well as classify the risks.
Consider the following questions:

• How likely is it that the hazard may cause an injury or illness to someone?
• How severe will the injury or illness be?
The answers to these questions will:

 Determine whether there is any likelihood of injury, illness or disease associated
with each of the potentially hazardous situations identified
 Provide knowledge to make informed decisions about controlling or eliminating
the hazard and risk
The level of risk will determine the priority assigned to its elimination or control.
Each hazard should be studied to determine the level of risk. To better understand
the potential risk associated with a hazard, consider the following:
• Product information / manufacturer documentation
• Past experience (employees, etc.)
• Legislated requirements and/or applicable standards
• Industry codes of practice / best practices
• Health and safety material about the hazard such as safety data sheets (DS),
or other manufacturer information
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• Information from reputable organizations
• Results of testing (atmospheric, air sampling of workplace, biological, etc.)
• The expertise of an occupational health and safety professional
• Information about previous injuries, illnesses, "near misses", and
accident/incident reports, etc.
Remember to include factors that contribute to the level of risk such as the:
• Work environment (layout, condition, etc.)
• Capability, skill, experience of employees who do the work
• Systems of work being used
• Range of substandard conditions
Ranking or Prioritizing the Risks

Ranking or prioritizing hazards is a way to help determine which hazard is the most
serious and thus which hazard should be controlled first. Priority is usually established
by taking into account the employee exposure and the potential for accident/incident,
injury or illness. By assigning a priority to the hazards, companies or organizations are
creating a ranking or an action list. The following factors play an important role:
• Percentage of workforce exposed

• Frequency of exposure
• Degree of harm likely to result from the exposure
• Probability of occurrence
There is no one simple or single way to determine the level of risk. Ranking hazards
requires the knowledge of the workplace activities, urgency of situations, and most
importantly, objective judgment.
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Many companies choose to use the ABC rating method:
Corrective Action Time

Risk Level Likelihood/Consequences
Frame
Likely to cause permanent disability,
Class A Must be corrected within
loss of life, and/or extensive loss of
(Major) 24 hours
structure, equipment or material
Likely to cause serious injury,
Class B Must be corrected within
temporary disability, or disruptive
(Serious) 7 days
property damage
Likely to cause minor, non-disabling
Class C Must be corrected within 30
injury, or non-disruptive property
(Minor) days
damage
Step 3 - Controlling the Risks

Once hazards have been identified and assessed, the next step in the process is to
control hazards and risks. Controlling hazards means eliminating the hazard or
minimizing the risk of the hazard to protect people, property or the environment from
the identified hazard.
The most effective hazard control measure is to eliminate the risk. If that is not
reasonably practicable, effective measures need to be identified to reduce or
minimize the risk. Hazard control measures include:
 Elimination completely removes the hazard from the workplace; e.g., remove
the noisy equipment
 Substitution replaces the activity, process or substance with something safer
(i.e., change the sequence of steps or a process); e.g., lift smaller packages, use
a less toxic chemical
 Engineering controls isolate the hazard by designs or modifications to plants,
equipment, ventilation systems, and processes to reduce the source of exposure;
e.g., provide a trolley to move heavy loads, change lighting to remove glare
 Administrative controls establish and implement safe work practices,
procedures and policies and appropriate administrative procedures; e.g., adopt
safe practices, provide employee training, change daily routines to give breaks
from repetitive tasks
 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) provides suitable and properly
maintained personal protective equipment (PPE) and training to protect an
employee in the workplace; e.g., provide hearing and eye protection, hard hats,
gloves, masks, safe footwear, aprons
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Hierarchy of Hazard Control
The hazard control methods are also known as the "hierarchy of control" because they
should be considered in the order presented; it is always best to try to eliminate the
hazard first, however, it is not always easy to do this immediately. The aim of
implementing controls is to get as many controls in place so the risk is reduced to as low
as possible.
Before any decision is made as to which type of risk control measures ought to be
used, consideration should be given to the severity of injury, illness or disease that
could occur. If the severity is high (i.e. fatality, serious injury etc.), a hierarchy order
of control (i.e. elimination, substitution, engineering controls) should be used.
Sometimes they may have to be used in combination with administrative controls and
in some cases personal protective equipment.
It is not always reasonably practicable to immediately implement the hierarchy of

control and there may still be a need to keep the process/activity going. In such
situations, interim control measures (in the form of administrative controls in
combination with personal protective equipment) may be used until the hierarchy of
control can be implemented.
Note: If there is an immediate risk to health or safety, the process/activity in question

must be stopped until measures are taken to remove the immediate risk.
Implementing Control Measures

Once a decision is taken on the suitable risk control measures, a plan should be
developed in consultation with the relevant health and safety representatives and
employees for the implementation of those measures. The implementation plan should
identify:
• The actions required
• Implementation timetable
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• Who is responsible for the implementation of the required actions
 Follow-up of the required action to ensure the proper control measure was
implemented to address the hazard
Some hazards and their controls will be specifically outlined in legislation. In all
cases, the employers and employees are responsible for taking all reasonable
precautions, under the particular circumstances, to prevent injuries or accidents in
the workplace (due diligence).
Standard Practice
In situations where there is not a clear way to control a hazard, or if legislation
does not impose a limit or guideline, employers and employees should seek
guidance from occupational health professionals such as an occupational
hygienist or safety professional about what is the "best practice" or "standard
practice" when working in that situation.
Control measures can be applied at three possible points with the respect to the
hazard.
• At the source of the hazard (where the hazard "comes from") - the best
way to control a hazard is to apply the control at the source of the hazard.
Strategies may include use of engineering controls, elimination or
substitution of the hazard with less hazardous processes, materials or
machinery. The ultimate control is actual removal of the hazard from the
workplace.
• Along the path (where the hazard "travels") between the source and the
worker – controls along the path don’t remove the hazard, but provide
methods to alert the worker that a hazard exists. This option may include
use of strategies such as ventilation, worker enclosures, barriers (such as
machine guards), or distance from the hazard. The goal is to minimize
worker exposure.
• At the worker - controls involve the use of personal protective equipment
and administrative controls (such as depending on only employee training or
work scheduling). Controls at the worker may be subject to human error and
should be considered the last alternative in a list of hazard controls,
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especially in the case of PPE. Simply put, sometimes workers don’t wear
their PPE correctly or not at all and, therefore, this control can be difficult to
monitor and evaluate.
Note: once the new risk control measures are in place, employers need to make
sure that they are well documented and maintained. If there are new hazards or
risks, the process for hazard identification, risk assessment and risk control needs to
be repeated.
Step 4 - Monitoring Control Measures

Hazard and risk management is the responsibility of both employers and employees. It
is an ongoing process and should be integrated into all workplace activities.
Why is it important for an organization to monitor and review its hazard control program
and measures?
The purpose is to make sure that the control is working effectively and that exposure to
the hazard is reduced or eliminated.
The monitoring and review process involves:

 Systemically checking existing risk control measures to assess their effectiveness
 Collecting data on any new hazards which have arisen
 Establishing new control measures
The following activities should be undertaken periodically and systematically as part of

the monitoring and review process.
• Scheduled inspections
• Ongoing measurement and testing
• Exposure assessment
• Observations
• Injury and illness tracking and analysis
• Employee feedback/input
• Occupational health assessment
Reporting Hazards Immediately

Everyone in a workplace shares responsibility for ensuring that their work environment
is safe and healthy. Some hazards pose an immediate danger and others take a longer
time to become apparent. But both types of hazards must be fixed. If you are aware of a
hazard in your workplace, you must report it promptly to your supervisor, employer or
health and safety representative (OHS Act, section 12(c)). Once a hazard has been
identified, your employer and/or supervisor have a duty to assess the problem and
eliminate any hazard that could injure employees (OHS Act, section 9).
Workplace Inspection
Regular workplace inspections are an important part of a health and safety system
that can identify concerns, correct and contribute to the prevention of workplace
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injuries. By critically examining all aspects of the workplace, inspections identify and
record hazards that must be addressed and corrected.
A workplace inspection should involve:

• Listening to the concerns of workers and supervisors
• Gaining further understanding of jobs and tasks
• Identifying existing and potential hazards
• Determining underlying causes of hazards
• Monitoring hazard controls (personal protective equipment, engineering controls,
policies, procedures)
• Recommending corrective action
Formal vs. Informal Inspections

Generally, companies conduct two types of inspections: informal and formal.
The difference between the two may vary among companies but the goal of each is the
same -- manage all systems, procedures, people, equipment and processes for
compliance.
Informal Inspections
Informal inspections include the daily operational procedures of the workplace such
as:
• Employees completing pre-checks: (before starting and operating any machinery
and equipment)
• Review of changes, concerns or complications from previous shifts
communicated to incoming shifts
• Notification to appropriate staff of any concern discovered through crew
meetings or pre-start meetings
• Remedial actions taken to temporarily “fix” a health and safety concern
Informal inspections should be conducted to “catch” and have opportunity to

correct any health and safety hazard prior to the commencement of work.
Formal Inspections
Formal inspections are planned examinations of the entire workplace that considers
all hazards, machinery, tools, and equipment, people and work practices. A formal
inspection is exactly what the name suggests – a formal, documented process for the
identification and elimination of the hazards and substandard conditions that are
discovered. Formal inspections should take time and consideration and be specific to
individual departments and tasks. Management needs to consider who is trained for
these inspections, when they should occur (time of day), and take a systematic
approach when defining this procedure.
All workplaces must be inspected including the offices, storage areas, and
maintenance areas (OHS Act, section 9(a.1)). Also included should be areas where
normally no work is performed, such as the parking lots, cafeterias, lunchrooms and
locker rooms. It is important not to forget the pre-use inspections of company
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vehicles and checking travel plans (working alone procedures, for example) prior to
the commencement of the work day.
Developing an Inspection Checklist

To ensure consistent and comprehensive coverage of all areas in the workplace, it is
useful to develop checklists of all potential hazards. Such lists have to be continually
reviewed and revised to reflect changes in equipment, processes, and
accident/incident records.
Items listed on an inspection checklist should include an analysis of all equipment,

tools, environmental conditions, general housekeeping conditions, ergonomics,
buildings, people and procedures that are currently in place.
To view a sample inspection checklist, visit:

http://www.worksafenb.ca/docs/JHSCInspectionChecklist_e.pdf
Summary
Health and safety hazards exist in every workplace. Some are easily identified and
corrected, while others create extremely dangerous situations that could be a threat
to someone’s life or long-term health. A hazard is a situation that has the potential to
harm a person, the environment or damage property.
By effectively identifying hazards and recognizing risks to people, equipment,

materials, physical environments and processes, companies or organizations are not
only minimizing potential losses and liability, but also enabling its workforce to react
properly to those hazards and risks.
Before attempting to develop a workplace inspection procedure for the workplace,

organizations or companies need to identify hazards, access the risk associated with
each hazards and implement measures to control risks. Once this is done, companies
will be able to develop their own workplace inspection checklist to help monitor the
effectiveness of controls that have been put in place to eliminate or diminish the
possibility of an injury, illness or disease in the workplace.
Resources
• OHS (Occupational Health and Safety) Act
• Inspection Checklist:
http://www.worksafenb.ca/docs/JHSCInspectionChecklist_e.pdf
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Evaluation
Discussion 5: 10% of the final grade.
The following images represent workplace hazards in different work areas. Ask your
instructor to assign an image of a work scene to you or your group. You will perform a
virtual inspection to identify hazards in the assigned work scene and share your
findings. Note: The instructor will determine whether the discussion will be online or in
class.
1. Office
2. Confined Space
3. Electrical
4. Chemical
5. Health Care
6. Kitchen
7. Retailing
Brightspace. Go to Brightspace to start Discussion 5 - Inspect Workplace Hazards.
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1. Office
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2. Confined Space
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3. Electrical
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4. Chemical
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5. Health Care
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6. Kitchen
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7. Retailing
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Lesson 3: Operating Equipment Safely
Overview
Improper handling, poor maintenance and neglect of equipment are not the only
causes of workplace injuries. Too often employees are injured on the job by taking
shortcuts in an effort to speed up production. For example,
 Neglecting to shut equipment down and lock it out prior to clearing a machine
or performing maintenance work because it takes up too much time
 Resisting using full protective equipment because it may feel uncomfortable or
bothersome to use
 Ignoring safety rules in an effort to speed up the process
 Removing protective guarding from machinery to increase speed of production
The end result of improper use of or lack of safety equipment often leads to injuries,
which may have easily been prevented.
Objective
 Discuss specified procedures to safely operate equipment that is specific to your
field of study.
Equipment Must Be Operated by a “Competent” Operator

Following both manufacturer’s standards and a company’s best practices for safe
operation of equipment will reduce both incidents and accidents in the workplace.
Most importantly, individuals who are operating equipment must be “competent” as
defined under the OHS (Occupational Health and Safety) Act. This means:
(a) Qualified, because of such factors as knowledge, training and experience, to do
assigned work in a manner that will ensure the health and safety of persons,
(b) Knowledgeable about the provisions of the Act and the Regulations that apply
to the assigned work, and
(c) Knowledgeable about the potential or actual danger to health and safety
connected with the assigned work.
Employers’ Responsibility
Employers must ensure safe use of all equipment, including starting, stopping,
installing, dismantling, programming, setting, transporting, maintaining, servicing and
cleaning. It is the employer’s responsibility to train employees how to operate the
equipment safely.
Employees’ Responsibility
All employees:
• Must receive training before using any tool, machine or piece of equipment
and receive refresher training on a regular basis
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• Must wear all personal protective equipment when operating machines or
equipment as stated in the manufacturers' instructions
• Must use guards on the machines or equipment when the employee is at
risk of coming in contact with moving parts, gears, belts and pinch points
If, as an employee, you have not been trained to use a piece of equipment or not
trained to repair it, do not use it. Report all defective machinery, tools and equipment
immediately to your supervisor or manager. If necessary, tag and lock out
equipment and machinery, inform your colleagues that the equipment is
substandard and if in doubt, seek help. Do not take shortcuts.
Safe Operation and Use of Equipment

The safe operation and use of equipment in the workplace is a legislative
requirement for all New Brunswick employees. The OHS Act places a general duty
on employers to "take every precaution reasonable in the circumstances for the
protection of a worker" and assigns more specific responsibilities for equipment
maintenance, training and supervision.
Examples of operating equipment safely that will be discussed in this course include:
• Working at heights
• Mobile equipment
• Electrical Safety
• Lock-out
• Machine Guards
• Power hand tools
Working at Heights
Sections 49 and 50 in the General Regulation (91-191) of the Occupational Health and
Safety Act cover requirements for fall-arrest systems. Examples of standards covered in
this regulation for fall arrest or travel restricting systems review:
• PPE needed for working from an unguarded work position more than three
meters above the nearest safe level
• Requirements for working in an unguarded work area that is above any open
top tank, pit or vat
• Requirements for working on staging or a platform more than three meters
above a safe level that may cause a fall or trip
• Requirements for implementing an intervention hierarchy, where systems that
do not allow employees to fall, such as guardrails and travel restraints, which
are preferred because there is no longer a risk of minor injury from stopping a
fall or the need for an employee to be rescued
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• Training requirements
• Development of a Fall Protection Code of Practice for working from a height of
7.5 metres or more and when working within a control zone with a safety
monitor
• Reference to new and updated CSA (Canadian Standards Association)
Standards
• Additional responsibilities for building owners to ensure anyone conducting work
on their behalf comply with the fall protection legislation
Mobile Equipment
Mobile equipment can refer to many types of construction equipment, forklift trucks
in a warehouse setting, as well as regular cars and trucks.
Employees working around mobile equipment should:

 Know how to work safely around trucks and operating equipment
 Understand the effect of blind spots and avoid entering or standing in blind
spots
 Make eye contact with the driver or operator before approaching
equipment
 Signal intentions to the driver or operator
 Avoid standing and talking near vehicle paths, grading operations and other
activities which require heavy equipment to move back and forth
 Never position themselves under equipment with heavy loads
 Wear or use the PPE required for the area, such as high visibility vests or
clothing, proper footwear and understand that the mobile equipment has the
right-of-way. You are in their space so you must remain conscious that drivers
and operators cannot do their jobs if they have to continually watch for workers in
their vehicle path
Drivers and operators of mobile equipment should:

 Always obey the signaler or spotter. If more than one person is signaling, stop the
vehicle and determine which one to obey
 Remain in the cab, if possible, when near other equipment that is likely to be
backing up
 Make sure all mirrors are intact, functional and properly adjusted for the best
view
 Blow the horn twice before backing up
 Stop the vehicle, get out and quickly walk around the vehicle when no spotter
is present. If the way is clear, back up at once.
 Stop the vehicle when a spotter, worker or anyone else disappears from view
 Ensure back-up alarms are functioning properly
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Electrical Safety
By maintaining safe working conditions and using safe work practices you can avoid
electrical hazards. Electrical hazards occur when contact is made with a conductor
(substances that can pass electricity) carrying current.
Employees using electric tools must be aware of several dangers. Among the most
serious hazards are electrical burns and shocks.
Electrical shocks, which can lead to injuries such as heart failure and burns, are
among the major hazards associated with electric-powered tools. Under certain
conditions, even a small amount of electric current can result in fibrillation of the
heart and death. An electric shock also can cause the worker to fall off a ladder or
other elevated work surface and be injured due to the fall.
Many fatalities occur up to fifteen minutes after a shock due to the disruption of heart
rhythms. Warning signs (from serious to fatal) are as follows:
• Tingling in area where contact was made
• Numbness
• Dizziness and palpitations
• Irregular heartbeat (a sign to call for help)
It is important for anyone who has experienced an electrical shock to consult a

physician as soon as possible.
How are electrical shocks caused?

An electrical shock is caused by an electrical current passing through the body.
Electricity flowing through a conductor, in this case the human body, is like water
flowing through a pipe.
To protect the user from shock and burns, remember the following:
• NEVER use any machine or piece of equipment with faulty or damaged
electrical cords
• Any type of moisture may provide a conductive path resulting in a deadly
shock
• Atmospheric hazards may cause an explosion or fire from a mere spark (e.g.
flammable vapors, excess oxygen)
• Always use proper lighting, clothing and personal protective equipment
• Don’t overload electrical outlets
• Keep ladders clear from electrical wiring
• Keep electrical appliances away from water
• Stay clear of surrounding power lines and energy sources
Lockout for Moving Parts

Chains, pulleys and conveyors can all be used to move materials and objects in the
workplace from one spot to another. In textile mills and sawmills for example, tools and
machines with cutting edges to change the shape and size of raw materials are used.
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Many accidents in sawmills and other manufacturing facilities happen when workers fail
to lockout the machine they are repairing.
To perform maintenance or to clear jams in these types of machines, General

Regulation (91-191) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, sections 235-243
requires that a machine be at a zero energy state and under lockout before either of
these tasks are attempted.
• Zero energy state means “a state in which all energy sources are locked out,
blocked, isolated or drained so that the machine is incapable of spontaneous
or unexpected action.”
• Lockout means “to render a machine or electrical equipment inoperative and
prevent it from being activated by using a locking device to isolate the power
sources.”
By law, all machinery requiring maintenance, clearance or adjustments must have a

posted lockout procedure on the machine. The procedure should cover items such
as:
 How competent employees can safely bring the machine and keep the
machine at zero energy
 Where and how to place appropriate locks and tags on the machine (date time
included)
 How to test for zero energy state
 How to alert employees that the machine is locked out
 How to safely restart the machine
 Circumstances under which someone other than the individual who
applied the lock can remove the lock
Machine Guards
Any machine part, function or process, which may cause injury to a worker, must be
safeguarded. A guard is a physical barrier that prevents access to dangerous areas
of the machine. The exposed moving parts of power tools need to be safeguarded.
Belts, gears, shafts, pulleys, sprockets, spindles, drums, flywheels, chains, or other
reciprocating, rotating, or moving parts of equipment must be guarded.
Machine guards, as appropriate, must be provided to protect the operator and others
from the following:
• Point of operation
• In-running nip points
• Rotating parts
• Flying chips and sparks
A guard on a machine should be designed and constructed so that it:

• Cannot be easily tampered with or removed;
• Does not create interference with the operation of the machine;
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• Keeps all human parts out of danger;
• Prevents equipment or tools from falling into the moving machinery.
Guarding requirements include a review of the following:

1) Do the guards prevent employees’ hands and arms from having contact with
any machine parts?
2) Are the guards firmly secured and difficult to remove?
3) Do guards allow the machine to be easily greased, oiled and maintained?
4) Does the machine automatically shut down when the guard is removed?
5) Can the machine operate relatively easily when the guards are present?
6) Do the guards provide protection from anything becoming entangled or
pulled into the machine?
7) Have employees been properly trained in the procedures when guards are
damaged, missing or inadequate?
Powered Hand Tools

Power operated hand tools are frequently used in many different workplace settings,
not just industrial workplaces. Power tools are classified by power source: electric,
pneumatic, liquid fuel, hydraulic and powder-actuated. Misuse of hand-powered tools
can lead to serious injury and employees should be aware of the following:
 Always use proper personal protective equipment such as eye, hearing and
respiratory protection when using tools
 Tools should be inspected before use and repaired if necessary
 Tools should be in good working condition
 Do not operate tools beyond their rated limits
 Portable, electrical tools should be double insulated, grounded or used with
a ground fault circuit interrupter
Summary
Unsafe handling, poor maintenance and neglect of equipment can not only cause
injuries; it can cause death. Both employers and employees have responsibilities to
ensure a safe workplace.
• Employers are responsible for maintaining the safe condition of tools and
equipment and providing training needed by employees to properly use the
equipment and tools. Employers shall not issue or permit the use of unsafe
equipment and tools.
• Employees must follow the appropriate procedures to operate equipment and
tools safely and notify supervisors to repair or replace damaged tools.
Most accidents can be prevented if everyone uses the proper safety equipment and
follows the safety rules.
Resources
 General Regulation (91-191) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act:
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Evaluation
Discussion 6: not graded
With your classmates and instructor, discuss equipment that is specific to your field of
study. Use the following guiding questions to stimulate your discussion:
 What kinds of equipment will you encounter in your field or work?

 Does any equipment require special training to operate?
 What sorts of accidents might be possible with specific equipment?
 What safety precautions should employees take when operating equipment?
 What are the employer's responsibilities for safe equipment operation?
 What are the employee's responsibilities for safe equipment operation?
Go to Brightspace to start Discussion 6 – Operate Equipment Safely.
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Lesson 4: Applying Workplace Safety and Accident Prevention Procedures
Overview
Failure of management to orient, train and enforce safe work procedures is a
significant cause of accidents. As outlined in the Occupational Health and Safety
(OHS) Act:
 The employer shall ensure that a new employee receives orientation and training
specific to the new employee’s position and place of employment before the new
employee begins work.
 The orientation for a new employee shall include the health and safety
procedures and codes of practice related to the employee’s job tasks.
Every employee shall:

(a) Comply with this Act, the regulations and any order made in accordance with
this Act or the regulations;
(b) Conduct himself to ensure his own health and safety and that of other persons
at, in or near his place of employment;
(c) Wear or use such protective equipment as is required by regulation.
Far too often, even if the employer has an established set of health and safety
standards, policies and procedures for the company, employees may ignore the most
basic, life-saving safety procedures such as:
 Tagging and locking out equipment
 Using machine guards
 Wearing proper personal protective equipment (PPE)
Many employees consider safety procedures as something that someone is “doing to

them” rather than a way to protect themselves, their co-employees, and their families.
They don’t take safety seriously or take it personally.
Objective
 Explain the importance of workplace safety procedures, codes of conduct and
how it relates to accident prevention
Safety Procedures and Legislation

Employers, regardless of the company or industry, must develop workplace
procedures and codes of practice related to employees’ job tasks. Employers must
have safe operating procedures or codes of practice for all company positions that
will ensure employees are provided with adequate instructions and guidelines on how
to work safely.
A safety procedure is a specific, step-by-step course of action that outlines how

employees can safely complete tasks and jobs. Procedures are guidelines and
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provide details to employees on how best to protect themselves while working in
hazardous conditions or situations.
The requirement for a company to develop and manage procedures may be a

legislative standard or a company’s best practice. Information contained in safety
procedures are sometimes outlined in legislation and require that employers and
employees consistently follow specific rules when completing certain tasks. For
example, an employer is required by law to develop tag and lockout procedures for
employees who are required to work on machinery that needs cleaning,
maintenance, adjustments or repairs (Regulation 91-191, section 239).
Under Regulation 91-191, there are many examples of specified safe-work

procedures that employers must ensure the employees are following. A
comprehensive review of all applicable legislation is necessary and should be
completed prior to the beginning of any process at the workplace. These may
include:
 Regulation 2016-6 Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System

Asbestos
 Regulation 96-105 Underground Mines
Why Employees Must Follow Procedures

Procedures are developed for the purpose of prevention of injury, incidents and loss.
Although they may not always be outlined in legislation, procedures are guidelines
employers must review with employees to ensure that they have adequate
knowledge and skill to remain safe while at work. Consider the following examples:
How to Deal with Possible Hazards Examples

What would you do if you encountered Examples may include health care,
a hostile, threatening or aggravated office settings, hospitality or
client you were required to provide educational settings.
service for?
What would you do if you were Examples may include construction
required to work in an area that was workers, aquaculture technicians,
extremely remote and far from any service technicians and engineering.
emergency services?
Precautionary measures (procedures) to address the above examples are not

specifically outlined in legislation and, therefore, must be developed by management
and followed by employees to ensure an employee’s safety. It is important to keep in
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mind at all times that if no legislation exists for a specific hazard, that doesn’t mean
the employee is exempt from following company rules or standards.
Regardless of occupation, there are many factors that can negatively affect an
employee’s health and safety. Employees must, therefore, recognize that they need
to be conscious of company procedures and report any concerns regarding existing
procedures or gaps in current procedures to their supervisor immediately.
Why Employees Not Following Rules

Too often employees may disregard company procedures and standards because
they believe:
 ”Nothing will happen to me!”
 “I’ve always done it this way and I’ve never gotten hurt!”
 “It’s a waste of time!”
These are usually the reasons or excuses given by employees for failure to
comply with a company’s safe work practices.
The following list summarizes reasons why employees won’t follow the rules.
1. Safe work When employees are not part of the developmental

procedures are (input) process for safe work practices, many times
developed without there may be crucial information that is forgotten or
appropriate neglected during the developmental phase. A
employee input. fundamental right of any employee under the OHS
Act is an employee’s right to participate in health and
safety initiatives. Notifying supervisors and
management of unclear or outdated safety practices
and procedures is imperative. In addition, it is
recommended that employees use their JHSCs
(Joint Health and Safety Committees) as another
stepping-stone to address health and safety
procedures that are either inappropriate or unrealistic
for their specific tasks. This is the best way to ensure
that employees’ voices are heard.
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2. New rules or work When a new work procedure or safety rule is
procedures are not well adopted, it may not always be communicated in a
communicated. timely and effective manner to the workforce.
Sometimes a rule or work procedure change is
announced in a safety meeting and merely glossed
over without appropriate discussion to ensure
complete understanding. If this occurs and you are
unsure of a change or an addition / omission to safe
work procedures, please clarify it with your
supervisor or co-workers immediately.
3. Employees publicly Sometimes it is difficult to see that when employees
accept a rule and are nodding in agreement when a rule change is
privately disregard it. communicated, they are silently choosing to refuse
to comply with the rule. Passive resistance to
following workplace rules is common, especially if
employees are not comfortable with changes in the
workplace. Many adults do not readily except
change well, if at all. They become comfortable and
familiar with processes they have practiced for
years and are sometimes not supportive or even
resistant to process modifications. Encouragement
to support rule changes/implementation are
imperative for the safety of all employees. Do your
part by being pro-active and leading by example
when this occurs.
4. Employees don’t think The number one reason why employees do not follow
the rules apply to them. the rules is because they do not think they need the
rules in order to stay safe. They think they are
experienced enough, smart enough, or strong enough
to withstand the risk of injury. This kind of attitude is
at the root of many injury-related incidents and can be
easily adopted by other employees. Keep in mind that
the best form of flattery is to have someone (a co-
worker, for example) copy your attitudes, behaviors
and actions. Again, you lead by example.
Adopting a Health and Safety System at the Workplace

Accidents can be controlled by adopting a health and safety system in the workplace.
A good health and safety system requires both codes of practice and codes of safe
conduct at the workplace.
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What Is a Code of Practice?
A code of practice is a documented set of rules that outlines to employees how, when
working in hazardous situations or environments, to safely conduct themselves so
that all workers are protected. It is a detailed procedure for specified circumstances
that must be posted in the workplace and has the ability to:
 Change safety attitudes in the workplace

 Develop safety attitudes
 Teach people to practice what they preach (their video matches their audio)
 Help others; lead by example
A code of practice is an employee’s guide to working safely. Codes of practice are

developed by your employer and must be reviewed with you during your orientation.
It is necessary that employees strictly follow these practices so as not to harm
themselves or put others at risk.
What Is the Code of Safe Conduct?

A code of safe conduct is an employee’s set of personal parameters that the
employee will always follow. They are the standards by which employees work and
demonstrate to others. What do you consider to be your code of safe conduct? Is it
positive or negative? Read the statements below:
 Safety is very important to me. (Positive)
 I don’t care about safety; that’s the employer’s job. (Negative)
 I will look out for others and myself. (Positive)
 If someone gets hurt at work, that’s their problem, not mine. (Negative)
 I will immediately stop any job or task that I believe is unsafe. (Positive)
 I will do anything that is asked because I want to impress my superiors.
(Negative)
 I will always behave as a professional and will learn all I can about my work.
(Positive)
 I will only do what I have to do and I really don’t care how well I do it. (Negative)
 I will always address any hazards when I become aware of them. (Positive)
 It’s not my job to address hazards. (Negative)
 I will adhere to the company’s safety rules. (Positive)
 Rules were made to be broken. (Negative)
Codes of Practice and Codes of Safe Conduct in the Workplace

Safety is both a corporate obligation and a personal choice. Your personal code of
conduct may very well determine if you may be more at risk to be involved in a
safety-related incident in the future.
 The employer is responsible to provide a safe workplace through the
development of codes of practices.
 The employee is expected to adhere to the safety standards and lead by
example by choosing to adopt a positive code of safe conduct.
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Without both (codes of practice and codes of safe conduct), the entire health and
safety system in your workplace may be at risk.
Accident Prevention
How can employees be sure that a workplace cares about health and safety? The
following are some considerations.
• Establish an orientation process for new employees or new positions.
• Consider job rotations, replacement workers, job refreshers.
• Employers should have a written health and safety program including policies,
procedures and codes of practice.
• Disciplinary procedures should exist to ensure that safety rules are observed.
The following are health and safety awareness issues with which a new employee
should become familiar when starting a new job. Employees can ask these questions
during the orientation process so they will be armed with the tools and resources in
order to better protect themselves and their co-workers.
• What are the duties and responsibilities of my job? Legislative responsibilities?
• What type of personal protective equipment will be required? Is it supplied by the
workplace or purchased by the employee?
• What type of safety training will be offered? Is WHMIS training available or
mandatory?
• Is there a joint health and safety committee (JHSC) and/or how do they address
health and safety concerns?
• What are the company’s health and safety rules or policies an employee should
know in order to do their job safely?
• What are the hazards in the job? Are there other hazards in the workplace of
which I should be made aware?
• Where are the fire extinguishers, first aid kits, PPE (Personal Protective
Equipment) and other emergency equipment located?
• What is the company’s emergency response procedure and what is the type of
training required (e.g. fire, chemical, etc.)?
• What is the process for reporting a workplace hazard, injury, accident or incident
and what is my role in this process?
Best Practices for Health and Safety

Accidents are caused by unsafe acts, unsafe conditions or by a combination of both.
The goal of a health and safety management system is to adequately assess
hazards, implement controls of hazards identified and prevent harmful events from
happening. Foreseeability is also a critical factor in the establishment of proving due
diligence.
The workplace must be routinely inspected and any unsafe conditions or poor work
practices should be identified and corrected as soon as possible. Poor judgment and
poor work practices cause and/or contribute to many accidents. In some cases, the
company’s disciplinary procedure may have to be enforced to ensure that safety
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rules are observed. Supervisors, managers and senior managers should also be
disciplined for failing to carry out their health and safety responsibilities.
A good health and safety management system must include activities designed to
prevent the recurrence of accidents through an analysis of jobs and work procedures
to identify hazards and taking steps to eliminate or reduce those hazards. The
employer should have a written health and safety program including policies,
procedures and codes of practice.
Summary
Safe work procedures provide a carefully planned step-by-step sequence of actions
to carry out the work safely. These standards may be legislated or simply a
company’s choice to adopt best practices for health and safety.
An employee’s code of safe conduct (either negative or positive) will determine how
well and how often an employee will follow these procedures. An employer is
responsible to develop and implement safety standards. The employee must follow
these standards and to ensure they are leading by example and not putting the
health and safety or others at risk.
Resources
 Regulation 2016-6 Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System

Asbestos
 Regulation 96-105 Underground Mines
Evaluation
Discussion 7: not graded
Brainstorm on the following two questions.
(1) Why won’t employees follow workplace health and safety rules?
(2) What can you do to encourage them to follow the rules?
Note: the instructor will decide on whether the discussion will be in classroom or
online.
Go to Brightspace to start Discussion 7 - Apply Safety and Accident Prevention

Procedures.
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Lesson 5: Safe Lifting
Overview
One of the biggest concerns in the workplace is lifting and loading. When you lift
something, the load on your spine increases and your spine can only bear so much
before it gets injured. Research shows that cumulative lifting - repeating the same load-
bearing activity over a period of time - poses just as much of a risk.
From warehouses where handling large, heavy objects is common to offices where
boxes of copier paper are a less obvious threat, all employees should know proper
lifting techniques. Injuries from lifting, loading, pulling or pushing can happen to anyone
in any industry.
Objective
 Demonstrate safe lifting and handling techniques to prevent lifting and repetitive
strain injuries.
Primary Risk Factors Associated with Lifting

Lifting is a common task for many workplaces. It is important to reduce the risks
associated with lifting such as:
• Bending
• Reaching
• Twisting
Improper lifting can result in a back injury. Handling
heavy loads or repeating the same motions can also
increase the risk of the injury. The primary risk factors
associated with lifting include forceful exertions and
awkward postures.
Watch this video to learn about the risks associated with lifting:
http://youtu.be/zss9jRW4oWw
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Risk Factor: Forceful Exertions
The weight of an object is not the only risk factor. A box lifted from
the floor, for example, is more likely to cause injury than a box of
the same weight lifted from waist height where no bending is
required.
A number of factors can increase the risk of injury, including:

 Size, shape and weight of objects (if carried or held) and
forces required (if pushed, pulled or restrained)
 Sudden unexpected or jarring movements
Risk Factor: Awkward Postures

Awkward postures can be a risk factor. A number of factors can increase the risk of
injury, including:
 Awkward movements, such as twisting,
bending, over-reaching, especially if
combined with load handling
 Static postures, like holding the body or
part of the body in a fixed position for a
long time
These risk factors are influenced by:

 How long and how often the tasks are performed (e.g., repetitive movement)
 The way work is organized, such as one employee performing all manual
handling tasks instead of tasks being shared by several employees
 Design and layout of work environment
 The degree of familiarity with the task and associated training
 Personal factors, such as age, physical dimensions and any disabilities the
person may have.
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Common Improper Lifting Injuries
A number of back injuries are a result of repetitive
motions done over a long period of time, but
remember that it only takes one wrong move or one
missed step to trigger acute back pain that can turn
into a lifelong annoyance. In 2011, more than 1,500
New Brunswickers suffered a serious back injury
on the job. When you add it up, those injuries
account for more than 157 years of lost-time. The
most common improper lifting injuries are
musculoskeletal injuries (MSIs). 36% of workplace
injuries are musculoskeletal.
 MSI costs represent 36% of all Lost-Time
claim costs.
 Back & shoulder injuries represent 70%
of all Lost-Time MSI claims.
What Are Musculoskeletal Injuries (MSIs)?

A musculoskeletal injury is “an injury or disorder of the muscles, tendons, ligaments,
joints, nerves, blood vessels or related soft tissue including sprain, strain and
inflammation that may be caused or aggravated by work.” Major risk factors for MSIs
are: forceful exertion (lifting, carrying, pushing or pulling), repetition, and awkward or
static postures.
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Everyone’s Responsibility to Prevent Musculoskeletal Injuries
Everyone has a role to play in maintaining a healthy and safe workplace. That is the
internal responsibility system, and it is the basis of New Brunswick’s Occupational
Health and Safety Act. Employers, supervisors, employees and Joint Health and Safety
Committees (JHSCs) or health and safety representatives must work together to
prevent workplace injuries and illnesses.
Here are some ways to help reduce the risk of musculoskeletal injuries in the
workplace. Here are some ways to help reduce the risk of musculoskeletal injuries in
the workplace:
Employers and managers:

• Incorporate MSI prevention into the health and safety policy and program
• Review the health and safety program to include or strengthen MSI prevention
activities
• Train employees and JHSC members or the health and safety representative
on how to recognize, assess and eliminate or control MSI hazards
• Communicate to supervisors how to recognize and evaluate MSI hazards, or if
a worker raises a concern
• Identify MSI hazards related to poor design of tools, equipment,
workstations or work practices and control any associated risks
• Make sure that new equipment is designed and installed to reduce
exposure to MSI hazards
• Give employees the equipment and training they need to reduce their
Supervisors:
• Ensure everyone under your supervision is aware of MSI hazards on the job
and train employees to do the job safely
• Look for MSI hazards during workplace inspections, job task analyses and
discussions with employees
• Review injury reports and reinforce proper working techniques and use of
personal protective equipment (PPE)
• Encourage and support employees to take scheduled break(s)
• Check that employees have adjusted their workstations to suit themselves and
their work, and provide help as needed
• Support employees when they have questions or concerns
• Be aware of MSI warning signs and indicators
• Take action on reported MSI hazards and concerns, and follow up with
employees
Employees:
• Report MSI hazards and concerns to your supervisor
• Take scheduled breaks and change postures or relax muscles regularly
• Move around and occasionally change positions
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• Bring questions and concerns to your supervisor, or ask for additional
training
• Offer suggestions to your supervisor, JHSC or health and safety representative
about improvements to workstations, processes and procedures
• Know the symptoms of MSIs and report them early if they occur
• Read and ask questions about information and instructions provided
• Use proper working techniques
• Use the equipment and tools provided in your workplace to reduce
• Know how to make adjustments to your workstation to suit your body and the
work you do, and ask for help as needed
JHSC members and health and safety representatives:

• Get training on recognizing, assessing and controlling MSI hazards
• Include MSI hazards on inspection checklists
• Actively look for MSI hazards
• Discuss MSI-related concerns at JHSC meetings and with the employer
and employees
• Train employees on how to perform their jobs safely and how to identify
MSI hazards in the workplace
• Make recommendations to the employer on how to eliminate control or
reduce exposure to MSI hazards
Warm-Up and Stretch Program

In order to address the growing number of MSIs, particularly within the healthcare
sector, WorkSafeNB has Warm-up and Stretch resources for employers to implement
with their employees in order to help minimize the risk of employees suffering an MSI
injury.
The human body is like a car's engine – it works better when it is properly maintained
and warmed up. The same is true of the human machine; maintenance and warm-up
will lead to better performance. When muscles, tendons and ligaments aren’t properly
warmed up, they’re not prepared to meet the physical demands of manual handling.
Warm-up and Stretch is a unique program because it allows healthcare workers to

gain an in-depth understanding of posture and body mechanics. This knowledge
provides them with the physical skills required to reprogram their bodies and
integrate efficient weight shifts and counterbalance movements into their daily work
practices. For instructions on the Warm-Up and Stretch Exercise, visit:
 http://www.worksafenb.ca/docs/e_stretchpamph.pdf
 http://www.worksafenb.ca/docs/warmupstretchposter_e.pdf
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Implementing Lifting Control Measures
In most cases, back injuries occur by using improper postural lifting techniques,
attempting to lift a load that is too heavy or by adding resistance to a new task without
practicing its movements in a safe and controlled manner beforehand.
Employers should identify safe practices for employees to complete tasks without
injury; for example, using trolleys and handcarts, forklifts, or identifying when it is
important to have two people to lift an object.
The following lifting controls can be used to eliminate or reduce the risk of back
injuries.
• Use mechanical assistance
• Slide objects instead of lifting them
• Rotate lifting tasks with co-workers
• Store items where you won’t have to bend or reach to lift them
• Take smaller loads
• Get help from a co-worker (two-person lift)
Video: Example of Control Measures

Watch the second part of this video (0.5 minute) to learn an example of how risks
can be reduced by implementing control measures: http://youtu.be/zss9jRW4oWw.
Basic Steps of Safe Lifting and Handling

Proper techniques of lifting and handling protect against injury. Proper lifting makes
work easier. You need to think about what you are going to do before bending to pick
up an object. Over time, safe lifting techniques should become a habit.
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Points to Remember:
 Bend to lift an object – don’t stop
 Keep your back straight by tucking in your chin
 Lift with the strong leg muscles, not the weaker back muscles
Practical tips:
• Point the toe where you want to go
• Keep the load close to your body
• Avoid jerking motions
• Use both hands
• Push rather than pull
• Ask for assistance
• Body mechanics can’t fix everything
Video: Top 10 Lifting Rules

Watch a video (2:25 minutes) of top 10 lifting rules:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz3U-A6HuwE#t=18).
Summary
Poor technique can cause both acute injury, and serious chronic effects. Using
proper lifting techniques can help prevent downtime due to avoidable back injuries.
With a little practice, precautionary methods can become good daily habits that could
help prevent back injuries on the job. No approach can completely eliminate back
injuries. However, a substantial portion can be prevented by incorporating effective
administrative and engineering controls.
All employers should have a workplace risk assessment in place that identifies
hazards and helps to minimize risk and injury. This risk assessment should include
tasks that involve lifting. To evaluate a worker's lifting habits, consider the following
variables: frequency of lifting, duration of such activities and type of lifting, as well as
the worker's state of health, body size, age and general physical fitness.
To help reduce the risk of musculoskeletal injuries (MSIs), everyone has a role to
play including:
• Employers
• Supervisors
• Employees
• JHSC members and Health and Safety representatives
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Resources
 New Brunswick’s Occupational Health and Safety Act:
 Warm-Up and Stretch Exercise:
o http://www.worksafenb.ca/docs/e_stretchpamph.pdf
o http://www.worksafenb.ca/docs/warmupstretchposter_e.pdf
 Musculoskeletal injuries: https://www.worksafenb.ca/safety-
topics/musculoskeletal-injuries/
Class Activity: Demonstration

Not graded
Group/class activity: led by your instructor, demonstrate proper lifting techniques in

front of the group or class.
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Lesson 6: Proper Use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Overview
Hazards exist in every workplace in many
different forms: sharp edges, falling
objects, flying sparks, chemicals, noise
and a myriad of other potentially
dangerous situations. The Occupational
Health and Safety (OHS) Act requires that
employers protect their employees from
workplace hazards that can cause injury.
Controlling (i.e., eliminating or reducing) a

hazard at its source is the best way to protect employees. Depending on the hazard
or workplace conditions, all hazards must be assessed to determine the following:
 Can the hazard or risk be eliminated? (e.g., removing all throw/scatter mats in
an area to prevent people from slipping on them)
 Can the hazard be substituted by a safer alternate? (e.g., using non-slip grips
on the bottom of mats to prevent them from sliding)
 Is there an engineering control that could be used to address the hazard?
(e.g., coat the entire floor with non-slip coating instead of mats)
 Can the hazard be addressed by using PPE? (e.g., make sure employees use
non-slip footwear)
If engineering, work practices and administrative controls are not feasible or do not
provide sufficient protection, under the OHS Act, employers must provide personal
protective equipment (PPE) to their employees and ensure its use. An employer
must provide an overview and/or training session of the PPE you require to do your
job safely during your orientation. The orientation for a new employee shall include
the use of protective equipment, if applicable. Every employer shall:
 Provide and maintain in good condition such protective equipment as is

required by regulation;
 Ensure that such equipment is used by an employee in the course of work.
If personal protective equipment is supplied or issued to you, you are responsible to

wear and use the personal protective equipment. Under OHS Act, section 12(d):
 Every employee shall wear and use such protective equipment as is required
by regulation.
Objective
 Demonstrate proper use of the PPE that is required in your program or field of
study.
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What Is PPE?
Personal protective equipment, commonly referred to as "PPE," is equipment worn
or used to minimize exposure to a variety of hazards. Examples of PPE include
items such as gloves, ear plugs, infection control masks, hard hats, safety goggles,
safety shoes or boots or footwear that fully covers the feet, respirators, and fully
body suits.
Employers need to check to ensure that the PPE has CSA (Canadian Standards
Association) approval. It is the employer’s responsibility to ensure that the PPE meets
the CSA standard.
Types of PPEs
The type of the PPE to use will depend on the work environment, the work conditions,
and the process being performed. Most common types of PPE needed for workplaces
are:
1. Eye and face protection
Used typically around machinery and equipment where there may be a chance
of injury to an employee’s eye or face from: flying objects or particles,
splashing liquids, ultraviolet or infrared radiation and heat and glare. See
Appendix A to view a sample Selection Guidelines for Eye and Face
Protection.
2. Hearing protection
In areas where there is excessive noise (over 85 dBA), a hearing conservation
procedure and policy must be implemented which includes a mandatory
directive that instructs employees to wear either ear muffs or ear plugs
(approved by the legislative standard) in order to reduce the level of noise
exposure. See Appendix A to view a sample Selection Guidelines for Hearing
protection.
3. Foot protection
In a situation where an employee’s foot may be exposed to a hazard,
(rolling objects, falling objects, vehicular traffic, hot or corrosive
substances, electrical hazards), the employer is instructed to implement
the legislative standard which requires the employee to wear proper foot
protection. See Appendix A to view a sample Selection Guidelines for Foot
Protection.
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4. Respiratory protection
In workplaces where employees may be exposed to airborne contaminants
that cannot be controlled by ventilation, the employer is obligated to ensure
that employees are wearing the proper respiratory protection to which the
employee is exposed. In addition, the employer must ensure that the
employee is fit-tested for the respirator to ensure that the PPE is effective in
protecting the employee. See Appendix A to view a sample Respirator
Selection Guide for Respiratory Protection.
5. Head Protection
In instances where an employee is exposed to a hazard that may injure his or her
head, the employee is obligated to wear proper head protection (usually a hard
hat). The standard for hard hats in New Brunswick is quoted in Regulation 91-
191. See Appendix A to view a sample Selection Guidelines for Head Protection.
6. Hand Protection
It is important when purchasing hand protection for employees to consider not
only the type of work the employee is doing, but also the conditions in which the
employee is working. Traditionally, gloves are used to prevent cuts, abrasions,
burns and exposures to chemicals. Consideration must also be made for
employees who work in cold temperatures, with biological contaminants or doing
tasks where fine dexterity is required. Before purchasing gloves, employers must
confirm that the size and type of hand protection is adequate, identified as
suitable for the task and meets the employees’ needs. See Appendix A to view a
sample Selection Guidelines for Hand Protection.
7. Skin Protection
Employees are required to wear or use protective equipment to protect from
any hazard that may harm the skin. The Regulation is not specific to work
conditions or types of work; it outlines that employees are obligated to use
gloves, boots, body coverings, eye protection, barrier cream or any other
equipment to protect them from hazards that may injure the skin. Types of
work where any employee may need to consider this section may be health
care or personal care workers, kitchen workers, working with chemicals (SDS
specifications), working with hot objects or around flames, or in industries such
as agriculture, food processing or baking, forestry, construction, embalming,
fishing, or auto repair, where exposures to conditions may cause skin irritation
or occupational dermatitis. See Appendix A to view a sample Selection
Guidelines for Skin Protection.
Other Types of PPE

Other forms of PPE that may be required by the employer could include:
• Aprons (chemical splashes, hot substances)
• Fall arrest systems (exposure to the risk of falling from heights)
• Vests (reflective material to increase the visibility of the employee)
• Transfer belts, also referred to as walking or gait belts (client-transferring
assisted device used in healthcare / homecare settings)
• Gloves (chemical and /or liquid resistant, leather, canvas, metal mesh,
fabric-coated, latex, vinyl, nitrile, or polyurethane)
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• Toe guards (regular shoes)
• Leggings, chaps (protect the leg and feet from heat and cutting hazards)
• Body protection (lab coats, coveralls, vests, jackets, aprons, surgical
gowns and full body suits)
• Sleeve, hair and shoe covers (reduce exposure and protect workers from
contamination)
• Knee pads (carpet layers, tilers, landscape workers)
Although not normally referred to as PPE, some employees recognize that it is also
important to protect their personal health and they carry with them personal hand
sanitizer as a means to reduce exposure to infectious agents such as MRSA (antibiotic
resistant bacteria) that can cause infectious disease. Why?
Statistics show that in the workplace:

• The average desk carries over 20,000 germs (per square inch)
• The telephone carries over 25,000 germs (per square inch)
• The keyboard carries over 3,000 germs (per square inch)
*C.P. Gerba. Germs in the Workplace. Unpublished observational study, University of
Arizona, 2001.
Knowledge Check
What would you wear when you are…
1. Working around equipment that is noisy?
A. Safety goggles
B. Face shield
C. Hearing protection
D. Work gloves
2. Working with corrosive chemicals?

A. Face shield
B. Work gloves
C. Safety goggles
D. Hard hat
3. Working on wet or slippery surface?

A. Hard hat
B. Steel-toed boots
C. Anti-slip footwear
D. Work gloves
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4. Working around objects that may fall from a height?
A. Hard hat
B. Steel-toed boots
C. Safety goggles
D. Dust Mask
5. Protecting your feet from being hit?

A. Hard hat
B. Steel-toed boots
C. Anti-slip footwear
D. Work gloves
6. Carrying lumber?
A. Work gloves
B. Safety goggles
C. Dusk mask
D. Facial shield
7. Sanding?
A. Safety goggles
B. Work gloves
C. Dust mask
D. Facial shield
Benefits and Limitations of PPE

The benefits gained by wearing PPE are:
• Possible prevention of exposure to workplace hazards
• Potentially minimizing the risk should an exposure occur
• Compliments existing controls to enhance personal protection
It is also important to recognize the limitations associated with PPE:

• PPE only protects the individual wearing it, not anyone else in the workplace,
discrepancy between theoretical and actual levels of protection provided
exists (the latter is difficult to assess)
• PPE is only effective if correctly selected, fitted, used, and cared for, and the
individual is trained, and the choice of PPE may compromise mobility,
visibility, communication etc.
When considering the appropriate type of PPE, it is important to identify and assess
all the types of risk one will be exposed to, what risks can be mitigated through other
control mechanism, and any detrimental impact associated with the selection of the
PPE.
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PPE Regulations in New Brunswick
Personal protective equipment (PPE) is mandatory in most New Brunswick
workplaces. Dependent upon the type of tasks in which the employees perform, they
may need different types of PPE. If the PPE is not properly fitted to the task or the
employee, it can create additional hazards such as getting caught in moving parts or
equipment or causing the employee to have less control over the task. Also, keep in
mind that PPE protects only the user - it does nothing to remove the hazard from the
workplace. For example, a respirator may help protect the employee from toxic
fumes but does nothing to protect others in the vicinity.
Sections 38(1) – 51(6) of Regulation 91-191 under the OHS Act outlines general
requirements for PPE that may be needed for many NB workplaces.
General Responsibilities
To ensure the greatest possible protection for employees in the workplace, the
cooperative efforts of both employers and employees will help in establishing and
maintaining a safe and healthful work environment.
An employer should:
 Perform a "hazard assessment" of the workplace to identify and control physical
and health hazards
 Identify and provide appropriate PPE for employees
 Train employees in the use and care of the PPE
 Maintain PPE, including replacing worn or damaged PPE
 Periodically review, update and evaluate the effectiveness of the PPE procedures
A worker must:
 Properly wear PPE
 Attend training sessions on PPE
 Care for, clean and maintain PPE, and
 Inform a supervisor of the need to repair or replace PPE
When Can PPE Be Used to Protect Workers?

If elimination, substitution, engineering, and administrative controls do not effectively
control the hazard, PPE may be necessary, either alone or in addition to other
measures, to help protect workers.
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PPE does not remove or reduce workplace hazards and does not replace effective
engineering or administrative control methods such as substitution or ventilation.
PPE is the last line of defense when the hazard cannot be removed or controlled
adequately. Proper selection, use and care of the equipment are vital to provide the
proper level of protection.
PPE is not the most effective safety measure because it places only a barrier
between the worker and the hazard. The hazard still exists so if the right PPE is not
worn properly or when it is needed, or the PPE fails (for example, gloves leak), the
worker is not protected.
Selecting, Using, and Maintaining PPE

All PPE clothing and equipment should be of safe design and construction, and should
be maintained in a clean and reliable fashion.
 The PPE provides a good fit. The PPE should not impair dexterity or flexibility
or create safety issues such as entrapment. If there is a requirement to meet a
certain standard, CSA or equivalent, the employer must ensure that the PPE
meets this standard.
 Regardless of the type of PPE used or worn, it must be stored in a clean area
where the employee can easily access when required. It must also be repaired
or replaced when damaged or when it has become contaminated by a
hazardous substance.
 Proper maintenance is essential. Follow the PPE manufacturer's recommended
procedures for cleaning and storage.
See Appendix A to view sample selection guidelines for PPE.
Training Employees on PPE

Employers must ensure that employees are trained to properly use, maintain and store
PPE. Employees also must:
 Have training with "hands on" instruction in the fit, use and maintenance of
assigned PPE
 Understand the limitations of the PPE and know what to do in the event of
exposure or device failure (e.g. how to use emergency showers, eyewash
stations, and first aid)
 Understand when to discard/replace PPE (e.g. end of shift, every hour).
 Report any missing or defective devices to the supervisor
Summary
Personal protective equipment (PPE) is equipment worn by a worker to minimize
exposure to specific occupational hazards. PPE does not reduce the hazard itself nor
does it guarantee permanent or total protection. It should be used only when the
hazard cannot be removed or controlled. Proper PPE depends on the nature of
individual tasks and hazard exposure.
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Examples of PPE include items such as gloves, foot and eye protection, protective
hearing devices (earplugs, muffs) hard hats, respirators and full body suits and other
safety gear worn or used by workers.
This is what you can do on a job.

 Take the training the employer offers about how to use PPE
 Learn when to use PPE and use it as you've been trained
 Take care of the PPE that's assigned to you
 Report to your supervisor and get the damaged PPE replace d
Resources
 Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act:
 Regulation 91-191 under the OHS Act: http://laws.gnb.ca/en/ShowPdf/cr/91-
191.pdf
Class Activity: Demonstrate Proper Use of PPE

Not graded
Group/class activity: led by your instructor, demonstrate proper use of the PPE that
is required in your program or field of study in class. (Note: The instructor determines
which PPE is required in the field and demonstrates proper use of the PPE in class.)
Appendix A: Sample Selection Guidelines for PPE

Foot Protection
Employees must wear safety boots and safety shoes to reduce the impact of a
potential compression or puncture injury. The employer must set protective footwear
standards for employees working in areas or situations where there is likelihood or
potential for anything to fall and injure the foot. Footwear standards must also be
considered for occupations where there is potential for employees to easily slip and
fall, such as wet surfaces, icy surfaces or unstable grounds.
Some occupations for which foot protection should be considered are: shipping and
receiving, grounds keepers, kitchen staff, stock clerks, servers, health care
professionals, custodial staff, maintenance staff and employees working in and
around electricity.
Eye and Face Protection

In addition to the requirements under General Regulation 91-191, some types of work
and occupations may require eye and face protection such as:
 Working around or with flying objects or in dusty (airborne particles) conditions
such as drilling, woodworking, chipping, grinding and chiseling.
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 Working around heat sources where hot sparks could become airborne such as
welding, casting, splashes or irritating mists or in conditions where there is
exposure to high temperatures.
 Working in areas or conditions that involve soldering, glares or light radiation.
Head Protection
Head protection is designed to reduce the impact and potential of penetration to
employees working in situations where injury may occur because of falling or flying
objects. In addition to impact and penetration resistance, an employee who works in
conditions where there may be exposure to electric shock or burn should also wear
head protection.
Hand Protection
It is important when purchasing hand protection for employees to consider not only
the type of work the employee is doing, but also the conditions in which the employee
is working. Traditionally, gloves are used to prevent cuts, abrasions, burns and
exposures to chemicals. Consideration must also be made for employees who work
in cold temperatures, with biological contaminants or doing tasks where fine dexterity
is required. Before purchasing gloves, employers must confirm that the size and type
of hand protection is adequate, identified as suitable for the task and meets the
employees’ needs.
Hearing Protection
In areas or in working conditions where an employee is exposed to excessive noise
(over 80 dBA) or where an employee is exposed to continuous, intermittent or impact
noise, a hearing conservation procedure must be developed and implemented. It
must include: monitoring and measuring noise levels, mandatory use of proper and
adequate hearing protection, and postings where noise levels exceed 85 dBA
(section 33, Reg. 91-191).
Respiratory Protection
In workplaces where employees may be exposed to airborne contaminants that
cannot be controlled by ventilation, employers must provide employees with
adequate respiratory equipment and establish a code of practice for the selection,
care, use, maintenance and fitting of the equipment. In addition, precautions,
including mandatory use of respiratory protection, must be taken to protect
employees working in conditions that may cause respiratory diseases such as
COPD, pneumoconiosis, inhalation fevers or respiratory irritation.
Skin Protection
Employees are required to wear or use protective equipment to protect from any
hazard that may harm skin. The Regulation is not specific to work conditions or types
of work; it outlines that employees are obligated to use gloves, boots, body
coverings, eye protection, barrier cream or any other equipment to protect them from
hazards that may injure the skin. Types of work where any employee may need to
consider this section may be health care or personal care workers, kitchen workers,
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working with chemicals (SDS specifications), working with hot objects or around
flames, or in industries such as agriculture, food processing or baking, forestry,
construction, embalming, fishing, or auto repair, where exposures to conditions may
cause skin irritation or occupational dermatitis.
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Lesson 7: Responding to Emergencies
Overview
Emergencies and disasters can strike anyone, anytime, and anywhere. A workplace
emergency or disaster may disrupt or shut down business operations, or cause personal
injury or environmental damage. While no two emergencies are the same, planning
ahead can minimize employee injury and property damage.
Statistics show that people are more likely to respond reliably to emergencies if they:
 Are well trained and competent
 Take part in regular and realistic practice
 Have clearly agreed, recorded and rehearsed plans, actions and responsibilities
Emergency preparedness is an important part of your job safety training. You may start
by finding answers to the following questions:
 What potential emergency situations could occur in your workplace?
 How well prepared is your workplace?
 Do you know what your responsibility is and what you should do in case of an
emergency?
Objective
 Take prescribed actions in response to emergencies.
What Is a Workplace Emergency?

A workplace emergency is an unexpected, potentially harmful occurrence that poses an
immediate risk to health, life, property, or environment.
Examples of emergencies that occur in a workplace may include:

 Fires, either inside the building or in the surrounding area
 Power outages caused by natural disasters or internal electrical problems
 Chemical spills and hazardous materials leaks (including gas)
 Release of toxic substances or spills of flammable liquids
 Explosions caused by gas leaks or chemical reactions
 Building collapse or major structural failure
 Severe weather (ice storms, floods, blizzards)
 Computer and technology failure
 Natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes and tornados
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 Terrorism or bomb threats
 Suspicious packages and objects
 Violent or disruptive behavior
Preparing for E mergencies

The best way to minimize the effects of an emergency is to know ahead of time what
to do if that kind of emergency occurs and practice the proper procedures. Few
people can think clearly and logically in a crisis, so it is important to think through the
proper procedures in advance when you have time to be thorough and to practice.
Under the OHS (Occupational and Safety) Act section 8.2 (4) (g), during your new
employee orientation training, your employer is responsible to train you in emergency
procedures related to your job and your workplace.
Planning
Under the First Aid regulation (2004-130), every employer is required to evaluate and
assess the risks that employees are likely to encounter and provide adequate first aid
supplies, equipment, services and facilities for all employees. Part of the risk
assessment for the workplace may include provisions for emergency preparedness
such as:
• What to do in different emergencies
• Where shelters and meeting places are
• Emergency exits or evacuation routes
• Emergency equipment and alert systems
• Procedures to follow when someone is injured or becomes ill
• Who is in charge during emergencies
• Contact information for external emergency response personnel
• Individual roles and responsibilities
• Practice drills
You should receive training about these things and participate in the practice drills.
Emergency Plan
Having an emergency plan helps people to respond quickly to unexpected events using
the best methods for that situation. Employers should develop, implement and
communicate to each employee an emergency plan which outlines the following:
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 Duties and responsibilities of each individual in case of emergency
 A step-by-step procedure on how to get help
 Detailed procedures for evacuating the building or site
 Emergency first aid
The emergency plan should include methods for dealing with:

 Hazardous material spills
 Fire control
 Personal injury
 Occupational exposure
These plans and procedures should be practiced and reviewed on a regular basis to
ensure that everyone understands and can execute their role.
Who S hould I Call in an Emergency?

As part of your company’s emergency action plan, appropriate emergency contacts
such as the fire department, ambulance and hazardous materials professionals
should be prominently posted and included in the written procedures.
Emergency First Aid

The First Aid regulation (2004-130) under the OHS Act requires
workplaces to provide first aid kits, communication procedures,
transportation procedures and first aid providers adequate for the
number of employees at a worksite. If the workplace employs
more than 100 workers, a first aid room is required. The kits
should be stocked with materials appropriate for the types of
injuries most likely to be encountered at that workplace. Under
Schedule C of 2004-130, a list of appropriate first aid materials for all
workplaces is outlined. Employers, however, may also consider stocking
first aid kits with additional first aid supplies depending on the type of
workplace and potential injuries that may result at that workplace, given the tasks the employees
must complete. For example, an office environment and a logging operation may have
very different additional supplies, given the types of injuries that may occur in both
workplaces and work settings.
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In addition, the First Aid regulation (2004-130) requires employers to establish, maintain
and visibly post all information regarding adequate first aid supplies, providers,
equipment and facilities in the event of a workplace injury.
Emergency Involving a WHMIS Product
Read the label and the SDS (Safety Data Sheet). WHMIS (Workplace Hazardous
Materials Information System) regulations require the label on a hazardous product to
include first aid instructions. More complete first aid information, which may be detailed
for a specific entry route of the product, can be found in the SDS. This type of
information should be included in workplace WHMIS training.
To learn more about WHMIS and SDS, please go to the lesson of this course, WHMIS.
Knowledge Check
1. What is the main purpose of WHMIS?
A. To save money
B. To promote education
C. To help workers use hazardous products safely
D. To cut down "red tape"
2. What is the purpose of an SDS in the workplace?

A. To assist the purchasing department in buying chemicals
B. To describe to you the nature of the processes in the workplace
C. To provide detailed hazard and safety information about the material
D. To provide appropriate health and safety training and on the job supervision of
employees
Training
Training is important to the effectiveness of an emergency plan. Before implementing an
emergency action plan, a sufficient number of persons must be trained to assist in the
safe and orderly evacuation of employees. Training for each type of disaster response is
necessary so that employees know what actions are required.
It is an employee’s right to know and the employer’s responsibility to provide regular,

current and updated information on emergency planning in the workplace. All new
employees must review and be trained in emergency preparedness and practice drills in
the following areas (below). Revision dates for each item should occur at least annually.
It is the responsibility of employers to ensure all employees review the emergency plan
annually and make training provisions for employees who have not reviewed the plan
within at least one year of their previous training date.
All employees should be trained in the following:

 Evacuation plans
 Alarm systems
 Individual roles and responsibilities
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 Reporting procedures for personnel
 Shutdown procedures
 Types of potential emergencies and protective actions
 Location and use of first aid kits, and common emergency equipment
To view a sample of NBCC Campus Emergency Procedures, visit:

https://elearning.nbcc.ca/d2l/lor/viewer/viewFile.d2lfile/36377/452,-1/.
Accident Reporting Requirements

Under section 9 of New Brunswick Regulation 2004-130, the employee is responsible
for reporting to the employer, as soon as practical, the first signs of illness or any
workplace injury.
Employers are legally responsible to immediately report serious workplace accidents

to WorkSafeNB Prevention Division under the OHS Act and within 3 days to
WorkSafeNB the Compensation Division under the Worker’s Compensation Act.
Employers must clearly communicate to employees the importance of accident/incident

reporting within their company.
Accident/incident reporting policies and procedures must be developed and reviewed

periodically to ensure the workplace is effectively supporting the management’s health
and safety goal of providing healthy and safe work environments for employees.
Knowledge Check
Can I and my employer agree not to report the accident to WorkSafeNB?
A. Yes
B. No
Accident Reporting Procedure

All accidents must be reported to WorkSafeNB. When an accident happens, you and
your employer must report the accident.
Under the OHS Act section 43 (1), the employer shall notify the Commission (i.e.,
WorkSafeNB) immediately if an employee suffers an injury resulting in:
a) a loss of consciousness,
b) an amputation,
c) a fracture other than a fracture to fingers or toes,
d) a burn that requires medical attention,
e) a loss of vision in one or both eyes,
f) a deep laceration,
g) admission to a hospital facility as an in-patient, or
h) death.
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Under the OHS Act section 43 (4) the employer shall notify the Commission
immediately if:
a) an accidental explosion or an accidental exposure to a biological, chemical or
physical agent occurs at a place of employment, whether or not a person is
injured; or
b) a catastrophic event or a catastrophic equipment failure occurs at a place of
employment that results, or could have resulted, in an injury.
Reporting an Accident
Under the OHS Act, when an accident happens, the employer and employee must
report the accident. An accident report WorkSafeNB Form 67 - Report of Accident or
Occupational Disease must be completed and submitted to WorkSafeNB.
An employee must:
 Notify (immediately) your supervisor of the accident/incident prior to
leaving the workplace.
 Complete the (internal) “Accident/Incident Report Form” with the
supervisor and sign the form prior to leaving the workplace, if capable.
 Complete and sign WorkSafeNB Form 67 - Report of Accident or Occupational
Disease, if necessary.
 In the event that there is an injured employee who is unable to report the
accident / incident, or a known accident / incident has gone unreported, a co-
worker or witness to the event is required to report the event to their
immediate supervisor.
An employer must:
1. Assess the area for any unsafe conditions for the protection of other
employees.
2. Summon designated first aid providers for the injured employee.
3. If warranted, contact external emergency responders (for example,
ambulance) to provide transportation to the nearest medical clinic or hospital.
4. Contact WorkSafeNB to report the accident (1-800-222-9775).
5. Complete an accident report Form 67 - Report of Accident or Occupational
Disease and ensure the report is forwarded to WorkSafeNB within 3 days of
having knowledge of the accident or exposure.
Why D o e s WorkSafeNB Have to Conduct an Accident Investigation?

WorkSafeNB investigates accidents and injuries that occur in New Brunswick workplaces
in order to:
 Identify the root causes of the accident
 Determine corrective action to prevent reoccurrence
If the investigation concludes that the accident occurred because some party was not
“duly diligent,” it is possible that party may be charged for a violation under the OHS
Act or its regulations.
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Summary
A workplace emergency is an unexpected, potentially harmful occurrence. It could be an
injury incident, a severe illness, a chemical spill, a fire, flood or storm, an assault or
other incident. It can occur any time without any warning.
The more you are prepared for them, the better you will be able to act, minimize panic
and confusion when an emergency occurs. Employers have a responsibility to provide a
safe place for all employees to work. Workplace emergency preparedness and planning
are important in meeting this responsibility.
Your company should have an emergency plan to deal with various types of
emergencies. No matter what your job is, make sure you know your part in your
company’s emergency response plan and know what to do in the event of an
emergency.
Resources
 Occupational Health and Safety Act
 First Aid regulation (2004-130) under the OHS Act
 Emergency Preparedness Checklist for New Employees
https://elearning.nbcc.ca/d2l/lor/viewer/view_private.d2l?ou=6606&loIdentId=4
72
 NBCC Campus Emergency Procedures:
https://elearning.nbcc.ca/d2l/lor/viewer/viewFile.d2lfile/36377/468,-1/
 Form 67 - Report of Accident or Occupational Disease:
http://www.worksafenb.ca/docs/form67.pdf
Evaluation
Research and Discussion Forum: 10% of the final total mark
Find out who knows about the emergency procedures at your workplace.
Interview that person and/or do some of research to find procedures, signs or other
information about emergency procedures. Record your research results.
1. Types of emergencies that my workplace has plans for are:

________________________________________________________
2. If an emergency occurs in my workplace I need to…
3. If I needed to report an emergency in my workplace I would…
And discuss the results of your research with your class. (Note: your instructor will
determine whether this discussion will be in class or online.) Refer to the discussion
grading rubric for expectations and grading information on Brightspace.
Go to Brightspace to start Discussion 8 - Respond to Emergencies.
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Secu1221 Work Safely

Secu1221: Work Safely

Roles and Responsibilities...................................................................................... 22

Knowledge Check ................................................................................................... 36

Legal Issues ........................................................................................................... 54

Knowledge Check 2 ................................................................................................ 70

Lack of Control ....................................................................................................... 95

Workplace Inspection ........................................................................................... 118

Other Types of PPE .............................................................................................. 153

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

Modules Lessons Activities

Applying  What Is WorkSafeNB?  Discussion 2: Access

Module 1 Why Working Safely?

What Is a New Employee?

Why Practice Health and Safety?

The employer is responsible to set the standard

What Are Workplace Accidents, Incidents and Injuries?

Common Workplace Accidents and Injuries

Although different jobs may be associated with different accidents/injuries, the

Where Are Accidents and Injuries Occurring?

Many workplace injuries are occurring in a variety of industries across New

Watch the video of five workplace accidents:

How Do Accidents Happen?

Lack of Immediate Incident or

Employee was Employee Employee Employee’s Employee

Direct and Indirect Costs of an Accident

Costs of Employee Absence

Costs to an Individual Workplace

Human Impact of Workplace Accidents

Example: Human and Financial Costs of Workplace Harassment and Violence

Module 2: Applying NB Health & Safety Legislation

WorkSafeNB is committed to protecting all New Brunswick workers and preventing

WorkSafeNB’s Vision, Mission and Values

WorkSafeNB administers no-fault workplace accident and disability insurance system

Legislation Administered by WorkSafeNB

Legislation What does it do?

funded by employers and, in exchange, injured

Definition of “Worker” and “Employee”

• An emergency services worker within the meaning of any agreement made

When Does WorkSafeNB Provide Support and Compensation?

In workplaces with 20 or more employees, a JHSC is required and must be established by

Lesson 2: Accessing WorkSafeNB Resources

Health and Safety Officers

Benefits of Workplace Inspections

Joint Health and Safety Committees (JHSCs)

Joint Health and Safety Committees (JHSCs) play a critical role

Health and Safety Representative

Safety Topics on WorkSafeNB Website

1. Visit the WorkSafeNB website at https://www.worksafenb.ca/.

Accessing WorkSafeNB Resources

In workplaces with 20 or more employees, a JHSC is required and must be established by

1. Explore the WorkSafeNB website: www.WorkSafeNB.ca to find the workplace

Lesson 3: Your Basic Rights to Be Safe on the Job

Your Rights on the Job

The Right to Know

The Right to Participate

The Right to Refuse Unsafe Work

Exercising the Right to Refuse Unsafe Work

Justifying Your Decision to Refuse