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Worth Personnel Group |
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Worth in the Workplace |
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e-Learning Bill 168 Compliance to OHSA Workplace Violence and Harassment FOR MORE INFORMATION EMAIL Bill168Compliance@worthpersonnel.com |
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TO SPEAK WITH A SPECIALTY SERVICES FACILITATOR, CALL 416-402-8379
or email contactus@worthpersonnel.com
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RISK ASSESSMENT
Risk assessment is the process where you: · identify hazards · analyze or evaluate the risk associated with that hazard · determine appropriate ways to eliminate or control the hazard
· In practical terms, a risk assessment is a thorough look at your workplace to identify those things, situations, processes, etc that may cause harm, particularly to people. After identification is made, you evaluate how likely and severe the risk is, then deciding what measures should be in place to effectively prevent or control the harm from happening.
Risk assessment is important because it: · forms an integral part of a good occupational health and safety management plan · creates awareness of hazards and risks · identifies who may be at risk · determines if existing control measures are adequate or if more should be done · prevents injuries or illnesses when done at the design or planning stage · prioritizes hazards and control measures
WORTH RISK ASSESSMENT SPECIALISTS
Overall, the goal is to find and record possible hazards that may be present in your workplace.
WORTH recommends that an assessment is done by a qualified third party professional who is able to view the work area with a “fresh eye”, while working with a company’s team of competent individuals who have a good working knowledge of the workplace.
Our Risk Assessment Specialist will: · look at all aspects of the work, including non-routine activities such as maintenance, repair, and cleaning · review accident reports, incident records and near-miss records · include “off site" workers, such as satellite, at home offices, on other job sites, drivers, visiting client offices etc · consider the way the work is carried out, including the age and experience of the workers, systems being used, etc · look at foreseeable unusual conditions, for example emergencies, power outages etc · examine risks to visitors or the public · include an assessment of groups that may have a different level of risk such as young or inexperienced workers, persons with disabilities, or new or expectant mothers.
It is important to remember that the assessment must take into account not only the current state of the workplace but any potential situations as well. |
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OUR ADVICE – GET A SECOND OPINION
A Risk Assessment performed by an unrelated third party may offer the follow benefits
· They may see things that go unnoticed as they are now “just the way things are done” · As a Risk Assessment expert, they are up to date on current legislation · As part of the Risk Assessment, it is possible to speak with employees regarding issues that may not be brought to the attention of management for fear of losing their jobs · Assist with amending and/or updating current policies and procedures · Provide training to staff and management regarding policies, procedures, reporting and other protocol |
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BILL 168 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
What is Bill 168? Bill 168 is an amendment to the Occupational Health and Safety Act, with respect to violence and harassment in the workplace; the Ministry of Labour of Ontario now recognizes them as occupational hazards. Workplaces in Ontario are now required to have the necessary policies, programs, measures and procedures in place. As of June 15, 2010, organizations must be compliant with the changes to the legislation, or risk harsh penalties for non-compliance.
What are the fines and penalties for non-compliance with Bill 168? Anyone (that means individuals in authority positions) who fails to comply can personally be fined up to $25,000 or up to 12 months imprisonment or both. Corporations convicted of an offence can be fined up to $500,000.
We don’t have the resources. We’re just struggling our way out of a recession! While the timing may not be good, the law still requires that you become compliant or face the potential consequences they have set up. At WORTH, we understand these challenges, and have cost-effective solutions in place, regardless of your circumstances.
Our staff get along well. We don’t need to do this. While it is assumed that some companies have a happy and productive workplace, inspectors must ensure that all workplaces comply, since they are not aware of which are the successful ones. In addition, since it is not possible to predict the future, they require the assurance that procedures are in place to protect all workers.
Is violence in the workplace really that prevalent? Over the past 5 years, 66% of organizations are reporting aggressive acts within their workplace, with 82% reporting an increase of formal reports. (CIWV 2000). Employers are finding that with added job stress as a result of tough economic times, violence in the workplace is escalating. Bill 168 came into being as a result of this trend.
We aren’t going to do anything. We won’t get audited. Be cautioned that you are breaking the law, with the hope of not getting caught. In the event of an incident, and an inspector shows up at your door, you must be able to prove compliance. They have structured the system so that it is apparent whether or not a workplace has performed its due diligence. The penalties are in place to indicate that they are serious about this mandate. In fact, although the recent Ontario budget included many government cutbacks, they increased funding to hire additional Employment Standards Inspectors to enforce workplace safety.
It’s too much work. I don’t know what to do and it will cost too much to have it outsourced. That’s where we come in. We’ve put together solutions that provide a quick and effective means to become compliant with Bill 168. These include the mandatory Risk Assessment, create a Workplace Violence and Harassment policy and program, and provide education and training to your staff.
How is training handled? We can’t afford to take our staff away from their jobs. In conjunction with an e-Learning provider, WORTH has developed a platform to deliver a learning system which will ensure that your workers are trained in specific areas as required to be compliant. This online course may be taken 24/7, and requires only internet access. With online tracking, reporting features, and individual final examination results, your due diligence will meet auditable standards.
What else do you do? WORTH handles a variety of best practices human resource and training solutions, ensuring that you receive the best return on the investment in your people. Our team of specialists include Subject Matter Experts and Project Professionals in the areas of Conflict Management, Leadership Training, Labour Relations, WSIB Claims Management, Accessibility Specialists, Addiction Management, and Myers Briggs facilitation, to name a few.
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TAKE HEED As employees become more aware of the rights and protection that Bill 168 should provide them while on the job, they are beginning to contact government agencies to report their employers for non-compliance, in an effort to resolve a problem at work that their employer is not resolving for them. The calls may be made anonymously, so you may never know who, or when.
There are many things affecting workers of which their employers are unaware. Why gamble with the unknown? Many of the incidents that happen between workers are not brought to the attention of management, so taking charge of the situation is not an option. You may only find out when it’s too late.
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