Lecture 23 - OSH Disasters (updated).pdfVIP

Occupational Heath and Safety ECOR 1010 Lecture 23 The acronym is pronounced like gosh, but without the g, so people say: “osh” Safety and Professional Engineering ? Safety is the unifying theme of professional engineering – You will become a leader in your organization – You have professional obligations ? Occupational Heath and Safety Act (OHSA) ? Ministry of Labour (Ontario) – Enforces the OHSA – Audits workplaces for compliance – Investigates accident and prosecutes for contravention Occupational Heath and Safety Act ? Intended for the protection of workers against health and safety hazards on the job ? Sets out the framework for making Ontarios workplaces healthy and safe – Similar acts in all provinces of Canada ? Defines the rights and duties of all parties in the workplace ? Establishes procedures for dealing with workplace hazards OHSA Online ? .on.ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_90o01_e.htm Workplace Responsibilities ? Workers, supervisors, employers, engineers are all responsible for OHSA implementation – Called the Internal Responsibility System (IRS) – Often a company committee is formed to do so, called a Joint Heath and Safety Committee ? Organizations with more than 20 employees ? Composition split between workers and management – Identify, discuss, investigate, educate, and recommend changes to workplace practices Duties of Workers ? Work in compliance with OHS Act and regulations ? Use protective equipment, devices or clothing that is required by the employer ? Report any defects in equipment ? Report contraventions and hazards ? Do not bypass any safety device ? Do not operate equipment that may endanger the safety of any worker ? Do not remove or make ineffective any protective device required by the employer or by the regulations Rights of Workers ? There are four basic rights under the OHSA 1. Right to participate 2. Right to know 3. Right to refuse work 4. Right to stop work