The Workplace Safety and Health Act supports every worker’s right to a safe and healthy workplace. It assigns responsibility to each person in the workplace for creating and maintaining a safe and healthy workplace. Everyone has a personal and a shared responsibility to work together cooperatively to prevent workplace injuries and illness.
Employers (in our case, the School Division) have the greatest degree of authority and control over the operations of the workplace, and thus they have the greatest degree of responsibility for workplace safety and health. The legal safety and health responsibilities of the employer include:
- Taking necessary precautions to ensure the safety, health and welfare of all workers;
- Providing and maintaining a safe workplace, equipment, tools, and systems;
- Ensuring all workers and supervisors (Principals) are aware of hazards in the workplace;
- Providing workers with competent supervision;
- Providing necessary training to protect workers’ safety and health before they begin a new job;
- Consulting and cooperating with the workplace safety and health committee or representative;
- Cooperating with other people on workplace safety and health matters.
Principals have the responsibility to oversee a group of workers (teachers, clinicians) within a workplace. The legal safety and health duties of principals include:
- Taking necessary precautions to protect the safety and health of workers under their supervision;
- Ensuring that workers comply with safety and health procedures and use safety equipment, clothing, and devices;
- Advising workers of safety and health hazards;
- Cooperating with the Workplace Safety and Health committee or representative;
- Cooperating with other people on workplace safety and health matters.
Teachers, including clinicians, are responsible for their own action or inaction. Teachers’ legal safety and health responsibilities include:
- Taking reasonable care to protect themselves and others who may be affected by their actions or omissions;
- Proper use of safety equipment, clothing, and devices;
- Taking necessary precautions to ensure that activities and hazards within their control do not create a safety and health risk;
- Cooperating with the Workplace Safety and Health committee or representative;
- Cooperating with other people on workplace safety and health matters.
A very basic responsibility that all members have is to report any concerns regarding Workplace Safety and Health. The “Incident Report Form,” available through the RETSD and RETTA websites, should be used anytime there is a workplace incident, whether it be a hazard, improper equipment, or acts or threats of violence. Any person who experiences an incident or is a witness to an incident is compelled to report.
Each member plays an important role in maintaining the safety and health in our workplaces. By working together, we can provide a safer environment for everyone.
