MHR 523 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Organizational Culture, Workplace Violence, Absenteeism
2 Jul 2018
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Chapter 14: Occupational Health and Safety
● Examines how to protect the health and safety of workers by minimizing work-related
accidents and illnesses.
Strategic Importance of OHS
● Workplace accidents can be prevented.
● Investment in health and safety programs create bottom-line returns.
Changing Perspectives on Risk and Liability
● Modern health and safety programs recognize that enhancing OHS requires cooperation
among multiple stakeholders.
Basic Facts Occupational Health and Safety
Employer Responsibilities
● Take every precaution to ensure health and safety of workers (due diligence).
● Specific duties include:
○ Filing government accident reports.
○ Maintaining records
○ Ensuring that safety rules are enforced.
○ Posting safety notices and legislative information.
Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System
● WHMIS legislation is based on 3 elements:
1. Labels designed to alert workers that the container contains a potentially hazardous product.
2. Materials safety data sheets (MSDSs) outlining a product’s potentially hazardous
ingredient(s) and procedures for safety handling the product.
3. Employee training
Employees Responsibilities and Rights
● Take reasonable care to protect their own health and safety, and that of co-workers.
● Includes wearing protective clothing & equipment, and reporting contravention of the
law.
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
● Basic rights:
○ To know about workplace safety hazards.
○ To participate in the OHS process.
○ To refuse unsafe work.
■ Workers cannot be punished for refusing unsafe work.
■ Refusal of unsafe work has some limitations.
■ Not all professions have this right (some exceptions).
Joint Health and Safety Committees
● Non-adversarial atmosphere where management and labour can work together to
ensure a safe and healthy workplace.
● Usually consists of between 2 and 12 members, at least half of whom represents
workers.
● In small workplaces, one health and safety representative may be required.
Enforcement of OHS Laws
● Periodic government inspections of workplace.
● Penalties consist of fines and/or jail terms.
● “Corporate killing”: a criminal offence, failure to ensure an appropriate level of safety in
the workplace.
Consequences of OHS Violations
● Bill C-45 the “Westray Bill”
○ Criminal negligence causing death/bodily harm.
● Vicarious Liability
● Negligent training
● Turnover, morale, organizational culture.
What Causes Accidents
●Chance occurrences → beyond management control.
●Unsafe conditions → equipment , procedures, storage, illumination, ventilation, job
itself, work schedule, psychological climate.
●Unsafe acts → carrying/lifting, operating speed, avoiding safety devices/equipment,
horseplay, quarreling, etc.
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Examines how to protect the health and safety of workers by minimizing work-related accidents and illnesses. Investment in health and safety programs create bottom-line returns. Modern health and safety programs recognize that enhancing ohs requires cooperation among multiple stakeholders. Take every precaution to ensure health and safety of workers (due diligence). Take reasonable care to protect their own health and safety, and that of co-workers. Includes wearing protective clothing & equipment, and reporting contravention of the law. Workers cannot be punished for refusing unsafe work. Refusal of unsafe work has some limitations. Not all professions have this right (some exceptions). Non-adversarial atmosphere where management and labour can work together to ensure a safe and healthy workplace. Usually consists of between 2 and 12 members, at least half of whom represents workers. In small workplaces, one health and safety representative may be required. Penalties consist of fines and/or jail terms.
