Lesson 5: Safety Inspection

Occupational Health and Safety Regulations

The Government of Saskatchewan requires the establishment of an Occupational Health and Safety Committee to oversee all inspections and other workplace safety regulations.  It is important to understand this structure before talking about inspections.

The following information is a summary of information available, in detail, from the Government of Saskatchewan:

https://www.saskatchewan.ca/business/safety-in-the-workplace/ohc-and-ohs-representative

Occupational Health Committees

Employers are legally required to set up and maintain an Occupational Health Committee (OHC) at workplaces with 10 or more workers. The primary purpose of an OHC is to collaborate with employers and workers to create a healthy and safe work environment by identifying and addressing occupational health and safety hazards.

The duties of an OHC include helping employers identify and control hazards, making recommendations for improving workplace health and safety, addressing worker concerns, distributing information, conducting workplace inspections, investigating incidents, assisting in the establishment of health and safety programs, and ensuring compliance with occupational health and safety legislation. The main role of an OHC is to provide advice and recommendations to the employer regarding hazard correction.

Employers are required to consult and cooperate with the OHC, respond to their concerns or recommendations, and inform them in writing about actions taken to address hazards or reasons for inaction.

The selection of OHC members differs based on whether the workplace is union or non-union. In union workplaces, members are appointed according to the union’s constitution and bylaws, while workers in non-union workplaces elect their representatives. The co-chairs are chosen by employers and workers, respectively, and have the same rights and responsibilities as other members.

To set up an OHC, employers should meet with workers and management to explain the committee’s purpose, the process for selecting members, and hold an initial meeting to select co-chairs. Training is essential, and employers must ensure that co-chairs receive training in the duties and functions of an OHC.

Occupational Health Committee Minutes

Employers are required to set up and maintain an Occupational Health Committee (OHC) at workplaces with 10 or more workers.

Occupational Health Committee (OHC) meeting minutes are summaries of meetings and must be taken at every OHC meeting.

Under The Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, 2020, a committee is required to:

• record minutes of each meeting in a format provided by the division and keep minutes on file with the committee; and
• post a copy of the minutes at a location that is readily accessible to workers at the place of employment until all concerns recorded in the minutes are resolved.

The employer must maintain a copy of the minutes and have them readily available for inspection by a committee member or an occupational health officer.

Occupational Health and Safety Representatives

OHS representatives assist both employers and workers in identifying and resolving health and safety concerns. They are required in workplaces with five to nine workers engaged in highly hazardous activities.

The duties of OHS representatives include establishing communication channels between employers and workers, conducting regular inspections, discussing health and safety concerns with workers, participating in incident investigations, assisting in the development of safety procedures and policies, and holding regular meetings with employers to address concerns. Written records of these meetings must be kept by the employer and made readily available to workers and Occupational Health Officers.

The selection process for OHS representatives depends on whether the workplace is unionized or non-unionized. In a non-unionized workplace, representatives are appointed by their co-workers, while in a unionized workplace, the appointment follows the union’s bylaws.

OHS representatives are required to attend training and seminars related to health and safety, as mandated by regulations. The training must be conducted by WorkSafe Saskatchewan or an approved instructor.

The following is a link to WorkSafe Saskatchewan OH&S training;

https://www.worksafesask.ca/training/occupational-health-committee-training/level-1-occupational-health-committee-training/

Safety Inspections

The following information is a summary of information available, in detail, from the Government of Saskatchewan:

https://www.saskatchewan.ca/business/safety-in-the-workplace/enforcements-prosecutions-and-investigations/inspections-inquiries-and-investigations

Occupational Health Officers (OHOs) have the authority to conduct inspections at various work-related locations, including plants, places of employment, worksites, and vehicles. The purpose of these inspections is to prevent incidents, injuries, and illnesses, as well as to investigate and determine the causes of such events. OHOs can also respond to occupational health and safety complaints and ensure compliance with relevant legislation.

During inspections, OHOs are granted certain powers. They can ask appropriate questions, require demonstrations of machinery or equipment usage, request production and removal of records related to worker training, enlist workers’ help in retrieving electronic information, and require any person present to provide information about the employer’s identity. Inspections can be conducted at reasonable times or whenever there are reasonable grounds to believe that workers are at risk.

Inquiries are conducted by OHOs to gather information regarding work-related fatalities, serious injuries, or allegations of harassment. The OHOs have the authority to interview individuals they believe can provide relevant information.

Investigations occur when there are reasonable grounds to believe that an offence has been committed under The Saskatchewan Employment Act or its regulations. If a warrant is issued by a justice/provincial court judge, OHOs have the authority to enter and search specified premises, stop and search vehicles, examine various compartments, request production and examination of records or property, make copies of records, require machinery or equipment demonstrations, conduct tests and examinations, and seize potential evidence.

Kinds of Safety Inspections

The following information has been extracted from the Worksafe Saskatchewan OHC Training Level 2 Workplace Inspections Guide under “fair use” guidelines.  The entire work is available online:

http://www.worksafesask.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Level2.Workplace.Inspections.Guide_.feb2016.web_-2.pdf

Generally, there are two types of inspections – informal and formal (planned).  An informal inspection monitors hazards and hazard controls.  A formal inspection is a planned walk-through or examination of a workplace, selected work area or particular hazards, machinery, tools, equipment, and work practices.

Saskatchewan legislation requires employers to conduct a general inspection of the workplace, including the tools and technologies of production.

OHCs and representatives carry out regular, planned inspections of the workplace, inspections with OHOs and special inspections.  These inspections should:

• Check the effectiveness of the employer’s health and safety systems;
• Identify problems that inspections conducted by the employer, supervisors, and workers have missed; and
• Discuss concerns with workers and supervisors.

The employer corrects problems and ensures the workplace complies with the legislation.

OHC’s should inspect the workplace, or parts of the workplace, before each regularly scheduled meeting and add inspection items to the agenda.

The employer is responsible for setting up and maintaining an effective inspection system.  They must allocate adequate resources and ensure that all employees support the system.

Training the OHC or representative to carry out inspections properly is one of the best ways for the employer to check the effectiveness of the system.^[1]

Impact of Safety Inspections Risk Prevention

There are several costs associated with workplace incidents and illnesses.  Direct costs are things like medical care and rehabilitation.  Indirect costs are economic losses to the employer, injured worker, and community.

Indirect costs can be higher than direct costs and include things such as property damage, lost time, hiring replacement workers, lost production, and loss of business and goodwill.

Effective inspections are one of the most effective tools for preventing injury and illness.  Good inspection systems pay attention to the concerns of workers, hazardous activities, and work processes.  They also encourage good safety practices.^[2]