Environmental Health & Safety for Faculty - Managing Your Risks -

Environmental Health & Safety for Faculty - Managing Your Risks - DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY (EHS) & SECURITY “Due diligence is what we promote, risk management is what we support” Presented by: Catherine (Cate) Drum, BASc (OHS), CHSC, CRSP The Department of Environmental Health, & Safety and Security 02 February 2012

Agenda • Introduction • Learning Objectives • Why Should You Care? • Difference Between Hazard & Risk • Internal Responsibility System • Duties of Employers/Supervisors/Workers • Supervisor – Defined • Supervisor Competency - Defined • Due Diligence - Explained • Managing Risks Within Your Control and/or Authority • Ryerson & Other Ontario University Experiences

Learning Objectives • Know and understand your health and safety responsibilities • To understand the concept of due diligence and what you need to do to demonstrate it

Why Should You Care? • Three Basic Reasons • Human • Legal • Financial

Activity: What is the Hazard?

Activity Sheet:Scope of Hazards in Education Sector • Biological • Chemical • Physical • Safety • Stress/Psychosocial • Work Design

What is the difference between Hazard and Risk? • Risk = Hazard + Exposure • Hazard: is any source of potential damage, harm or adverse health effects on something or someone under certain conditions • Exposure: The extent to which the likely recipient of the harm is exposed to – or can be influenced by – the hazard • Risk: is the chance or probability that a person will be harmed or experience an adverse health effect if exposed to the hazard. It also applies to situations with property or equipment loss.

What is the difference between Hazard and Risk? Examples of Hazards and Their Effects

What is the difference between Hazard and Risk? • Risk = Hazard + Exposure For harm to occur in practice – in other words, for there to be a risk – there must be BOTH the hazard AND the exposure to that hazard; without both these at the same time, there is no risk.

Internal Responsibility System Each individual within the Ryerson community shares responsibility for • the identification of environmental health and safety hazards, • managing the related risks, and • improving upon any processes with the idea of ensuring that the risk is as low as reasonably practicable

Basic Structure of the IRS Delegate:BOG Accountability Authority President & Responsibility Vice Presidents Senior Directors Managers/Chairs/ Academic Directors Supervising Faculty & Staff Workers/Students/Guests Volunteers/Contractors

Legal Responsibilitiesare PERSONAL

Activity Sheet:Bill C-45 Communication • Amendments to the Criminal Code of Canada • What’s New? • What Does It Mean? • How To Protect Yourself

Duties of Employer s. 25, 26Ontario Occupational Health & Safety Act • Take every precaution reasonable • Ensure that there is a health and safety program in the workplace • Inform, instruct and supervise all workers • Appoint competent supervisors • Assists Joint Health & Safety Committee (JHSC) in their roles and responsibilities • Ensure proper training

Duties of Supervisors s. 27Ontario Occupational Health & Safety Act • Ensure workers work in a safe manner • Ensure use of personal protective equipment (PPE) • Advise workers of hazards • Provide written instructions • Take every precaution reasonable

Duties of Workers s. 28Ontario Occupational Health & Safety Act • Work in compliance with the law and the University policies/procedures/guidelines • Use personal protective equipment (PPE) • Report hazards immediately • Ensure proper guarding is in place • Work in a safe manner • No rough, boisterous conduct • Do not remove any protective equipment

Who is a Supervisor? Definition of Supervisor… • means a person who has charge of a workplace or authority over a worker • In a University setting the term “Supervisor” could be the President, Senior Director, Chair, Academic Director, Manager, Coordinator, Faculty Member, Principle Investigator, Teaching Assistant, Technician, Technologist, Lead Hand, etc.

Who is a Supervisor? • Supervisor is not limited by the position title but by the responsibilities held • A supervisor must be “competent”…this has a specific meaning under the Occupational Health & Safety Act

Who is a Competent Supervisor? Definition of Competent Person… • Is qualified because of knowledge, training and experience to organize the work and its performance • Is familiarwith the OHS Act and the regulations that apply to the work, and • Has knowledge of any potential or actual danger to health or safety in the workplace.

Activity Sheet:Supervisor Competency Checklist Key Questions an Employer Should Ask …

Who is a Worker? Definition of Worker… • A “worker” is considered as any person who receives monetary compensation for performing work or providing a service • Everyone in an organization who receives monetary compensation is considered a worker

Rights as a Worker • Right to Know • What are the hazards in your job? • Right to Participate • through the joint health and safety committee or representative and by asking questions • Right to Refuse Unsafe Work • if you believe the job is dangerous, or you have not been trained to do the job

Activity Sheet:EHS Responsibilities What Are Your Responsibilities under Ryerson’s EHS Management System?

Due Diligence– What Does It Mean? The term “due diligence” is the level of judgment, care, caution, determination and activity a person would reasonably be expected to do under particular circumstances.

Due Diligence– Applied in a Workplace Applied in the workplace, due diligence means that employers and supervisors shall take all reasonable precautions under those particular circumstances to prevent injuries, accidents or exposures in the workplace. This definition presumes that you are following all the minimum legal requirements!

Due Diligence– What is the Special Significance? • “Due Diligence” is a legal defense for a person charged under the OHS legislation • So, if charged, a defendant may be found not guilty if they can prove that on the balance of probabilities, the accused had been duly diligent by taking the steps necessary to ensure the regulations were complied with • You are presumed GUILTY until proven innocent – the defendant bears the burden of proof, NOT the prosecution

Due Diligence– Accident/Incidents/Exposures Consider Four Main Factors • Was the event foreseeable? • Was the event preventable? • Did you have control over the circumstances? • If it was within your authority to control the hazard, did you do it?

Due Diligence– Systems & Documentation The further away you are from the activities being performed, the more structure that has to be put into place. How do you do that? Systems & Documentation

Due Diligence– Develop a Worst Case Scenario • What equipment/material would it involve? • Where would it most likely happen? • What would have to fail in order for that event to take place? • What time would it likely happen? • Would it involve Staff, Faculty, PI or Student? • What would the impact be to the department/school, staff/faculty/students, or Ryerson?

Due Diligence– Summary As the Supervising Faculty Member, you are legally obligated to: • Ensure that the workplace is safe for staff, students and the public who use or enter your space • Ensure that your staff are taking all reasonable measures to protect themselves, their colleagues, the students and the public

Due Diligence– Summary What systems, practices, procedures and training could be put into place to prevent the event? Greater Risks Demands Greater Care !! The responsibility is on your shoulders... you can delegate the work, but you cannot escape the obligation to show personal due diligence

Activity Sheets Examples of Supervisor Demonstrating LACK of Due Diligence Checklist for Supervisor Due Diligence Key Court Measures Which Determine Whether Due Diligence Steps Taken

Managing Risks What are you Managing? • Environmental Health & Safety and Security Risks What are you Preparing for? • Contingencies & Emergencies

Managing Risks– Remember: Risk = Hazard + Exposure • If you are managing your risks, then there is a hazard and there is exposure • In order to reduce the risk, you can go through a sequence of options which offer a way to approach possible control measures • Work your way down the list and implement the one that works best in the circumstances

Managing Risks– Hierarchy of Controls • Eliminate or Substitute • Isolate • Use Engineering Controls • Includes designs or modifications to plant equipment, ventilation systems, and processes that reduce the source of exposure • Use Administrative Controls • Includes regular inspections and tests, implementing safe work practices, instruction and training • Use Personal Protective Equipment • Equipment worn by individuals to reduce exposure

Managing Risks– Control and/or Authority • Guests and Visitors • Health & Safety • Lab • Off Campus Work • Office and Campus • Students and Staff • Research • Teaching • Time

Managing Risks– My Guests & Visitors • I need to complete and document a risk assessment on the activity I am hosting or demonstratingand advise my guests and visitors of any risk management measures • I need documentation to indicate that my guests and visitors are aware of the hazards and control measures associated with activity under my control or direction which they may be exposed to

Managing Risks– My Health & Safety • I must complete the online Orientations • EHS, OHS, WHMIS • I must participate in any required EHS training relevant to my work activities • I must report unsafe conditions and/or unsafe behaviours • I must fill out an internal accident/incident/ exposure report form in the case that I am involved in an accident or near miss incident

Managing Risks– My Lab • I must appoint supervision in my absence as required • I need to complete and document a risk assessment and advise my students and staff of any risk management measures • I must establish, document and evaluate a preventative maintenance program for all my equipment • I need to establish, document and evaluate a health & safety training plan for each of my students and staff specific to the associated hazards • I must secure my lab from unauthorized entry • I need to complete and document a contingency plan to address unexpected conditions • Prior to starting work, I need to obtain any University permit specific to activity occurring within my lab

Managing Risks– My Off Campus Work • I must complete a Travel Risk Assessment for International travel prior to confirming plans • I need to ask about health & safety measures of other organizations that I am associated with or working with

Managing Risks– My Office and Campus • I must know my safe evacuation route • I must prepare a contingency plan in the event of an immediate campus-wide evacuation and/or building closures which could impact access to my personal belongings • I must be familiar with the Policies, Programs and Guidelines that apply to me or my work • I must report any observed hazards • I must be familiar with the University Emergency Awareness, Preparedness and Response Procedures

Managing Risks– My Students & Staff • Prior to commencing work or activity, I must ensure that my students and staff complete the following: • EHS, OHS & WHMIS Orientation • Workplace Specific EHS training • I must ensure that my students and staff are aware of the Workplace Violence Prevention Program and Guidelines • I must provide my students and staff with EHS information and instruction

Managing Risks– My Research • I must appoint supervision in my absence as required • I need to read the University Health & Safety Management System Policy • I need to complete and document a risk assessment • I need to establish, document and evaluate a health & safety training plan for each of my students and staff specific to the associated hazards • I need to establish, incorporate and communicate safety procedures in all my protocols • I need to complete and document a contingency plan to address unexpected conditions

Managing Risks– My Teaching • I need to complete and document a risk assessment on my curriculum and advise my students and staff of any risk management measures • I must follow-up on health & safety concerns observed by me or reported to me • I need to provide supervision for hazardous activity • I have to advise my students and staff on emergency procedures • I have to advise my students and staff of any health & safety hazards associated with my course or program

Managing Risks– My Time • I can save time by accessing the Department of Environmental Health & Safety and Security’s website 24/7 to get the information that I need when I need it www.ryerson.ca/cehsm • I know that all EHS matters that need to be documented are facilitated through the DEHSS forms listed on the website

Ryerson Experiences • Student Activities & Events • Risk Assessments are required for all student events on or off campus • Research Equipment for Lab • PI purchased lab equipment and did not know that it was contaminated with radiation • Had to hire outside consultant company to test and then wipe down every surface of equipment

Ryerson Experiences • Research Equipment for Lab • Technician filled out Risk Assessment prior to purchase and discovered that the equipment would not fit into the available space and it would be too heavy for the floor • Off-site space had to be leased for the research equipment • International Travel • More students, staff and faculty traveling to international destinations on academic related activities

Ryerson Experiences • Machine Guarding • Guard was not in place • finger was amputated and later reattached • Cleaning of Grinder • Grinder was not properly cleaned after use • Was not checked prior to next use • Student went to use it and a small explosion with a fire burned the student’s hand • Wall Shelving • Overloaded wall shelving caused shelves to collapse

Ryerson Experiences • Ergonomics • Staff complaining of hand/wrist/arm pain • External consultant hired to assess work and workstation • Worker was off for months • Caught By: • Worker was coming in doors at 380 Victoria • Someone else was coming in at the same time • Fingers caught between door handles • Fingers crushed

Ryerson Experiences • Fall from Height • Worker needed to access boxes on top of 5 drawer filing cabinet • Used standard seating chair to access boxes (no wheels) • Worker fell backwards while taking down box • Exposure to Substance: • Worker was cleaning up chemistry lab which included other’s chemicals • Put some “empty” containers in a bath solution • Worker was overcome by fumes • Was unable to find out what the “bath solution” contained

Environmental Health & Safety for Faculty - Managing Your Risks -