Each Year Employers are required to Review their Corporate Health and Safety Policy – This is also a great time to Celebrate Your Health and Safety Success!
The Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) requires employers to review their organization’s Health & Safety policy annually. This review process allows employers to reflect on their organization’s Health & Safety goals and procedures and make improvements as necessary.
The OHSA requires employers to operate a safe and healthy workplace and to do everything reasonable to protect the health and safety of their workers. This includes establishing health and safety policies, setting workplace health and safety goals, approving an annual budget, demonstrating commitment of senior management, assigning responsibility for the health and safety program, communicating with staff and posting policies in the workplace.
The Corporate Health and Safety Policy should be:
- A reflection of management’s commitment, support and attitude to the health and safety program.
- A statement outlining management’s commitment to the protection of workers.
- Signed by the employer and the highest level of management at the workplace.
- Reviewed, updated and signed annually.
- Posted in the workplace in a visible location for all staff to see.
The end of the year is a good time to reflect on the health and safety program and to celebrate your success! Some metrics you might use to review your health and safety performance include:
- Training Hours Completed
- Results and Actions Taken from Employee Surveys
- Programs implemented
- Wellness Program Participation
- Number of Days / Months with no incidents / injuries
- Hazards identified, corrected and managed
- Incident Rate up or down over last year (including Workplace Violence and Harassment)
- Lost Time Injury Rate up or down over last year
- Inspections completed
- Safety Meetings held
For a sample policy have a look at the Fusion Career Services Health and Safety Policy.
The Ontario Ministry of Labour offers helpful resources to create and review your corporate Health and Safety Policy and Program.
