Supervisors play in important role in keeping workplaces safe and healthy. You act on behalf of the employer and help make sure the workers you supervise have a healthy and safe work environment.
Who is a supervisor?
Anyone who provides direction to workers on their work-related tasks, whether or not their job title includes the word "Supervisor."
Supervisor responsibilities
As a supervisor, you must be familiar with the health and safety hazards in your workplace, and you have the responsibility to protect the health and safety of everyone under your supervision.
You are required to take all reasonable steps to protect workers from harm. This means doing what a reasonable person would do in the same situation to identify risks and prevent injuries.
Supervisors must:
- Take every reasonable precaution to protect the physical and psychological safety of each person at or near the workplace.
- Promote health and safety awareness and make sure all health and safety information is easily accessible to workers.
- Make sure that any tools, equipment, devices, or machines are properly maintained and in good working condition, as recommended by the manufacturer or regulations.
- Provide proper safety orientation and training to all workers. Training should include:
- Identification of the hazards that exist.
- A review of written procedures to perform the task safely and an overview of safety controls, including any Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that is required;
- A demonstration in how to safely perform job tasks; and
- An opportunity for the worker to demonstrate competence in performing the job task.
- Document and maintain records of all safety training activities.
- Supervise and monitor the worker to ensure that safety standards are maintained while performing job tasks.
- Correct unsafe work habits.
- Make sure workers are trained in how to safely handle, store, use, and dispose of chemical and biological substances at the workplace.
- Cooperate with the Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee and/or Safety Representative as required.
- Collaborate with workers to create Safe Work Procedures.
- Cooperate with any person performing a duty or exercising a power granted by the OHS Act or the Regulations.
Supervisor’s role in refusal to work
Workers must immediately report their refusal to work concerns to their supervisors (or their employer if they don’t have a supervisor). As outlined in the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act, a refusal to work must be based on a worker’s reasonable belief that their health and safety or the health and safety of another person is in danger if they continue working.
According to the OHS Act, as a supervisor, you must promptly investigate the claim in the presence of the worker that made the claim.
After investigating the claim:
- If you agree there is danger to the worker’s health and safety, you must take appropriate actions, or recommend actions to the employer, as outlined in the OHS Act.
- If you find there is no danger to the worker’s health and safety, you must instruct the worker on how to safely return to work, as outlined in the OHS Act.