All workplace parties have specific roles and responsibilities when it comes to health and safety in the workplace. In Ontario, under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, there are specific duties for an employer, supervisor and a worker.

What are the duties of an employer?

Section 25 and 26 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act describe specific duties of an employer. Some of these duties include (but are not limited to):

• Ensuring equipment, material and protective devices as prescribed are provided
• Ensuring that equipment, materials and protective devices provided by the employer are maintained in good condition
• Ensuring that measures and procedures are carried out in the workplace
• Provide information, instruction, and supervision to a worker to protect the health or safety of the worker
• Appoint competent supervisors
• Take every precaution reasonable in the circumstances for the protection of a worker
• Prepare and review at least annually a written occupational health and safety policy and develop and maintain a program to implement that policy

What are the duties of a supervisor?

Section 27 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act describes specific duties of a supervisor. Some of these duties include (but are not limited to):

• Ensuring that a worker, works in the manner and with the protective devices, measures and procedures required by the Act and all applicable regulations
• Ensuring that a worker uses or wears the equipment, protective devices or clothing that the worker’s employer requires to be used or worn
• Advising a worker of the existence of any potential or actual danger to the health or safety of the worker of which the supervisor is aware
• Provide a worker with written instructions as to the measures and procedures to be taken for protection of the worker
• Take every precaution reasonable in the circumstances for the protection of a worker

What are the duties of a worker?

Section 28 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act describes specific duties of a worker. Some of these duties include (but are not limited to):

• Working in compliance with the provisions of the Act and all applicable regulations
• Using or wearing the equipment, protective devices or clothing that the worker’s employer requires to be used or worn
• Reporting to his or her employer or supervisor the absence of or defect in any equipment or protective device of which the worker is aware and which may endanger himself, herself or another worker
• Reporting to his or her employer or supervisor any contravention of the Act or regulations or the existence of any hazard of which he or she knows
• No worker shall, remove or make ineffective any protective device required by the regulations or by his or her employer, without providing an adequate temporary protective device and when the need for removing or making ineffective the protective device has ceased, the protective device shall be replaced immediately
• No worker shall, use or operate any equipment, machine, device or thing or work in a manner that may endanger himself, herself or any other worker
• No worker shall engage in any prank, contest, feat of strength, unnecessary running or rough and boisterous conduct

Workers are also given three important rights in the workplace:

• The Right to Know: Workers have right to ask about the possibilities of any hazard in the workplace

• The Right to Participate: Worker have a right to participate in health and safety in the workplace through their worker representative and the Joint Health and Safety Committee

• The Right to Refuse: Workers have a right to say “No” to any work that seems dangerous

How can Safety First Consulting help you?

Safety First Consulting is an Ontario-based company that offers workplace health and safety consulting, training and WSIB services to organizations. If you have any questions about your roles and responsibilities in the workplace do not hesitate to contact us by phone 905-669-5444.