Health and Safety Program – Roles and Responsibilities

Health and Safety Program – Roles and Responsibilities

Heads of Units:

  • Assign responsibility for the development, implementation and maintenance of all elements of the Unit’s Health and Safety Program that includes an effective functioning local health and safety committee.
  • Act as or appoint a Health and Safety Program Administrator (SPA) for the unit.
  • Select management representatives for the Committee, as per established Terms of Reference. assign authority to management representatives.
  • Provide the Health and Safety Committee with the tools and resources to function effectively.
  • Ensure that accident and incident investigations are conducted and review the reports.
  • Ensure that supervisors and managers are trained and know their responsibilities for preventing or minimizing safety and security risks.
  • Monitor the Health and Safety Program for compliance with WCB and internal requirements.
  • Communicate health and safety action plans, concerns and decisions to respective organizations.
  • Review health and safety-related records and statistics at management meetings.
  • Ensure that Health and Safety Program reviews are conducted as required and review the safety program review reports.

Supervisors (Faculty, Managers, Principle Investigators, Technicians, Supervisors, etc.):

  • Implement and monitor the Unit’s Health and Safety Program in accordance to WCB compliance and UBC Safety Program Policy.
  • Instruct, train and monitor employees in safe work practices and workplace violence procedures
  • Develop and implement safe work procedures.
  • Communicate health and safety-related information to employees and help implement corrective actions and recommendations.
  • Recommend safety and health topics for committee meetings.
  • Orient new and transferred employees.
  • Hold regular staff meetings.
  • Develop, implement and maintain hazard assessment and inspection programs.
  • Conduct required regular workplace inspections, special inspections and accident investigations.
  • Correct unsafe conditions or practices and ensure hazards are controlled until corrective action is taken.
  • Complete proper WCB forms and forward copies of reports to the appropriate departments.
  • Forward copies of accident/incident investigation reports to the local safety committee and the SPA for review.
  • Develop, implement and maintain the Contractor Safety Program.
  • Review Health and Safety Program records and statistics regularly.
  • Review and inform employees of the Health and Safety Program Review results.

Local Health and Safety Committee Members:

  • Hold regular meetings at least once a month for the review of:
    • Reports of current accidents, incidents or industrial diseases
    • Remedial action taken or required by the reports of investigations and inspections
    • Other safety and health matters.
  • Review and monitor the effectiveness of the unit’s safety and health program.
  • Make recommendations directly to appropriate supervisor/manager and SPA.
  • Assist management in local safety and health program development.
  • Function within the set Terms of Reference.
  • Post and distribute meeting minutes.
  • Conduct formal workplace inspections.
  • Assist as required in incident and or accident investigations.

Workers and Students:

  • Work in a careful and safe manner.
  • Follow departmental safe work procedures and practices.
  • Report any real or potential safety/health hazard to the supervisor.
  • Actively participate in orientation and training programs, reporting to the supervisors any lack of knowledge needed to perform duties.
  • Conduct informal daily inspections of their own work area.
  • Participate, when required, in scheduled workplace inspections and accident investigations.
  • Report all accidents, incidents or near misses to the supervisor.
  • Observe WCB regulations including established workplace violence prevention procedures.
  • Report any real or potential risks to personal security and public safety to the supervisor.
  • Cooperate with the Safety Committee in any Safety Program Review process.

Source URL: https://phas.ubc.ca/health-and-safety-program-–-roles-and-responsibilities