“It’s day five of a harvest and you’re two workers short,” says Jay Remsik, a Health and Safety Consultant with WSPS. This situation is very familiar to many farmers who end up taking on the extra workload themselves. It’s either that or pushing the workers they have to pick up the slack. “Operating heavy equipment, such as tractors, augers, and combines, requires full concentration,” remarks Remsik. “When you throw fatigue, tight deadlines, mental distractions, and working outdoors at night into the mix, the risk of an injury or fatality increases drastically.” Jay provided some tips to help you and your workers get through the busy harvest season with your physical and mental health intact.

Mitigate the risks associated with harvest season

Plan ahead. Start preparing well before the beginning of harvest season by breaking down each task, who will do it, and when it needs to be done. This will help you realize early on if you have enough employees. If you find that you don’t have enough resources to do things properly, start looking at ways to get more temporary help.

Be prepared to hire temporary help. As of July 1, 2024, under the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA), all temporary help agencies and recruiters require a license to operate in Ontario. An employer knowingly engaging with or utilizing an unlicensed help agency or recruiter can be penalized. With this new legislation in effect, businesses that use temporary help agencies for staffing must verify that they are licensed. The best way to do that is to check the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development’s online database.

“Businesses can now go online, search the name of an agency or recruiter, and confirm that they are licensed and in good standing,” says Jay. In much the same way that we can search the WSIB’s website to confirm that a business or contractor has a valid clearance certificate (i.e., WSIB coverage) before hiring them, businesses can find out if a temporary help agency is licensed before working with them.

Cross train. No matter how much planning you do, people get sick, emergencies come up, and unexpected things happen. “Cross-functional training provides you with more options and helps to avoid burnout,” says Jay. During slower seasons, cross train your worker on various equipment rather than having only one person run the tractor and another who only runs the combine. If someone suddenly isn’t there one day, it’s important for you to have one or two others who can step in. If only one person can do a specific job, you risk fatigue and burnout, which heightens the risk of an injury or fatality. When you cross train workers, you can also move them around to avoid complacency, which is another factor that can contribute to injuries and fatalities.

Take regular breaks. It sounds so simple, but when you’re working against the clock, most of us skip breaks. “Even short breaks are better than none at all,” advises Jay.  Take a walk, stretch, and clear your mind so that when you return to work your focus is on the task at hand. “This has the added benefit of preventing a potential musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) hazard due to a static posture over a long duration,” says Jay.

Provide hearing protection. When operating equipment, we usually think about more obvious hazards, like rollovers or getting clothing (e.g., drawstrings, laces, threads, etc.) caught in the machinery. Obviously, you need to make sure you and your workers are trained in how to protect yourselves from these hazards. While noise may be a less obvious hazard, you still need protection. To avoid hearing loss and tinnitus, ensure proper hearing protection is used when you are near loud machines for long periods of time.

Check weather and road conditions. Sometimes working at night is unavoidable. “If you’re working long nights, make sure any vehicles you are driving have proper lights and signage, so you can see well and be seen by others,” says Jay. “Consider using an escort vehicle if you’re driving at night on highways”. Check the forecast and avoid driving in inclement weather as much as possible. If conditions are wet and muddy, be aware of slipping hazards.

Above all, monitor your crew. Look for visual cues like heads nodding or constant yawning. These are obvious signs that someone is not on top of their game and should not be taken lightly—especially in the context of tasks involving hazardous machinery. Step in and encourage them, if not force them, to rest.

The information in this article is accurate as of its publication date.

Monthly workplace inspections by your joint health and safety committee (JHSC) are a powerful, proactive tool for reducing injuries, illnesses and claims costs, and demonstrating due diligence,” says WSPS Health and Safety Consultant Tova Larsen.

But many workplaces aren’t getting the intended value out of inspections, says Tova; for the simple reason that they aren’t putting enough into them. Too often, workplaces merely view inspections through an administrative compliance lens – inspections simply to tick the box. “The lack of investment in the JHSC, coupled with the view that inspections take too long, can create obstacles for JHSC members who are carrying out the inspections.”

Tova takes a closer look at three of these obstacles and how employers can better support their JHSC and the inspection process.

Obstacle #1: Time constraints

Workplace inspections must be carried out on a monthly basis by a worker member of the JHSC. However, some members have shared that they have difficulty persuading their supervisors to arrange coverage for their regular duties so they can inspect as scheduled. Others say they are being pressured to do inspections only during slack time or downtime, or in a short period of time.

“Speaking with one worker member, I heard they were asked to do the inspection before the workday started so it wouldn’t interfere with the plant’s activities or anyone’s job,” says Tova. “This doesn’t make sense. The purpose of the inspection is to identify hazards related to the people, tasks, processes, and equipment in the workplace, and check the effectiveness of existing hazard controls. You can only do that when the workplace is busy and work is underway.”

Supervisors who put hurdles in the way of inspections, are overstepping, says Tova. “Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), it is the JHSC that determines the timing of inspections, not the manager of the workplace or supervisor of the JHSC member. The organization has input into the timing through management member(s) of the JHSC.”

And, restrictions can’t be put on the length of the inspection, says Tova. “They take the length of time they take. Large inspection zones, complex workplaces, addressing serious immediate hazards, and discussing concerns or contributing factors with workers can all mean longer inspection durations.” The organization’s legislated duty is to cooperate with their JHSC by making staff available to perform their JHSC inspection duties as scheduled, within working hours.

Obstacle #2:  Lack of training

“Modern workplaces can be very technically complex,” says Tova. “From steel storage racks and robotics to confined spaces and rescue needs, machine safeguarding and pre-start reviews to exoskeletons and ergonomics, there are a lot of hazards and controls that require some level of technical knowledge to inspect with an educated eye. Even office workstations involve complex interactions between people and equipment that’s far from one-size-fits-all.”

“A lack of technical knowledge is a common barrier cited by JHSCs,” says Tova, “and one of the reasons why investing in upskilling your JHSC members is so important.”

There are several ways organizations can address this gap, says Tova.

• Provide technical training on all hazards the inspection team may encounter, such as confined spaces, lock out/tag out, steel storage racks, forklift theory, working at heights, machine guarding, etc.
• Offer all JHSC members – including management members and non-certified worker members – training on your inspection process and operational areas.
• Make sure staff doing the inspections have access to documents such as programs and procedures, inspection records, manufacturer’s instructions and specifications, pre-start health and safety reviews, training records, and incident investigations so they can familiarize themselves with hazards, controls, processes, and equipment in preparation for the inspection.

Obstacle # 3:  Poor quality checklists

Many employers believe they’re helping their JHSC worker members by providing generic checklists, but if they aren’t comprehensive – don’t consider a wide variety of hazards, and/or don’t closely relate to the specific hazards of particular areas in the workplace – the checklist won’t be useful.

Create zone-specific checklists, says Tova. Gather information about each zone – tasks done in the area, the equipment, materials, and processes used, and the hazard controls currently in place.

To create the most useful, high-quality checklists, Tova also suggests:

• ensuring a wide variety of hazards are covered, including safety hazards, such as traffic hazards and pedestrian safety, ladders, material handling, and electrical safety, as well as occupational illness hazards, such as sources of musculoskeletal disorders, chemicals, biological, psychosocial, and hazardous physical agents such as noise, and more.
• going beyond “yes” or “no” questions. “For tires, for instance, there’s a conditions continuum from brand new to bald. Ranking their condition during the inspection allows the organization to proactively identify items that may need preventive maintenance pre-failure,” says Tova. Consider including condition rankings 1-5, or “all”, “most”, “some”, “few”, and “none,” along with ample space for specifics such as the location of deficiencies.
• including space for risk rankings and repeat items. “Risk rankings allow for prioritization – highest risks come first because they are the most likely to result in serious injuries”, says Tova. “Repeat items are also a red flag. It shows that either action wasn’t taken since the last inspection or that the actions taken did not address root causes for the situation.
• including opportunities to evaluate the effectiveness of existing controls and programs. For example, going beyond whether guarding is present to whether guarding passes the AUTO test (can someone reach around, under, through, or over the guarding?).

How WSPS can help

Training

• Workplace Inspections Training (eCourse, 1 hour)
• Effective Workplace Inspections (Online Instructor-Led Training. 3.5 hours)
• JHSC Certification Part 1 (eCourse; 13 hours)
• JHSC Certification Part 2 – Offices (Online Instructor-Led Training, 2 days)
• JHSC Certification Part 2 – Warehousing & Distribution (Online Instructor-Led Training. 2 days)
• JHSC Certification Refresher – All Sectors (Online Instructor-Led Training, 1 day)
• Health & Safety for Managers & Supervisors (eCourse; 7 hours)
• Managing Machine Safety (Online Instructor-Led Training, 3.5 hours)
• Lockout Tagout (eCourse; 1 hour)
• Inspecting & Maintaining Steel Storage Racks (Online Instructor-Led Training, 1 day)

Resources

• Workplace Inspection Checklist
• Workplace Inspection Recording Form Template
• Warehouse Safety Tips – 4: Understand the Basic Concepts of Steel Storage Racking (video)
• JHSC Requirements Ontario Toolkit & Checklists

Events

• Register for WSPS’ Partners in Prevention Health and Safety Conferences this fall in Kitchener and Niagara Falls and attend this session on optimizing your JHSC:
  •  Safety by Committee: Harnessing the Team Power of Joint Health and Safety Committees – Nicole Sherman, Health & Safety Consultant, Workplace Safety & Prevention Services – Get the necessary skills and information you need to ensure your team is having a positive impact in your workplace. We will be showcasing the practical application of tips and tricks for a powerful JHSC. One that works together to provide positive solutions for health and safety in your workplace.

The information in this article is accurate as of its publication date. 

Ontario’s internal responsibility system (IRS) is the best tool small businesses have for reducing injuries and related costs, says WSPS Small Business Consultant Pamela Patry. “The IRS is the foundation of health and safety in Ontario,” says Pamela. “It requires owners, managers and frontline staff to work together to eliminate hazards in the workplace. “

“But some small businesses aren’t taking advantage of it,” notes Pamela. A previous inspection initiative by the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD) revealed a lack of awareness of the IRS and legal health and safety responsibilities among small businesses.

The goals of the MLITSD initiative were to check that small businesses in sectors ranging from retail to restaurants and metal fabrication, were complying with the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) and its regulations. Inspectors looked at these areas:

• violence and harassment policy and program
• health and safety representative or joint health and safety committee (JHSC)
• posting requirements
• mandatory health and safety awareness training for employees
• identifying and controlling hazards.

The most frequently issued orders were for an employer’s failure to meet

• general requirements of the OHSA (e.g. posting, health and safety policy and program, health and safety rep, monthly inspections, etc.).
• workplace violence and harassment requirements (e.g. harassment and violence policies and programs).
• Regulation 851: Industrial Establishments requirements (e.g. ensuring a lifting device was examined by a competent person, etc.).
• requirements around providing basic health and safety awareness training for workers and supervisors.

“Many orders we hear about from small businesses are due to a poor Internal Responsibility System. The employers may not have developed, supported or implemented an effective IRS,” says Pamela.

What is internal responsibility and how does it work?

Under the IRS, every workplace party has a role to play in keeping the workplace safe, explains Pamela.

• Employers must ensure equipment is maintained in good condition and is safe to use, a safety policy and programs are established, competent supervision is provided, workers are trained, and every reasonable precaution is taken to protect workers.
• Supervisors must ensure safety equipment and clothing are used, safety procedures are followed, workers are advised of hazards, and every precaution reasonable is taken to protect workers.
• Workers must report hazards to the employer or supervisor, use or wear protective equipment, follow safety procedures and practices, and refrain from removing safety devices.

With everyone’s duties clearly laid out and understood, the IRS can be used to tackle workplace hazards and prevent accidents and injuries. Pamela describes how it might work in a retail store, for example.

• Chen works in a small retail store. He notices there’s a lot of water dripping from the ceiling tiles onto the floor. He knows this can lead to slip, trip and fall injuries. Chen puts a wet floor sign out and then reports the matter to his manager, Saleema.
• Saleema looks at the ceiling and notices the drips are coming from the air conditioning unit. She puts a bucket under the drips, ensures the water is mopped up, and notifies the owner.
• The owner calls a service company immediately and authorizes the repair.

Chen’s work area is now safe again. “Everyone participated. Everyone communicated. Everyone worked together to make safety happen,” says Pamela.

Protecting the bottom line for small businesses

Small businesses that have never had a significant lost-time injury may not realize the devastating consequences, not just for the injured worker but for the business,” says Pamela. Neglecting health and safety can lead to:

• a greater risk of injury, illness, business disruption and property damage.
• MLITSD orders, tickets, fines or prosecution.
• lost time and incurred costs of WSIB claims submission.
• higher costs (e.g. overtime, training) to make up for lost production.

How WSPS can help

Enhance your health and safety program with training, checklists and tools, available to workplaces of any size at WSPS’ Small Business Centre.

Training

• Health & Safety Representative (HSR) Basic Training (8 hours, eCourse)
• Worker Health and Safety Awareness Training (1 hour, eCourse)
• Supervisors Health and Safety Awareness Training (1 hour, eCourse)
• Safety Health & the Law (1 day, Online Instructor-Led Training)

Resources

• Internal Responsibility System (IRS) Primer
• OHSA Laws and Regulations: Roles and Responsibilities
• Pocket Ontario Green Book 2024 (Consolidated Edition)
• Safety information in your workplace: what needs to be posted? Your top 6 questions answered
• Small Biz Safety Podcast – Let our safety experts walk you through simple steps to make your workplace safer and your business better in this monthly podcast.

The information in this article is accurate as of its publication date.