[diginahole]

In Ontario the Occupational Health and Safety Act Section 25(2) states that workplaces with 6 or more regularly employed employees shall,
(j) prepare and review at least annually a written occupational health and safety policy and develop and maintain a plan to implement that policy;
(k) post at a conspicuous location in the workplace a copy of the occupational health and safety policy.

Health And Safety Policy

To all Employees,

At Alfresco Landscape Group Ltd health and safety is an integral part of the daily business process, not an add-on extra. We are committed to ensuring the health, safety and welfare of employees through reasonable and due diligence. We apply high standards throughout the organization in the management and control of our operations. These standards are designed to ensure that in all our activities we properly safeguard those who work for us and those who may be affected by our operations. Participation of all employees in the health and safety management process is essential for success. Working safely must be the norm.

Ultimate responsibility for health and safety rests with Alfresco Landscape Group Ltd. As Owner/ President, I am committed to make every reasonable provision to protect each and every worker from undue harm. Although standards established by Provincial legislation will apply as minimum, mere compliance is not enough. We will always strive to achieve best practices in the context of our unique operations.

Best practice can only be achieved with management’s leadership and commitment. Management has specific responsibility for overseeing the effective implementation, monitoring and enhancement of Company policy and for advising the Owner and workforce on its development.

Supervisors have the responsibility to provide leadership and ensure adequate training on health and safety issues for the staff they oversee. Supervisors will be held accountable for implementing the health and safety policy and safe-work practices, as well as maintaining safe equipment and working environment within their sphere of influence.

Every staff member (permanent or casual), sub-contractor and sub-contractor’s employee must take responsibility for personal health and safety insofar as he or she is able. To this end, an employee must:

• Make themselves aware of the Company’s Health and Safety Policy and safe work practices and adhere to them at all times while at work.
  Correctly use or wear any equipment, protective devices or clothing required by the employer for the purpose of safely carrying out a task.
  Report to the employer or supervisor any missing or defective equipment or protective device that may be dangerous.
  Report any known workplace hazard to the employer or supervisor.
  Report any known accidents or breach of company policy to the employer or supervisor.
  Not remove or make ineffective any protective device required by the employer or regulations.
  Not use or operate any equipment or work in a way that may endanger any worker.
  Not engage in any prank, contest, feat of strength, unnecessary running or rough and boisterous conduct.

All parties are expected to consider health and safety in every activity. Safe operational practices must form an essential part of this organization, not a stand alone, specialized function, but an integrated part of the business. Every improvement to occupational health and safety benefits us all. Through cooperation and commitment, Alfresco Landscape Group Ltd will continue to be a safe and healthy place in which to work.

Sign here
Blair Deutekom
President/ Owner

Review and date annually

[Stonehenge]

Digin, that's a great start, but it almost sounds like a preamble to the real safety policies. I guess I'm expecting to see things like a picture of a guy lifting with his legs, not his back, looking around for overhead wires when hoisting a dump body, etc. Don't get me wrong - it's well written, just that as a company owner this looks like one of those things the gov't makes you do that doesn't really change much, except to add one more burden to the owner.

It would be a little much for the gov't to expect you to post everything to do with safety in a conspicuous place; you'd end up with safety wallpaper. Are they requiring you to have a manual containing specific specific issues?

[diginahole]

Sorry Jeff, I thought I had responded to this a long time ago. Musta been busy.

The safety policy is just that, the statement of what the company is commited to do and states who is responsible for what.

The safety manual is yet another part of our safety program. It is not complete yet but is expected to be more than 200 pages long. I will be adopting a manual developed specifically for the landscape industry produced by Landscape Ontario. It should be available very soon.

ATTENTION CANADIAN EMPLOYERS AND MANAGERS

Bill C-45 received Royal Assent November 7, 2003 and becomes Law on March 31, 2004. Bill-C45 amends the criminal code to clearly define who is responsible for the safety of persons in the workplace and to allow for prosecution under charges of “criminal negligence” when those responsibilities are recklessly or willfully disregarded.

The amendment states that:
“ Every one who undertakes, or has the authority, to direct how another person does work or performs a task is under a legal duty to take reasonable steps to prevent bodily harm to that person, or any other person, arising from that work or task. “

This clearly indicates that organizations can and will be held responsible for the actions/ inactions of all of their employees. This includes directors, executive officers, operations managers, production managers, and so on. These are the people with authority to make decisions about day-to-day operations.

Currently, under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, an individual found guilty of a contravention may be fined up to a maximum of $25,000 and / or sentenced to up to one year in jail, per offence. The fine for a corporation can be up to $500,000. Fines under the criminal code in an indictable offense have no predetermined limit. The maximum sentence for an individual convicted of “criminal negligence causing death” is life imprisonment.

Employers must take these responsibilities seriously. They need to review their existing policies and procedures, training requirements and budgets, and the dedication of their employees to a safe workplace, and make changes where changes are needed.

This month I, along with a few of my collegues, will be conducting an intensive safety training session for employees before the season gets underway. Topics will include:

• Equipment specific hazards
• Manual material handling
• Pedestrian awareness
• Personal Protective Equipment

I am also sending myself and an employee to become certified in skid steer operation. I would also like to become qualified to deliver this training. I will look into that when I go for the training.

[Bexter]

Blair ...are you COR certified? We got ours last season. Anything I can do to help you out let me know.

[diginahole]

First thing you coud do is let me know what COR stands for.

[Bexter]

Originally posted by Stonehenge
It would be a little much for the gov't to expect you to post everything to do with safety in a conspicuous place; you'd end up with safety wallpaper. Are they requiring you to have a manual containing specific specific issues?

Jeff ...the manual is in a specific spot for any and all employees to look at. He have the main polices hung up on a wall.There are about 13 different topics in the manual. We have a lot of money in our manual but after being certified we saved 5% right off the bat(workmen's comp)...we are also eligible for up to 20% more. It adds up. Besides the money... it's just good for the company image,promots a healthy culture etc etc etc

[Bexter]

It's certificate of recognition. First step is taking the courses then putting your health and safety program in place, internal audit and finally a external audit.

[diginahole]

I took the SCIP program (safe communities incentive program) just before I started this business. The first phase qualifies for an automatic 5% reduction in WSIB primiums. An additional 5% comes with the second phase. After that participants may form Safety Groups which can qualify them for further discounts based upon the Group's performance. I was unable to attend to retake the first phase the year (in order to apply discounts to my new company) but will be starting again at the next opportunity.

[Stonehenge]

I have a possible good update to this type of info - I met a big pond installer at our local expo (Aaron - you reading this?), and he used to work for a large outfit, and during some shop talk he mentioned he had a huge manual from that outfit. I asked, and he agreed to bring it in during tear-down for me to look over. Might give a big head start for some of these issues.