New worker safety for employers

Employers are obligated to provide specific duties and responsibilities as part of their Internal Responsibility System. Employers must consistently evaluate their health and safety programs and accommodate any changes in collaboration with the safety and health committee or representatives.

Employers are required to provide adequate supervision as part of their duties and responsibilities. Supervisors are responsible to assign and oversee your work as part of the employer’s internal responsibility system. They are given charge of a workplace or authority over a worker and are required to provide safe work procedures as well as adequate supervision.

Workplace safety and health programs

Employers must create, implement and maintain a safety and health program in their workplace. These programs must also accommodate languages that support the diversity in their workplace. All employers in Manitoba are legislated to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the safety, health and welfare of all workers and comply with the duties outlined in section four of the Manitoba Workplace Safety and Health Act and Regulation.

Safety and health orientation

Employers are responsible for providing a safety and health orientation to ensure workers are aware of the company’s expectations, risks of the particular worksite and the roles of workers and employers. Orientation must always be given to workers are new to the workplace and workers who have moved from one department to another where the facilities, procedures or risks related to their work has changed. Employers must keep records of all orientations provided to workers.

Safety and health orientations must cover:

The employer’s and worker’s rights and responsibilities under The Workplace Safety and Health Act and applicable regulations.
The name and contact information of the new worker’s supervisor.
The procedure for reporting unsafe conditions at the workplace.
The procedure for exercising the right to refuse dangerous work at the workplace.
Contact information for the Safety and Health Committee or Representative (as applicable).
Any policies, programs and safe work procedures that the employer is required to develop pursuant to The Workplace Safety and Health Act and applicable regulations that apply to the work to be done by the worker.
The hazards to which the worker may be exposed and the control measures undertaken to protect the worker.
Location of first aid facilities, means of summoning first aid and procedures for reporting illnesses and injuries.
Emergency procedures (e.g. first aid, fire, evacuation, etc.).
Identification of prohibited or restricted areas or activities.
Any other matters necessary to ensure the safety and health of the worker at the workplace.

To start planning your own orientation, determine what safety topics, in addition to the list above, should be included. Decide who will deliver which aspects of the orientation and outline the expected timelines to deliver them to new workers. Ensure all managers and supervisors are aware of the orientation and designate someone to be responsible for ensuring new workers receive it. Employers must keep copies of the training delivered in individual personnel files and should develop a system to refresh their orientation, policies and procedures regularly.

New accounts

New WCB accounts experience higher rates of worker compensation claims compared to other businesses. This may be explained by the need to train many new workers in workplace safety and health within a short period.

As a new account, business owners must manage all aspects of your business. To successfully manage safety and health in your workplace, you must first understand that you have obligations under the provincial Workplace Safety and Health Act and Regulation.

If you are a new small business and would like additional resources on how to ensure the safety and health of your workplace, visit Small business safety.

Tips

Become familiar with your rights and responsibilities as an employer.
Develop safe work procedures to identify hazards and prevent incidents.

FAQs

What happens if I do not have a workplace safety and health program?

Any employer who does not have a safety program is in breach of workplace safety and health legislation. Failure to comply with this mandate can result to offenses and administrative penalties. Failure to comply with this mandate can result in offenses and administrative penalties. It can be deemed negligence thus imposing criminal liability under the Criminal Code of Canada 22.1 and 22.2.

What do I do when a worker reports an injury?

You are required to submit a claim with the WCB.

What happens if I do not report workplace injuries?