Work Placement Health & Safety Assessment

for teachers

(short version)

Ready for Work

Preamble The Work Placement Health & Safety Assessment consists of: • a checklist teachers can use to assess the health and safety of potential student work

placements • a checklist employers can use to orient students to health and safety in the workplace The checklists were developed from publications of the Occupational Health and Safety Division, Ministry of Advanced Education, Employment and Labour and other checklists. All material taken from the former had been seen by the Occupational Health and Safety Council. Request for Comments Feedback on the suitability and usefulness of the checklists from teachers who use them would be appreciated. Teacher feedback will make it possible to refine and improve these new products. Teachers are invited to send their comments in writing or contact the Education and Training Services Unit, Ministry of Advanced Education, employment and Labour directly. Education and Training Services Unit Ministry of Advanced Education, Employment and Labour 8th floor, 122 3rd Avenue North Saskatoon, Sk S7K 2H6 Tel: 1-877-419-3510 (toll free)

Fax: (306) 933-7339

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Responsibilities: Teachers, Employers, Students As the person arranging students’ work placements, you (as the teacher) have a responsibility to ensure that the workplaces have safe work practices and provide students with suitable health and safety orientation and training. Part of your role is: • to help the student understand his or her rights and responsibilities • to help the employer understand what is expected Employers must ensure the health, safety and welfare of those in their workplace. The employer is responsible for protecting students from health and safety hazards by providing suitable equipment, health and safety orientation, training, and appropriate supervision. Students on work placements must take care to protect their safety and the safety of their coworkers. A more specific list of the employer, worker and supervisor responsibilities, and worker rights is provided in the Ready for Work resource binder and at www.aeel.gov.sk.ca/youthatwork. These specific lists can provide your students and employers with information that explains what is expected and the health and safety requirements that apply.

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Employer Workplace Health & Safety Hazard Checklist Why? Teachers setting up work placements for their students have a responsibility to ensure that the workplaces have safe work practices and to provide students with suitable health and safety orientation and training. Accidents and injuries cost employers a lot of money. Some of the costs are: • increase in insurance premiums • cost of retraining or training a new worker • accidents and injuries may damage the reputation of an employer • staff turnover may increase • staff who are stressed may be absent more often By filling out this hazard checklist, the teacher and you are taking time to ensure that both the student and you do not incur the high costs – dollars, limb and life – associated with accidents. What? The hazard checklist is a list of the types of hazards you’ll find in many workplaces. You have the opportunity to note the hazards that exist in your workplace and those hazards that the student will encounter in his/her work placement. Advise the teacher how the hazard will be dealt with and how the student on work placement will be protected. The teachers will rely on your knowledge of your workplace to help them determine whether the work placement is suitable for the student in question. How? The teacher will give you a copy of the hazard checklist. You can go over it with the teacher at the time or after you’ve had a chance to fill it in. To help the teacher understand your comments about the checklist, give the teacher a tour of the workplace before your discussion.

OH&S Checklist

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Employer Workplace Health & Safety Hazard Checklist √ Equipment Questions Y/N How is the student protected?* Hand tools and equipment Will the student be working with hand tools or equipment?

Portable power tools and equipment

Will the student be working with portable power tools or equipment?

Mobile equipment Will the student be working with or near mobile equipment?

Stationary power machines

Will the student be operating stationary power machines?

Electrical Will the student be exposed to any electrical hazards in this workplace?

Compression Will the student be working with anything under compression, such as compressed gases, gas cylinders?

Pressure systems Will the student be working in proximity to pressure pipes or steam boilers?

√ Human Factors Harassment Is there a policy on harassment?

Violence Are there situations where the student could be exposed to violence or become the object of violence?

Smoking, drinking alcohol

Is there a workplace policy on smoking? Drinking alcohol?

Working alone Will the student be working alone?

Shift work Will the student be working shifts?

Video display terminals Will the student be working at a video display terminal for long periods of time?

Work stress Will there be a high level of stress in the student’s work? * Protection includes: training, safe work procedures, engineering controls, close supervision.

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√

Work Environment

Question Y/N How is the student protected?

Lifting Will the student be doing excessive lifting of heavy or awkward loads?

General housekeeping Will the student have to work in untidy or cluttered work areas?

Walkways, stairs, roadways Will the student have to work in passageways that are cluttered or slippery?

Entrances and exits Will the student encounter entrances or exits (especially fire) that are not clearly marked?

Elevated areas Is the student going to be working at elevation? Is there adequate fall protection?

Chemical substances Will the student use or be exposed to flammable, corrosive, toxic or reactive chemicals?

Biological substances Will the student have contact with any harmful microorganisms?

Radiation Will the student be exposed to harmful radiation?

Trenches, confined spaces Will the student be in proximity to trenches or confined spaces?

Hot materials or surfaces Will the student have contact with hot materials or surfaces?

Ultraviolet light (sunlight) Will the student spend periods of time working in the sun?

Temperature Will the student work in very cold or hot conditions?

Noise Will the work environment be noisy?

Air quality Will the student be exposed to excessive dust, fumes or gases?

Other Hazards? How is the student protected? List any other hazards the student might encounter in this work placement and how s/he is protected. Attach another sheet of paper if necessary.

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Employer Health & Safety Orientation Checklist Are these covered in the student’s orientation? Y N

Name of immediate supervisor and OHC member (or health and safety rep.)

Worker/supervisor rights and responsibilities

Safe work procedures and operation of equipment

Use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Identification of restricted or prohibited areas, tools, equipment and machinery

Hazards in the workplace that may affect the student, how they’re controlled and how to deal with them

What to do and who to see if the student has a safety concern

What to do when there is a fire or other emergency (e.g., evacuation procedures)

Location of fire exits and fire extinguishers

Location of the first aid supplies, equipment, facilities

▪ names of staff are responsible for first aid

▪ how to record first aid treatment

Procedures for reporting accidents and injuries

Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS)

Workplace policies and procedures on

▪ harassment

▪ violence prevention

▪ working in isolation

▪ smoking

Location of other important information

▪ Materials Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)

▪ Occupational Health Committee Minutes

▪ Instructions for safe operation of each piece of equipment (if applicable)

▪ Important telephone numbers

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Teacher Health & Safety Assessment Summary Sheet

1 Health & Safety Hazard Checklist Y N

Was the employer willing to use the Hazard Checklist?

Was the employer willing to discuss any potential hazards for the student on work placement?

2 Main Hazards

Which hazards were identified?

•

•

•

•

•

Were you satisfied that the employer would deal with the hazards in a way that would help to protect the student?

3 Observation of the Workplace

Based on your observations of the workplace, were any concerns you had about the student’s safety resolved through your discussions with the employer?

4 Health & Safety Orientation

Will the employer use the orientation checklist provided?

Will the employer use a safety orientation s/he’s already developed?

5 Summary

If you are able to answer ‘Y’ to all questions 1-3 above and ‘Y’ to one of the questions in 4, there’s a good probability that this work placement will ensure the student’s health and safety.

From a health and safety point of view, would you say you’re reasonably sure that this work placement is reasonably safe?

______________________________________ ___________________________ Teacher’s Signature Date

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Sources General Lab Inspection Checklist. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Health and Safety Orientations, A Guide for New Workers, Ministry of Advanced Education, Employment and Labour, Occupational Health and Safety Division. Orientation Record. Workers’ Compensation Board of British Columbia. Safety Checklist for Work Experience Teachers, WorkSafe online. WCB of British Columbia. What is an example of a housekeeping checklist? Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety. What is an example of an office inspection checklist? Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety. What should be included on the checklist? Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety. Workplace Inspection Checklist. Department of Employment, Training and Industrial Relations, Queensland Government.

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