Occupational Health & Safety Policy

Answer

POLICY

The Library Board considers the health and safety of the staff and Library users to be crucial and is committed to continual improvement in standards of health and safety. The Library Board aims to provide and maintain safe and healthy working conditions, equipment, and systems of work. To this end, all activities, systems, and procedures are assessed, and appropriate information is provided in accordance with the Alberta Occupational Health and Safety Act and Regulations.

Guidelines

  1. It is vital that individuals recognize and acknowledge their own health and safety responsibilities. Those responsible for work are responsible for its safe conduct. Library staff members must make themselves aware of library occupational health and safety, the emergency response and fire safety plan procedures. All staff members should be aware of their responsibilities and the need to address health and safety issues that could create or exacerbate risks.

  1. Hazardous Assessment and Emergency Response Plan Procedures
    1. It is the responsibility of the Library Director to ensure that there are current occupational health and safety plans and procedures in place and that these procedures are regularly reviewed.
    2. Emergency response and fire safety procedures include information on dealing with fire, flood, threats, and power outages within and without the Library premises.

  1. Health and Safety Training
    1. Staff Orientation: Library staff members will be oriented to the Library's health and safety procedures, the violence and harassment prevention procedures, and the emergency response and fire safety procedures when they initially start working at the Library. Violence and harassment prevention policies and procedures are not intended to discourage an employee from exercising rights pursuant to any other law, including the Alberta Human Rights Act.
    2. Emergency First Aid: all Library staff will know where the first aid kits are placed, and records kept.
    3. In accordance with Alberta OH&S Act and Regulations Library staff members will have emergency first aid training.
  2. WHMIS
    1. The Library Director is responsible for ensuring that all controlled products have a safety data sheet when the product is received and that all safety data sheets are current and easily accessible.
    1. Library staff members working directly with controlled products are responsible for following safe work practices when handling, using, and storing controlled products.
    2. Library staff members working directly with controlled products are responsible for reporting unclear, missing, or inadequate labels to the Library Director.

  1. Working Alone
    1. The Board recognizes its responsibility for ensuring that all Library staff members who work alone are provided with an appropriate communication system or the employer (being the Board if the Library Director is working alone, or the Library Director if any other Library staff member is working alone) shall arrange visits/contact with the staff member at appropriate intervals in accordance with the Alberta Occupational Health and Safety Code.

  1. Incident Reporting
    1. All incidents involving the health and safety of staff and/or library users must be documented using the Library's incident/investigation report forms and records kept.
    2. Incident forms are reviewed by the Library Director and the HS Representative to ascertain what improvements could be made to current work practices and/or work areas to decrease the risk of a reoccurrence.
    3. Any reportable serious injury or incident involving an employee is reported directly to Alberta Occupational Health & Safety as soon as possible.
    4. Under the Fatalities Inquires Act, RCMP to be notified immediately (911) scene to be preserved until RCMP are on site. OHS and W.C.B.to be notified immediately after Emergency Services.
    5. W.C.B. reporting by the Library Director (Library Board in the event of injury to the Library Director) the injured Library staff member within 72 hours.
    6. Potentially serious incidents involving an employee is reported directly to Alberta Occupational Health & Safety through the online reporting service oirportal.labour.alberta. ca/pre-screening as soon as possible.

  1. Contractors and Volunteers
    1. Contractors and volunteers in the Library are responsible for requesting copies of, and following, all Library health and safety procedures and working within the requirements of the Alberta Occupational Health and Safety legislation.
    2. It is essential that contractors are aware of the presence of Library staff members and users and the potential hazards inherent in working in a public space. Work in public areas of the Library should, at a minimum, be roped off so that a visual warning is given to members of the public. Ideally, work in public areas will primarily be done at times when the Library is not open to the public.

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  • Last Updated Aug 03, 2022
  • Views 14
  • Answered By Tracy Paradis

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