Health & Safety Manual, Policy, Program, Training, OHS

What Should the Policy and Program Look Like?

The Occupational Health and Safety Act does not specify what the Health and Safety Policy and Program should look like; however, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), which is the largest Insurance Agent (and insurance enforcement agent) for Ontario, regularly audits companies with what is called a WORKWELL AUDIT.

A Workwell Audit is an Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) assessment tool used by the WSIB to determine OHS law and best practice compliance for most organizations covered under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act (WSIA). The WSIB uses the Workwell Audit to measure how a firm is managing health and safety at its workplace. Most companies have no idea of how to prepare for a Workwell Audit and 90% of them fail the first audit.

HR Proactive modelled the Health and Safety Manual on the WORKWELL Audit as a standard for the Health and Safety Policy and Manual. With HR Proactive's Health and Safety Manual, and with training assistance from HR Proactive, companies have a much greater likelihood of passing a Workwell Audit.

What are the Major Sections of the
HR Proactive Health and Safety Manual?

The Health and Safety Manual includes the following sections:

Health and Safety Policy
Roles and Responsibilities
Posted Materials
Standards and Procedures
Joint Health and Safety Committee or Health and
Safety Representative
Health and Safety Training
First Aid
Workplace Inspections
Preventative Measures
Incident/Accident Investigations
Senior Management Procedures
Return to Work

The Health and Safety Manual also includes
some very useful forms, including:

Critical Incident Checklist
Work Refusal Flowchart
Incident/Accident Investigation Form
Workplace Hazard Assessment Forms
Return to Work Forms
Workplace Inspection Forms
Worker Orientation Form
WSIB Incident Forms

Could a Company Develop their Own Health and Safety Manual?

Of course they could, but by using the HR Proactive Health and Safety Manual companies can save hundreds of hours of their time, which they could more profitably use on their own core business.