Introduction & History of OHS
Angie Gorassi
Definitions
Occupational Health and Safety(OHS):
the identification, assessment/evaluation, and
control of hazards associated with the work
environment
Examples of hazards:
chemical, biological, psychosocial (stress),
violence, and physical agents (noise,
vibration, temperature and radiation)
2
Definitions
Occupational Injury:
any cut, fracture,
sprain, or amputation
resulting from a
workplace incident
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Definitions
Occupational Illness:
any abnormal condition, disorder or disease
caused by exposure to environmental
factors associated with employment
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Definitions
Occupational Illness (Continued):
Condition that results from exposure in a
workplace to a physical, chemical or
biological agent to the extent that the
normal physiological mechanisms are
affected and the health of the worker is
impaired
5
Definitions
Lost Time Injury (Disabling Injury):
A workplace injury that results in the
employee missing time from work
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Health & Safety Statistics
WSIB Claim Statistics:
[Link]
fetycheck/?lang=en
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History of OHS
Ancient Egypt (3100 B.C. to 332 B.C.):
Stone masons and potters experienced
respiratory problems:
Pneumoconioses – any disease of the lung caused by
chronic inhalation of dust
Specifically, the type of pneumoconiosis in this case was
silicosis - chronic inflammation of lung from inhalation of
silica dust
May also lead to lung cancer, specifically, mesothelioma
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History of OHS
Technological Era (1300-1800):
Copper-induced dermatoses, vomiting, and
hepatic degeneration
Iron-induced fever, coughing, headache,
and lung cancer
Mercury-induced loss of memory, tremors
of the extremities, and manic-depressive
psychosis
9
History of OHS
Industrial Revolution (1760-1840):
Machinists were exposed to lubrication oils
during the cutting and removal of metal
In combination with poor personal hygiene
practices, these oils resulted in serious acne and
skin melanomas
Spinning and weaving mechanization resulted in
brown lung (byssinosis) from dust of hemp and
flax
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History of OHS
Industrial Revolution (1760-1840):
Brown Lung/Byssinosis – a disease of the
lungs caused by excessive inhalation of
dust; the disease is in the pneumoconiosis
family; causes breathing difficulties, chest
tightness, wheezing and cough; can lead to
narrowing of the airways, lung scarring and
death from infection or respiratory failure
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History of OHS
Victorian Era (1837-1901):
Chimney sweeps were at risk of developing
scrotal cancer due to their exposure to soot
deposits
Miners were susceptible to
trench/immersion foot, silicosis, and coal
workers’ pneumoconiosis
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History of OHS
Victorian Era (1837-1901):
Trench/Immersion Foot – moist/wet conditions;
confined boot; pale, clammy and cold; decreased
circulation; damage to muscle, nerves, skin and
blood vessels; can become infected or develop
frostbite; can lead to gangrene and amputation if
severe
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History of OHS
Victorian Era (1837-1901) :
Asbestos Miners experienced respiratory
problems:
Pneumoconioses – any disease of the lung caused by
chronic inhalation of dust
Specifically, the type of pneumoconiosis in this case was
asbestosis - chronic inflammation of lung from inhalation
of asbestos dust
May also lead to lung cancer, specifically, mesothelioma
McIntyre Powder used as a preventative measure
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History of OHS
Government interest in OHS was first
demonstrated in UK by the passing of the
Chimney Sweepers Act of 1788 and the English
Factory Acts of 1833
1889 – Royal Commission on the Relations of
Capital and Labour in Canada influenced the
development of Health and Safety Regulations.
They recommended inspections, compensation
and a labour bureau to oversee these activities
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History of OHS
United States - in 1908, the first U.S.
federal compensation act was enacted for
certain civil employees
By 1948, all the states were covered by
compensation legislation (right to sue)
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History of OHS
1n Canada, in 1914, Ontario was the first province
to enact compensation legislation with the passage
of the Workmen’s Compensation Act
This legislation provided lost-time wages to
almost every worker, removing the right to sue
their employers
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History of OHS Legislation in
Ontario
Elliot Lake Workers Win Royal Commission:
Centre of uranium mining
Health and safety in the mines became so
poor that in 1974 the workers walked off
the job for 3 weeks
They refused to return until they had
assurances that their concerns would be
addressed
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History of OHS Legislation in
Ontario
Denison Mines, with the other uranium
producers, had been telling the workers and
the public that uranium was safe
However, 41 uranium workers had died of
lung cancer
Based on general population statistics, only
13 deaths would have been expected
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History of OHS Legislation in
Ontario
The workers returned to work after the Minister of
Labour agreed to set up a Royal Commission to
explore health and safety conditions in the mines
The Ham Commission quickly became the most
thorough investigation ever undertaken into health
and safety conditions in Ontario
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History of OHS Legislation in
Ontario
The Commission went into the field and talked to
the workers in their communities
The Ham Commission issued its final report in
June 1976
Professor Ham’s recommendations revolutionized
health and safety at the time and laid the
groundwork for changes which have put Ontario
at the forefront of OHS legislation
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History of OHS Legislation in
Ontario
The comprehensive recommendations
contained in the final report of the
Commission led to the introduction of the
OHS Act
One of the most significant results of the
Ham Commission was that the MOL
became the single authority for health and
safety in Ontario
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History of OHS Legislation in
Ontario
Before, it was scattered through a host of sector
laws and regulations under several Ministries
They were all unified under the OHS Act and
brought under the authority of the MOL
The other major achievement of the Ham
Commission was the introduction of mandatory
JHSCs
Workers won three basic rights – the right to
know, the right to participate and the right to
refuse unsafe work
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History of OHS Legislation in
Ontario
Right to Know about hazards in the
workplace
Right to Refuse Unsafe or Dangerous
Work without penalty
Right to Participate in identifying and
correcting health and safety problems;
also to become a H&S Rep or JHSC
member
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History of OHS Legislation in
Ontario
Bill 70, the original OHS Act came into
effect in October 1979
Ironically, the uranium miners were
excluded due to federal regulation
Ten years later, legislative amendments
included health and safety training (Bill 208
introduced certified JHSC members into
most Ontario workplaces)
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History of OHS Legislation in
Ontario
1988 – WHMIS Legislation was enacted for all
provinces
2004 – Criminal Code Amendments (Bill C-45)
2005 – Confined Spaces Regulation
2010 – Workplace Violence and Harassment
amendments to OHS Act (Bill 168)
2011 – H & S Representatives required to undergo
mandatory training
2011 - MOL to oversee prevention function
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History of OHS Legislation in
Ontario
2013 – Basic OHS Awareness Training mandatory
for workers and supervisors
2015 – WHMIS incorporates the Globally
Harmonized System (GHS) of classification and
labelling of workplace chemicals
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Health & Safety Statistics –
Causation Studies
Statistics are grossly underestimated
What is being counted?
Does it include, or exclude, certain things?
What time period is covered?
How is it being counted?
What calculation methods are used and are
they appropriate?
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Health & Safety Statistics –
Causation Studies
Are the conclusions logically related to the
numbers?
What policies were in effect at the time the
count was taken?
What were the economic circumstances that
might have influenced the outcome?
What is the political bias of the authority
making the report?
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The Importance of OHS: Moral
Considerations
Employees have a right to a safe
environment
Management’s commitment to health and
safety results in higher levels of employee
motivation and organizational effectiveness
and lower incident rates
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The Importance of OHS:
Economic Considerations
Direct Costs:
amount paid to the
victims of
occupational accidents
and illnesses in wages
and compensation
payments
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The Importance of OHS:
Economic Considerations
Indirect Costs:
personal suffering,
potential loss of
income from long
term effects, public
relations and corporate
image, employee
relations and morale
etc.
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The Importance of OHS:
Economic Considerations
Cost Benefit Analysis
(CBA):
tracking direct and
indirect costs
associated with
injuries and
comparing them to the
costs of preventative
measures and controls
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The Importance of OHS:
Economic Considerations
Return on Investment
(ROI):
Measuring how
money invested in
health and safety
controls and initiatives
affect the bottom line
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The Importance of OHS: Legal
Considerations
Due diligence:
The Act [section 25(2)(h)] requires an
employer “to take every precaution
reasonable in the circumstances for the
protection of a worker”
A standard of conduct measured by what
could be expected of a reasonable person in
the same circumstances
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The Importance of OHS: Legal
Considerations
Requires employers to take precautions to
prevent accidents that can reasonably be
anticipated
Each employee is also required to work in
compliance with OHS legislation
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The Importance of OHS: Legal
Considerations
Ontario’s mandatory OHS Awareness
Training for Workers and Supervisors
Ontario’s mandatory OHS Poster on rights
and responsibilities:
[Link]
[Link]
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Barriers
Employers that value production over safety
Employers/Supervisors that are not trained in
identifying and controlling hazards
Employers/Supervisors that are re-active and
not pro-active (cleaning up only when there
is an inspection)
Employers/Supervisors that do not see need
(no incident history)
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Internal Responsibility System
(IRS)
The system of shared responsibility for
health and safety that is the basis for
Canadian OHS legislation
Management and Workers working together
for the common goal of the safety of
employees.
Policies and programs in place to handle
OHS issues internally
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The Stakeholders: Government
Legislative updates
Fund health and safety initiatives
Support knowledge sharing and research on
occupational health and safety, for example,
through the Canadian Centre of
Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS)
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The Stakeholders: Employers
Prepare and display written OHS policy and
program
Provide and maintain equipment, materials
and protective devices
Ensure environment is safe and hazard-free
Ensure workers are working in a safe
manner
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The Stakeholders: Employees
Perform duties and tasks in a safe and
responsible manner
Wear protective equipment in compliance
with company and legislative regulations
Report defective equipment and other
workplace hazards to safety professional,
JHSC or Supervisor/Manager
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The Stakeholders: Organized
Labour
Participate in JHSC
Address health and safety issues by bringing
them to the attention of government and
employers
Pressure other stake holders to take
corrective action
Utilize the collective bargaining process to
incorporate health and safety provisions
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The Stakeholders: Partnerships
Section 9 (OHS Act) – Duties & Responsibilities
of JHSCs
JHSCs are required in organizations with 20 or
more employees or with a designated substance
present
JHSCs respond to accidents; monitor the
workplace; notify authorities about serious
hazards, critical injuries, or death; hear
complaints, and make recommendations
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The Stakeholders: Partnerships
Section 8 (OHS Act) – Duties &
Responsibilities of H&S Reps
A Health and Safety Representative is
required in organizations with less than 20
workers and where the number of workers
regularly exceeds 5 (6-19 workers)
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The Stakeholders: Health &
Safety Professionals
Canadian Registered Safety Professionals
(CRSPs)
Registered Occupational Hygienists (ROHs)
Registered Occupational Hygienist
Technologists (ROHTs)
Occupational Health Physicians (OHPs)
Occupational Health Nurses (OHNs)
Ergonomists
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The Stakeholders: Health and
Safety Associations (HSAs)
Sector-specific safety organizations that
provide cost effective resources for employers:
Education/Training – WHMIS, Certification
Training, Awareness Training, Specific Hazard
Assessment and Control Training etc.
Safety Consultants – Trainers, Program
Developers, Specialists, Ergonomists,
Occupational Hygienists, etc.
Train-the-Trainer, Participants Manuals etc.
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The Role Of HR in Safety
Companies may have a Health & Safety
Department with specialists if they are
extremely large, such as hospitals,
municipalities, or manufacturing facilities
For many smaller and medium-sized firms,
health and safety is typically incorporated into
the HR department and consultant specialists
may be contracted in when necessary
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The Role Of HR in Safety
HR performs many inter-related functions
supporting the safety and health promotion
areas, for example, training, program and
policy development, legislative compliance,
job analysis and design, cost benefit
analysis, wellness and return to work
accomodations, etc.
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The Role Of HR in Safety
May be integrated into an HR Coordinator
or Generalist role, or they may have a
specific OHS Coordinator or OHS
Specialist Role
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