Safety Policies
As an employee, you have specific health and
safety obligations, both through legislation
(Occupational Health and Safety Act and
Regulations) and ECSD procedures. Can you
provide some examples?
Working safe
Using proper PPE
Identifying hazards and reporting them and/or putting controls in place
Protect the health and safety of our students, staff members and guests
When have you been given a general health and safety orientation?
A Safety Orientation was completed at schools at the beginning of the school year
During your new hire orientation, staff meeting
How often are emergency drills conducted?
Several times each year
What personal protective equipment (PPE)
available?
Gloves, for example, for providing first aid.
Safety vests
Safety glasses, hearing protection, etc.
how does ECSD maintain open
communication with employees to keep you
informed about health and safety issues?
SharePoint site, SWAG messages, meetings, email,
bulletin boards
How are staff held accountable for actions
regarding health and safety at work
Unsafe practices addressed by supervisor or manager
We are all responsible for health and safety
Where/who can you ask questions about Safe and Safety procedures
OHS Team, principals and health safety portal in SharePoint
What is the role or responsibilities of a teacher in the event of crisis or emergency?
Be aware of the emergency procedures in the Crisis Management Plan and follow them.
Based on the emergency, evacuate the building, or stay inside the building safely.
Report concerns or issues to management when safe to do so
How can you report unsafe, unhealthy conditions
and unsafe acts?
Near miss report or hazard report My Safety Portal
Talking to supervisor, member of your safety
committee, or an OHS Advisor
What is the process for reporting work-related
accidents, incidents, injuries, and illness
Report to supervisors and complete an incident report in My Safety Portal
What’s in the safety policy?
ECSD is committed to health and safety.
Health and safety is a core value.
Everyone is responsible for health and safety.
Management will provide safety leadership.
When are you provided information about evacuation
procedures, lockdowns, first aid response and
other emergencies?
During staff meetings
What crisis or emergency response training have
you received to prepare you for your individual
responsibilities?
First aid, fire drills and lockdown drills
How does management or your supervisor ensure
appropriate actions are taken in a timely manner to
address the individual hazard reports?
Once hazards are reported, management will
investigate the issue and take corrective action
If repair or maintenance is required, a work order is created, and the issue is addressed
Maintenance staff might report back after a hazard has been mitigated
How often is the health and safety system audited? and What happens when items are identified as deficient?
every year.
ECSD tries to improve documentation, engagement and awareness in our safety program each year.
What things does ECSD do to make sure staff are
qualified to do their job safely prior to being hired?
Training certificates are verified and tracked.
As part of our hiring practices, key competencies are identified and are requirements for hiring.
Police Intervention Check, Child Welfare Check, etc
What health and safety information is provided
during the orientation
Staff OHS rights and responsibilities
Hazard and injury reporting
Site-specific emergency response information
Info on safety committees, inspections, and a site tou
What type of training are you provided when you are
assigned a new task?
Assigned training in My Safety Portal
Sent for in-person or online training (i.e., ladder safety)
Prior to starting a new task, safe work procedures are reviewed
When changes are made to operations, for example
a new piece of equipment, or existing procedures
are modified, how are you informed of any additional or new hazards?
Communication, meeting, instruction manual, planning process
How does ECSD communicate the outcome, such
as what happened, why it happened and
recommendations from an investigation
Individual follow-up by OHS and management
Information sharing at staff meetings
Division-wide safety alert
What is the name of the our safety policy and where can people find it or where is it discussed?
Our Health and Safety policy is AP 161 – Health and Safety.
It’s one of our Administrative Procedures, on our
SharePoint site, posted on Safety Boards in lunchrooms.
Discussed at some meetings, email communications and announcements.
What are the three drills we have/will practiced in school and the general procedures of each?
Fire Drill
Evacuate the room, doors unlocked, take attendance in the designated area of evacuation
Lockdown
Lock door, turn off lights and wait until you hear "All clear" x3
Severe Weather Warning
Bring students to main floor hallways, sit down, and wait for announcements
How can you or your co-workers be involved in hazard
assessments to determine the hazards of your job?
Each employee reviews their position hazard
assessment when they start, and every 3 years after that. It’s assigned in My Safety Portal as training.
How can you or any other workers identify
hazards and putting controls in place?
Safety committee does general site inspections
Classroom inspections
If you see a hazard (water on floor, blocked exit, etc.),
t’s our responsibility to report it or put a control in place (wet floor sign, remove barrier/trip hazard) Field trip forms, field level hazard assessment forms
Give at least two examples of the kinds of resources
(human resources, facilities, etc.) that are provided
by ECSD to improve health and safety.
Safety training, job specific training, professional
development, reminders at meetings
Safety committees
Emergency response training, drills, maintenance and
repairs, equipment