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Safety Update: Hazard Communication-It is your right to know!

Employers have a duty under law to ensure they are communicating any issues that are directly related to safety. This includes workplace hazards, assessment and control methods. It is the workers' right to know what hazards they can potentially be affected by and how they can be involved to help implement control measures. This reinforces a very important function of health and safety - to have direct lines of communication between employer and worker. Communication ensures that workers are not trying to find the information on their own and that the employer takes responsibility to ensure the health and safety of the employee.

According to the Alberta Occupational Health and Safety Code 2006 under Part 2 Hazard Assessment, Elimination and Control Hazard Assessment:

• 7(1) An employer must assess a work site and identify existing and potential hazards before work begins at the work site or prior to the construction of a new work site.
• 8(1) If reasonably practicable, an employer must involve affected workers in the hazard assessment and in the control or elimination of the hazards identified.
• (2) An employer must ensure that workers affected by the hazards identified in a hazard assessment report are informed of the hazards and the methods used to control or eliminate the hazards.

Common methods for communicating hazard information by an employer are through worker orientations, annual refresher training, WHMIS training, posting the information in common areas and through joint health and safety committee meetings. Finally, worker involvement is the key component of the communication process. Workers can identify the critical tasks associated with their position and the hazards and controls associated with those tasks.

The Topic for January 24th: Joint Health and Safety Committees

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eCompliance provides information about topical OH&S issues to assist existing and potential customers to cope with their own OH&S needs. It is not intended to be legal information or legal advice. Although we go to great lengths to make sure our information is accurate and useful, we recommend you consult a lawyer if you want professional assurance that our information, and your interpretation of it, is appropriate to your particular situation.