The Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) sets out employer responsibilities for letting workers know about the hazards they may come into contact with in their day-to-day work. Workers, too, have a legal obligation under the Act to report unsafe conditions to their supervisor or employer.

Recognizing, assessing and controlling (or eliminating) workplace hazards is a specialized form of problem solving. It involves anticipating hazards and then taking action to prevent potential injuries and illnesses. Hazard assessment involves evaluating the degree of risk and exposure to a suspected or actual hazard. Tools to assess hazards include:

• Detailed inspection and/or testing of the hazard
• Physical observation by trained individuals
• Investigations of “near misses”
• Conducting interviews of workers, or
• Reviewing records such as first aid records or minutes of joint health and safety committee meetings

WSPS has free resources to help you with your hazard assessments. Please refer to the Topics and Hazards page for details.

Information Services

Contact the Information Centre for your free package containing MOL court bulletins, journal articles and other relevant resources.

Subscribe to Network News, for workplace health and safety news, prosecutions, alerts and updates.

Training & Products

• Inspecting Physical Conditions: Guidelines for Setting Standards – Look to this text for guidelines for workplace conditions, facilities, hazard controls and more. It’s based on current legal requirements and standards set by recognized such as the Canadian Standards Association (CSA), as well as on generally accepted work practices.
• Risks in Modern Society – The main goal of this book is to describe the complex issue of risks in a changing world, and how to find solutions through risk management and risk governance – for the benefit of all employees, employers, other stakeholders, as well as shareholders and the society in general.

e-Learning:

• Hazard Identification, Assessment and Control (also available in French) – This three hour program outlines techniques for identifying hazards, assessing risks and controlling hazards.
• Accident Investigation in Ontario – Especially for Ontario-based workplaces, this one hour program offers a practical approach to investigating workplace accidents, with emphasis on how to find the root cause.

Classroom and on-site Training:

• Certification Training – basic certification training in health and safety will focus on recognizing, assessing and controlling hazards in the workplace.
• How to Do a Risk Assessment: A Practical Workshop – A ½ day workshop that teaches you how to identify hazards, how to triage your findings and create action items.
• Investigating Accidents – Investigating accidents assists in identifying hazards in your workplace. Learn how to get to the root causes of accidents and how best to determine corrective measures.
• Inspecting Your Workplace – Regular inspections can help you identify actual and potential hazards.
• Risk Assessment, Hazards & Compliance Workshop – These workshops are designed to help Ontario businesses effectively assess their risks, understand system requirements and build an comprehensive approach to health and safety in the workplace.

Consulting Services

Contact WSPS for more information on the above and additional services to meet your needs at 905-614-1400 or 1-800-494-9777.

Regional Conferences & Events

Our health and safety conferences and events throughout Ontario provide excellent opportunities for networking and learning on key topics. Visit Partners in Prevention for more information on our upcoming line-up.