HEALTHYHORIZONS
Effective supervising and due diligence
BY JENNIFER COCCIMIGLIO WORKPLACE SAFETY & PREVENTION SERVICES LONGER DAYS, chirping birds and muddy ground all point to one thing — spring startup. If you’re lucky, you may have some younger employees returning who have really started to understand your business and have demonstrated their skills. They will most likely be the ones you rely on this season and you may even appoint one to a supervisory position. “Employers sometimes forget they are legally responsible for providing supervision and when they appoint a supervisor, that supervisor must have the knowledge and skills to do the job,” said Shawn Chadwick, industry
partnerships agriculture account manager with Workplace Safety and Prevention Services (WSPS). “Often, what I see is someone promoted to a supervisor role because they are a diligent and reliable worker. They may be very knowledgeable about shrubs and plants and have demonstrated high quality work. These are all good things,” Chadwick explained. “However, there’s more to being a supervisor than being a good worker.” Legal responsibility for workers “Supervisors have one of the greatest responsibilities within a company because
they are managing the health and safety of the employees,” Chadwick said. “There is quite a lot of legal liability that comes with the role.” The problem is that supervisors are not always aware of this — especially, if they have not received training that clearly explains their responsibilities and legal requirements. While each province has its own health and safety legislation, they all specify the duties of a supervisor. These duties generally include informing workers of any potential or actual dangers they may face and taking every reasonable precaution to
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