speaking with workers and explaining procedures,” Chadwick said. “And you need someone who understands due diligence.” Understanding due diligence Employers and supervisors are required to take every reasonable precaution to protect workers. Due diligence refers to doing exactly that — taking every reasonable precaution to protect workers. However, in addition to doing this, you have to be able to prove that you’ve done it. “I often tell employers that if it isn’t documented, it didn’t happen,” Chadwick said, referring to the importance of documenting actions you have taken to prevent injury and illness. If an injury occurs, it is usually the supervisor who completes the injury report because they are the ones directing the work on a day-to-day basis and know exactly what happened. If an inspector investigates, they will ask the supervisor a series of questions to determine what caused the incident and whether or not every reasonable precaution was taken to prevent it. In other words, inspectors will be looking for evidence of due diligence. If the supervisor is not able to provide adequate answers with documented proof, it may call their competency into question. Training and education Before you promote someone to be a supervisor or put them in a position of authority over other workers, make sure you provide them with the knowledge they need
to do the job properly. Supervisors must be trained on the specific health and safety legislation that applies to the work your company does. They need to understand the legal responsibilities that come with the role. When a new supervisor learns about due diligence, make sure they receive clear direction on what to document and how to document it. “For example, you’ll want to document training records, safety talks, safe work procedures and hazard assessments,” Chadwick said. “Supervisors must be familiar with all of the company’s health and safety policies and programs.” “As a start, supervisors should complete health and safety awareness training,” Chadwick said. They also need training on all aspects of the work they are supervising to ensure that they understand the risks involved. Ensure supervisors know how to implement the RACE method of hazard recognition — Recognize, Assess, Control and Evaluate — so they can effectively manage the actual and potential hazards present in the workplace. A great resource is the Health and Safety Handbook Generator developed by WSPS. In approximately 15 minutes, you will have a workplace-specific guide to help your supervisors manage hazards. Visit Landscaping and Arborist Safety at WSPS.ca for more information about legislation, top hazards and training. LT If you have health and safety questions, contact WSPS at 1-877-494-9777 or fill out the form at wsps.ca/contact-us and a member of the team will contact you.
protect the health and safety of workers. Ultimately, the employer is responsible for the safety of all employees; however, supervisors are often the ones working directly with workers, making sure procedures are being followed and personal protective equipment is being worn properly. “Supervisors must be able to recognize the hazards in all job tasks and must have the knowledge to implement effective controls,” Chadwick said. Failure to do so could result in individual fines for the supervisor and, in some cases, criminal liability. Consider this example: you promote a worker to a supervisory role after they’ve been with you for a few seasons. They are great with plants and trees, always stay on schedule, but they’ve never operated the excavator. Now they are supervising workers who are operating the excavator. “How is this supervisor going to know if it is being operated properly?” Chadwick asked. “Will the supervisor be able to recognize the hazards associated with operating the excavator and will they know what to do about them?” This example illustrates why it is so important for the supervisor to complete training in all areas of work that they will be expected to supervise. They must understand the hazards and controls associated with all job tasks and effectively communicate this information with workers. “When owners or employers are looking to appoint a supervisor, it should be someone who has good people management skills. You need someone who is comfortable
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