Bill 168, An Act to amend the Occupational Health and Safety Act with respect to violence and harassment in the workplace officially came into force on June 15, 2010. Is your workplace in compliance?
Representing the most significant changes to the Occupational Health and Safety Act in almost two decades, these new amendments to the Act set forth tremendous obligations for employers.
Chief among these obligations is the requirement for employers to develop and implement workplace violence and harassment policies and program(s). To this end the employer must also provide all workers with information and instruction on the content of these workplace policies and related measures. The new law also requires measures to address domestic violence as a potential source of workplace violence.
To help workplaces comply with the new legislation, the Workers Health & Safety Centre (WHSC) has developed a new Workplace Violence and Harassment Program. The three-hour training program covers essentials for those creating a new workplace-specific program or evaluating an existing workplace violence program. Among other things WHSC training participants will discuss:
· Definitions of workplace violence, harassment, domestic violence and bullying;
· Legislative requirements:
· Behaviour(s) that could be considered harassment;
· Sources of workplace violence;
· Causes of workplace violence;
· Warning signs of workplace violence;
· Related risk factors and their assessment; and
· Eliminating or controlling risk factors.
Participants will also cover information important to addressing domestic violence, including:
· Signs a victim of domestic violence may exhibit;
· Signs a perpetrator of domestic violence may exhibit;
· Components of an effective domestic violence program;
· What employers, JHSC, co-workers can do to assist the victim of domestic violence; and
· Domestic violence resources.
In addition to the Workplace Violence and Harassment Program, WHSC has developed two compliance checklists. One checklist helps workers determine if their employer is in compliance and the second checklist helps employers determine what they need to do in order to comply with the new law.
Want to know more about the WHSC’s new Workplace Violence and Harassment Program — call 1-888-869-7950 and ask to speak to a training service representative or contact a WHSC near you? |
