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Reader panel - Our readers speak up on safety accountability |
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Written by COS editorial team
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Wednesday, 14 April 2004 |
What are your thoughts on safety accountability?
1. Do you believe that Canada's oh&s laws are tough enough on workers, lead-hands, supervisors, and employers?
Yes: 58 %
No: 42%
2. On a scale of 1 to 10, how big a motivator do you think Bill C-45 will be for people who didn't previously pay much regard to workplace safety?
1: (Little or no motivation): 8 %
2: 4%
3: 11%
4: 9%
5: 14%
6: 14%
7: 17%
8: 14%
9: 3%
10 (very high motivation): 6%
3. Would you say that you stay fairly up-to-date on changes in oh&s legislation?
Yes: 96%
No: 4%
4. In your job, how often do you consult a copy of your oh&s Act and Regulations?
Hourly: 4%
Daily: 25%
Weekly: 48%
Monthly: 27%
Every 2 months: 9%
Quarterly: 10%
Annually or less: 4%
Please explain:
- "I use it as a reference tool, and in new employee orientation to help them understand how to reference relevant sections and give them an understanding of the OHSA."
- "Two or three times per week I am asked questions related to the OHSA or its regulations."
- "A lot of trivial concerns do come up and are easily handled because of our knowledge of the Act."
- "As a consultant I refer to the regulations when asked questions, but I also review the changes that occur in my clients' geographical area."
- "I am responsible for six different jurisdictions, and each one is different. There is no way to remember everything."
- "I am viewed as an expert on the Act in my company and do not have to recite verbatim to substantiate a point."
- "I find it adds weight to recommendations and suggestions if I refer to the legislation."
5. Comments about Bill C-45 or safety accountability in general:
- "Generally, safety accountability is not a problem. I believe that we (safety resource) need to find a more effective way to connect safety rules/principles to work at all levels."
- "I think more accountability for safety should be placed on the individual."
- "Practicing as I do in Ontario, I believe that until the regulatory changes of the previous government are revoked and the full Ham Commission recommendations are taken seriously, there will be no real change."
- "It will be interesting to see the first employer sent to jail! It will be a real wake-up call for employers who don't take health and safety seriously."
- "I actually did not know about this bill until I received this survey. I guess that's pretty sad."
- "Employers are fairly well aware of their responsibility, but the problem lies in unionized environments when discipline is attempted for unsafe performance. The employer backs off rather than fight with the union."
- "Long overdue."
- "It remains to be seen what the effect of Bill C-45 will be. It all depends upon the case law and the precedents that will be set."
- "It will be interesting to see the first employer sent to jail! It will be a real wake-up call for employers who don't take health and safety seriously."
- "There's not much publicity about Bill C-45. Not many employers/supervisors are aware of the changes and how it affects them."
- "We are ultimately responsible for both ourselves and each other. We need more emphasis on the 'each other.' It should be considered unacceptable to receive input from our fellow employees if we work unsafely."
- "It's about time."
- "I have seen a lot of articles on Bill C-45, but not much information on how it is to be enforced. They can change the laws, but unless those affected know about it, not much will change."
- "This bill was put in place to help compliance in the mining industry. I hope it brings attention to all workplaces."
- "Probably won't sink in until a few people have been prosecuted."
- "Heavy-handed... This type of legislation should be reserved for large scale abuses of health and safety control - like Westray."
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