This module is for supervisors who require basic occupational health and safety awareness training. It covers:

• Hazard recognition
• Health effects of different hazards
• Hazard assessment
• Hazard control and evaluation
• Duties of employers, supervisors, and workers
• Worker rights
• Functions of joint committees, representatives, the Ministry of Labour, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, and designated entities
• Policy and program
• Sources for further information

Participants begin by body mapping some of the activities supervisors do to protect workers’ health and safety and discussing why they do these activities. They discuss the costs of injuries and how injuries can be prevented. After defining the term “hazard,” each participant writes down an example and contributes it to an “all on the wall” visual display organized by hazard category. The instructor explains that thinking about hazard categories will help participants to do a thorough job of recognizing hazards. Participants discuss how they identify hazards in the workplace in their role as supervisor. Participants discuss the relationships between hazards, exposures and health effects. They brainstorm a few potential health effects for the hazards they contributed to the “all on the wall” display.

Latency, acute and chronic effects are discussed. The instructor explains that some hazards primarily affect the outer parts of the body while others such as chemical, biological and physical may affect the inner parts of the body. The routes of entry, circulatory system and routes of exit are explained.

Musculoskeletal injuries are also discussed, with an emphasis on preventing these injuries by looking at two key factors: job demands and workplace components. Participants briefly discuss examples for each of the five workplace components. Participants discuss ways of assessing hazards.

The instructor explains the hierarchy of controls, provides examples and explains ways of evaluating hazard controls. Participants then write down the hazard they contributed to the wall display and a control method for it. They post their example on one of three flipcharts: source, path or worker. If there are any worker control examples, the whole group discusses source or path options for these.

Following the break, the instructor introduces the Act and briefly explains the internal responsibility system. Employer duties, training requirements, duties of supervisors and duties of workers are covered. Participants discuss the three worker rights and the ways workers learn about hazards and controls. The instructor explains the procedure for the first stage of the worker refusal and refers participants to the participant manual for the entire procedure.

Next, the functions of joint committees, representatives, the Ministry of Labour, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board and designated entities are explained.

Finally, the health and safety policy and program and the role of the workplace parties within the program is discussed. The instructor emphasizes the need for supervisors to request additional information or training from the employer if it is required and points out the “sources of information” section at the end of the participant book for future reference.

The instructor uses the review quiz slides to review the main points and give participants a chance to answer any outstanding questions. To conclude, the instructor explains that when program activities are carried out, the policy goal can be achieved. The instructor reviews the course objectives to ensure they are met.