On March 10th, Doug Rourke, Manager of EMC's WSIB Safety Group gave a presentation on this year's common element - Supervisory Competency for the Barrie/Midland and Area E,H&S SIG.

The presentation is posted on the Barrie/Midland/Muskoka Consortium page and is summarized below:

• Ensure you know who your supervisors are - they do not necessarily have the title to have a supervisory role. 
• WSIB gets claims constantly - 24/7
• Claims management is a billion dollar industry
• Supervisors really need to understand the costs involved with all claims - both direct & indirect
• When a supervisor is telling an employee what to do they are the voice of the company.
• Supervisors need to be fully versed in OHS law and the company's safety rules - and follow them!
• Most recent blitz - lifting devices
• The supervisor never gets pulled out of the loop of directing employees as to what to do.  They will be fined if they direct an employee to break the law
• Supervisors need to :
  • know what can and can't be done regarding equipment and safety
  • tell workers about job hazards or dangers
  • make sure workers use safety equipment properly and lead by example
  • write orders on company policies and procedures
• The supervisor is the bridge between the employees and management - ensure you give them the tools and skill sets to succeed
• Ensure the supervisor knows what chemicals are in their department and that he/she has ensured the employees know what they are working with
• Supervisors must understand that JHSC folks must be freed up to attend JHSC meetings regardless of production pressures
• Make it a requirement that the supervisor attends the JHSC audit of their work areas
• Supervisors and the right to refuse work:
  • Ergonomic issues can also lead to work refusals
  • Supervisor to work with employee/management to determine appropriate course of action
  • Can assign another worker to do the job as long as they know that there is a work refusal in progress
• Make sure supervisors are aware of all hazards in the workplace - equipment, machinery, electricity, noise, radiation, heat stress, vibration, biological hazards, chemical hazards
• Supervisors need to have the ability to recognize potential ergonomic hazards - worker rubbing their wrist or shoulder, awkward positions, etc.
• Supervisors knowing proper clean up procedures for spills.  They will be the ones most likely to direct the clean up.
• Supervisors' role in emergency evacuations
• Supervisor is the first line for reporting an injury at work - Form 7.