I would like to thank Brian Heltcher at J&J Machine works for hosting Last month's Strategic Interest Group Meeting.  North Bay area manufacturers gathered at J&J Machine Works for a special Health and safety Strategic Interest Group meeting on Supervisor Competency: A health and Safety Perspective.  Special Guest Speaker Laura Rourke was on hand to talk to the group about Supervisor Competency and what is required by supervisors under the Law as well as the Health and Safety Act and Regulations.  Laura brings real world experience from the Automotive, environmental and electronic sectors and is a P.Eng, CRSP and Health, Safety & Environmental Specialist with Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium.

The event began with a quick update from EMC including news on the recent national conference that was a huge success.  Also SR&ED was discussed and I encourage anyone who is not benefiting from this program to contact me to arrange a free EMC SR&ED assessment!  We can provide you with organizations that have taken advantage of this successful initiative.   Benefit programs were also discussed, many organizations think that benefit programs are like the weather...you never know what to expect.  BHH Benefits is an amazing organization that can save you money on the cost of providing benefits without changing your benefits.  This is a free conversation that is worth having with them; too often organizations just accept the cost of benefits as an uncontrolled cost of doing benefits.  There are many ways to reduce your benefit costs as well as manage those costs.  Please contact me if you are interested in saving your organization money on the cost of benefits without changing benefits.

Laura Rourke s presentation on Supervisor Competency from a Health and Safety Perspective was very informative.  She provided real world examples from experiences she has had in manufacturing.  Please see below for exerts from her presentation.  You can download and view the entire presentation at:

http://www.emccanada.org/membersonl/ontario/northbay/supervisorcompetencyppt

Where do we begin?

-  What is a supervisor?

○     OHS Act says a "supervisor means a person who has charge over a workplace or authority over a worker"

-  Who are your supervisors?

○     Team leads/Lead hands

○     Managers/Senior Managers

○     Front-line Supervisors

Why is it important to ensure Supervisors are competent?

-  OHS Act says Employers must appoint a competent person as a supervisor - this is a duty

-  Competent supervisors will act proactively  to protect employees because they will understand their legal responsibilities as well as the hazards in the workplace

What does a Supervisor need to know to be competent?

-  OHS Act defines a competent person as "a person who,

a)      is qualified because of knowledge, training and experience to organize the work and its performance

b)      is familiar with this Act and the Regulations that apply to the work, and

c)       has knowledge of any potential or actual danger to health or safety in the workplace"

How do you ensure a supervisor?

                a) is qualified because of knowledge, training and experience to organize the work and its performance

○     New Supervisor (in the job less than 6 months)

-  Interview

-  Reference checks

-  Orientation

-  Training

-  Job shadowing

-  Mentoring

How do you ensure a supervisor?

                b) is familiar with this Act and the Regulations that apply to the work

○     Do they have knowledge of the Act & Regulations?

○     What Regulations apply?

-  Construction Projects

-  Control of Exposure to Biological or Chemical Agents

-  Designated Substances

-  Health Care

-  Industrial Establishments

-  WHMIS

-  First Aid Requirements

Section 25 of the Act

(2)(a) Provide information, instruction and supervision to a worker to protect the health and safety of a worker

(2)(c) when appointing a supervisor, appoint a competent person

(2)(d) acquaint a worker or a person in authority over a worker with any hazard in the work and in the handling, storage, use, disposal and transportation of any article, device, equipment or a biological, chemical or physical agent:

(2)(h) take every precaution reasonable in the circumstances to protect a worker

How do you ensure a Supervisor;

(c) has knowledge of any potential or actual danger to health or safety in the workplace

-  Have you identified the hazards in your workplace?

-  Where are you having injuries and incidents?

-  Do you communicate your policies & procedures to new and existing supervisors?

ž  Do your Supervisors' conduct inspections?

-  Daily/Monthly

ž  Do you evaluate your Supervisors' performance?

-  Are safety meetings conducted

-  Do they attend training

-  Do they give new/transferred employees orientation

-  Do they conduct inspections

-  Do they complete quality Incident Investigations

-  Do they have a genuine concern for employees' safety

ž  Competent Supervisors protect their employees, their employer and themselves

ž  Effective Supervision is a critical tool in any Health & Safety Management System