G.8.11 Roles and Responsibilities

PURPOSE

To ensure all personnel with Manitoulin-Sudbury DSB Paramedic Services are aware of their responsibilities for managing hazards in the workplace.   
 

APPLICATION

• Paramedics
• Paramedic Superintendents
• Senior Managers
• Joint Health and Safety Committee
   

PROCEDURE

It is the responsibility of all employees to adhere to all safety regulations and policies, and to work in a safe manner always. It is also the responsibility of every employee to report any unsafe work environment as a mitigation strategy.

Under all applicable Legislation, and Policy, each employee is held accountable for their decisions and actions.  

The following list of Paramedic Services positions details assigned health and safety responsibilities:
 

Chief and Deputy Chiefs

The Service’s senior team are responsible to implement and ensure compliance with the Health and Safety policies and regulatory compliance. To achieve success in this endeavour, the senior team has responsibility to:

• Set a safe tone for all employees
• Plan and organize the Safety Management System
• Define goals and direction within the framework of corporate policy, and evaluate the results
• Provide an atmosphere conducive to collaboration for employees, the Service, resulting safe and healthy and environments
• Ensure that safe work procedures are developed and implemented
• Ensure that adequate facilities and staff are available to for provision of education leading to safe work procedures
• Provide resources, equipment and mechanisms to ensure a safe workplace, and correct unsafe activities
• Ensure that each employee has the requisite knowledge, skill and authority to perform their work safely, and that they are held accountable
• Promote a co-operative relationship with government agencies to ensure compliance with all Regulations
• Provide First Aid and investigate incidents of injury or accidents.
  
  

Paramedic Superintendents

Responsible for directing the work in the service in a safe and productive manner, in compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act, and to ensure all personnel are properly protected from hazardous conditions

• Set a good example
• Ensure that the workers have adequate knowledge and skill to perform their work safely and to provide any instruction required;
• Ensure that the workers have proper tools to do their job safely;
• Ensure that standard conditions exist in the workplace and that all non‑standard conditions are corrected in a safe manner without delay;
• Ensure that all tools and equipment are in good operating condition;
• Ensure that orderly housekeeping conditions exist throughout their area;
• Co-operate in matters of safety and health with the Joint Health and Safety Committee member or other worker representatives;
• Ensure that the workers under their supervision are supplied with and wear the personal safety equipment required.
• Correct unsafe practices & conditions 
   

Employees

The workers are responsible for performing their work in a safe manner and maintaining their workplace in a standard condition. They are responsible to:

• Set a good example
• Apply their knowledge to observe safe work procedures and to work in compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act;
• Recognize and correct hazardous conditions in their workplace and report them to their supervisor without delay;
• Wear personal protective equipment provided as required;
• Report defective equipment or tools to their supervisor without undue delay;
• Provide guidance to other personnel where deemed necessary. 

No Employee Shall:

• Remove or make ineffective any protective device deemed necessary without providing an adequate temporary protective device and when the need for removing or making ineffective the protective device has ceased, the protective device shall be replaced immediately
• Use or operate any equipment, machine, device or thing or work in a manner that may endanger himself, herself or any other worker or
• Engage in any prank, contest, feat of strength, unnecessary running or rough and boisterous conduct.
  
  

Joint Health & Safety Committee

The committee is responsible to collaborate to identify and to recommend solutions for health and safety issues. The JHSC is not responsible for implementation changes. JHSC specific responsibilities include:

• Hazard source identification
• Safety recommendations
• Information dissemination regarding actual or potential hazards
• consultation for testing methods
• workplace health and safety education
   

REFERENCE

The Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, “Regulation 1101”

Web site www.wsib.on.ca

Occupational Health & Safety Act

Ontario Ministry of Labour, Guide to the Occupational Health & Safety Act