Health & Safety
All workers have the three basic rights.
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You have the right to KNOW about hazards in the workplace.
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You have the right to PARTICIPATE with the employer (the Board) in health and safety activities, through the Teachers' Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee (JOHSC).
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You also have the right to REFUSE work you believe is dangerous to your health and safety, after ensuring your students are in a safe location.
The D16 T/OT Health and Safety Officer completes regularly scheduled inspections of your school, investigates teacher accidents and workplace concerns, reports workplace accidents, hazards and dangers, assists in resolving work refusal cases, and recommends corrective actions.
Minutes of JOHSC meetings are available on the Board's bww site, under Health and Safety Department.
All schools must have a H&S bulletin board, as required by Ministry of Labour regulations, with relevant information for all D16 teachers.
The District 16 T/OT Ad Hoc Health and Safety Committee meets each month to discuss issues, concerns, reports of accidents or near misses, and other Health and Safety related occurences, and to make recommendations regarding issues and concerns to take to the next JOHSC meeting.
If you are a teacher interested in Health and Safety issues, you are invited to our monthly meetings at the D16 office.
Which Form When?
If you have a H&S concern in your workplace.
Bring the concern to your administration as soon as possible to allow them an opportunity to rectify the situation.
This can be verbally or in writing, but an email follow up will support you with a paper trail for any future follow up.
I know of a non-critical H&S concern in my workplace and it is not being followed up on.
You have a duty to report all H&S concerns to your principal and your principal has a duty to respond to your concern.
For non-critical H&S issues, if you feel your concern is not being addressed in a way that you feel appropriately addresses the issue:
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Email your Health & Safety Officer and administrator
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Use the subject line "Health & Safety Concern" and type your concerns.
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The Health and Safety Officer will complete the workplace concern form when investigating.
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I know of a H&S concern in my workplace that is either critical in nature or has not been addressed and I do not feel comfortable completing my job duties.
A work refusal is for critical H&S concerns, or other concerns that you have brought to administration with an unsuccessful remedy.
View this Work Refusal Flow Chart for the steps and process of a work refusal.
View this Work Refusal Slidedeck with more detailed information on each step.
To contact the OSSTF Health and Safety Officer, call the D16 T/OT Office.
The H&S Officer will complete the Concern/Work Refusal Form on your behalf.
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​I have injured myself at the workplace.
In every case of accident or near-miss, no matter how minor:
1. Complete the Board's Employee Accident Form using e-forms in Online Tools on the Sharepoint (see screenshot below). This initiates the WSIB process and ensures that you are protected for any lost work days due to the accident.
2. If/When you see your doctor you tell them you were injured at work and they will fill out the WSIB form 8 and send it in, it is their legal responsibility to do so.
3. The Board also fills out their WSIB form 7 based on your accident report.
4. The worker, aka you, fills out the WSIB form 6 and submits it.
5. You will use personal illness days until the WSIB case is approved, and then your sick days will be returned, and WSIB days are used.
6. Your pay, pension and benefits remain the same during a WSIB absence for your information and there is no deduction to sick leave at all.
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I have been exposed to a substance and am concerned about my future health.
If you suspect you've been exposed to a dangerous substance, always complete the Board's "Employee Accident/Incident Report" e-form on the BWW. In addition, you may elect to complete the WSIB "Worker Exposure Incident Form". This form is intended for voluntary use when an unplanned workplace exposure has resulted from a leak, spill, explosion, release, or an unexpected contact with a chemical or other substance. The completed form is sent directly to WSIB. This form can also be completed online at the WSIB website.
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Keep your own copy of the information you send to WSIB.
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You must also complete the Board's Employee Accident/Incident Report form.
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You may be requested to submit other medical information.
There is a chance that I may encounter a student that has a history of violence that is not in my class.
Notification of Risk of Injury. Students with IEP and Safety Plan Students with IAP (no Safety Plan)
A student has committed an act that they could be suspended or expelled for.
Complete a Safe Schools Report. The purpose of reporting serious student inciednts is to ensure that the Principal is aware of any activities taking place in the school for which suspension or sxpulsion must be considrerd and to help ensure a positive school climate. The staff member needs to submit the form as soon as possible or at least by the end of the day. The Administrator has a responsibility to then investigate and respond back the results of the investigation to the teacher within 72 hours. Such things that need to be considered by the administrator in terms of next steps include progressive discipline and mitigating factors. See this poster for more information.
The e-form on the BWW can be found in the Employee Self-Serve area --> "My e-Forms"
