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Preparing for WorkWell Audit

Below please find answers to some of the most common questions businesses have about WorkWell Audits, Health and Safety Programs, as well as information about how Industrial Safety Trainers Inc. can assist your business.

1. What is a WorkWell Audit?
2. Does my business need a Health and Safety Program?
3. How much does it cost?
4. How much work is involved?
5. What if we already have policies and procedures in place?
6. How do we ensure our Health and Safety Program is up to date?

 
1. What is a WorkWell Audit?

Section 25(2)(j) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act states that employers in Ontario “shall ensure that they prepare and review a written occupational health and safety policy, and develop and maintain a program to implement that policy”.

In other words, businesses must write a “HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY” statement and have a written plan on how they will ensure that everyone is going to follow the safety rules and policies, as stated in the “HEALTH AND SAFETY MANUAL”.

Your health and safety manual should include:
1. Your safety rules, including unwritten rules
2. Personal responsibility regarding safety
3. Emergency preparedness details 
4. Instructions pertaining to safety hazards
5. Instructions pertaining to injured workers
6. Training you will provide to workers and how that training will be done
7. Details pertaining to safe work operation including identifying who has the ability to do specific tasks.

When Industrial Safety Trainers develops a Health and Safety Program we accomplish two things:

1. Preparing your business for a WSIB’s WorkWell Audit
2. Bringing your company up to compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act and Regulations as well as the standards set out by the WSIB and Ministry of Labour.

The WSIB reports that the average cost of a lost time accident, where a worker is off less than 2 weeks, costs an employer $13,000.00.  Where a worker is off work for more than 2 weeks, due to a workplace accident, the average cost to the employer increases to $42,000.00.

Companies that have an effective safety program in place experience fewer accidents in the workplace. Fewer workplace accidents equate to a substantial savings in WSIB costs related to those workplace accidents.

  
2. Does my business need a Health and Safety Program?

Any business that employs five (5) or more workers can be subject to a WSIB WorkWell audit.  All businesses, regardless of size, must have a safety program in place. 

Consider the following:
If you have an accident at your workplace and the Ministry of Labour asks to review your safety rules, policies, procedures and any documentation that you have to demonstrate the safety of your workers, would you be able to provide the inspector with this information?

 
3. How much does it cost?

The cost of developing a Health and Safety Program is very low - especially when you weigh it against the cost of a workplace accident.

We do not advertise a set price to develop a Health and Safety Program because the needs for every business will be different.   Our Health and Safety Programs are customized accordingly and tailored specifically to the Health and Safety requirements of your company.

What we do advertise is a no-cost consultation of your business so that we can provide you with an accurate price associated with the development of a Health and Safety program.

 
4. How much work is involved?

Step One - The Safety Assessment
We will review any current safety policies and procedures as well as any safety measures currently in place to protect workers.  This allows us to identify any gaps in your current operation.

Step Two - The Program Development
Based on the results of the Safety Assessment we revise/update and add elements that the WSIB requires.

For example, we may need to develop: Workplace Health and Safety Manuals, First Aid log books, Joint Health and Safety Committee Binders, Employee Trainers binder, New Employee Orientation workbooks, Job Documents binder (Job Task/Hazard Analysis), Record of Training binder, Preventative Maintenance Program, Emergency Plans, Visitors program, Early and Safe Return to Work, and WHMIS

Every business will be provided with a hard copy and an electronic copy, including additional forms and templates.

Step Three - The Roll Out of Your Program to Management
We always ensure that the management team has a detailed understanding of the Health and Safety Program that has been developed for their company.  We also ensure there is it is understood how this new program is to be implemented.  We generally meet with the entire management team and Joint Health and Safety Committee for 3-4 hours to review the new program.  We also meet with additional key employees to ensure they are aware of their roll and responsibilities. 

Step Four - The Roll Out of Your Program to Worker Staff
In addition to reviewing your new program with management staff, we also review it with your worker staff to ensure all elements are understood.  A brief training session will be conducted and each participant will be required to sign off agreeing that they have received the training (this s a WorkWell requirement). 

Step Five - 6 Month Review
Six months after we have developed your Health and Safety Program, we will visit your business and review your implementation progress. 

 
5. What if we already have policies and procedures in place?

Before we can develop a Health and Safety Program we conduct a gap analysis of what your business is currently doing to manage safety at work.  We will review any polices and procedures that you have developed and evaluate them to assess whether it would satisfy a WorkWell auditor and meets current standards. 

We do not want to discount any work that you may have already done, rather, we want to ensure that you have appropriate policies and procedures in place that ensure compliance and the protection of your workers.

 
6. How do we ensure our Health and Safety Program is up to date?

As part of our commitment to our clients, we offer a thorough auditing process.   If desired, we can visit your company a year after the roll out of your safety program and conduct a mock-audit of your facility.  The results of the audit would be given to you in a detailed report thus allowing your management team to correct any potential problems.

Should you have questions at any time, we offer a no-cost consulting service - simply by calling 1-800-219-8660.