New Employees and Health & Safety (H&S)

The term "new employee" can include, but is not exclusive to, the following: full or part-time workers, students, trainees, employees who have changed jobs within the organization, contractors, sub-contractors, visitors, and volunteers.

The following is designed to provide you, as an employer or trainer, with a checklist to ensure that all new employees are provided with the necessary information when starting a new job, project, or task.

Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act,

"employee" means "(a) a person employed at a place of employment, or (b) a person at a place of employment for any purpose in connection there-with" and a "place of employment" means "any building, structure, premises, water or land where work is carried on by one or more employees, and includes a project site and a mine".

Workplace Health and Safety Legislative Requirements

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Make sure you know the laws you need to consider to fulfil your occupational health and safety obligations when there is a new employee at your workplace. Get copies of the:

 

·         Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission Act (WHSCC Act)

·         Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHS Act)

·         Workers' Compensation Act (WC Act)

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Ensure that you know the definition of employees under the OHS Act.

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Understand the definition of a place of employment under the OHS Act.

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Know your duty of care for

 
  • Employees/students/trainees
  • Contractors
  • Visitors/volunteers
  • Others

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Ensure that you have up-to-date employees’ Health & Safety (H&S) and compensation policies.

Safety in the Place of Employment (Workplace)

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Ensure that the workplace/worksite that you are placing someone in is safe.

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Ensure that H&S procedures are in place to deal with:

 
  • Hazards, accidents/incidents, emergencies, and security procedures
  • The rights and responsibilities of all parties in regards to H&S
  • Training and supervision.

The Job

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Gather enough information to be able to choose the right person for the job.

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Provide a written job description that outlines the key job requirements and the core tasks that need to be carried out.

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Be clear about the tasks that the new employee is required to do and competencies it requires.

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Set up a process to assess employees competencies at selection, induction and on an ongoing basis.

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Determine who is responsible for ongoing assessment and how it will be carried out.

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Consider what additional competencies will need to be developed.

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Consider H&S issues and include them as part of the contract specification, tender, and contract management stages of contracts organized.

Workforce Awareness

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Ensure that all other employees are aware that there is a new employee on site.

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Make others on site aware of their roles and responsibilities in relation to the new employee.

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Consider whether to appoint a "buddy" for the new employee.

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Identify who will supervise the new employee, for how long, and whether the supervisor has the competencies to carry out this task.

The Health and Safety Orientation Process

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Consider the following points as part of the H&S orientation for all new employees. They will help you begin to focus on the areas that you need to address.

 
  • H&S policies and procedures.
  • The roles and responsibilities of all personnel in the workplace with regard to H&S legislation.
  • The organizations stated commitment to H&S.
  • The systems in place to ensure employee involvement and consultation in H&S, including a system for resolving H&S issues.
  • The hazards or risks involved on the job and at the worksite, and how the organization has identified, assessed, controlled, and reviewed these hazards.
  • The precautions, procedures, and protective equipment required on the job, why they are required, and information on how equipment is used and maintained.
  • Systems of work: these include permits to work, out of service tag and lockout of equipment, maintenance, repair, and alteration to the plant or equipment.
  • The correct way to move materials and equipment (manual handling).
  • How to purchase, transport, store, handle, and dispose of dangerous goods and hazardous substances.
  • The new employee’s role in hazard/accident identification assessment control and review.
  • The new employee’s role in an emergency situation.
  • The name and location of the H&S representative and/or details about the Joint Health & Safety Committee (JHSC).

Supervision

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Ensure that the employee knows who to talk to if there is a problem.

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Ensure that the lines of authority within the organization are clear.

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Ensure that the employee knows who they are directly responsible to and for.

Review

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Make sure you organize a review to consider:

 
  • If the orientation to the workplace has been completed.
  • The need to continue with the same level of supervision (buddy system, frequent dialogue, education/training requirements).
  • Whether future new workers can be handled differently to achieve improvement.
  • What ongoing programs need to be considered for the new worker.

 

WorkSafeNB Occupational Health Section: 07/99

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