Workplace Safety Inspection Procedure

This procedure establishes requirements for workplace safety inspection to protect the staff, students, and visitors from potential hazards in the workplace, and to ensure that the Durham District School Board (DDSB) is in compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) and other legislation.

This procedure outlines the workplace safety inspection process as described in the DDSB Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) Guidelines. 

2.1 Workplace Safety Inspections: A planned (scheduled) walkthrough of a workplace whereby inspections are carried out to critically examine all equipment, buildings and procedures that have the potential to cause injury and/or illness, and to identify where action is necessary to control hazards.

2.2 Workplace Inspection Toolkit: A guide to assist inspection teams with the Workplace Inspections process.

2.3 Supervisors: Under the OHSA, the supervisor is defined as “a person who has charge of the workplace or authority over a worker.” For the purposes of workplace inspections, a supervisor is defined as:

• Superintendents
• System Leads
• Principals and/or Vice-Principals
• Managers, Senior Managers, and Assistant Managers
• Supervisors

2.4 Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC): In accordance with the OccupationalHealth and Safety Act and its Regulations, the JHSC can identify situations that may be a source of danger or hazard to worker, including but not limited to policies, Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) procedures, equipment or environment. The JHSC can make recommendations to the employer for the improvement of the health and safety of the workers. The JHSC seeks worker volunteers to inspect the physical condition of each workplace as members of the school-based workplace inspection team. 

2.5 Workplace Inspection Review Committee (WIRC): Designated worker membersof the JHSC assist and support workplace inspections on a rotational basis or as requested by the School Based Workplace Inspection Team. The WIRC has a schedule where worker members of the joint health and safety committee accompany the school-based inspection teams on a rotating basis. The purpose is 
for the WIRC member to assist the school-based inspection teams in their inspections and provide a regular report to the WIRC and JHSC. The WIRC also identifies and discusses trends and has the ability to review school workplace inspections. 

2.6 School Based Workplace Inspection Team: The School Based Workplace Inspection Team shall be comprised of Principal or designate, CUPE representative, and ETFO or OSSTF Representative for the site as appropriate and are nominated by their federation/union representatives.A school-based workplace inspection team will be established and maintained in allbuildings occupied by the Durham District School Board and shall be comprised of:

• Elementary and Secondary Schools:
  
  • Principal or Vice-Principal
  • Teacher/Early Childhood Educator representative
  • CUPE representative
• Grove School:
  
  • Principal or Vice-Principal
  • Teacher representative
• Maintenance Centre:
  
  • Appropriate Supervisor
  • CUPE representative
• Administrative Building(s):
  
  • Manager
  • CUPE representative
• Outdoor Education Centres:
  
  • Custodial Supervisor 
  • Teacher representative

3.1 Health and Safety Department

The Health and Safety Department is responsible for the review, update and monitoring of this Procedure to ensure it meets the minimum standards and legislative requirements. The Health and Safety Department will communicate any updates and revisions.

The Health and Safety Department will create the WIRC Workplace Inspection schedule in alignment with the JHSC Guidelines and in consultation with the WIRC. 

The Health and Safety Department will follow up with schools that have overdue workplace inspections and involve Family of School Superintendent for assistance in meeting compliance. 

The Health and Safety Department will provide inspection statistics to the WIRC to assist in identifying trends.

The Health and Safety Department is responsible for the development and maintenance of the workplace inspection training and resources (e.g. Workplace Inspection Toolkit) in consultation with the WIRC. 

3.2 Workplace Inspection Review Committee

The designated worker members of the Joint Health and Safety Committee are released for a full day (secondary site) or half day (elementary site) to assist the School Based Workplace Inspection Team as outlined in the JHSC Guidelines. 

The WIRC worker member shall contact the supervisor of the work location at least seven days in advance of the school’s scheduled month to indicate they wish to accompany the School Based Workplace Inspection Team on the inspection.

The WIRC will meet monthly during the school year to review inspections completed by the committee members. They will review data provided by the Health and Safety Department, discuss trends and suggest corrective actions. 

The WIRC will report to the JHSC as a standing agenda item at each committee meeting.

3.3 Supervisors

All Supervisors, as defined in this Procedure, must ensure that the school-based workplace inspection team complete a thorough workplace inspection in compliancewith this Procedure and within the scheduled timeline.

The supervisor is to work with the Lead Custodian to ensure that any required work orders have been submitted.

All Supervisors are responsible for follow-up with hazards identified during their Workplace Inspections to ensure all concerns have been addressed in a timely manner. 

The supervisor is responsible for completing the required Workplace Inspection training. 

3.4 Lead Custodian

When an identified hazard cannot be resolved by staff in the building, the Lead Custodian will submit a work order to help resolve the hazard.

The lead custodian is responsible for completing the required Workplace Inspection training.

3.5 School Based Workplace Inspection Team 

The School Based Workplace Inspection Team will jointly conduct workplace inspections as scheduled. The schedule can be found in the Workplace Inspection Toolkit resource. They may also support on-site safety issues and work with the JHSC regarding ongoing concerns.

This procedure applies to all DDSB employees and supervisors with specific responsibilities for staff as defined within the procedure. 

This procedure applies to all DDSB schools and worksites. 

5.1 Preparing for the Inspection

At the beginning of the month, the Supervisor will receive notification that they have an upcoming workplace inspection due. The school-based workplace inspection team will schedule a time during that month to complete the school’s workplace inspection. The Team will select a date that is convenient for everyone. Elementary teachers will be provided with 0.5-day release time to join the School Based Workplace Inspection Team. Secondary teachers will be provided with 1.0-dayrelease time to join the School Based Workplace Inspection Team.

To help prepare for the inspection, school-based workplace inspection teamsshould meet in advance to plan for the inspection and review the Workplace Inspection Toolkit.

5.2 Completing the Inspection 

School based workplace inspection teams should plan on utilizing the full 0.5 day for elementary school inspections and the full 1.0 for secondary inspections at a minimum.

Hazards identified must be documented on the Workplace Inspection. 

At the end of the inspection, any hazards identified that are unable to be resolved must be assigned to either the supervisor or the lead custodian.

5.3 Following up on Action Items

Workplace inspections can only be effective if there is appropriate follow-up.

All items that require a work order are assigned to the lead custodian. The lead custodian will submit the work order. 

Items not requiring a work order that are administrative (e.g. improperly stored itemsin a classroom) are assigned to the supervisor for their follow-up. Follow up is to be done in a timely manner. 

Ensure all identified hazards are resolved or actioned and followed up as needed.

The WIRC will meet monthly during the school year to review inspections completed by the committee members. They will review data provided by the Health and Safety Department, discuss trends and suggestive corrective actions. 

The Health and Safety Department will provide assistance and recommend a course of action if a safety issue is unresolved. 

5.4 Records Management 

All records related to Workplace Inspections shall be managed by Health and Safety in accordance with the Board’s Record and Information Management (RIM) and the Record Retention and Classification Schedule (RRCS).

• Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act
• DDSB JHSC Guidelines 
• DDSB Workplace Inspection Toolkit