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HomeMy WebLinkAbout17-1 Kneehill County Safety Policy POLICY Section Policy No. Page Health and Safety 17-1 1 of 5 Policy Title Date: Motion No. 17-1 Kneehill County Safety Policy July 22, 2025 226/25 1.0 Purpose: Kneehill County is committed to a Health and Safety Management System (HSMS) that protects our employees, contractors, volunteers, the public, and all other applicable workplace parties. An effective system can assist in the reduction of injuries, workplace exposures, losses and/or damage to property, facilities, materials and equipment. The employer, supervisors and employees at every level are responsible and accountable for the Kneehill County HSMS and its performance as reasonably practicable. Promoting and maintaining safety excellence includes actively communicating and displaying a high degree of physical, psychological, and social well-being of all. Our goal is a healthy, injury-free workplace for all employees. By working together and looking out for each other, we can achieve this goal. 2.0 Definitions: 2.1 “Contractor”, “Contracting Employer” means a person, partnership, or group of persons who, through a contract, an agreement, or ownership, directs the activities of one of more employers involved in work at a work site. 2.2 “Council” means the elected Council of Kneehill County. 2.3 “Director” or “Senior Leadership Team” means the most senior group of administrative officers in the Kneehill County organization including the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO). 2.4 “Employee” means any person engaged in an occupation in which the employer is Kneehill County. 2.5 “Employer” means a person who is self-employed in an occupation, a person who employs or engages one or more workers, a person designated by an employer as the employer’s representative, or a director or officer of a corporation who oversees the occupational health and safety of the workers employed by the corporation or director. 2.6 “Hazard” means a situation, condition or thing that may be dangerous to health and safety. 2.7 “Health and Safety Management System” or “HSMS” means a system developed with focus on the responsibilities and accountabilities all of employees in all roles of the Kneehill County organization to manage and maintain health and safety processes, such as hazard identification, risk assessment, and controls. 2.8 “Joint Health and Safety Committee” means a committee focuses on addressing safety concerns and make recommendations to the employer as necessary and in accordance with the committee’s Terms of Reference as required by Alberta Occupational Health and Safety. 2.9 “Reasonably Practicable” means doing everything a reasonable person or organization would do to ensure the health and safety of those at or near the work site in accordance with the Act, Code and Regulation. 2.10 “Risk” means the outcome or consequence of a hazard. Is usually measured on a scale of likelihood versus severity in a table or matrix format. POLICY Section Policy No. Page Health and Safety 17-1 2 of 5 Policy Title Date: Motion No. 17-1 Kneehill County Safety Policy July 22, 2025 226/25 2.11 “Supervisor” means a person who has charge of a work site and/or authority over a worker. 2.12 “Visitor” means a person who is not employed or under the direct control of the employer but, has an obligation to comply with the HSMS of Kneehill County while visiting the work site. 2.13 “WCB” means Worker’s Compensation Board 2.14 “Worker” means any person engaged in an occupation in which the employer is Kneehill County. 2.15 “Work Site” means any location under the direction/control of the Kneehill County organization, where a worker is likely to be engaged in work and includes vehicles or equipment used by that worker. 3.0 Policy Guidelines: Kneehill County Council, Administration, and Employees recognize that safety and preservation of health is of the utmost importance in all operations and that these activities require combined efforts by the employer, employees, and contractors. Employees at every level, including management, are responsible and accountable for total safety results. The Alberta Occupational Health and Safety Act, Regulation and Code provides the framework for Kneehill County Safety Policy (hereafter referred to as the ‘Safety Policy’). 4.0 Objective: The objective of the Safety Policy is to identify health and safety concerns, and reduce the occurrence of incidents, injuries, and illnesses by promoting physical, psychological, and social well-being. Active participation from all levels of personnel in the Kneehill County organization can accomplish the objective of the Safety Policy by not only taking part in discussions, inspections, joining the Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) but also by taking part in regular training opportunities, competency assessments and loss control efforts. 5.0 Responsibilities: Each level of personnel in the Kneehill County organization has responsibilities and accountabilities in the Kneehill County HSMS, as listed in the following sections: Council: • Provides support and promotes the health and safety of employees, contractors, and volunteers through regular policy reviews and providing resources to carry out the HSMS. Chief Administrative Officer (CAO): • Provide leadership and endorses awareness of health and safety including the necessary resources needed to ensure the implementation and promotion of the HSMS. POLICY Section Policy No. Page Health and Safety 17-1 3 of 5 Policy Title Date: Motion No. 17-1 Kneehill County Safety Policy July 22, 2025 226/25 • Take part in workplace inspections with directors, employees, and JHSC members as part of planned and unplanned inspections. • Take part in incident investigations, assigning or recommending corrective actions and the review process. • Must consult and cooperate with the Joint Health and Safety Committees, • Must ensure that health and safety concerns are resolved on a timely manner. • Ensures that no worker is subjected to or participates in violence and/or harassment at the worksite. • Refrains from participating in or causing violence and/or harassment. Directors: • Ensure employees are provided with information, training, tools, personal protective equipment (PPE) and support required to do their job safely. • Monitor departments and projects, while holding those responsible accountable. • Take part in workplace inspections with the CAO, employees, and JHSC members as part of planned and unplanned inspections. • Take part in incident investigations, assigning corrective actions and the review process. • Must consult and cooperate with the Joint Health and Safety Committees, • Must ensure that health and safety concerns are resolved on a timely manner. • Ensures that no worker is subjected to or participates in violence and/or harassment at the worksite. • Refrains from participating in or causing violence and/or harassment. Managers and Supervisors: • Provide employees with information, training, tools, personal protective equipment (PPE) and support required to do their job safely, ensuring workers use the PPE appropriately, maintain it and report defects. • Monitor departments and projects, while holding those responsible accountable. • Take part in workplace inspections with the CAO, employees, JHSC members as part of planned and unplanned inspections. • Arrange emergency medical treatment as required, in case of injury or illness, ensuring that the WCB process is initiated where applicable. • Coordinate with contractors to ensure the understanding and compliance of the Kneehill County HSMS through the Contractor Safety Manual, its contents, and procedures. • Implement all aspects of working safely and support the guidelines of the HSMS through leadership, the Safety Policy and Safe Work Procedures. • Take part in incident investigations, assigning corrective actions and the review process. • Ensures that no worker is subjected to or participates in violence and/or harassment at the worksite. • Refrains from participating in or causing violence and/or harassment. POLICY Section Policy No. Page Health and Safety 17-1 4 of 5 Policy Title Date: Motion No. 17-1 Kneehill County Safety Policy July 22, 2025 226/25 Employees: • Accountable for performing work safely by understanding and following the HSMS, following Safe Work Procedures, and continuously assessing and controlling hazards. • Required to understand and comply with the Alberta Occupational Health and Safety Act, Code and Regulation as well as any other applicable legislation. • Has a duty to don all required PPE for worksites that are accessed, to maintain that PPE and inform their supervisor or Safety Advisor when new PPE is required. • Has a right to participate in the health and safety management system such as joining the Joint Health and Safety Committee, provide suggestions and concerns. • Report any hazards, control measures, incidents and near misses. Provides input during incident investigations. • Report work refusals at the workplace that are deemed an undue hazard to their supervisor. • Refrains from participating in or causing violence and/or harassment. Safety Advisor: • Maintains the Kneehill County HSMS, Safety Policy and other legislated safety requirements to ensure compliance with Federal and Provincial laws and regulations. • Maintains the HSMS Software program, allocating administrative rights to applicable roles, as required. • Coordinates and maintains staff training matrix to ensure training requirements. • Provides advice, support and concerns regarding health and safety to all departments in the Kneehill County organization. • Take part in incident investigations, recommending corrective actions and the review process. Joint Health and Safety Committee: • Members adhere to Terms of Reference specifically designed for the committee. • Concerns brought to the attention of members of the JHSC will communicate the concern(s) to the committee for input and recommendations. • Recommendations pertaining to the health and safety of workers are to be relayed to the employer as per the Terms of Reference. • Participate in the hazard assessment process. Contractors: • Must understand and comply, at a minimum, with the Kneehill County Contractor Safety Manual and abide by all legislation regarding safety for their field of work through safe work practices. • Provide Worker’s Compensation Board (WCB) account information and liability insurance information as per the contract agreement, and/or the Contractor Safety Manual. • Follow all posted signage and PPE requirements. POLICY Section Policy No. Page Health and Safety 17-1 5 of 5 Policy Title Date: Motion No. 17-1 Kneehill County Safety Policy July 22, 2025 226/25 • Advise the appropriate municipal personnel on any safety matters which may have an impact on Kneehill County operations. Visitors and Volunteers: • Are accountable for performing work safely and for identifying and communicating workplace hazards to protect themselves, their co-workers, or the public from harm • Sign in to the work site and always accompany their contact at Kneehill County. • Follow all posted signage and PPE requirements. • Notify their contact if hazards were identified during the visit for the appropriate controls to be implemented. 6.0 Closure The information in this Safety Policy does not take precedence over the Alberta Occupational Health and Safety Act, Regulation, and Code. All employees and contractors are required to be familiar with and comply with the current Alberta Occupational Health and Safety Act, Regulation, and Code and any other applicable legislation whether Provincial or Federal and cooperates with anyone exercising a duty imposed by the OHS Act, Regulations, or Code. “Original Signed” “Original Signed” Kenneth King, Reeve Mike Haugen, CAO Approved: June 8, 2021 259/21 Approved: July 22, 2025 226/25 Review Date: July 2029