Strengthening hazard control in high-risk workplaces
The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) Health and Safety Excellence program (HSEp) provides a clear roadmap for you to improve safety in your workplace. With over 40 topics to choose from, HSEp allows you to focus on the areas most relevant to your workplace.
Controlling workplace hazards is one of the most important steps organizations can take to prevent injury and illness. This is especially critical in high-risk sectors such as mining, where workers may be exposed to hazards related to mobile equipment, ground instability, stored energy, airborne contaminants, and repetitive strain injuries. Forestry and silviculture operations also face significant risks, including working near snag or dead trees, fatigue, vehicle incidents on forest roads, exposure to dust and environmental conditions, and being struck by equipment or falling trees.
The HSEp program includes two topics designed to help workplaces strengthen their approach to hazard management: Control of Hazards Basics and Control of Hazards.
Control of Hazards Basic
This topic focuses on building the foundation for an effective hazard control process. It covers how to develop written procedures for evaluating hazards, selecting appropriate controls, assigning responsibilities, training workers, and reviewing controls to ensure they remain effective over time. The topic also includes the hierarchy of controls and how to choose the most effective controls, such as eliminating or substituting a hazard before relying on administrative controls or personal protective equipment.
Control of Hazards
This topic focuses on putting practical measures in place to eliminate or reduce workplace risks after hazards have been identified and assessed. This includes implementing controls for specific hazards, tasks, equipment, or processes to ensure workers are properly informed and trained to work safely.
The Control of Hazards Basics topic establishes the written procedures and framework for evaluating hazards and choosing appropriate controls, while the Control of Hazards topic focuses on putting those procedures into practice to manage specific workplace hazards and activities. A recommended list of specific hazard topics can be found on the WSIB’s HSEp topic requirements page.
Workplace Safety North (WSN) is an approved provider of the program and can help with identifying topics to explore throughout the program. To learn more about the Health and Safety Excellence program, visit WSN’s Health and Safety Excellence program webpage.
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