The JOHS Committee Awareness and Information Sessions will take place on the following dates:
February 3, 2015 – Amherst
February 4, 2015 – Truro
February 5, 2015 – Halifax
February 10, 2015 – Berwick
February 13, 2015 – Bridgewater
February 18, 2015 – Yarmouth
February 23, 2015 – Baddeck
February 24, 2015 – Sydney
February 26, 2015 – Antigonish
All sessions will run from 9am – 12pm
Training is designed for Committee Members and Supervisors
Category: Events
COSP Information Session for Community Service Sector
AWARE-NS has identified the Community Services as a priority to work in partnership with WCB-NS to develop a provincial Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) strategy which includes a Health and Safety Management System. Based on a number of assessments and expressed interest from the Community Services, AWARE-NS and WCB-NS, are rolling out the
Community of Safe Practice (COSP) Program to this sector.
The purpose of the program is to develop and facilitate a community of safe practice that supports a culture of workplace safety and prevents injuries and associated cost expenditures.
Why Now?
The numbers suggest that fewer financial resources will be available to the sector to establish and/or sustain an effective injury prevention system into the future. Given we also know that the safety of the people we support is directly correlated with the safety of the provider; we must be diligent in our pursuit of continuous improvement of workplace health and safety. Currently there is a lot of good work happening in each and every organization in Nova Scotia but we now have an opportunity to leverage our collective knowledge to ensure we reverse this trend together.
Where we are now?
Phase one of this initiative will begin with the establishment of a working group of Community Services organizations. The next phase is to engage the broader community in this initiative. AWARE-NS will be hosting nine (9) Information Sessions throughout the Province in February 2015.
AWARE-NS and our partners have completed a significant amount of work and we would like to invite you to learn more about COSP and the Health and Safety Management System.
Dates:
February 3 – Amherst
February 4 – Truro
February 5 – Halifax
February 10 – Berwick
February 13 – Bridgewater
February 18 – Yarmouth
February 23 – Baddeck
February 24 – Sydney
February 26 – Antigonish
All sessions will run from 1:30pm – 3:30pm
To confirm your attendance or for more information, please email [email protected]
or Call 902 832 3868
OEA Employer Consultation
OEA is holding two consultation sessions at Canada Post on April 22, 2014.
Topics will include:
- WCB’s New Psychological Injury Policy approved March 25, 2014
- GECA Stress Policy – no changes
- Discussion about a recent WCAT Decision re EERB’s
- Noise Induced Hearing…
NAOSH Week Launch
“Make Safety A Habit!”
NAOSH Week Launch 2014
May 5, 2014,
255 John Savage Ave, Dartmouth, NS
Join us for the launch of NAOSH week where we present a new opportunity to help you make a difference; to drive workplace injuries and deaths down toward the only acceptable number there is: ZERO
On May 5, 2014, come join us to hear more about leading-edge concepts, new thinking and easy-to-understand workplace culture change strategies to help us achieve this goal! These sessions apply to all workers.
Program
10:00 Registration
11:00 Launch Ceremony
12:00 Lunch
1:00 Safety Forum Kick Off
1:30 Break Out Sessions
Launch Ceremony: “Make Safety A Habit!”
This is the thought provoking theme of NAOSH Week 2014. Our dignitaries and special guest speakers will challenge you to reflect on this during our opening launch ceremony.
Safety Forum:
A star lineup of expert speakers who will assist you to “Make Safety a Habit” at your workplace. These sessions will provide awareness and information on topics such as creating an effective Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee in the workplace to panel discussions with DLAE Special Investigators, Crown Attorneys and Defence Attorneys with specialized experience in OHS law. Resource materials will be given to participants for use at their workplace.
Who should attend?
Senior leaders and board members; Managers; Supervisors; OHS Professionals; JOHSC members; and workers.
Cost to attend:
$10 fee for admission
How to register:
- If paying by credit card, contact: Safety Services Nova Scotia at 902-454-9621 or click REGISTER NOW.
- If paying by cheque, or require an invoice, contact: Valerie Wadman, 923 Robie Street, Halifax, NS, B3H 3C3, [email protected]
Cheques payable to:
Nova Scotia Chapter – Canadian Society of Safety Engineering
If you would like further information please contact the organizers, [email protected] or [email protected].
A Message from our Partners:
NS Chapter of the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering
“Each year, NAOSH Week offers us a time to reflect on what we do every day – both individually and collectively – to continually improve workplace health and safety. It’s an opportunity to reinforce and strengthen our commitment to reducing the impact of injury and illness in our workplaces, our homes and our communities. NAOSH Week inspires us toward excellence in our health and safety goals.”
– Deirdre O’Reilly, Chair NS Chapter
Western NS Chapter of the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering
“NAOSH Week provides us an excellent opportunity to focus on health and safety in our workplaces. It highlights the importance of all of us making the commitment and then doing the things every day that are required to make workplaces as safe and healthy as we would like them to be. Let’s make safety a habit for life.”
– Jeff Brett, Chair Western NS Chapter
Feel free to bring a web enabled phone or tablet for free Wi-Fi.
Attention healthcare community…let’s show Nova Scotia we’ve got game!
Deadline January 15, 2014
AWARE-NS knows just how hard you’ve been working at building and maintaining a safe and healthy workplace. Why not get recognized for your efforts?
The Mainstay Awards, presented by the Workers’ Compensation Board of Nova Scotia and the Nova Scotia Department of Labour and Advanced Education, recognizes individuals, organizations and employers whose efforts have moved Nova Scotia toward a safer future.
If you are unfamiliar with the Mainstay Awards, here are a few things you need to know.
Why are they called the Mainstay Awards?
In nautical terms, the mainstay braces the main mast on a sailing vessel – just as safety provides critical support in navigating through the business day.
Categories you can enter in include:
- Safety Award of Excellence – Organization
- Safety Award of Excellence – Individual
- Safety Transformation
- Special Award for Small Business
- Individual Safety Champion
- Employer Safety Champion
- Employer Return to Work Champion
- Health and Safety Educator
How to enter
Entry for the Mainstay Awards is open to individuals, businesses, associations, companies, partnerships and other organizations in Nova Scotia that have demonstrated effective injury prevention and return-to-work management programs, initiatives or leadership. You can nominate someone or enter yourself! Entry deadline is January 15th. Click to view the entry process.
Good luck!
OEA has been engaging employers over the past few months in discussion about the WCB’s draft policies regarding Psychological Injury and Contactor/Subcontractor. For Employers who were unable to attend, there will be a new session scheduled. See below for details.for the upcoming consultations being held in September:
Thursday, Sept 19 2013
Employer Consultation re: WCB’s draft policy regarding Psychological Injury
Canada Post, 6135 Almon Street Confederation Boardroom, Halifax
10 am-12 noon
To Register Fill Out Registration Form
EXTENSIONS GRANTED FOR SUBMISSIONS
Recently, two draft policies were released by WCB NS and employers are asked to comment on them. The due dates for both policies have now been extended to October 31, 2013.
Psychological Injury – Workplace Stress – submissions now due on October 31.
Contractor/Subcontractor – submissions now due on October 31.
Information about both drafts can be found on our website at www.oeans.ca.
“Employer Consultations on Both WCB Draft Policies!”
Please see our website as a tentative schedule for further employer consultations is now available!
“Writing Sessions for Responses to WCB Draft Policies”
OEA will offer writing development sessions in September for company’s working on responses to the two WCB draft policies. See our website or call our office for more details. There is no charge to attend. Bring your laptop!
OEA Mail, Delivery and Courier Information
833 Sackville Drive, Suite 5
Sackville, Nova Scotia
B4E 1S1
Phone: 902.442.9366
Fax: 902.252-3466
For more events and information about OEA, visit our website at www.oeans.ca.
The consultation process will end on September 26, 2013
Please provide your feedback!
Throughout consultations for the Workplace Safety Strategy, concerns were raised by stakeholders related to the administrative penalties system. Earlier this year, an initial stakeholder consultation was completed to gather feedback on the proposed framework of the new system. This framework has guided the detailed development of the proposed new system.
The proposed changes to the administrative penalties system will be an important step to creating, promoting, and maintaining a culture of safety in all workplaces in Nova Scotia. Further detail has been developed in the form of draft changes to the OHS Act, draft administrative penalties regulations, and draft guidelines for issuing administrative penalties to support consistency and predictability in the new system.
A discussion paper has been provided to introduce and explain the proposed new system, with further detail in the supporting documents for your review and comments. You can find all relevant documents at the following link: www.novascotia.ca/adminpenalties.
The Discussion Paper At a Glance
The province’s goal is to make Nova Scotia the safest place to work in Canada. Nova Scotia’s government, employers and employees each have a role to play in helping us achieve this, and we have to act. Since January 2010, administrative penalties have been used by government as one of many tools to help promote and ensure workplace safety across the province. Some aspects of the program have been effective in ensuring occupational health and safety (OHS) laws are followed in our workplaces; however, we have also heard from employers and workers that some parts of the system need to be improved.
We heard the system was unfair and inconsistent, and at the same time, employers did not want to back away from ensuring safety in workplaces throughout the province.
A discussion paper was released in February 2013 outlining the proposed direction of the new system. Employer and employee consultations were held to gather feedback on the new direction, with written responses and stakeholder workshops providing insight into what a new system should look like.
This next phase of the review will provide insight into the feedback government received from stakeholders and outline the key changes being proposed to the administrative penalties system.
Overview of proposed solution
The discussion paper released in February outlined the high level framework of the proposed system. It suggested the administrative penalties system be a graduated system with three levels – education ,order, and penalty. This approach would also include a clear and consistent fine schedule and a streamlined appeal process to give clarity and predictability to stakeholders. This framework has guided the detailed development of the new proposed system.
An overview of the direction of the proposed system is shown below.
Education
A discussion paper has been provided to introduce and explain the proposed new system, with further detail in the supporting documents for your review and comments. You can find all relevant documents at the following link: www.novascotia.ca/adminpenalties.
The Discussion Paper At a Glance
The province’s goal is to make Nova Scotia the safest place to work in Canada. Nova Scotia’s government, employers and employees each have a role to play in helping us achieve this, and we have to act. Since January 2010, administrative penalties have been used by government as one of many tools to help promote and ensure workplace safety across the province. Some aspects of the program have been effective in ensuring occupational health and safety (OHS) laws are followed in our workplaces; however, we have also heard from employers and workers that some parts of the system need to be improved.
We heard the system was unfair and inconsistent, and at the same time, employers did not want to back away from ensuring safety in workplaces throughout the province.
A discussion paper was released in February 2013 outlining the proposed direction of the new system. Employer and employee consultations were held to gather feedback on the new direction, with written responses and stakeholder workshops providing insight into what a new system should look like.
This next phase of the review will provide insight into the feedback government received from stakeholders and outline the key changes being proposed to the administrative penalties system.
Overview of proposed solution
The discussion paper released in February outlined the high level framework of the proposed system. It suggested the administrative penalties system be a graduated system with three levels – education ,order, and penalty. This approach would also include a clear and consistent fine schedule and a streamlined appeal process to give clarity and predictability to stakeholders. This framework has guided the detailed development of the new proposed system.
An overview of the direction of the proposed system is shown below.
Education
- Education on noted Safety issues
- Collaborate with employers to help ensure compliance and safety
Order
- During inspections, issue compliance orders without financial penalty for contraventions, with timeframes to comply
- Issue administrative penalties for high risk contraventions or previously identified contraventions
Penalty
- Issue administrative penalties for repeat instances of falling comply with previously identified contraventions
- Issue administrative penalties for risk contraventions
Graduated System – Focus on educating stakeholders and enforcing the law through compliance orders before issuing administrative penalties.
Predictable System – A structured fine schedule that outlines penalty amounts for contraventions and how penalties will escalate with repeat
contraventions.
Simplified System – A streamlined appeal process for compliance orders and administrative penalties managed by the Labour Board.
Make your views known!
We want to hear from Nova Scotians, including stakeholders, employers, employees, citizens, and all other interested parties. To make it easy for you to respond and comment, we are providing the following 3 options to respond:
1) Through e-mail [email protected]
2) By providing a written submission to the following address:
Administrative Penalties Review
Department of Labour and Advanced Education
PO Box 697
5151 Terminal Road
Halifax, Nova Scotia
B3J 2T8
3) You are also invited to attend the last stakeholder session to provide your feedback on the proposed new system. The sessions will be held in Halifax on:
September 5 at 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Please identify if you can attend and what session you would prefer by emailing Craig Roy at [email protected] by Friday, August 16, 2013. Each session will take place at the Department of Labour and Advanced Education located at 5151 Terminal Road, Halifax.
