While Northern Lights College will make every reasonable effort to ensure workplace safety, the decision to work safely or unsafely lies with the individual.
Many factors can influence this decision: fatigue, attitude, distraction, urgency, negligence, improper training and inexperience, to name a few.
We have a responsibility to ourselves, to our fellow workers, our families and the public to be alert, to act in a manner appropriate to the task we are undertaking, and to recognize, avoid and report hazards.
Each representative of the College is subject to these expectations, although directors, managers and supervisors have a legal obligation to workplace safety. ‘Due diligence’ is a term widely used to describe the reasonable efforts of an employer to protect workers from injury or illness. The roles and responsibilities at Northern Lights College are defined below:
- Board of Governors – oversees College business interests and determines the future direction of the organization. As a governing body, the Board holds the President accountable “with respect to the treatment of employees” (Policy # EL-2 – Executive Limitations), including conditions that are unhealthy or unsafe.
- Management –develops the safety program and communicates it to all employees; monitors performance and compliance; implements written rules, both general and specific; has clearly defined safe work procedures, disciplinary and enforcement policies and procedures.
- Supervisors – see that work is planned and carried out in accordance with established safe work procedures; assign tasks and oversee their execution. They are responsible for employee orientation and on-the-job training. Supervisors must correct unsafe conditions, actions and behaviour.
- Workers – are responsible to work in a safe manner; to protect and respect themselves, their colleagues, property and the environment; to identify and report potentially hazardous conditions and acts, and refuse to carry out unsafe work.
- Apprentices, contract students and students fulfilling employment requirements are considered workers under the act and will be afforded the same rights and be required to assume the same responsibilities as workers at the college. In this document wherever the reference to “worker”, “a worker” or “workers” occurs any material also will pertain to the person(s) associated under this heading.
- Students – While not all students are governed by worker legislation in British Columbia, Northern Lights College will take every precaution to ensure a safe learning environment for its students. Students, in turn, are expected to adhere to safety rules and regulations, and to avoid placing themselves in a hazardous situation.
- Contractors – must comply with the WorkSafeBC Occupational Health and Safety Regulation (OHSR) in the protection of their own workers and worksite, and work collaboratively with Northern Lights College to ensure that the project poses no threat to the environment or to the general public.
- Regional and the two Campus Joint H&S Committees are responsible for the stewardship of the formal Health and Safety Program, the annual review of the program and provide necessary advice and consultation to the College on behalf of the workers. All members of the Health and Safety Committees will endeavour to lead by example at all times and always use best practices while performing the tasks necessary in their respective positions.
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