Workshop Objectives

Competent Supervisor

You've worked your way up to that glorious role of a supervisor - now what?

The supervisor is the front line representative of the employer by planning and monitoring the work, assigning tasks, and ensuring the health and safety of workers. The employer is obligated to provide competent supervision to their workers. The Occupational Health and Safety Act in Ontario is very clear on the definition of a competent person and the duties of a supervisor. A competent supervisor is a person who is qualified because of knowledge, training and experience to organize the work and its performance; familiar with the Act and regulations that apply to the work; and has knowledge of potential or actual danger to health or safety in the workplace.

A supervisor is defined as a person who has charge of a workplace or authority over a worker.

Employers may also be considered a supervisor under the Act, where there is not a supervisor appointed and as long as the employer is a competent person.

Having a competent supervisor in the workplace is one of the key strategies in promoting workplace safety.

Becoming a supervisor means more responsibilities, especially legal responsibilities relating to the health and safety of the workers.  People expect a lot from a supervisor, regardless of the size of the workforce or workplace.  A workplace that is free from illness or injury is a desire of everyone, and the OHSA expects supervisors to be the front-line guardians of healthy and safe workers, in all workplace sectors.

This course will provide the health and safety basics of workplace supervision, focusing on the principles of the Internal Responsibility System (IRS) and legal duties of a supervisor, as well as explore supervising strategies and necessary tools to establish and maintain health and safety in the front lines. 

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At the end ​of this course, participants will be able to:

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Apply Due Diligence

• recognize the IRS is the core concept of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) and Regulations in Ontario
• describe the general roles, responsibilities, and rights of employers, supervisors, and workers
• explain how OHSA compliance can prevent incidents in the workplace
• identify the basic elements of an occupational health and safety program
• maintain workplace records and identify how they can be used as a legal defence
• follow a basic workplace health and safety program

Perform Supervisor Duties

• facilitate safety meetings and communication of workplace hazards
• complete basic job hazard/safety analysis
• perform workplace inspections
• apply policies of the employer
• conduct investigations

This course is highly participative with various group activities and discussions as we advance through the subjects. Individuals can bring their own copy of the OHSA, or one can be provided on loan for the 2 days.

Duration: 2 days, 8 hrs/day

Participants: supervisors, superintendents, managers, employers. Also suitable for safety representatives and safety supervisors.

Location: courses can be scheduled privately at a firm's location or publicly at Northern College campuses (pending public interest).  Contact us for more information.