Office of Risk Management

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Roles and responsabilities

The Internal Responsibility System is an organizational structure where everyone has direct responsibility for health and safety as an essential part of his or her job. It does not matter whom or where the person is in the organization structure, they achieve health and safety in a way that suits the type of work they do. Each person takes initiative on health and safety issues and works to solve problems and make improvements on an on-going basis. It is one of the responsibilities of executive management to ensure that the entire system of direct responsibility for health and safety within an organization is established, promoted and improved over time. Procedure 14-1 – Internal Responsibility Procedure for Health and Safety Issues, established under Policy 77 – Occupational Health and Safety defines the roles and responsibilities for health and safety matters as they apply to members of the University community. The following examples serve to demonstrate the type of responsibility with individuals at the university.

Each worker is responsible for complying with all directives, procedures, and standards established by the University, his/her faculty or by government agencies. In particular, each individual is responsible for conducting activities in a manner that will not endanger themselves or others and for exercising all reasonable care in activities that may pose a risk to the environment. When directed to do so, all University workers shall participate in training and information sessions that may be offered. All individuals shall provide assistance and cooperate with University and government authorities (including Occupational Health and Safety Committee representatives) conducting inspections, audits or investigations in accordance with specified policies and procedures. All individuals are required to report all known occupational health and safety or environmental hazards to their immediate supervisors. Contact your immediate supervisor for further details.

Supervisors (including a principal investigator, laboratory manager etc.) are responsible for ensuring compliance with all directives, procedures, standards, and guidelines established by the University, their faculty, or by government agencies. They shall provide opportunities for personnel under their authority to attend any training or information sessions required by the University or faculty. Supervisors must also initiate necessary preventive measures to control health and safety or environmental hazards associated with activities under their authority. Supervisors are required to take corrective action, within the scope of their authority, as soon as they are made aware of a situation involving non adherence to policy and procedures, or laws and bylaws. Situations requiring further assistance or intervention should be reported to their immediate supervisor.

The Department chair is responsible for monitoring compliance with all directives, procedures, and standards established by the University, the faculty, or by government agencies at the faculty and departmental level. This includes supporting the implementation and maintenance of faculty directives and monitoring adherence to them at the department level. Department chairs must also initiate necessary preventive measures to control health and safety or environmental hazards associated with activities under their authority. Department chairs are required to take corrective action, within the scope of their authority, as soon as they are made aware of a situation involving non adherence to policy and procedures, or laws and bylaws. Situations requiring further assistance or intervention should be reported to their Dean.

The Dean is responsible for overseeing compliance with all directives, procedures, and standards established by the University, their faculty or by government agencies at the Faculty level. The Dean must also ensure that appropriate occupational health, safety, and environmental programs are in place for the Faculty. This includes developing, establishing, and maintaining objectives, plans, directives, guidelines, and procedures necessary to manage occupational health and safety hazards and to ensure sound management of environmental issues applicable to his/her faculty. Deans shall allocate or, if necessary, request sufficient resources to ensure the effective operation of these programs. They are also responsible for monitoring adherence with directives, guidelines, procedures and standards established for their faculty. Deans are required to take corrective action, within the scope of their authority, as soon as they are made aware of a situation involving non adherence to policy and procedures, or laws and bylaws. Situations requiring further assistance or intervention should be reported to the appropriate University authority.

Roles and responsabilities

Procedure 14-1

Clinical Placement Risk Management

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