All employers must designate either an OHS Representative or establish a Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee (JOHSC). These roles and functions help the employer address health and safety concerns, develop training and procedures, and monitor worksite safety initiatives.

Workplaces with 1-19 Employees: OHS Representative 

An OHS Representative may be designated by the employer, or decided on by fellow employees. Their role is to act as a liaison between workers and the employer on health and safety matters. Their duties include:

While health and safety in the workplace is everyone’s responsibility, some roles have legal responsibilities attached to them. Below is a summary of these roles and their responsibilities.

Employer: It is your responsibility to establish and maintain an effective OHS program. By doing the following, you will meet your regulatory responsibilities:

What is a Health and Safety Program?

An Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) program is made up of plans, procedures, reporting tools, and recordkeeping. Once a company has one in place, it ensures operations are carried out in the most safe, healthy way possible. 

While workplace health and safety planning is vital for keeping yourself and your workers safe, it is also simply good business practice for efficiency and reducing claims costs.

You know your workplace best! 

Ergonomics is a safety topic that affects every worker, no matter what job or work setting they are in. Good ergonomic practices fit jobs and tasks to workers’ needs, which help prevent injuries. Practicing good ergonomics is as important for a worker who uses heavy tools as it is for an office worker who sits for long hours.  

The top three industries with the highest incidents of ergonomic injuries in the NWT and Nunavut are: