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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPR 593 HS - Worker Incident Reporting And Investigation PROCEDURE PR 593 HS TITLE: WORKER INCIDENT REPORTING AND INVESTIGATION Date Authorized: August 1999 Last Revised: 13 June 2025 (Minor Housekeeping Edits) Last Reviewed: 27 May 2025 COMMITMENT TO INDIGENOUS RIGHTS, HUMAN RIGHTS, AND EQUITY The District recognizes its responsibility to ensure that this procedure promotes and protects Indigenous rights, human rights, and equity. The District will strive to address and eliminate discrimination and structural and systemic barriers for students, staff, and the community. 1.0 RATIONALE To comply with reporting and investigation requirements in response to certain incidents involving workers, students, or visitors that result in exposure to a potentially harmful agent or cause injury or illness. This will inform evidence-based risk management decisions and programs to prevent and reduce the impacts of workplace injuries and illnesses. 2.0 DEFINITIONS Please refer to Appendix A for a list of definitions of terms used in this procedure. 3.0 RESPONSIBILITY 3.1 Workers will report any workplace injury, illness, or potential exposure to a potentially hazardous agent to the Supervisor as soon after the occurrence as possible. This may include Incidents affecting other Workers, students, or visitors who may not be able to self-report, or incidents that occur to workers at sites or facilities not managed by the OCDSB. 3.2 Supervisors will follow this procedure and all the reporting requirements included herein and will participate in investigations as requested. 3.3 The Employee Safety & Wellness team (OH&S and Wellness) is responsible for coordinating Critical Injury investigations, and reporting workplace injuries and illnesses to the Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) following prescribed requirements. This team -1- PR 593 HS will also provide support and resources to staff as needed. This might include disability case management, Employee Assistance Program referral/information, in-person crisis counseling services, and/or Tragic Event Response Team (TERT) response. 4.0 PROCEDURE Worker Incident/Accident Not Resulting in a Fatality or Critical Injury that Occurs at the Workplace 4.1 When a Worker is injured, becomes ill, or has reason to believe they may have been exposed to a potentially harmful agent in the course of their work, and there is no Critical Injury or fatality, the Supervisor or designate will: a) be notified as soon as practical, normally directly by the Worker or someone who witnessed or came upon the Incident. The notification may be in person, by telephone, text message, or other direct means; b) ensure First-aid treatment is applied without delay as necessary; c) ensure emergency services (911) are contacted without delay as necessary; d) arrange transportation for the injured Worker so that professional health care can be delivered, if required; and e) complete and submit an Incident report within 24 hours: i) online using the Supervisor Incident Report, accessible through the OCDSB Staff Portal; or ii) in the case where an online Supervisor Incident Report can not be completed (such as for casual employees), use an Accident/Incident Form 140. Worker Incident/Accident Not Resulting in a Fatality or Critical Injury that Occurs at an Off-Site School-sanctioned Event 4.2 When a Worker is injured, becomes ill, or has reason to believe they may have been exposed to a potentially harmful agent in the course of their work at an off-site school-sanctioned event, and there is no Critical Injury or fatality, the Lead Trip Supervisor will: a) be notified as soon as practical, normally directly by the Worker or someone who witnessed or came upon the Incident. The notification may be in person, by telephone, text message, or other direct means; b) notify the facility (where the injury, illness, or exposure occurred) of the Incident immediately by direct means. If there is no Facility (ex, a trip to a park or forest), the notification is not required; c) ensure First-aid treatment is applied without delay as necessary; d) ensure contact emergency services (911) are contacted without delay as necessary; -2- PR 593 HS e) arrange transportation for the injured Worker so that professional health care can be delivered, if required; and f) provide the Supervisor with information needed to complete and submit an Incident report within 24 hours: i) online using the Supervisor Incident Report, accessible through the OCDSB Staff Portal; or ii) in the case where an online Supervisor Incident Report can not be completed (such as for casual employees), use an Accident/Incident Form 140. Worker Critical Injury or Fatality in the Workplace 4.3 Any person who becomes aware of an Incident that results in a Critical Injury or fatality of a Worker in the workplace will notify a Supervisor immediately. 4.4 Upon becoming aware of a Critical Injury or fatality, the Supervisor will: a) ensure First-aid treatment is applied without delay, as necessary; b) ensure emergency services (911) is contacted without delay, as necessary; c) arrange transportation for the injured person so that professional health care can be delivered, if required; d) secure the scene from being disturbed until it is “released” by the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD) or by the OH&S team on behalf of the MLITSD except for the purposes of: i) saving life or relieving human suffering; ii) maintaining an essential public utility service or a public transportation system; or iii) preventing unnecessary damage to equipment or other property; e) use the CODE4 emergency communication system to report the critical injury. If the OH&S team does not respond within 10 minutes, contact the MLITSD contact centre at 1-800-202-0008 to report the incident; f) coordinate with the Employee Wellness team and other staff, as appropriate, to complete an online Supervisor Incident Report (or Accident/Incident Form 140 if required) and submit it within 24 hours to the Employee Wellness team, which will share the completed report with the OH&S team without delay; and g) in the case of a fatality to a Worker, immediately inform the appropriate Superintendent of Education, the Associate Director, and the District General Counsel Office by telephone. In the event of pending or actual litigation, the Director of Education and the trustee of the school will also be notified. -3- PR 593 HS Critical Injury or Fatality of a Worker at an Off-Site School-Sanctioned Event 4.5 Any person who becomes aware of an Incident that results in a Critical Injury or fatality will notify the Lead Trip Supervisor immediately. 4.6 Upon becoming aware of a Critical Injury or fatality, the Lead Trip Supervisor will: a) notify the Facility of the Critical Injury or fatality immediately by direct means. If there is no Facility (ex: trip to park or forest), the notification is not required; b) ensure First-aid treatment is applied without delay, as necessary; c) ensure emergency services (911) are contacted without delay, as necessary; d) arrange for transportation for the injured individual so that professional health care can be delivered, if required; e) secure the scene from being disturbed until it is “released” by the MLITSD or by the OH&S team on behalf of the MLITSD, except for the purposes mentioned above; and f) notify the Supervisor of the Critical Injury or fatality as soon as possible by telephone, text message, or other direct means. i) The Supervisor will use the CODE4 emergency communication system to report the critical injury. If the OH&S team does not respond within 10 minutes, the Supervisor will contact the MLITSD contact centre at 1-800-202-0008 to report the incident. ii) The Supervisor will coordinate with the Employee Wellness team and other staff, as appropriate, to complete an online Supervisor Incident Report (or Accident/Incident Form 140 if required) and submit it within 24 hours to the Employee Wellness team, which will share the completed report with the OH&S team without delay. iii) In the case of a fatality to a Worker, the Supervisor will immediately inform the appropriate Superintendent of Education, the Associate Director, and the District General Counsel Office by telephone. In the event of pending or actual litigation, the Director of Education and the trustee of the school will also be notified. Critical Injury or Fatality Written Report and Investigation 4.7 As soon as practical after an Incident that must be reported to the MLITSD as a Critical Injury or fatality, the OH&S team will: a) coordinate an investigation with the Supervisor; b) prepare a written report in consultation with the Supervisor, containing the details and particulars prescribed by section 3 of Ontario Regulation 420/21 Notices and Reports Under Sections 51 To 53.1 Of The Act - Fatalities, Critical Injuries, Occupational Illnesses and Other Incidents; and c) provide copies of the report within 48 hours of the occurrence to: iv) the JHSC; -4- PR 593 HS v) the Supervisor of the injured worker; and vi) the MLITSD. 4.8 The OH&S team will invite the Appropriate Designated Worker Member of the JHSC to attend the investigation of a Critical Injury or fatality to a Worker, or the JHSC member may, at a different time, inspect the place where the accident occurred and any machine, device, or thing that may have contributed to the Incident. The JHSC member will report the investigation findings to the MLITSD and to the JHSC. Incidents at a Construction Project 4.9 Where the OCDSB is the Constructor at a project site, the Supervisor of the project will report the Incidents to the OH&S team immediately as prescribed by section 4 of Ontario Regulation 420/21 Notices And Reports Under Sections 51 To 53.1 Of The Act - Fatalities, Critical Injuries, Occupational Illnesses And Other Incidents. 4.10 Upon notification, the OH&S team will provide a written report to the MLITSD and the JHSC as soon as possible and within 48 hours of the occurrence. Employee Wellness team reporting 4.11 Upon being notified of a person having become disabled from performing their usual work or requiring medical attention because of an accident, explosion, fire, or Incident of Workplace violence at a Workplace, but excluding where a person has died or has been critically injured because of that occurrence, the Employee Wellness team will: a) give written notice of the occurrence containing the prescribed information and particulars to the JHSC within four days; b) if required by an Inspector, notify the MLITSD within four days; c) provide notification to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) by submitting the Supervisor Incident Report (or Accident/Incident Form 140 if required) within 48 hours of the occurrence; and d) provide available details of the disability to the OH&S team within four days of the occurrence. 4.12 Upon being notified by a person or on behalf of a person that a person has an occupational illness or a claim in respect to an occupational illness has been filed with WSIB by/on behalf of the person, the Employee Wellness team will give written notice containing the prescribed information and particulars to the MLITSD, JHSC, and the Union within four days. 4.13 Upon being notified of a Workplace injury or illness that resulted in lost time, medical attention being sought, or required an accommodation beyond 7 days, the Employee Wellness team will: a) file a Form 7 to WSIB within 72 hours of being notified of an injury resulting in the conditions above; and b) monitor, file, and provide case management services until the injured worker returns to regular hours and duties; and -5- PR 593 HS c) provide the OH&S team with a copy of any submitted report of an accident resulting in a critical injury (or death) to a worker without delay. 5.0 APPENDICES Appendix A: Procedure Definitions Appendix B: OCDSB 140 Accident/Incident Form 6.0 REFERENCE DOCUMENTS Regulation 834 Critical Injury – Defined, R.R.O. 1990 Occupational Health and Safety Act O. Reg. 213/91 –Construction Projects O. Reg 420/21 Notices and Reports Under Sections 51 to 53.1 of the Act - Fatalities, Critical Injuries, Occupational Illnesses, and Other Incidents OCDSB Policy P 058 HS - Health and Safety -6- PR 593 HS APPENDIX A - PROCEDURE DEFINITIONS In this procedure, Incident means any workplace-related event, such as injury, illness, or exposure, that causes harm to a person. Appropriate Designated Worker Member means a worker member on the Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) in accordance with the JHSC-approved terms of reference. Construction means erection, alteration, repair, dismantling, demolition, structural maintenance, painting, land clearing, earth moving, grading, excavating, trenching, digging, boring, drilling, blasting, or concreting, the installation of any machinery or plant, and any work or undertaking in connection with a project. Constructor means a person who undertakes a project for an owner and includes an owner who undertakes all or part of a project by himself or by more than one employer. Critical Injury, as defined by the Occupational Health and Safety Act (the “Act”), means an injury that is serious in nature, that: a) places life in jeopardy; b) produces unconsciousness; c) results in a substantial loss of blood; d) involves the fracture of a leg or arm, but not a finger or toe; e) involves the amputation of a leg, arm, hand or foot, but not a finger or toe; f) consists of burns to a major portion of the body; or g) causes the loss of sight in an eye. Lead Trip Supervisor means a District employee, usually a teacher, who has assumed responsibility for organizing a Field Trip and assumes responsibility during the Field Trip. Minor incidents include minor cuts, scrapes, bruises, bumps or sprains that may require only first aid but not medical treatment Project means a construction project, whether public or private, including, the construction of a building, bridge, structure, industrial establishment, mining plant, shaft, tunnel, caisson, trench, excavation, highway, railway, street, runway, parking lot, cofferdam, conduit, sewer, watermain, service connection, telegraph, telephone or electrical cable, pipe line, duct or well, or any combination thereof. Supervisor means a person who has charge of a workplace or authority over a worker. Worker means any of the following: -7- PR 593 HS a) A person who performs work or supplies services for monetary compensation b) A secondary school student who performs work or supplies services for no monetary compensation under a work experience program authorized by the school board that operates the school in which the student is enrolled. c) A person who performs work or supplies services for no monetary compensation under a program approved by a college of applied arts and technology, university, private career college or other post-secondary institution. d) Such other persons as may be prescribed who perform work or supply services to an employer for no monetary compensation. Workplace means any land, premises, location or thing at, upon, in or near which a worker works. Workplace Exposure means exposure to a chemical or biological substance, which a worker believes may have been hazardous to health or safety, but may not have caused immediate adverse effects. -8- PR 593 HS