Policy 2103 — Occupational Health and Safety Policy

2 — SCOPE

This policy applies to all employees.

3 — POLICY STATEMENT

Mount Allison University is committed to providing and maintaining a safe and healthy workplace for all employees. The University will meet this commitment by

• complying with the New Brunswick Occupational Health and Safety Act and other relevant regulations and standards;
• making health and safety issues a priority in the planning, budgeting, implementation and ongoing management of University activities; and
• providing training and safety programs appropriate to the daily operation of the University

4 — RESPONSIBILITIES

Based on broad responsibility for governance, the President and Senior Leadership are responsible for the overall health and safety of Mount Allison and for ensuring the University's compliance with the New Brunswick Occupational Health and Safety Act and its regulations.

The Vice-President, Finance and Administration, has overall responsibility for the administration of programs and procedures to implement this policy.

The Department of People and Culture has functional responsibility for operational matters relating to occupational health and safety.  The Occupational Health and Safety Consultant will coordinate activities and foster communication between the individuals, groups and organizations with responsibilities for occupational health and safety at the university, which includes  developing and implementing a University-wide Safety Management System (SMS) and related programs and procedures, and ensuring legislative compliance with legislation.

Deans, department heads, directors, managers and supervisors are responsible for the safety of employees in their areas of responsibility. Persons with authority shall ensure that individuals directed by them understand and comply with prescribed safety regulations and established work practices. Persons with authority shall investigate all hazards and unsafe work conditions of which they become aware and shall take appropriate corrective action.

All University employees have a personal responsibility to work safely, to follow legislative requirements and safe work practices, and to contribute to creating a safe work environment. To do so, employees must report unsafe or unhealthy conditions to their supervisors, work together to investigate all hazards and unsafe work conditions of which they become aware and take corrective action.
 

5 — JOINT HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMITTEES

Mount Allison will maintain three health and safety committees to represent the mutual interests of employees and the University and to comply with the requirements of the New Brunswick Occupational Health and Safety Act. These committees will be:

• Facilities Management Health and Safety Committee
• Faculty/Staff Health and Safety Committee
• Fine Arts and Sciences Health and Safety Committee

The University will also establish a Health and Safety Steering Committee to serve as a link between senior management and the three health and safety committees. The mandate, structure and composition of the joint health and safety committees are described in the Safety Steering/Sub Committees Terms of Reference.

6 — SAFE DISCLOSURE

Reporting concerns promptly and addressing safety issues is an important tool to reduce the exposure to risk and promote confidence in our community. This policy ensures that employees may report any concerns relating to safety violations or potential safety threats to the University without fear of retaliation.

The primary objective of a safe disclosure mechanism is to establish a clear channel to the President and Vice Chancellor in the event that existing operational processes have failed while ensuring confidentiality and protecting the "whistleblower". The University is committed to protecting those who whistle blow and ensuring that there will be no adverse consequences for reporting. Furthermore, there will be no adverse consequences for reporting. Furthermore, there will be no repercussions for those who make good-faith reports.

In the event of escalating safety concerns where the normal process has failed the Occupational Health and Safety Consultant shall report the matter directly to the President and Vice-Chancellor to ensure timely resolution.