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Step 6: Maintain Your Health & Safety System

• Keep Your Emergency Response Program Up to Date
• Keep Your Records Up to Date
• Signs, Posters, and Information
• Plan Your Activities

Your workplace changes all the time. You may hire new people, promote or re-assign staff to other departments or locations. You may bring in new equipment or materials, move or change the design of your workplace.

You need to make sure that when these changes occur, your Health & Safety system is kept up to date.

Here are a few basic reminders to check to ensure you maintain an effective Health & Safety system.

Keep Your Emergency Response Program Up To Date

First Aid

Do you still have enough people trained in first aid? Is their training up to date? Do all staff know who the trained first aiders are, and how to reach them quickly?

Do your first aiders know where to find Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for harmful chemicals? Are the MSDSs up to date?

Is your first aid kit regularly inspected? Who's responsible for this? Are supplies replaced as soon as possible after using the kit?

Emergency Evacuation

The best way to react quickly in an emergency is to practice, practice, practice. Knowing what to do beforehand can make all the difference between safety and tragedy. To maintain your emergency procedures:

• Make sure all staff are trained to use fire extinguishers properly.
• Post emergency phone numbers in several obvious places. Show all staff where to find them. Better yet, give everyone a copy.
• Review emergency phone numbers from time to time to keep them up to date.
• Make sure all staff know where the emergency exits are and which ones to use.
• Assign and rehearse emergency response duties such as checking for people in washrooms, stairwells and closed rooms, and for assisting customers, guests and Hints: Your local fire department is people with special needs (e.g. the elderly or the disabled).
• Show all staff a safe meeting spot away from danger.
• Assign responsibility for doing a head count after the evacuation. Is everyone out?

Keep Your Records Up To Date

The Ministry of Labour or the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board may inspect your business at any time. You will need to show them records of your Health & Safety system. To help you stay organized and up to date, set up a file folder or binder to keep all Health & Safety records including joint Health & Safety committee membership, meetings and recommendations,, hazardous materials (WHMIS) inventory, up to date material safety data sheets, workplace inspection reports, accident investigations etc.

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Signs, Posters and Information

1. Post these in an obvious place where all employees can see them:

• Occupational Health & Safety Act and Regulations
• Form 82 Poster "In Case Of Accident..."
• Emergency Call Numbers
• Joint Health & Safety Committee Membership, Meetings and Recommendations
• WHMIS Posters
• Other Safety Posters and Health Information

2. Make these documents available to all employees:

• Material Safety Data Sheets
• Hazardous Materials Inventory
• Floor Plans showing first aid stations, fire extinguishers, and exits

3. Make these documents available to the Joint Health & Safety Committee or Representative:

• Accident/First Aid Incident Reports
• Accident Investigation Reports
• Workplace Inspection Reports
• Training Records

4. Make these documents available to others:

• Material Safety Data Sheets (medical emergency, doctors, fire department)
• Hazardous Materials Inventory (MOL, fire department)
• Floor Plans (MOL, fire department)
• Training Records (MOL, WSIB)

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Plan Your Monthly Activities

Everyone's time is valuable. Make the most of it by planning what you want to do. Set times for routine inspections, regular maintenance, and special activities. A simple Monthly Planner will keep you focused.

Sample Monthly Health & Safety Planner

Topis of the Month: Hazardous Materials

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
1 Weekly Inspection Call OSSA consultant re: Lunch & Learn	2 Do Hazardous Material Inventories	3	4 Call Supplier re: missing Material safety Data Sheets	5 JHSC first Meeting: OSSA Consultant Speaker
8 Order two Certification Kits for JHSC members from OSSA	9	10 Weekly Inspection	11 Talk to Mary re: clearing boxes stacked in hallway	12 First JHSC Monthly Inspection
15	16	17 Management Lunch & Learn: WHMIS	18 Review JHSC Report Assign Action Points	19 Weekly Inspection
22 Reminder to Stan to repair items on JHSC "to do" list	23 Weekly Inspection	24 Employees Lunch & Learn: WHMIS	25	26 Order Supplies for first aid kit and eye wash station
29 New employee H&S orientation for Jimmy	30 Follow up in writing re: JHSC recommendations	31 Staff testing and follow up: WHMIS Weekly Inspection

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