COSP –Health and Safety Management System Inventory
The following survey is an inventory of important elements of an effective health and safety management system (HSMS). Please answer the questions with either a ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. Each section of the inventory contains a comment section, in which you can make comments regarding any or all questions within the associated section. There is also a section to record the corrective actions. In some cases, in the item section there are sample responses in italic.
1.Management Leadership & Support
Item / Response / Corrective Action1.1Is there a written health and safety policy in your workplace? / Yes No
1.2Does your Homecare/Home Support Agency clearly communicate the health and safety policy to employees? / Yes No
If yes, please explain the process.
Via memo and staff meetings
1.3Does your Homecare/Home Support Agency collect Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) data (e.g. number of claims, number of incidents, etc.)? / Yes No
If yes, please list here
For Home Support, just number of claims and number of incidents
1.4Does your Homecare/Home Support Agency have a documented “Communication Plan” for Occupational Health and Safety? / Yes No
If yes, please explain.
1.5 Does the Senior Leadership Team perform safety inspections? / Yes No
If yes, please explain the process.
1.6Is there a budget devoted for health and safety priorities? / Yes No
2.Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee (JOHSC) Effectiveness
Item / Response / Corrective Action2.2Are the names of your health and safety committee members or safety representative posted? / Yes No
2.3 Are workplace health and safety concerns addressed promptly by the JOHSC or safety representative? / Yes No
If yes, please explain the process.
As concerns are identified to the committee, the Home Support manager follows up as necessary
2.4 Are the minutes of health and safety meetings easily available to all employees? / Yes No
If yes, please explain how.
Minutes are posted on the OHS Board. Also, main committee minutes (Home Support is a subcommittee of the main committee), are uploaded to an internal team site.
2.5Does the JOHSC or safety representative participate in the incident investigation process? / Yes No
If yes, please explain.
N/A – There has never been a need for an incident investigation
2.6Does the JOHSC or safety representative participate in the workplace inspections process? / Yes No
If yes, please explain.
Via in home inspection at each visit
2.7Does the JOHSC or safety representative provides recommendations to the Homecare/Home Support Agency? / Yes No
If yes, please explain the process.
3.Hazard Identification & Risk Analysis
Item / Response / Corrective Action3.1 Are initial risk assessments conducted for all clients prior to the initiation of service? / Yes No
If yes, by whom?
This is a function of Continuing Care however; they are not always able to be first in the client’s home. So we have established our own initial risk assessment that workers conduct prior to the start of service
3.2Do employees identify and report workplace hazards? / Yes No
If yes, please explain the process.
Workers call the Home Support Manager or hazards are indicated on service reports
3.3Does the Homecare/Home Support Agency ensures employees are informed about hazards in the workplace? / Yes No
If yes, please explain the process.
All employees participate in WHMIS training – including written test, annually. In addition, safety is discussed during orientation to the organization, an in home safety checklist of completed and any hazards are identified to workers via memo or during staff meetings
3.4Does the Homecare/Home Support Agency ensures clients are informed about hazards in their homes? / Yes No
If yes, please explain this process?
Via introduction letter and client booklet.
3.5Are risk assessments completed for all clients on an ongoing basis? / Yes No
If yes, please explain the process.
Via DHW before they get to us.
3.6Is all utilized equipment visually inspected prior to use? / Yes No
4.Hazard Control
Item / Response / Corrective Action4.1Does the Homecare/Home Support Agency respond promptly to recommendations provided by the JOHSC / Yes No
If yes, please explain this process.
Recommendations are provided to management and management discuss best practices to solve issue.
.
4.2Do hazard controls address the root cause of injuries? / Yes No
If yes, please explain this process.
4.3Does the Homecare/Home Support Agency have engineering controls (e.g. ceiling lifts, slider sheets, etc.) in place to control for hazards? / Yes No
If yes, please list.
4.4Does the Homecare/Home Support Agency have administrative policies (e.g. Safe Work Procedures, Root Cause Analysis, etc.), to ensure the safety of employees? / Yes No
If yes, please list.
4.5Is Personal protective equipment used? / Yes No
If yes, please list.
Gloves, aprons, masks, hand sanitizer, protective footwear, bed bug suits
4.6Does the Homecare/Home Support Agency communicates hazard controls to employees? / Yes No
If yes, please explain the process.
Via memo, orientation, staff meetings, policy manual
4.7Does the Homecare/Home Support Agency monitor the effectiveness of hazard controls put in place? / Yes No
If yes, please explain the process.
Follow up with staff re effectiveness, discussion at staff meetings, annual evaluations.
5.Incident Investigation Reporting
Item / Response / Corrective Action5.1If an employee is injured in your workplace, the Homecare/Home Support Agency starts an investigation immediately? / Yes No
If yes, please explain the process.
WCB forms completed. Manager visits home. Follow up as required
5.2If an unsafe incident (i.e. near miss) occurs in your workplace, the Homecare/Home Support Agency starts an investigation immediately? / Yes No
If yes, please explain the process.
Manager visits home if necessary or is in contact with worker via phone
5.3Are the results of investigations shared with employees? / Yes No
If yes, please explain the process.
Via group discussion
6.OH&S Foundations
Item / Response / Corrective Action6.1Has your Senior Leadership Team and/or Board of Directors completed a “Legislative Review” to identify the sections of the NSOHS ACT and pursuant Regulations applicable to your workplace? / Yes No
If yes, please explain how.
6.2Does your Senior Leadership Team and/or Board of Directors and Managers / Supervisors understand the “Internal Responsibility System” and the organizational and personal implications of non-compliance? / Yes No
If yes, please explain how.
6.3Does your Homecare/Home Support Agency have an OHS Plan/Objectives? / Yes No
If yes, please explain the process.
Committee develops annual work plan.
6.4 Does your Homecare/Home Support Agency regularly monitor progress of the OHS Plan/Objectives? / Yes No
If yes, please explain the process.
New tasks are assigned at each OHS meeting to ensure initiatives are moving forward.
7.Safety Communication
Item / Response / Corrective Action7.1Is there a Safety Bulletin Board in the workplace? / Yes No
If yes, please explain the process.
7.2 Is the OHS Policy is clearly posted on the Safety Bulletin? / Yes No
7.3 Does your Homecare/Home Support Agency provide regular and re-occurring safety talks? / Yes No
If yes, please explain the process.
7.4Does your Homecare/Home Support Agency provides regular OHS performance indicators to all employees? / Yes No
If yes, please explain the process.
7.5Are emergency phone numbers for all relevant contacts (e.g. Managers, DOLAE, etc.) readily available? / Yes No
If yes, please explain?
7.6Does your Homecare/Home Support Agency provides regular Hazard Alerts (e.g. Road conditions, infection trends, etc.)? / Yes No
If yes, please explain the process.
Via Memo or CBC Radio
7.7 Are safety conversations a part of your day? / Yes No
If yes, please explain?
7.8Does the person you report understand your workplace health and safety needs? / Yes No
If yes, please explain?
8.Training
Item / Response / Corrective Action8.1Is formal inspection training provided for those responsible for performing inspections? / Yes No
8.2 Has the JOHSC received the required training (Incident Investigation, Workplace Inspections, etc.)? / Yes No
8.3Has your organization completed an OHS training analysis and training plan for all levels of the agency? / Yes No
If yes, please explain the process.
8.4 Are OHS materials consistent for each occupation? / Yes No
8.5 DoSenior Management participate in Safety Leadership training? / Yes No
If yes, please list examples.
9.Program Administration & Evaluation
Item / Response / Corrective Action9.1Do managers/supervisors do everything reasonably possible to ensure employees work safely at all times? / Yes No
If yes, please explain how.
9.2Are employees given adequate time to complete their OHS related job requirements? / Yes No
If yes, please explain the process.
9.3Does your homecare/support agency audit the safety program on a regular basis? / Yes No
If yes, please explain the process.
Annual DHW Audit
Annual Audit conducted by internal staff person
Currently undergoing external audit by 3rd party
Points of Concern:
- Due to their size, some organizations may not have a JOHSC and be only be required to have a safety representative. In these cases, the language of the survey will need to be altered to reflect this difference.