Archived - Audit of Occupational Health and Safety - Follow-up Report Status Update as of March 31, 2010
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Action Plan Implementation Status Update Report To The Audit Committee - As of March 31, 2010
Human Resources and Workplace Services
Audit of Occupational Health and Safety (Project 200823)
AEC Approval Date: 25/09/2009
| Project Recommendations | Action Plan | Expected Completion Date | Program Response |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. OHS knowledge and competency requirements for all categories of managers and employees should be defined. Appropriately detailed instructional procedures should be developed. Training and instruction standards and programs should be established and implemented using a risk-based approach (i.e. higher hazard program areas and occupations) to ensure that personnel understand and can discharge their OHS roles and responsibilities. |
Development of a national OHS training program is underway with specific modules for:
All modules will meet legislative and Treasury Board requirements. Training delivery will be prioritized in high-risk areas - expected to start in October 2009. All 3 modules can be delivered in a given Region during a 4-5 day span. Committed to provide ongoing training to new employees and refreshers to employees who have already received training sessions. |
Delivery of training for high risk area in February 2010 and, depending on available financial and human resources, will be virtually completed by March 2012. It should be noted that training will be ongoing beyond March 2012 to train new committee members, new managers, new employees, and to retrain according to new hazards or legislative changes.
Training will be an ongoing activity. |
Status: In Progress
Update/Rationale: Local committee members training for NHQ completed in March 2010. Development of training for a.) Managers and b.) Employees in draft mode and under review Consultations will occur with National Policy Health and Safety Committee by end of Q1- 2010-2011. High-risk training for Regions North of 60 under development, for delivery in 3rd week of May 2010. Other training will be completed for other high risk areas on quarterly basis. AES: Underway |
| 2. Specific OHS governance requirements and procedures, applicable to Corporate and the Regions should be established for: (1) OHS objective setting, (2) development of formal plans to achieve objectives; (3) OHS auditing and evaluation; (4) HS opinion surveys of the workforce; (5) internal reporting on the foregoing; and (6) senior management review of findings and recommendations arising therefrom. These requirements should be incorporated into the existing INAC OHS Statement of Roles and Responsibilities. |
A 3-year OHS Strategic Plan is being developed and will address five major areas:
All policies, guidelines and/or procedures will include statements of roles and responsibilities. Inspections, audits and evaluations will be part of regular cycle and will be defined in guidelines (Chapter 7). A tracking system is being developed and will be used to report back to the National Policy Health and Safety Committee. The strategic plan will rely heavily on active regional participation through monthly exchanges with OHS Coordinators. A first face-to-face meeting is planned for November 2009 at which clear objectives and timelines will be established for monitoring, reporting and evaluation of the OHS Program. |
The strategic plan implementation date is February 2010, as reported to the Audit Committee on September 25, 2009.
Inspections, audits and evaluations will be ongoing activities. Once in place in the first quarter of 2010-11, reporting will be done on a quarterly basis. |
Status: In Progress
Update/Rationale: Policies completed and approved and signed by DM on February 22nd, 2010. Tracking system was developed and is in it's first stage of use for reporting back to National Policy Health and Safety Committee. Monthly exchanges with Regional OHS Coordinators continue to take place. Face-to-face meeting took place week of November 20th, 2009. Tracking to be fully implemented by end of Q1 2010-2011. AES: Underway |
| 3. The scope of support to be provided to internal departmental clients by SOHS Directorate and other departmental HS resources, as well as the performance standards, mechanisms for delivering such support, resource requirements for success, and procedures for monitoring delivery and impacts should be developed. |
The 8 Chapters of INAC's National OHS Program clearly identify all these elements, under different headings. The last 5 Chapters were reviewed and approved by the National Policy H&S Committee on June 15, 2009 and are currently being reviewed by the local committees in the regions.
Presentation to senior management is scheduled for early December 2009. |
Dec. 2009. |
Status: Complete
Update/Rationale: The 8 Chapters were reviewed, approved and signed by DM February 22nd, 2010. AES: Close |
| 4. A blueprint for future corporate OHS program development (policies, standards, and procedures), determining resource requirements, and obtaining senior management approval should be developed and implemented in consultation with the Policy HS Committee. |
The OHS Strategic Plan will outline ongoing OHS activities and requirements for the next 3 years (2012). It is based on legislative and Treasury Board requirements with a focus on INAC's particular activities and programs.
All new policies, standards and/or procedures will be developed in consultation with the National Policy H&S Committee. |
At the Nov. 2009 conference with Regional OHS Coordinators, priorities for development of policies, standards and procedures were identified.
To review policies and guidelines on a periodic basis |
Status: In Progress
Update/Rationale: The OHS Strategic Plan is under review. Existing policies, standards and or procedures are currently under review across the regions. They will be shared with other regions as applicable and reviewed by NPHSC. AES: Underway |
| 5. An enterprise information management system requirements and procedures to support department-wide HS management and record keeping should be assessed, specified and implemented. |
A tracking system is currently being developed to capture all OHS reporting requirements, by law or by TB Directive. The system will allow for quarterly reporting on the status of the Departmental OHS Program for internal and external stakeholders.
The system will be introduced at the November 2009 meeting with the Regional OHS Coordinators. Data collection is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2010-11. |
The system was discussed at the November 2009 conference with the Regional OHS Coordinators who are in agreement with the proposal. The spreadsheet-type report is currently being customized for every site controlled by INAC. It should be ready for testing in the 4th quarter of 2009-10, and for full use in the first quarter of 2010-11. |
Status: In Progress
Update/Rationale: The spreadsheet-type reports in Excel format have been developed and presented to Regional OHS Coordinators. Review and relevance of the reports will be completed in Q1 with Regional OHS Coordinators for 1st reports to NPHSC in June. Collection of data scheduled as planned for first quarter of 2010-2011. AES: Underway |
| 6. Department-wide OHS programs, guidelines and procedures required for the higher risk operations carried out by departmental personnel should be identified, developed and implemented. | National policies and guidelines are completed and have been vetted at the National Policy Health and Safety Committee on June 15, 2009. Once reviewed by the Regions by August 21, they will be submitted to senior management. | Dec. 2009 (National Policies) |
Status: In Progress
Update/Rationale: Existing Procedures for high-risk operations are to be reviewed in Q1 for 2010-2011. Training appropriate to identified risks will follow in Q2 on an ongoing basis follow in North of 60 in May. AES: Underway |
| Working groups of Regional OHS Coordinators will be formed at the November meeting to identify and develop, or review existing procedures for high-risk operations, such as site decontamination. | Nov. 2009 (working groups) |
||
| 7. Procedures to ensure proper flow of information between SOHS Directorate, HR / HS Advisors, HS Representatives, and HS Committees should be established and implemented. |
Theses procedures are included in the national policies and guidelines (8 Chapters).
The OHS training sessions will include many references to the procedures to ensure a constant and consistent approach in the flow of information. |
Starting Dec. 2009 |
Status: In Progress
Update/Rationale: Training sessions currently under development. Completed by end of Q1 2010-2011. AES: Underway |
| 8. The selection and appointment of health and safety representatives at those additional locations where required should be conducted. |
We have requested a list of all local committee members and health and safety representatives, at all sites controlled by INAC.
We are advising Regional Management on the requirement to nominate H&S representatives. All H&S representatives and local committee members will be prioritized for training in the fall of 2009. The Regional OHS Coordinators will be tasked with the monitoring and will report back to Corporate OHS. |
One training session for OHS Committee members and representatives will take place in the NCR December 4, 2009. Training at the national level should be completed by February 2010.
The Regional OHS Coordinators have received training November 23 to 27 and will now be in a better position to schedule training for OHS Committees and representatives in their regions. |
Status: In Progress
Update/Rationale: Training commenced in March 2010, with training in NHQ competed first. Training in other regions will continue as required for new members or new committees. Outstanding training for committee members in regions across Canada will be scheduled in first quarter 2010. Currently collecting updated information from regions. AES: Underway |
| 9. The need for additional HS specialist staff, and optimal organizational placement, to adequately support the organization should be assessed. |
Regional OHS Coordinators have been identified in every region. A 3 to 4 day training session is planned for November 2009.
The session will outline clear objectives and provide them with tools to support the delivery of the OHS Program in the regions. We will monitor the activities related to the delivery of the OHS Program and assess the need for additional H&S staff on an annual basis. |
A 5-day training session took place November 23 to 27 for Regional OHS Coordinators, as planned. |
Status: Complete
Update/Rationale: Follow-up to the November training is being conducted on a monthly basis though monthly conference calls with Regional OHS Coordinators. AES: Close |
| 10. HRSDC approval of the existing HS committee structure, to avoid the need for creation of additional HS committees, should be obtained. |
Regions have been advised at a June 2009 teleconference of the requirement to obtain exemptions to form committees - some regions only have one regional committee.
Assistance was offered and provided, in obtaining exemptions. We are still gathering information on regional and local committee structures and we will seek updates at the next teleconferences. All committees should be legally structured and operational by December 31, 2009. |
February 2010. Regional OHS Coordinators have confirmed active committees in their regions and the need for either representatives or regional committees. |
Status: Complete
Update/Rationale: All information on Regional OHS Committee and representatives has been updated. As of March 31, 2010, all regions are at 100% compliance for Committee's and representatives. AES: Close |