May 2, 2023 | Leadership, Faces of HDGH
It’s National Safety and Health Week from May 1-6! At HDGH, we promote a culture of safety and wellness and believe that everyone shares the responsibility for Occupational Health and Safety.
HDGH is committed to providing a safe and healthy work environment. We strive to provide and maintain a work environment that exceeds acceptable industry standards and complies with legislative requirements under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) and other specific Regulations for Health Care Facilities.
It is HDGH’s priority to be the safest hospital in Ontario. To achieve this everyone at HDGH must commit to considering health and safety in everything we do. This commitment forms the Internal Responsibility System (IRS) – a key concept of the OHSA that says everyone has a direct responsibility for health and safety as an essential part of their job.
The Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) is a set of laws that define the duties of employers, supervisors and the rights and duties of workers. It requires HDGH to provide awareness of actual or potential workplace hazards, provide training and personal protective equipment and to take every precaution reasonable for the protection of a worker. These are all good things.
In Ontario, the OHSA is enforced by the Ministry of Labour, Training, Immigration and Skills Development (MLTISD). (Formerly called the Ministry of Labour - MOL.) Inspectors from the MLTISD can show up for an inspection at HDGH at any time, while on site they can gather evidence, question anyone, order tests, take photos, take samples, and issue orders to HDGH to address any hazards that they identify.
When inspectors show up at HDGH it’s a big deal. The Occupational Health and Safety Department meets with them. Our goal is to ensure the inspectors have all the information that they need and that they are satisfied with our organization’s health and safety programs. If the inspectors find something they don’t like, we commit to fixing it!
Prevention is the most important concept we practice in Occupational Health and Safety. We focus on identifying any potential risks in your work area that could result in a physical injury or an act of workplace violence. We want to have control measures in place that eliminate the chances that you could be injured or harmed while at work.
We let you know about risks that you might encounter in your work, provide you with training, personal protective equipment and can assist if you do become injured or ill from or at work. We ensure that our Leadership is trained and understands the importance of Occupational Health and Safety in their departments and the importance of prevention.
We are here to provide First Aid if you need it while on shift and can provide medical consultations and support if you are injured or ill with a non-occupational issue.
We want you to be well, to be safe and to maintain optimal health here at work, so that when you’re enjoying time with friends and family after your shift, you’re at your best.
We really do want to be the safest Hospital in Ontario.
Why do we read rules and regulations that are boring and complicated and sometimes difficult to understand? Why do we fill out forms and paperwork and keep records of everything? Why do we create sign-off sheets, training modules, policies, procedures and safe operating procedures? Why do we ensure that workplace inspections are being completed and that control measures are put into place? Why do we audit to ensure departments are following recommended health and safety and violence risk procedures? Why do we make sure your N95 mask fit is correct? Why do we monitor your immunization and bloodwork? Why do we create mandatory reports? Why do we audit what we do as a department and make more work for ourselves?
Why do we do it?
We do it for you! We do it because we want you to be safe, to go home after a day at work well and unharmed. We want you to have quality time for yourself doing the things you enjoy with those that you love.
We do it because we care and because we are passionate about prevention!
Yes, we also do it because it’s the law. But, we really just do it because it’s what we do. We do it for you!
Heidi Petro joined HDGH as the Manager of Occupational Health and Safety in 2021. She is a Canadian Certified Professional Ergonomist (CCPE) and Registered Kinesiologist (R. Kin.) with the College of Kinesiologists of Ontario with over 29 years of professional experience. Heidi graduated from the University of Windsor with a Bachelor’s of Human Kinetics, Honours Movement Science degree in 1994 and has continued to pursue certifications in the areas of Industrial Job Analysis, Functional Anatomy and Biomechanics, Functional Assessment, and Office and Industrial Ergonomics. Heidi has had extensive experience as a Consultant to both private and public sector organizations and has been a speaker at numerous professional conferences and seminars regarding the development of best practice Disability Management, proactive Return to Work Programs, Ergonomic Design Standards, and Occupational Health and Safety.
Heidi, her husband Jason, and their family, have been organizing fundraising events to support hospital rehabilitation programs since the year 2000. They look forward to organizing the final Heart Breaker Challenge event on May 27, 2023. In her free time you can usually find Heidi outdoors being active in some way, shape or form, or indoors baking, cooking or watching anything related to Formula 1!