Policy 77

1. PURPOSE

1.1 This Policy establishes the organizational commitment to occupational health and safety. 

2. SCOPE AND APPLICATION

2.1 This Policy must be applied in conjunction with the applicable health and safety legislation and the University’s administrative policies and procedures.

2.2 This Policy applies to all members of the University of Ottawa community, including its senior officers, deans, directors, managers, supervisors, workers, volunteers, students and visitors. Contractors hired by the University shall comply with the applicable legislation and policies, where warranted. 

3. PRINCIPLES

3.1 The University values the health and safety of its community: it will maintain a healthy and safe work and study environment and will comply with health and safety legislation, regulations and orders as the minimum standards. The University will accomplish this by providing resources adequate for the occupational health and safety management system. The University is committed to:
i. Engaging, communicating, and encouraging the active participation of all members of the University community;
ii. Identifying and eliminating hazards and reducing occupational health and safety risks, injuries and illnesses;
iii. Providing appropriate training and education;
iv. Measuring and communicating performance; and 
v. Continually improving the University’s organizational health and safety management system, and its health and safety culture.

4. RESPONSIBILITIES

The University and all individuals at every level of its organizational structure have legal and organizational responsibilities to comply with occupational health and safety laws and with internal health and safety policies, programs, procedures and directives. Procedure 14-1 – Internal Responsibility Procedure for Health and Safety Issues outlines the specific roles and responsibilities of all University community members, with the understanding that health and safety is everyone’s responsibility.

5. REPRISALS PROHIBITED 

5.1 No individual will be disciplined, penalized, coerced, dismissed, intimidated or suspended for complying with this policy or with University health and safety procedures or directives or with the applicable occupational health and safety legislation.

6. REVIEW AND AMENDMENTS

6.1 The Office of the Chief Risk Officer is responsible for periodic review of this Policy and for proposing any amendments to it.

6.2 Amendments to this Policy shall require the approval of the Administration Committee.

6.3 The Vice-President, Finance and Administration of the University may establish, amend, or abrogate procedures for purposes of the effective implementation of this Policy, provided that such procedures are consistent with the provisions of this Policy.

6.4 Notwithstanding Section 6.2 of this policy, the Secretary-General can amend this policy without the approval of the Administration Committee if such an amendment is necessary to:
i. update or correct the name or title of a position, unit, law, by-law, policy, procedure or authority, and/or 
ii. correct punctuation, grammar, typographical errors, revisions to format and other technical revisions, where appropriate, if the correction does not change the meaning of a provision or make such other correction if it is patent both that an error has been made and what the correction should be, and/or
iii. correct the form of expression of a provision in French or in English to be more compatible with its form of expression in the other language, and/or 
iv. make consequential amendments to conform with the law or with another University of Ottawa policy, procedure or resolution.