Training and Communications

Purpose

The purpose of this directive is to provide for general and specialized health and safety and related training throughout all levels of the organization.

Directive

It is mandatory for all hiring Managers to notify the Regional Safety Manager when a new Contractor has been hired so that a health and safety orientation can be performed prior to them commencing any work activity. The Qualico Human Resources division will notify all relevant divisions to inform of all new Employee hires. All new Employees will receive a health and safety orientation from the Health & Safety Department.

The initial health and safety orientation training can be the most important training program for both the Employee and the employer. This training outlines the safety policies and practices to the Employee including an overview of the safety manual. At the end of the orientation, the Employee will be more aware of their personal responsibilities concerning their specific job and the company in general. The Supervisor / Superintendent will be able to gauge the Employee’s ability to perform adequately within the existing structure of the company.

It is the responsibility of the Contracting Employer to ensure that their Employees are properly trained and have had a health and safety orientation prior to commencing work on any Qualico Work Sites.

Contractors must inform Qualico prior to hiring other sub-Contractors, such as the creation of a new crew working on separate sites, from the originally hired Contractor. Qualico will decide if this is acceptable based on the second sub-Contractor’s work record, which would include history, quality, safety and overall performance. A health and safety orientation would be completed by the original Contractor using the documents supplied by Qualico prior to work commencing.

Qualico Employees will participate in all health and safety and related training that is necessary to minimize the loss of human and physical resources of the company and to meet COR / SECOR requirements and Applicable Legislation.

Health and safety training will include, but will not be limited to:

  • New Hire Safety Orientations
  • Specialized Safety and Related Training
  • Job-Specific Training
  • Task and Trade-Specific Training and Certification
  • Position-Specific Training for Management and Supervisors, Worker Safety Representatives and Sales Agents

In addition, all Site Supervisors could receive the following training:

  • Safety Orientation
  • Leadership for Safety Excellence or equivalent training
  • WHMIS
  • Emergency Response First Aid
  • Fall Protection Awareness
  • Inspections
  • Work Alone Plan

Each worker will be assessed to ensure they are appropriately trained and are able to perform the job they are hired for safely. This evaluation is completed following a new employee orientation, a position transfer training session or legislation change. Examples of evaluations can include on-site practical demonstrations, safety related quizzes, knowledge checklists, verbal awareness testing, or trade specific certifications.

Training Purpose

Health and safety regulations must always be observed on the Work Site. Therefore, Workers need to understand the laws and rules that apply to them and be able to comply. They also need to know why they will be better off if they comply; most people only do things that they know will somehow be a benefit to them.

Health and safety training is important for many reasons:

  • Training makes the workforce more flexible by preparing Workers to do different jobs, depending on the need.
    • A “safety aware” workforce is more productive and more profitable. Training increases productivity by reducing waste, damage, and time lost to correcting errors.
  • Training improves work quality.
    • It teaches people how to use and maintain tools properly, and what standards to reach for in job performance. Increasing training prevents incidents. Therefore, it also prevents injuries and lost work time, reduces property damage and wear on machinery and tools, and losses due to damaged product.
  • Training improves morale.
    • It can build Employee confidence and raise job satisfaction. The result is less Employee turnover, which is beneficial since finding, orienting, and training new Employees is a major expense as well as a source of delays.

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