Health & Safety
THOSE HEALTH AND SAFETY REPORTS: A DUTY NOT A CHOICE 
The prospect of filling out a health and safety report can raise uncomfortable questions for Occasional Teachers: Where do I find those reports at this school? What if I’m told not to bother? Will reporting make me look like a bad teacher? Will the principal tell me about how the report was dealt with?
There is one important fact that puts everything into perspective: Filling out a health and safety report isn’t a choice, it’s a duty. Occasional Teachers, like any other worker in Ontario, have to meet the legal and policy requirements for making health and safety reports. AND, like any other supervisor in Ontario, your principal must investigate and deal with those reports.
There is one important fact that makes this non-choice easier: your Simcoe County Elementary Occasional Teacher Local (SCEOT) is here to support you in reporting health and safety concerns, incidents and hazards to the principal. AND your Simcoe OT Local can help ensure that the principal does his or her job to investigate and deal with those reports.
These attachments further clarify what documents to use, and when.
SCDSB Reporting Forms March 2018
SCDSB Reporting Forms 2 March 2018
There are four “go to” reporting forms – please feel free to print these forms and keep them within reach while on an assignment:
The Health and Safety Concern Form (click here)
When you see something that could cause an injury or an illness in the workplace, let your principal know as soon as possible. Complete and submit this form. Keep a copy for your own records. Your early reporting could prevent a workplace injury or illness.
Aggressive Incident Form (click here)
Workplace violence is described under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, and includes serious and not so serious outcomes that may involve injury, near miss, or threatening statements or behaviours. Workplace violence is made against a worker in the workplace. The perpetrator could be any person – child or an adult, with or without special education needs. (Online reporting system also available at staff.scdsb.ca)
The Safe Schools Incident Reporting Form This reporting form is required by the Ministry of Education for serious student incidents against other people in the school community. The reporting procedures for this form are set out in Ministry policy documents PPM 144 – Bullying Prevention and Intervention; and PPM 145 – Progressive Discipline and Promoting Positive Student Behaviours.
The Accident/Injury/Illness Reporting Form (Form 6)
If you get sick or injured on the job, it’s really important that you report this as soon as possible. Injuries have a way of getting worse, or making life uncomfortable. Take the advice you would give your best friend and get First Aid, and medical attention if required. Contact SCEOT if you think you may need to make a WSIB claim.
If you need courage or assistance (or both) to complete any health and safety reporting form, or to get further action from a principal, contact your Simcoe Occasional Teacher Local. We are ready to help.
Taking Charge of Health and Safety in the workplace is the right and responsibility of all workers in Ontario.
For teachers, issues of Health and Safety can range from a loose or damaged electrical outlet to suspect indoor air quality, and from threats of violence to actual acts of aggression or assault. When faced with a concern, what is a teacher to do?
Contact Amy Chevis or Miriam Schembri at the office (705) 725 0316 or via email sceotnews@gmail.com.
THE AGGRESSIVE INCIDENT FORM
An aggressive incident is any physical, verbal or non-verbal incident or injury that results in an employee feeling threatened for his/her safety and security. Aggressive incidents could involve a student, parent, co-worker or visitor. All incidents can and should be reported using the aggressive incident reporting form.
Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, employers are responsible to take every precaution reasonable in the circumstances for the protection of the worker and shall advise workers of the existence of any potential or actual danger to the health and safety of the worker of which the employer is aware.
Every worker has the responsibility to report to his/her supervisor any health and safety issue that endangers his/her safety and security.
For more information regarding this please refer to Memorandum A-4071 A4071_Aggressive-Incident-Reporting (click here) and/or email healthandsafety@sceot.org.
The aggressive incident form is available here Aggressive-Incident-Reporting-Form
For more information from the Board, please see the Procedures Manual and Reporting Violent Incidents Memo, please click on the links below:
Procedures for Accessing H&S Procedures Manual[1]
Reporting-Violent-Incidents-2014
THE SAFE SCHOOLS REPORTING FORM
The ministry of education’s Safe Schools incident Reporting form (SSIR form) is a simple template that identifies 13 serious student incidents, including bullying, uttering a threat to inflict serious bodily harm, and using a weapon. Most of these are also workplace violence incidents. Under the Education Act, the principal must consider suspension or expulsion for these incidents.
When a serious student incident also includes workplace violence, then both the workplace violence report and the SSIR form must be completed. The principal’s response to each report is different. Under OHSA, the principal responds by investigating and dealing with the incident so that the educator can be safe. Under the Education Act, a principal responds by focusing on the student, with actions based on progressive discipline that may include suspension or expulsion. If you submit a SSIR form, your principal must provide you with a written acknowledgement of receipt. This is an important record and should be stored carefully.
When there has been a serious violent incident resulting in suspension or expulsion, the SSIR form and its documentation are placed in the aggressor’s Ontario Student Record. These provide vital information about whether a student poses a risk of workplace violence.
(Young, V: Putting the Acts into Action, The Voice, Winter 2011.)
Safe Schools Reporting Form click here
Caring and Safe Schools in Ontario click here
EMERGENCY FOLDERS
Red emergency folders are now expected to be in every classroom. They are to contain specific and pertinent emergency information related to the school. They should be located near the doorway in each classroom/ work area to ensure the information package is readily available. If this folder is not in a classroom you are working in please contact Mike or Amy at sceotnews@gmail.com.
KEYS AND SAFETY PLANS
Remember to advise myself and Amy (sceotpres@hotmail.com) should you not have keys to a classroom or be asked to sign any safety plans not related to students you are directly responsible for during your assignment as described and accepted in SCARRI.
See here for the PRS bulletin on The Student Safety Plan
STAFF MEETINGS
Please be advised, you may be invited to attend all Staff meetings in the 2016-2017 school year! You should be attending the Health and Safety portion of the meeting, which should take place at the beginning and is pertinent for all members to participate in.
ETFO Health and Safety Task Force Document
The Health and Safety Task Force’s goal was to examine the workplace health and safety issues confronting ETFO members, to provide information, and make recommendations to help address these concerns. Here is their report:
Allegations: Reminder
If allegations or an investigation are a topic of concern with you… please state “I am willing to co-operate BUT I am unable to comment until I have contacted Federation and Legal Counsel.”
Do not say or write anything, even if the Principal states that it is part of Board Policy.