Reported hazards with no action: A guide for parents of new workers

When they start their first job, your teen will experience a ton of new situations; new relationships with colleagues, their first pay cheque, and new responsibilities. 

They may also have to file their first workplace safety complaint. Hopefully, they won’t need to, but it’s good to have a resource in your back pocket explaining everything they can expect to happen. 

This blog post will take you through the names of different hazards (things that can potentially hurt people at work). With this approach, you and your child can accurately describe them, the steps to take to report a hazard, and what to do when that report goes unaddressed.

Recognizing hazards and reporting issues

There are a few types of hazards to be aware of: 

1. Biological: Living organisms or products of living organisms that can cause harm, like bacteria, viruses, or insects.
2. Chemical: Toxic substances that may cause bodily harm, like carcinogens or corrosive substances.
3. MSDs (musculoskeletal disorders): Repetitive movements that can cause harm to the body, like static or awkward postures, or force.
4. Physical: Energy that may cause bodily harm, like electric shocks, extreme temperatures, or loud noise.
5. Psychosocial: Actions, activities, or conditions that may affect physical, mental, or emotional well-being, like workplace harassment or violence.
6. Safety: Anything that can cause injury or fatalities, like tripping hazards or faulty equipment.

If your child sees any of these hazards within their workplace, the first step is to discuss their concerns with their supervisor, manager, or employer. They can also speak to their joint health and safety committee (JHSC) member or health and safety representative (HSR) if they work for a smaller business. 

If they feel their report is not being addressed, skip down to the next section, “What to do when hazards go unaddressed.” 

Encourage them to document their actions with as much detail as possible. Keeping a record of their efforts with photos, videos, or emails can help if they need to file an official complaint.

Your young worker can expect their employer to address the hazard in a reasonable amount of time. If it poses a high risk, it should be addressed with more urgency than if the risk is lower. Your child’s supervisor, manager, or employer may use the RACE model to assess the hazard you reported. This means they will: 

• Recognize the potential hazard,
• Assess the level of risk of each hazard,
• Control the hazard by identifying and implementing actions to reduce or manage the risk, and
• Evaluate whether the control measures are effective. 

What to do when hazards go unaddressed

The Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) is Ontario’s legislation for workplace health and safety. It gives every worker in Ontario the power to keep their workplace safe and healthy. 
 If the situation your child reported goes unaddressed, they can file a complaint under the OHSA to the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training, and Skills Development (MLITSD).

This complaint does not have to come from your child themselves. You can call or file on their behalf as an advocate for your young worker. Anyone can file a safety complaint with OHSA. 

Your child should file a complaint after reporting the hazard to their supervisor or employer and their JHSC representative or HSR (if they have one). There are two exceptions to this rule:

• if your child feels they are unable to raise their concerns to their supervisor, employer, JHSC, or HSR. Then, they can file a complaint directly to the MLITSD.
• if your child believes they or a colleague is in immediate danger, the situation must be fixed immediately. In this instance, they can call the MLITSD’s Health and Safety Contact Centre right away. 

How can your kid know if the danger is immediate?

You can help your teen understand what an immediate danger is by reviewing this list of safety issues together:

• no guarding of machinery with exposed moving parts
• machinery that can be accidentally started
• exposure to chemicals or biological hazards, such as being expected to clean with chemicals without PPE
• serious risk of falls from heights
• risk of electric shock or arc flash burns
• threats, immediate violence, and harassment
• an unsafe excavation

What your child can expect after filing a report 

Complaints are dealt with on a case-by-case basis. An MLITSD inspector will only investigate complaints that fall under the OHSA. Depending on your child’s complaint, they may conduct a field visit to the workplace. 

If your child wants to remain anonymous, they can request anonymity when filing their complaint. The only time this anonymity may be breached is in the event of a prosecution. However, your child should be aware that there is a risk their employer could potentially guess they filed a complaint. 

After the field visit, the inspector will complete a report. Your child has the right to request a copy of the field visit report. The report may include: 

• any findings related to the complaint in question
• other breaches or violations
• written orders against the employer, supervisor, or another worker breaking the law
• a date when the employer, supervisor or other worker must comply with the inspectors' orders