Maximum prosecution fines for offences under the Act have been increased from $250,000 for a first offence to $500,000, and from $500,000 for a second or subsequent offence to $1,000,000.
We have walked through the worst of the worst with owners when it comes to workplace safety issues; fatalities, prosecutions, debilitating WCB costs, and more.
These days a serious incident can take a business out.
Managers and Supervisors often never recover emotionally from a fatality. Due diligence will protect you legally AND morally.
Here is the recipe:
– A heaping scoop of Management Leadership and Commitment
– 1 Part Hazard Identification and Control Processes (built around a critical task list that identifies the 20% of the work that = 80% of the risk)
– 1Part Standards Set in Writing (SOP’s and SWP’s)
– 1Part Employee Training and Competency on the standards
– 1 Part Measurement – to see if your safety systems are really working
– A steady sprinkle of tough love to hold everyone accountable to the standards
Document as much as you can.
We have been involved in prosecution defenses where we were successful with little documentation. Much harder though, and if there had been more documentation, there may not have been a prosecution.