Health and safety for small businesses
Learn about your health and safety responsibilities as a small business employer and how to get help keeping your workplace safe.
Overview
Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), small business employers have the same duties as any other employer, including the following:
- to take every precaution reasonable in the circumstances to protect their workers – which may include looking for hazards in the workplace and taking action to control the risks to protect the workers
- to inform, instruct and supervise workers to protect their health and safety
- to make sure that every worker and supervisor takes the required training, including basic occupational health and safety awareness training, and keep records of that training
Post occupational health and safety information
To make sure workers know their rights under the OHSA, workplaces in Ontario must put up posters and other information in a place that is in full view and where the workers can see it.
All workplaces
If your workplace is covered by the Occupational Health and Safety Act, you must put up a:
- Health & Safety at Work: Prevention Starts Here poster which must be displayed in English and the majority language used in the workplace (available in over 20 languages) where the ministry has produced a poster in that language
- copy of the Occupational Health and Safety Act
This applies, even if you have fewer than 6 workers, but some requirements depend on the size of the workplace.
Workplaces with 6 or more workers
If you regularly employ 6 or more workers, you must also put up:
- an occupational health and safety policy
- a workplace violence prevention policy
- a workplace harassment prevention policy
Most workplaces with 6 to 19 workers must have a health and safety representative, and should post their name.
Workplaces with 20 or more workers
Almost all workplaces that regularly employ 20 or more workers are required to have a joint health and safety committee, and to post the names and work locations of the committee members.
Other posters to put up
You may be required to put up other posters about employment standards and workplace injuries. Find out what other posters you may have to put up by law.
Write and maintain workplace policies
Step 1: Develop the policies
If you regularly employ 6 or more workers you must prepare, develop, write out and post an occupational health and safety, violence and harassment policies, and make them available to your workers.
If you regularly employ 5 or less workers you do not have to put the policies in writing, unless you're ordered to by a Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development inspector.
Learn how to prepare a:
- occupational health and safety policy
- workplace violence prevention policy
- workplace harassment prevention policy
Step 2: Create a program to implement the policies
In addition to preparing an occupational health and safety policy, the employer must have a program in place to implement that policy. This program will be different depending on the hazards encountered in a particular workplace.
Program elements may include all or some of the following:
- worker training (for example new workers, WHMIS, new job procedures)
- workplace inspections and hazard analysis
- analysis of the accidents and illnesses occurring at the workplace
- a health and safety budget
- a formal means of communication to address promptly the concerns of workers
- confined space entry procedure
- lock out procedure
- machine guarding
- material handling practices and procedures
- maintenance and repairs
- housekeeping
- protective equipment
- emergency procedures
- first aid and rescue procedures
- electrical safety
- fire prevention
- engineering controls (for example ventilation)
Please note that this is not a comprehensive list of program elements.
Step 3: Review the policies annually
These policies are your commitment to keeping your workers safe in the workplace and you must review them at least once a year.
Offer mandatory health and safety awareness training
By law, all workers and supervisors must take basic occupational health and safety awareness training. This helps them to understand their health and safety rights and meet their responsibilities.
Keep records of the training
By law, you must:
- keep a record of training completed by your workers and supervisors (you can use our free record keeping template)
- provide them with a proof of completion (for example, a signed statement or a certificate of completion)
Training resources
From the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (free)
You can use a workbook or e-learning module for workers or supervisors.
You can download PDF copies of worker or supervisor workbooks in English, French or Ukrainian. Request PDF copies in other languages.
If you want to develop your own training
Use the training program assessments for workers or supervisors to determine if your programs meet the legal requirements under Ontario Regulation 297/13 - Occupational Health and Safety Awareness and Training.
After the training is completed, test your employees with our knowledge check for workers and supervisors.
Keep records of the training
By law, you must:
- keep a record of training completed by your workers and supervisors (you can use our free record keeping template)
- provide them with a proof of completion (for example, a signed statement or a certificate of completion)
Teach workers how to safely do their jobs
To teach your workers how to do their jobs safely, you must provide, at a minimum:
- competent supervision
- information and training about:
- safe work policies
- hazards in the workplace
- measures and procedures specific to your workplace and the worker's duties
This is especially important for new and young workers, who are more likely to be injured during their first month on the job than at any other time.
Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS)
WHMIS is a Canada-wide system of laws put in place to:
- help reduce workplace injuries and illnesses related to hazardous materials
- help employers and workers learn about hazardous products or chemicals used at work
Under WHMIS, information on hazardous products must be delivered in 3 ways:
- worker education programs
- labels on the containers of hazardous products with detailed hazard and precautionary information
- safety data sheets
Learn more about WHMIS.
Select a health and safety representative or create a joint health and safety committee
Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, workers and employers must work together to keep the workplace healthy and safe.
One way to do this is by working with your workplace health and safety representative, or with your joint health and safety committee. They are responsible for identifying potential health and safety problems and bringing them to your (the employer's) attention. They can also make recommendations on improving health and safety in workplace.
If you employ 6 to 19 workers
If you regularly employ 6 to 19 workers, you typically must have a worker health and safety representative. The representative is selected by:
- the union, if the workplace is unionized
- workers at the workplace who are not managers or supervisors
Training is optional for health and safety representatives, but training programs are available to help them understand their duties.
If you employ 20 or more workers
Almost all workplaces that have 20 or more regularly employed workers must have a joint health and safety committee (JHSC). This committee includes worker and employer representatives. At least half of the members must be workers who are not in managerial functions.
Certification
At least one worker representative and one management representative on the JHSC must be certified. To do that they must take a 2-part training program, approved by the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development's Chief Prevention Officer.
Find an approved training provider.
Use our health and safety checklist
To make sure you are following the Occupational Health and Safety Act, you can use our health and safety checklist. Consider completing it with your health and safety representative or joint health and committee members.
Download the checklist to your device and open it using the latest version of Adobe Reader.
What to expect during an inspection
Every day Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development inspectors visit workplaces for occupational health and safety inspections and investigations. Learn more about:
- what you can expect during an inspection
- what the ministry’s inspectors will focus on during our provincial occupational health and safety campaigns and initiatives for 2024–2025 and how to prepare for them
Additional resources can be found for each campaign or initiative:
- construction workplaces:
- falls from heights in single family residential and multi-family residential
- struck-by material, equipment, and vehicles
- health and community care workplaces: slips, trips, and falls prevention
- industrial workplaces: material handling
- mining workplaces: airborne hazards management and underground ventilation for diesel-powered equipment
- occupational hygiene campaigns:
- worker exposures to chemical agents in the workplace for all workplaces
- WHMIS training based on the amended Hazardous Products Regulations for all workplaces
Report a workplace incident
By law, you must notify certain people, within specific timeframes, if there is an incident in your workplace such as a death, injury or occupational illness.
Learn more about who you need to notify.
Your other duties
As an employer you have other responsibilities under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA). For example, you must make sure the equipment, materials and protective devices you provide are in good condition.
Depending on your type of business you may also need to:
- make sure your workers meet sector-specific minimum age requirements
- comply with the requirements in specific regulations, such as the regulations for construction, industrial, mining or health care sectors
Workers who are starting a new job, and young workers under 24, are three times more likely to be injured during their first month at work. Successful businesses look at the training of new and young workers as an opportunity to prioritize and encourage safety in the workplace. It is crucial to provide good training, ongoing coaching and supervision to new and young workers, in order to save lives.
Read the guide to the OHSA for more information about the duties of employers, supervisors, workers and others.
Get more help making your workplace safe
Many of Ontario's health and safety organizations offer sector specific advice, tools, services and training. For small businesses a majority of these services are free. Others have a fee. Contact these organizations or read their online resources:
Infrastructure Health & Safety Association (IHSA)
Supports the construction, electrical and utilities, aggregates, natural gas, ready-mix concrete and transportation sectors
Examples of free resources:
- eight best practices for small businesses and independent operators
- guideline for health and safety representatives (PDF)
- download five-minute talks on various health and safety topics from the Safety Talks web page, or download the full Safety Talks manual
- IHSA Safety Podcasts for exploring best practices, resources, and safety hazards training
Public Services Health & Safety Association (PSHSA)
Supports: the health care, education, municipal and provincial government, police, emergencies services sectors and First Nations.
Examples of free resources:
- small business resource manual with an easy-to-follow action checklist
- workplace violence risk assessment tool in any sector
- caught in the middle: the supervisor and occupational health and safety (PDF)
Workplace Safety North (WSN)
Support the forestry, mining, smelters, refineries, paper, printing and converting sectors.
Examples of free resources:
- Ontario small business health and safety booklet (PDF)
- distracted driving on the job: study on causes and actions from a sector
- Top 5 health and safety tips for small business
Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS)
Supports the agriculture, manufacturing, and service sectors.
Examples of free resources:
- free small business advisory service with ten hours expert advice including a workplace walkthrough
- 6 ways to boost hazard awareness and reduce injuries among new and young workers
- stream Small Biz Safety Podcast and Agriculture and farm safety podcast
Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW)
Supports all sectors protecting workers and workplaces from occupational diseases, injuries and illnesses.
Examples of free resources:
- HazardAssess App: 12 health and safety topics hazards and solutions
- Heat Stress Awareness Wheel Tool: a wheel tool to calculate humidex and provide tips for outdoor workers
- Noise-induced Hearing Loss Audiogram Calculator for noisy work environment
- StressAssess: help identifying factors that can lead to stress and mental injury, and suggestions to address them
Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB)
Supports all sectors. The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) is an independent agency of the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development.
Definition of a supervisor
A supervisor is anyone who has charge of a workplace or authority over a worker, whether or not they have the word "supervisor" in their job title.
For example, depending on their work responsibilities in your workplace someone may be a supervisor under the Occupational Health and Safety Act if they are a:
- business owner
- keys holder
- senior chef
- manager
- staff accountant
As the employer, you are responsible for making sure a supervisor you appoint is competent (including being qualified and knowledgeable about health and safety). Read the Guide to the Occupational Health and Safety Act to learn more about the requirements and duties of a supervisor under the law.