Workplace health and safety management responsibilities
Last updated on April 3, 2024(Appendix C: Accountability Framework for Human Resource Management)
A healthy workforce is a key enabler for business success. It benefits employees and their families and improves the operating efficiency of government.
The workplace is an ideal setting for improving health as the work environment, individual health practices and occupational safety are key drivers of health.
The BC Public Service is committed to a culture that supports employee health and safety.
Employee and workplace health is a shared responsibility.
The workplace can influence and make a difference in the health outcomes of employees which in turn impacts performance and organizational outcomes.
The BC Public Service provides and promotes well-designed evidence-based health and safety-focused programming, education and supports.
Key responsibilities of main participants in workplace health and safety management
Deputy minister of the BC Public Service Agency (also known as the agency head)
- Promote a public service that values safe and healthy work practices
- Provide policy, strategies, and guidelines that promote safe and healthy workplaces across the BC Public Service
- Provide corporate health and safety programs and services including an effective administrative framework for short and long term benefit plan design
- Provide occupational health and safety strategic direction, consultation, advice, and assistance to ministries
Deputy ministers and senior officials
- Promote a public service that values safe and healthy work practices
- Implement, support, and promote corporate health and safety programs
- Lead a ministry culture that promotes providing modified duties and workplace accommodations, including work assignments across ministry divisional boundaries and the BC Public Service
- Develop, implement, and maintain an Occupational Health and Safety Program appropriate to the operation of the ministry and that meets the requirements of applicable occupational health and safety legislation and regulations, and provisions of collective agreements
- Ensure line managers establish, maintain, and monitor safe work practices and procedures that ensure a safe and healthy workplace
Supervisors and managers
- Promote a culture that values safe and healthy work practices
- Communicate employee attendance expectations to employees
- Review Short Term Illness & Injury Plan (STIIP) leave requests for employees, approve leave, if appropriate, and initiate pay action
- Offer timely modified duties and workplace accommodations
- Manage routine return-to-work cases and seek early engagement and participation with the BC Public Service Agency on complex cases
- Support and monitor return-to-work plans, and regularly communicate with employees
- Identify and seek guidance when a health issue may be affecting an employee’s capacity for productive work
- Establish and maintain safe work practices and procedures in accordance with WorkSafe BC legislated requirements
Individual employees
- Maintain health in a manner that allows attendance at work on a regular and consistent basis
- Learn and follow safe work practices and procedures, consistent with the ministry’s Occupational Health and Safety Program and applicable legislation and collective agreement provisions
- Notify their supervisor/manager as soon as possible of any health related absence
- Discuss options for modifying duties and/or hours when able to work in some capacity
- Provide information as required, and follow appropriate recovery plans
- Fully participate in and cooperate with rehabilitation activities and return-to-work plans
- Participate in alternative employment assignments
- Report unsafe work practices and hazards to a supervisor/manager immediately
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