Download - Irs presentation4

Transcript
Page 1: Irs presentation4

W. A. L. K.

Workplace - Action - Learn - Knowledge

Internal Responsibility System

Page 2: Irs presentation4

Introduction

Eric LeFort

Married with three Children

30 yrs + Reside in Whycocomagh NS

Graduate Algonquin College

15 years + Experiences in OHS

5 yrs + NS OHS Division Regulator

5 yrs + NS WCB Consultant

3 yrs + OHS Advisor in Industry

1.5 yrs + OHS Faculty Program, NSCC Marconi

CRSP, CSS Designation

NSCC CCEDP Candidate 7/7/21

Page 3: Irs presentation4

Agenda

Accident Theory Model5 steps Accident AnalysisEffective Theory Model of IRS Defining IRSFirst for IRS in legislationEveryone's ResponsibilityWrap Up

7/7/21

Welcome

Page 4: Irs presentation4

Eric LeFort , CRSP

Where does the “IRS” Come from?

Though the idea comes from the

Accident Model Theory, “The Ham

Royal Commission into Safety in the

Mines In Ontario”, which discussed

the IRS in its 1976 report, made this

idea much clearer and easier to

understand as it applies to OHS.

17/7/21

Page 5: Irs presentation4

Eric LeFort , CRSP

Accident Theory Model

.

If the people in a managed system are

identified, and as you work through the

accident analysis, you can see the structure

of the IRS forming.

* In this example we have a domino model that

encompasses all the direct players of the IRS.

7/7/21

W. H. Heinrich's Domino Theory

2

Most modern accident theories take the

analysis away from the direct causes of

accidents and exposures to the root

problems in the management system.

Page 6: Irs presentation4

Eric LeFort , CRSP

People and the IRS

If the people in a managed system are identified, as you work through the accident analysis, you can see the structure of the IRS forming.

7/7/21 3

IRS

5 Step Accident Causation Analysis

Page 7: Irs presentation4

Eric LeFort , CRSP

Steps in cause analysis

1. Analyze the injury event to identify and describe the direct cause of injury.

Example:

Laceration to right forearm resulting from contact with rotating saw blade.

7/7/21 4

Click icon to add picture

IRS

Step 1 - Accident Causation Analysis

1

Page 8: Irs presentation4

Eric LeFort , CRSP

Steps in cause analysis

2. Analyze events occurring just prior to the injury event to identify those conditions and behaviors that caused the injury (primary surface causes) for the accident.

Example:

Event x Unguarded saw blade. (condition or behavior? )

7/7/21 5

Click icon to add picture

IRS

Step 2 - Accident Causation Analysis

2

Page 9: Irs presentation4

Steps in cause analysis

3. Analyze conditions and behaviors to determine other specific conditions and behaviors (contributing surface causes) that contributed to the accident.

Example:

Supervisor not performing weekly area safety inspection. (condition or behavior? )

7/7/21Eric LeFort , CRSP 6

Click icon to add picture

IRS

Step 3 - Accident Causation Analysis

3

3

Page 10: Irs presentation4

Steps in cause analysis

7/7/21Eric LeFort , CRSP 7

Click icon to add picture

4. Analyze each contributing condition and behavior to determine if weaknesses in carrying out safety policies, programs, plan, processes, procedures and practices exist

Examples:

Safety inspections are being conducted inconsistently. (condition or behavior? )

IR

S

Step 4 - Accident Causation Analysis

4

Page 11: Irs presentation4

Eric LeFort , CRSP

Steps in cause analysis

7/7/21 8

Click icon to add picture

5. Determine implementation flaws to determine the underlying design weaknesses.

Example:

Inspection policy does not clearly specify responsibility by name or position. (Condition or behavior?)

IRS

Step 5 - Accident Causation Analysis

5 Leadership

Page 12: Irs presentation4

Eric LeFort , CRSP

Would you agree with this theory?

W. H. Heinrich's Domino Theory

"The occurrence of an injury invariably results from a completed sequence of factors, the last one of these being the accident itself. The accident in turn is invariably caused or permitted directly by the unsafe act of a person and/or a mechanical or physical hazard." (W.H. Heinrich)

7/7/21 9

Page 13: Irs presentation4

Eric LeFort , CRSP 7/7/21

W. H. Heinrich's Domino Theory

10

Who can cause an accident?

Who can take steps to prevent accidents?

Who should be taking steps to prevent accidents and exposures?

Who should be responsible for health and safety in the organization?

Quiz yourselves on the Accident theory

Page 14: Irs presentation4

Eric LeFort , CRSP

Did you get it right?

Who can cause an accident? Anyone

Who can take steps to prevent accidents? Anyone

Who should be taking steps to prevent accidents and exposures? Everyone

Who should be responsible for health and safety in the organization? Everyone

7/7/21 11

Page 15: Irs presentation4

Eric LeFort , CRSP

Anything else which may influence the effectiveness of the IRS?

7/7/21 12

Page 16: Irs presentation4

Eric LeFort , CRSP

Human Resources Theory

The human resources literature usually refers to "productivity" or "quality", but if you substitute the phrase "health and safety", we can see that the human element is by far the most important element of health and safety management.

137/7/21

Page 17: Irs presentation4

Eric LeFort , CRSP

Management & Staff Engagement

It is absolutely clear that for an organization to perform optimally, it is the hearts and minds of the individual people throughout the organization that have to be engaged.

147/7/21

Page 18: Irs presentation4

Eric LeFort , CRSP

I.R.S. Defined

I - Internal

R - Responsibility

S - System

7/7/21 15

It Is Not Rocket Science

Page 19: Irs presentation4

Eric LeFort , CRSP

The IRS as a Structure

Commissions and acts aside, the IRS can be seen to arise from an understanding of how organizations work best.

The simple corporate model, shown on the the following Figure ,illustrates the flow of legitimate authority from the legal charter through to the operations people.

167/7/21

Page 20: Irs presentation4

Eric LeFort , CRSP

Organizations and the IRS

There is, as we all know, enormous variation in workplaces and organizations.

To varying degrees, every organization has an IRS, no matter how stunted or deformed.

The process is to assess your current situation -- the health of your IRS -- and then move forward with improvements, with the true model of the IRS in mind.

177/7/21

Company Legal Charter

Page 21: Irs presentation4

IRS is an Important Set of Ideas

The IRS is such an important set of ideas that it is properly the responsibility of the most senior people to see to it that the IRS is optimized.

Monitoring and fixing the IRS should be of high priority.

However, good leadership is the most important idea of all.

7/7/21Eric LeFort , CRSP 18

Page 22: Irs presentation4

Eric LeFort , CRSP

IRS and OHSDr. Peter Strahlendorf

“The internal responsibility system, or IRS, is a system in which every individual is responsible for health and safety. It can be thought of as an organizational chart, with a clear set of statements about responsibility and authority for health and safety for each person within an organization -- no exceptions” .

197/7/21

Page 23: Irs presentation4

Eric LeFort , CRSP

Got the correct understanding of the idea?

Should we conclude that the IRS is based on the law?

Should health and safety law be evaluated as to whether and to what degree it advances the IRS concept?

7/7/21 20

Page 24: Irs presentation4

Eric LeFort , CRSP

IRS or Not!

Whether they call it the IRS or not, the best performers have found that a system of universal, but personal, responsibility is the most effective way to drive risk down.

The power of the IRS is that it captures the creativity, leadership, experience and knowledge of everyone in the organization.

7/7/21 21

Why Re-Invent The Wheel?

Page 25: Irs presentation4

Eric LeFort , CRSP

Break Down - Plain Language Meaning of I.R.S

7/7/21 22

Page 26: Irs presentation4

Eric LeFort , CRSP

The Internal

The “Internal" in the phrase “Internal Responsibility System" has more than one meaning.

First, the primary responsibility for health and safety is internal to the workplace.

The second meaning of “Internal" is that responsibility for health and safety is internal to the work, internal to the job.

237/7/21

Page 27: Irs presentation4

Eric LeFort , CRSP

Responsibility

Refers to the personal duties of each person in the workplace.

These responsibilities exist on several levels.

There are responsibilities for each person spelled out in most health and safety legislation -- worker duties, supervisor duties, employer duties and so on.

There are responsibilities associated with each person's job description -- he or she is responsible for doing the job in such a way as to achieve a good outcome.

And there is the moral responsibility that each of us has to do the right thing.

A person who discharges all these duties is "taking responsibility" and, overwhelmingly, the most important element of the IRS is that everyone has personal responsibility.

247/7/21

Page 28: Irs presentation4

System

Are the individual people.

The parts work together in relationships to further the purpose of the whole entity -- the system.

The purpose of the system is to drive risk down and keep up the pressure so that we can go for increasing lengths of time with zero injuries and illnesses.

As a true "system", the IRS comes with built-in self-monitoring devices that can readjust the system when part of it fails.

Work refusals, health and safety reps, and health and safety committees are among the more obvious self-correcting feedback loops.

As all parts of the system are inter-related and interdependent, damage to one part can affect another part in ways that may be indirect, but which can be very serious.

257/7/21Eric LeFort , CRSP

Page 29: Irs presentation4

Eric LeFort , CRSP

Courts Definition

Adopted

Recommendations of the 1974 - 1976 Ontario “Ham Royal Commission”.

Report and inquiry of IRS / OHS “Responsibilities in a Mining Organization”.

7/7/21 26

Page 30: Irs presentation4

Eric LeFort , CRSP

“Ham Royal Commission” Report defines IRS

Table setting out the

organizational structure

of a mining company.

7/7/21 27

Page 31: Irs presentation4

Eric LeFort , CRSP

Organization Structure

Beside each layer of the structure was stated

Person's Role in Health and Safety President Vice-president Mine Manager Superintendent Supervisor Worker

7/7/21 28

Page 32: Irs presentation4

Emphasis

Roles of the “worker auditor”

commonly known as the

“employee representative” and

the health and safety committee

were described as ways of

ensuring that the IRS worked well

within a any given organization.

The rights and responsibilities of

the “worker” or employees were

also discussed. 7/7/21Eric LeFort , CRSP 29

Page 33: Irs presentation4

Eric LeFort , CRSP

OHS Act of Ontario - 1979

The Ontario health and safety legislation that came into effect in 1979 was based on Ham's vision of the IRS and how it could be monitored and fixed.

It is highly unlikely that we would be using the phrase "internal responsibility system" today were it not for the Ham Royal Commission.

7/7/21 30

Page 34: Irs presentation4

Eric LeFort , CRSP

Where did this idea originally come from?

A requirement for a company to spell out its "organizational arrangements" - spelling out who was to be responsible for what aspects of health and safety in the organization.

7/7/21 31

Page 35: Irs presentation4

Eric LeFort , CRSP

British legislation of 1974

Does the phrase on the previous slide come close to the meaning of the IRS as you know it?

7/7/21 32

Page 36: Irs presentation4

Eric LeFort , CRSP

IRS Define “ Ontario MOL Study 2001”

“The IRS is a system, within an organization, where everyone has direct responsibility for health and safety as an essential part of his or her job.”“An individual does health and safety in a way that is compatible with the kind of work that person does.” Nothing left to chance !!!

7/7/21 33

Page 37: Irs presentation4

Eric LeFort , CRSP

Westray Mine Inquiry

After the Westray Mine Explosion of 1992, which killed 26 Coal Miners, Nova Scotia re-wrote its OHS Act and based it on the IRS model as developed in the Ontario mining industry.

7/7/21 34

Page 38: Irs presentation4

“Legal IRS” or “ Pre-Legal IRS”

When an act refers expressly to the IRS, as is the case in Nova Scotia, we would distinguish between the the "legal IRS" and the "pre-legal IRS".

Nova Scotia deserves much credit for being the first to have the nerve to put such a rich and subtle concept into their legislation in black and white terms.

7/7/21Eric LeFort , CRSP

35

NS OHS Act 1996

Page 39: Irs presentation4

IRS Defined “The NS OHS Act”

s. 2 The foundation of this Act is the Internal Responsibility System which;

(a) is based on the principle that

(i) employers, contractors, constructors, employees and self-employed persons at a workplace, and

7/7/21Eric LeFort , CRSP 36

Page 40: Irs presentation4

Eric LeFort , CRSP

NS IRS Definition Continued …

(ii) the owner of a workplace, a supplier of goods or provider of an occupational health or safety service to a workplace or an architect or professional engineer, all of whom can affect the health and safety of persons at the workplace, share the responsibility for the Health and Safety of persons at the workplace;

7/7/21 37

Page 41: Irs presentation4

NS IRS Definition Continued

(b) assumes that the primary

responsibility for creating and

maintaining a safe and

healthy workplace should be

that of each of these parties,

to the extent of each party's

authority and ability to do so;

7/7/21Eric LeFort , CRSP 38

Page 42: Irs presentation4

Eric LeFort , CRSP

NS IRS Definition Continued

(c) includes a framework for participation, transfer of information and refusal of unsafe work, all of which are necessary for the parties to carry out their responsibilities pursuant to this Act and the regulations; and

7/7/21 39

Right to Refuse

Right to Know

Right to complain

Right to Participate

Page 43: Irs presentation4

Eric LeFort , CRSP

NS IRS Definition Continued

(d) is supplemented by the role of the

Occupational health and Safety Division

of the Department of Labour, which is

not to assume responsibility for creating

and maintaining safe and healthy

workplaces, but to establish and clarify

the responsibilities of the parties under

the law, and to support them in carrying

out their responsibilities and to

intervene appropriately when those

responsibilities are not carried out.

7/7/21 40

OHS Division Regulator

Support providing clarity

Page 44: Irs presentation4

Something to Think about

What element does every job in every single workplace have?

1. Responsibility to perform certain tasks.

2. Authority to do certain things.

3. Accountability for the outcome.

7/7/21Eric LeFort , CRSP 41

Page 45: Irs presentation4

Eric LeFort , CRSP

Health and Safety

Add "health and safety" to each element and you have a world-class system that intergrades seamlessly into the chain of command.

7/7/21 42

Page 46: Irs presentation4

Review

IRS

Everyone's Responsibility

7/7/21Eric LeFort , CRSP 43

Page 47: Irs presentation4

Eric LeFort , CRSP

James Ham

James Ham got it right in 1976:

1. OHS should be integrated into production; it’s not a separate function.

2. Everyone should be doing OHS directly as part of his or her job.

7/7/21 44

Page 48: Irs presentation4

Eric LeFort , CRSP

The IRS means that …

1. Responsibility for identifying hazards and solving OHS problems is _________ to the workplace.

Primary responsibility for OHS is not _________.

ie; on the shoulders of the NS OHS Division.

Key “Internal” “External”

7/7/21 45

Page 49: Irs presentation4

The IRS means that …

2. OHS should not be an adversarial matter between ________ and employers.

3. Everyone has an _________ in avoiding workplace injury and illness.

Key “ Worker” “Interest”

7/7/21Eric LeFort , CRSP 46

Page 50: Irs presentation4

The IRS means that …

7/7/21Eric LeFort , CRSP 47

4. Everyone in the workplace has _________ duties and rights regarding OHS.

5. Everyone is legally _________ as an individual, to participate in identifying hazards and in seeking to eliminate or control them.

Key “Legal” “Required”

Page 51: Irs presentation4

The IRS means that …

6. Everyone is an "internal auditor" to see that the Act and regulations are _________ with.

7. The NS OHS Division Officer's job is not to be at __________ elbow to advise and to give commands.

Key “Complied” “Everyone's”

7/7/21Eric LeFort , CRSP 48

Page 52: Irs presentation4

Eric LeFort , CRSP

The IRS means that …

8. The Officer (External Responsibility System) only _____ in when the Internal Responsibility System is clearly not working , this when ______ are not taking their rights and responsibilities seriously.

Key “Steps” “People”

7/7/21 49

Page 53: Irs presentation4

Eric LeFort , CRSP

Wrong IRS Description

“The IRS is a partnership between labour, industry and government to ensure a safe and healthy workplace.”

Refers to a tripartite policy-making process (e.g. the development of WHMIS)

but not the IRS.

7/7/21 50

Page 54: Irs presentation4

Eric LeFort , CRSP

Wrong IRS Description

“The company/employer is responsible for OHS, not the government.”

Fails to raise the “corporate veil” and identify all

individuals as personally responsible.

7/7/21 51

Page 55: Irs presentation4

Eric LeFort , CRSP

Wrong IRS Description

Labour and management co-manage OHS through the Committee. The Committee is the “IRS.”

The “labour relations” version of the IRS.

Missing personal contribution of individuals.

7/7/21 52

Page 56: Irs presentation4

Eric LeFort , CRSP

Wrong IRS Description

“IRS” is a set of three rights:

1. To know about hazards

2. To refuse unsafe work

3. To participate (through committee)

Missing the main element - personal duties of everyone

7/7/21 53

Page 57: Irs presentation4

Internal to the Job Description of Everyone

Everyone, no exception

Staff and line employees

Workers, supervisors, managers, officers and directors

Personal, individual responsibility

Do the kind of OHS work that fits with authority and control

7/7/21Eric LeFort , CRSP 54

Page 58: Irs presentation4

Eric LeFort , CRSP

Internal to Routine Decision-Making

OHS not an add-on, or an afterthought

OHS not a separate function

As you do your ordinary work you think about risk, hazards, controls and adjust your work accordingly

Easy to see with workers and supervisors

Hard to see with mid to senior managers and with staff positions

7/7/21 55

Page 59: Irs presentation4

Eric LeFort , CRSP

IRS and Due Diligence

“Take every measure reasonable in the circumstances to improve processes you are involved in.”

For world class OHS performance, we must incorporate quality principles into OHS decision-making.

7/7/21 56

Page 60: Irs presentation4

Proactive vs Reactive

A well functioning IRS System goes a long way to establishing Due Diligence and Ensuring for Total Quality within and Organization.

7/7/21Eric LeFort , CRSP 57

Page 61: Irs presentation4

Eric LeFort , CRSP 7/7/21 58

Page 62: Irs presentation4

Eric LeFort , CRSP 7/7/21 59