It is the policy of Hydro Ottawa to conduct business in a manner that does not harm employees, contractors, subcontractors, customers, members of the public and visitors. We acknowledge that, integral to business success, is the establishment and continuous improvement of a safe and healthy workplace.
Scope
This policy applies to all Hydro Ottawa employees, contractors and subcontractors while working within or outside of the company's service territory.
Policy Directives
Hydro Ottawa is firmly committed to:
- preventing occupational illness and injury of all employees in the workplace;
- protecting the health and safety of contractors, subcontractors, customers, members of the public and visitors
- taking every reasonable precaution to eliminate work-related illnesses and injuries. Our goal is a zero injury workplace.
While working for Hydro Ottawa, all employees are responsible and accountable for their own health, safety and wellness. Workers are required to work safely following legislated and mandated safe work procedures and practices. Supervisors are responsible to ensure that safe and healthy work conditions are maintained in their assigned work area. Hydro Ottawa is responsible and accountable for ensuring that health, safety and wellness is effectively implemented and maintained. Hydro Ottawa firmly believes that healthy, safe and well employees add value to our customers and our shareholder.
To facilitate this policy and fulfill our commitments Hydro Ottawa will:
- develop, implement and maintain a managed system of appropriate health and safety programs.
- clearly communicate and visibly demonstrate that the health and safety of our employees has overriding priority over other business interests.
- create a work environment where health, safety and wellness is accepted as a personal responsibility and where each employee is accountable for his/her own performance.
- clearly articulate expectations regarding compliance and enforcement of applicable legislation. There will be no allowance for deviation from any health and safety legislation, policy, procedure or approved work practice.
- ensure that individual employees have the skills and knowledge to implement this policy.
- hold all employees, contractors and subcontractors accountable for their performance and where required, apply progressive discipline or other measures to address non-compliance.
- ensure that contractors and their subcontractors maintain an equivalent minimum level of safety to Hydro Ottawa's while working on Hydro Ottawa's premises or projects.
- ensure that all operations are conducted in a manner that meet or exceed all applicable legislation, the Electrical Utility Safety Rules and Hydro Ottawa policies, procedures and approved work practices.
- actively encourage input from employees to improve the effectiveness of Hydro Ottawa's programs.
- provide appropriate resources to implement this policy.
- set realistic and measurable goals that promote continual improvement toward a zero injury workplace.