Ontario Health & Safety for Small Businesses: What Does It Actually Look Like?
Updated: 4 hours ago
If you run a small business with only a few employees, workplace health and safety can feel more complicated than it needs to be.
If you operate a small business in Ontario, you may know that Ontario's Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) applies to your business, but that doesn't necessarily answer the practical questions.
What does health and safety actually look like for a business my size?
Instead of starting with legislation, let's look at a fictional small business.
Meet Alex
Alex owns a small property-maintenance company in Ottawa.
For the first few years, Alex worked primarily by himself. Business has grown and he now employs three workers.
Most mornings, everyone meets briefly before heading out to customer properties. During the day they use lawn equipment, drive between locations, handle fuel and other products, work outside in the heat and occasionally work alone.
Alex knows he has health and safety responsibilities now that he has employees but where should he start?
Start With the Work, Not the Binder
It's easy to think workplace health and safety starts with policies, forms and a large safety binder.
A better starting point for Alex is much simpler:
What work are his employees actually doing, and what could realistically harm them?
For Alex's company, that may mean looking at things such as:
operating and transporting equipment
driving between properties
fuel and other hazardous products
noise
heat and sun exposure
manual handling
working around vehicles and the public
employees occasionally working alone
A bakery, restaurant or cleaning company would have a completely different list. That's the point.
Your health and safety system should reflect the work your employees actually perform.
Small Doesn't Mean Exempt
Having three employees does change some of Alex's requirements.
For example, a workplace with three regularly employed workers isn't required to have a Health and Safety Representative or Joint Health and Safety Committee based solely on worker count.
But that doesn't mean Alex has no health and safety responsibilities.
Ontario employers still have a duty to provide workers with appropriate information, instruction and supervision and to take every precaution reasonable in the circumstances for their protection.
Workers also need basic occupational health and safety awareness training, while additional information, instruction or training may be required depending on the work they perform and the hazards they encounter.
The important distinction is this:
Some requirements depend on the size of your workplace. Your responsibility to protect your workers does not disappear because your business is small.
Look Beyond Your Main Workplace
There is another issue with Alex's business.
His employees don't spend their entire day at the shop. One worker may be in Kanata while the other is working at a customer's properly in Nepean. In a few hours, they've changed location again.
This should influence how Alex thinks about health and safety.
Some of the questions Alex may ask himself:
Where are the first-aid supplies when employees leave the shop?
What happens if someone is hurt while working on a client's property?
How does Alex communicate with someone working alone?
How are damaged tools or equipment taken out of service when employees are away from the shop?
A system that works perfectly at the shop may not work once employees leave it.
For mobile businesses, it's important to consider where the work actually happens, not just the address printed on a business card.
Three Questions to Ask About Your Business
A practical review doesn't have to start by creating dozens of new policies.
Walk through a normal workday and ask:
What could realistically hurt someone?
Think about equipment, chemicals, vehicles, customers, lifting, work locations and environmental conditions.
What are we doing about it?
Consider training, procedures, supervision, protective equipment, maintenance and other controls.
Can we demonstrate what we're doing?
If you train an employee, inspect the equipment or establish a procedure, consider how that information is documented and maintained.
These three questions won't replace a proper review of the legal requirements that apply to your workplace, but they provide a practical place to start.
Health and Safety Should Fit the Business
Alex's three-person property-maintenance company doesn't need the same health and safety system as a large industrial operation.
It does need a system that makes sense for the work his employees actually perform.
That's why one of the most useful questions a small-business owner can ask is:
If I followed one of m employees for an entire shift, would the health and safety system I have on paper match what they're actually doing?
If the answer is no, or you're not sure, that's a good place to start looking
Not Sure What Applies to Your Business?
Moreau Health & Safety works with Ontario small businesses to review how they operate, identify health and safety gaps and determine practical next steps.
Preparing to hire your first employee? Our Owner/Operator Consultation can help you understand what should be in place as you become an employer.
Already have employees? A Health & Safety Assessment can help identify gaps between current practices and the requirements and risks affection your workplace.
Official Resources:
This article provides general information about workplace health and safety in Ontario and is not legal advice. Requirements can vary based on the workplace, industry, hazards and applicable legislation.
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