Deadline Reminder: Employer Assessment Payments
Due Date: October 1, 2020
Reminder: The second and final deadline for deferred employer assessment payments is tomorrow, October 1, 2020.
The deferral of employer assessment payments gave employers the option to move to two equal installments paid in August and October 2020 without facing any penalties. To speak to a representative in Employer Services, email employer@wscc.nt.ca for the Northwest Territories, employernu@wscc.nu.ca for Nunavut, or call 1 (800) 661-0792.
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Deadline: PAYROLL Estimate REvision
Submit by November 30, 2020
If your business has experienced significant staffing changes in 2020 as a result of COVID-19, we encourage you to adjust your payroll as soon as possible. To avoid the Underestimating Penalty, you must report significant changes (25% or greater) in your payroll by November 30th, 2020. The WSCC has mailed a letter to all Nunavut and Northwest Territories employers with a reminder about payroll revision information.
A helpful guide can be found on WSCC Connect. If you have any questions on revising your payroll, contact Employer Services in the Northwest Territories at 1-800-661-0792 and in Nunavut at 1-877-404-4407.
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Responsibilities, Training, and Requirements
It is important to understand that when a worker is appointed or assumes an acting supervisor role, they have the same responsibilities and liability as a person who is regularly in that role. All acting supervisors must be made aware of the duties, responsibilities, and requirements of a supervisory role under Northwest Territories and Nunavut safety legislation. Specific sections concerning the responsibilities of employers and supervisors can be found in the Occupational health and Safety Regulations (Northwest Territories and Nunavut), Part 3 - General Duties Section 16-18 (pages 16-18), and the Safety Acts (Northwest Territories and Nunavut) Health and Safety, Section 4-5 (pages 5-6).
Employer Duties
Employers have responsibilities in regards to creating a safe workspace and establishing training and safety procedures for their employees. However, they also have specific responsibilities in providing competent supervision for their workers and workplaces, which includes ensuring all acting supervisors have the training and resources to fulfill their acting role successfully and safely.
Employers must:
- Ensure all supervisors are aware of safety legislation.
- Provide adequate training to support supervisors in fulfilling their duties as listed below.
- Ensure that there is an established safety program and that it is being implemented by their supervisors and acting supervisors.
- Ensure that between owners/employers, supervisors, and any acting supervisors, workers' rights to a healthy and safe workplace are being protected.
Supervisor and Acting Supervisor Duties
Supervisors assume a specific role in regards to workplace health and safety in the workplace. They must actively participate in implementing, monitoring, and reporting on safety in their workplace. These responsibilities are transferred to anyone who takes on an acting supervisory role, and it is important that they know and understand what their legal obligations are.
Supervisor duties include, but are not limited to:
- Performing hazard assessments prior to work starting, and with any change to the workplace that has the potential to impact the safety of workers. They must immediately communicate any unsafe activities, circumstances, or situations and seek to resolve them with the employer.
- Conducting inspections and ensure that safety protocol is being followed effectively. There may also be an opportunity during inspections to improve upon current safety procedures.
- Participating in the investigation of any workplace incident or injury. When a workplace incident occurs, they must immediately report any such incidents.
- Supervisors must ensure that workers understand their rights to a safe workspace, and that they know how to do their job safely.
- Being aware of and understand potential dangers in the workplace, including anything requiring PPE, and knowing of all hazardous circumstances, activities, and chemicals within the workplace.
- Receive information and instruction on working safely, and provide support to workers on doing their jobs safely.
Worker Duties
Workers always have a role to play in workplace safety. Their job is to take the training and information provided to them, and follow safe work practices in their workplace. If they identify a hazard in the workplace, they should eliminate it if it is safe to do so, or reported it to their supervisor immediately.
Additional Resources
Everyone has a role to play in keeping workplaces safe. It is important that every person in the workplace fully understands what their role is, as well as any new duties that they are taking on. From top down, every worker must fully understand the safety work practices relevant to their workplace.
If you, your supervisors, or your workers who act in a supervisory role need further information or resources on the duties of employers, supervisors, and workers refer to the following resources:
If you have any questions about the role of supervisors or acting supervisors in your workplace's safety plan, contact us today by calling 1 (800) 661-0792.
Mining Supervisors
Mining has a separate set of regulations outlined in the Mine Health and Safety Regulations of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut (Part 1 -Examination of Workers, Section 1.157-1.161, page 38-40; Part 5 -Supervision, Section 5.02, page 50-51; and, Part 6 - Training, Supervisor's Certificate, Level 1, Section 7.21-22, page 60-61), and the Mine Health and Safety Acts of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut (Duties and Responsibilities, Section 16, page 11-12). On a mine site, supervisors require certification that can be obtained by taking a Supervisors Level 1 or Level 2 exam. Supervisors additionally require First Aid certification.
In order to complete certification, workers should visit's WSCC's website for information on the Mine Supervision Certification course. All exams are administered online, and upon passing the exam, the Chief Safety Inspector will issue a Level 1 or Level 2 certification to the employee.
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Prevent sprains, strains, and Tears
Sprains, strains, and tears are one of the most common workplace injuries. A back injury can seriously impact a worker's life in the present and sometimes into their future. Proper training, planning, and support in the workplace will help your workers avoid injury.
Employer Duties
Safety starts with you. Whether a large, medium, or small business, you must identify the hazards in your workplace, and train and support employees in lowering the risk of incident or injury. Regulations on employer duties around lifting can be found in the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut in "General Health Requirements - Lifting and Handling Loads" (Part 6, Section 82). You must:
- Identify the hazards. What is too heavy to lift without support? Are there factors in your workplace that add to the hazard of lifting (e.g. Doors, stairways, floor layout challenges, etc.)?
- Provide all suitable equipment to manage heavy or awkward loads. If you require your employees to handle large objects, you must provide equipment to help them complete the task safely.
- Train your workers. Are they aware of your workplace policies about lifting? Do they know where to find, and how to safely use lifting supports (e.g. Dollies, wheelbarrows, heavy equipment, etc.)? Do they understand the signs and symptoms of injury?
- Follow up with your employees. Encourage them to self-monitor and report any signs and symptoms of injury. Check in to make sure they are using equipment properly.
Worker Duties
Workers have a duty to follow your safety procedures to reduce the risk of injury. Ensure that your workers understand that they must:
- Plan their work before starting their task. Determine the most efficient way to complete the day's tasks. Alternate heavy lifting tasks with other lighter tasks.
- Follow these steps for safe lifting:
- Check to see what mechanical aids and equipment is available to help lift.
- Plan and prepare. Ensure they have appropriate footwear, understand the weight of the load, etc.
- Use both hands to lift item.
- Lift the load as close to your body as possible. Tighten your muscles as you're getting ready to lift.
- DO NOT twist or side bend when lifting. Step or pivot while moving with the load.
- Try not to bend. Use your knees to reach or place low-level objects.
- Take rests and breaks to relax muscles and prevent fatigue.
- Self monitor. Only your employee will know if/when an injury is occurring. If they do recognize any signs or symptoms of injury, they should stop their task and notify their supervisor immediately.
Resources
Post these reminders in your workplace to remind your workers of safe lifting procedures:
Employers, remember that there is no one way to lift. Every load is different, and training for different circumstances in your specific workplace is essential for the safety of your workers.
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WSCC Offices are closed for Thanksgiving on Monday, October 12th, and will reopen on Tuesday, October 13th at 8:30 AM.
To report a serious workplace injury or incident, call 1-800-661-0792.
To report unsafe work, use our Report Unsafe Work service on WSCC Connect.
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wscc.nt.ca / 1.800.661.0792 * wscc.nu.ca / 1.877.404.4407
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