For some workers, benefitting from the oversight of a competent supervisor can be the difference between life and death on worksites.
“Seriously? Life and death..? How can they be so vital?”
There is a simple explanation. A supervisor's duties may include ensuring that all workers are wearing their required personal protective equipment (PPE), operating machines and tools properly, and following the appropriate policies, procedures, and rules of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, as well as other relevant regulations. Things that are essential for worker safety.
To be honest, that’s just a short list. Their duties span further. For example, they have to make sure the projects are finished on time, respond to emerging hazards, complete reports, and so on. They truly have a lot of responsibilities to shoulder. Too many to list here.
Nonetheless, all workers benefit from having a competent supervisor on their job site – especially workers who are more susceptible to injuries and fatalities, such as young workers, workers lacking experience, and aging workers, for example.
It’s easy to imagine the brash young worker arriving at the job site eager to get started. But they either have little to no experience or possibly a reduced perception of risk. They might even be lacking their required PPE, deviating from the company’s procedures, or emulating a combination of these factors, thus demanding the presence of a competent supervisor to keep them on the right track – the safe track.
A good supervisor is essential for a young, inexperienced, or overconfident worker who might take risks, lack the required PPE, or ignore company procedures.
What is a Supervisor?
According to the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) in Ontario, a supervisor is a person who manages a site and has the authority to impose rules and regulations on the persons present on that site. This general definition can encompass a variety of people in a workplace, including people who do not have “supervisor” or supervisory-like titles attached to their role.
Forepersons, lead-hands, managers, directors, all can be considered supervisors under the OHSA.
The Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD) has provided a list of some powers that are the main indicators that someone is performing in a managerial capacity. For instance, if they:
- “hire, fire, or discipline,
- recommend hiring, firing or discipline,
- promote, demote or transfer,
- decide a worker's rate of pay,
- award bonuses,
- approve vacation time,
- grant leaves of absence, or
- Implement established protocols that prioritize worker health and safety.”
Other indicators that are listed on the MLITSD website include:
- “determining the tasks to be done, and by whom
- directing and monitoring how work is performed
- handling onsite resources, including but not limited to staff, facilities, equipment, and budget
- deciding on and arranging for equipment to be used on a job site
- deciding the makeup of a work crew
- deciding on and scheduling hours of work
- dealing directly with workers' complaints, or
- ensuring all resources account for safety concerns
As you might imagine, some workers are likely operating as a supervisor without realizing that they are filling that role under the definition. This creates a real gap in competent supervisor training. In fact, just like other workers who indulge in scissor lift training, confined space training, etc., before working a job, managers need to be properly trained too.
Competency
The OHSA goes beyond just ensuring that workers are monitored. It states that workers must be managed by someone competent. A capable supervisor is someone who has the necessary knowledge, training, and experience regarding the type of work to be done and is able to organize the work process and performance. They must be aware of and communicate any potential or actual hazards in the workplace, as well as be knowledgeable of any relevant legislation, laws, standards, and best practices, including corporate procedures.
Need competent supervisor training? Act First Safety is happy to help: https://actfirstsafety.ca/competent-supervisor-training.html
When are they required?
Under Construction Regulation 213/91, employers/constructors are required to have a supervisor at projects with five or more workers. They must ensure workers are being supervised at all times by an expert. As of July 1, 2014, Ontario Regulation 297/13 updated what it considers the necessary requirements of an on-site manager. They must now complete basic occupational health and safety awareness training that meets the requirements set out within the same regulation.
Core Responsibilities
Supervisors are responsible for:
- Ensuring workers follow the rules of the company as well as the applicable rules set out by OHSA and other regulations.
- Ensuring they wear the appropriate PPE and clothing, and use necessary protective devices and equipment on-site.
- Communicating to workers any dangers at the workplace, and providing them with information and procedures to keep them protected.
One of their most important responsibilities is exercising a legal requirement for the workers they oversee, which includes “taking every precaution reasonable in the circumstances for their protection.” Inexperienced workers should be provided with additional supervision.
It is common practice to pair inexperienced or underperforming workers with an experienced and skilled veteran so that they can learn to perform tasks both productively and safely. For workers with language barriers, this pairing can also provide a vital communication link, boosting worker confidence while also providing critical communication in the event of emergencies.
Meanwhile, workers who have become complacent, either from having an emboldened sense of their work experience, or a reduced sense of risk, or other factors, will require additional training, reminders, supervision, and constructive feedback that all reinforce a strong safety culture. Additional training can take the shape of scissor lift training, confined space training, etc. As long as it suits the job in question.
Supervisors and the Internal Responsibility System (IRS)
The internal responsibility system is a philosophy within the Ontario Occupational Health & Safety Act that states that regardless of position or title, the responsibility of keeping the workplace safe must be shared by everyone involved. Any contravention of the Act can result in the reporting of your company’s regulations or policies, and procedures to ensure the safety of yourself and those around you.
Concerns may include defective equipment, equipment not being used properly, workers not fit for duty (drugs, alcohol, fatigue, mental clarity), environmental and chemical hazards, or situations of workplace violence or harassment. In such cases, the IRS allows employees at all levels within an organization to work together to prioritize safety and assist in ensuring each other’s safety.
Without supervision, the success of the IRS rests heavily on the workers' understanding of its rules, which includes creating a safe workplace culture and actively engaging in it. This can be difficult and may give rise to unfortunate incidents.
One example would be a worker, working alone on a ladder, installing a security camera. Let’s say the ladder is rickety and he falls and injures himself. To make matters worse, he was found 40 minutes later lying in below-zero temperature conditions. Nearby workers acknowledged hearing a sound, but did not go to investigate, leading to a fatality that could have been avoided.
If the rules set by the IRS had been followed by everyone, one of the injured worker’s colleagues, upon hearing the noise, would likely immediately investigate the matter and report the incident. In fact, the presence of a supervisor may have prevented the situation altogether.
That said, not all such managers are skilled. Proper training is necessary for the development of the right skill set. While the IRS already makes provision for their role, relentless enforcement and management on the part of the manager can negate their role. It may not be right, but with pressures of the job and a limited skill set put workers at risk.
Case in point. A few years ago, despite repeated encouragement from fellow colleagues, a worker experienced a fatal fall due to their refusal to wear necessary fall protection gear. The supervisor also encouraged the worker to do the same, but they insisted it was unnecessary. The manager relented and therein lies their failure to do their duty.
Supervisor intervention is necessary to ensure worker safety. While they should always follow the law and policies developed by their company’s human resources department, they should also exercise their discretion and send workers home for the day in serious cases or dismiss them for disobedience. Managers should always communicate, observe, direct, and instruct workers concerning the expectations of the job to ensure on-site security.
Conclusion
A competent supervisor can significantly improve the on-site experience for everyone involved. Not only in terms of productivity and efficiency, but also safety. They can be highly instrumental in reducing on-the-job complacency while ensuring fatal mistakes are not a common occurrence.
In fact, a capable manager, along with a workplace that has a strong IRS culture, can bring down the number of injuries and fatalities that take place onsite. Together, the workforce can overcome challenges of the job like production deadlines, financial pressure, language barriers, lack of training or experience, and can effectively support a safe approach to work while developing the comradery of the team.
Good supervisors ensure workers go home at the end of the day.
If you want to brush up your managerial skills, Act First Safety can help you. Contact us to enroll in our industry-leading training program, hosted at the Scarborough facility, today!
Reference
“Construction Death Review Committee: Falls from Heights,” June 2025. The Office of the Chief Coroner.
The Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act - https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/90o01#BK0
https://www.ontario.ca/page/supervisors-under-occupational-health-and-safety-act
