Safeguarding refers to a variety of controls that are applied (generally) to machinery and equipment in an industrial manufacturing environment. The OHS regulation in British Columbia defines a safeguard as follows: “Safeguard” means the use of a guard, a safety device, a shield, an awareness barrier, warning signs, or other appropriate means, either singly or in combination, to provide effective protection to workers from hazards; [OHS Regulation 12.1 Definitions].

The purpose of a safeguard is to reliably protect a worker from danger. Where safeguarding is applied, risk reduction is achieved in part by the reliability of the devices used in conjunction with the performance level of the circuit they are integrated to.

The Manufacturing Safety Alliance of BC’s Occupational Road Safety Guide has been developed to provide guidance to an organization in implementing a grey fleet program at their workplace.

This guidebook was developed taking into consideration WorkSafeBC’s OHS regulations cover the risk factors, identification by assessment, and controls to be put in place. They also state the components of a grey fleet program by discussing the education and training needed and the evaluation of the program.

A strong safety culture is an “atmosphere” within the organization that influences safe behaviour. It is more than an official program and must be ingrained in both the formal and informal activities of an organization. It is what happens when nobody is watching. It is when people are proud of their safety performance. It is when they have internalized the need to be safe. A strong safety culture must become a way of life for every employee at every level of the organization.

A Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) is a primary component of any employer’s occupational health and safety management system. It helps to address one of the basic rights of workers, the right of participate in workplace health and safety. JHSC have been a legal requirement for all BC workplaces with 20 or more workers since 1977.

The JHSC is made up of worker members selected by members of the workforce and management members appointed by the employer.

The role of the JHSC is to assist the employer in identifying health and safety hazards, recommending means of controlling such hazards, support health and safety initiatives and act as an OHS resource in the workplace.