Ontario’s Health, Safety, and Wellbeing Dictionary
A concise guide to essential workplace health, safety, and wellbeing terms in Ontario
- Public Services Health and Safety Association (PSHSA): PSHSA is a not-for-profit organization that provides training, resources, and consulting to promote health and safety in Ontario’s public sector workplaces. Learn more.
- Health and safety associations: These organizations deliver sector-specific health and safety services, education, and support to Ontario workplaces to help prevent injuries and illnesses. Learn more.
- Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC): A JHSC is a workplace committee made up of employer and worker representatives who identify hazards, make recommendations, and help ensure compliance with health and safety laws. Learn more.
- Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC): IPAC refers to practices and procedures that help reduce the risk of infection transmission in workplaces. Learn more.
- Health and Safety Representative (HSR): An HSR is a worker selected in workplaces with fewer than 20 employees to promote health and safety and to conduct inspections and make recommendations. Learn more.
- Wellbeing: Wellbeing encompasses physical, mental, and social health, reflecting an individual’s overall quality of life both inside and outside the workplace. Learn more.
- Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD): The MLITSD is responsible for enforcing Ontario’s workplace health and safety laws and supporting employment, immigration, and training initiatives. Learn more.
- Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB): WSIB administers Ontario’s workplace insurance program, providing compensation and support to workers injured on the job. Learn more.
- Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS): WHMIS is a national system for providing information on hazardous materials used in workplaces, including labelling, safety data sheets, and worker education. Learn more.
- Mandatory compliance: Required safety training, policies, posters and other requirements for workplaces, such as WHMIS or workplace violence prevention, to ensure compliance with Ontario’s health and safety laws. Learn more.
- Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA): The OHSA is Ontario’s primary workplace health and safety legislation, outlining the rights and duties of employers and workers. Learn more.
- Certification: Formal training required for some JHSC members or other roles, ensuring they are qualified to identify hazards and recommend controls.
- Internal Responsibility System (IRS): IRS is a workplace philosophy where everyone shares responsibility for health and safety, from workers to management. Learn more.
- Recognize, Assess, Control, and Evaluate (RACE): The RACE process helps workplaces systematically manage hazards by identifying, assessing, controlling, and evaluating risks.
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): PPE includes equipment and clothing such as gloves, masks, or goggles that protect workers from workplace hazards. Learn more.
- Hazard: A hazard is anything in the workplace that can cause injury, illness, or damage, such as physical, chemical, or biological risks. Learn more.
- Risk Assessment (RA): An RA evaluates the likelihood and severity of harm from workplace hazards to help guide safety measures. Learn more.
- Incident Reporting (IR): The process of documenting workplace injuries, illnesses, or near misses to help prevent future occurrences. Learn more.
- Emergency preparedness: Planning and training to ensure workers can respond effectively to emergencies such as fires, spills, or medical incidents.
- Workplace violence: Workplace violence is defined as the exercise, attempt to exercise, or threat to exercise physical force against a worker in a workplace that could cause physical injury. This includes acts such as hitting, threatening, or any behaviour that endangers a worker’s safety. Learn more.
- Workplace harassment: Workplace harassment is defined as engaging in a course of vexatious comment or conduct against a worker in a workplace that is known or ought reasonably to be known to be unwelcome. It includes bullying, intimidating behaviour, and sexual harassment. Learn more.
- Section 21 committee (S21): Section 21 committees are advisory groups established under the OHSA that provide expert recommendations to the MLITSD on health and safety issues for specific sectors. Their advice helps guide best practices and inform regulatory decisions in Ontario workplaces.
- PSHSA sector S21 committees: Fire Services, Paramedic Services, Healthcare and Ontario Police. More committees are listed here.
