We provide answers to frequently asked questions regarding *SAFE Work Certification, membership, committees and more.

SAFE Work Certified

SAFE Work Certified is a standard for evaluating safety and health management systems and recognizes Manitoba employers that prioritize workplace safety and health and meet the standard. SAFE Work Certified works with industry-based safety programs acting as Certifying Partners to certify employers that meet the Safe Work Certified standard.

A Certifying Partner (CP) is an independent, not-for-profit industry-based safety program or association approved by SAFE Work Manitoba to administer safety and health certification programs that meet the SAFE Work Certified standard. S2SA is the designated Certifying Partner for the Sales and Service Industries.

A safety and health management system is a process put in place to minimize the incidence of injury and illness in the workplace.

This is accomplished by identifying existing and potential workplace hazards, assessing the risks associated with those hazards and implementing control measures to protect workers throughout the operation.

The scope and complexity of a safety and health management system vary depending upon the type of workplace and the nature of the work performed.

To meet the SAFE Work Certified standard, a safety and health program offered by a Certifying Partner must demonstrate leadership commitment, hazard identification and risk control, and worker participation.

Certifying Partners are tasked with providing direct support and resources needed for Manitoba workplaces to obtain SAFE Work Certification.

Employers in the service industry should contact Sales and Service Safety Association (S2SA), which is the associated industry-based safety program (IBSP).

Certifying Partners will work with employers to ensure that their safety and health management systems meet the SAFE Work Certified standard. Once this is determined, an independent auditor will be assigned to audit the workplace to ensure it meets the SAFE Work Certified standard.

Small businesses are defined as those with fewer than 20 workers. Small businesses will be offered a guided approach to obtaining safety and health certification through their Certifying Partner. This guided approach will include coaching, a development plan, regular follow-up, and consultation.

For employers, the potential long-term benefits of obtaining SWC for their workplaces can include:

  • Eligibility to participate in Prevention Rebate Program, a program that provides employers with a rebate on their Workers Compensation Board (WCB) premiums,
  • A safer and healthier workplace,
  • Better control of workplace hazards,
  • A reduction in workplace injury and illnesses,
  • Improved employee engagement and productivity,
  • Greater confidence in compliance with legislative requirements.

An application process will be established for individuals interested in becoming independent auditors.

Applicants screened in will be required to successfully complete independent auditor skills training offered by SAFE Work Manitoba and industry-specific training offered by one or more Certifying Partners.

Once training is completed, the Certifying Partner(s) and SAFE Work Manitoba will make the determination if the person is approved to complete audits.

Safety and health certification programs offered by certifying partners that meet the SAFE Work Certified standard will help employers meet their workplace safety and health regulatory and legal requirements, specifically Section 7.4 – Workplace safety and health programs under The Workplace Safety and Health Act.

An audit by an independent auditor assigned by the CP will include interviews, observations, and documentation. Interviews will be conducted with workers, committee members or representatives, supervisors/managers, etc. Observations will focus on work practices, processes, equipment, and the environment. Documentation reviews manuals, records, and safe work procedures.

The costs of obtaining safety and health certification through a Certifying Partner will include the costs of developing an organization’s safety and health program to meet SAFE Work Certified standards and the costs associated with the certification audit.

As an employer, if you already have a comprehensive safety and health management system in place, the required time to obtain SAFE Work Certified could be less than if there isn’t one in place. For those establishing a new safety and health management system, the amount of time to needed to become SAFE Work Certified will be dependent upon the organization’s available resources available to complete the required training, program development, implementation, evaluation and required audit activities.

Once an employer obtains safety and health certification, the certification remains valid for three years. During that time, employers must demonstrate that the standards of their safety and health program continue to meet SAFE Work Certified standards by:

  • participating in quality assurance reviews, which could include site assessments and audits 
  • participating in maintenance year activities established by their certifying partner such as internal audits (maintenance audits) during years 2 and 3,
  • remaining in good standing with the WCB and applicable regulatory bodies.

To recertify your organization, you will need to arrange a SAFE Work Certified audit through Sales and Service Safety Association, or your designated CP.

A maintenance audit is an annual systematic review required in years two and three of your audit cycle to maintain your certification between certification years. Maintenance audits are also a requirement for the Prevention Rebate Program. Maintenance audits must be conducted by a worker in your organization that has completed the Auditing for Certification (Maintenance Auditor) course offered through your CP. If you do not have a maintenance auditor on staff, you may choose to engage a SAFE Work Certified Auditor to complete your organization’s maintenance audits. For more information about maintenance audits, view our quick reference guide.

If the staff person designated and trained to complete maintenance audits leaves your organization, as the employer, it will be your responsibility to designate a new staff person as soon as possible. This staff person will need to complete the Auditing for Certification (Maintenance Auditor) course offered through your CP before the date your next maintenance audit is required.

If you are interested in learning more about obtaining safety and health certification for your workplace, contact the IBSP for your sector. If you are unsure if your industry has one, contact SAFE Work Manitoba at: 204-957-SAFE (7233) or email: [email protected].

Member

If you are a business operating within the categories below, you are already a member of S2SA and entitled to full member benefits based off your WCB rate code. Contact S2SA to update your records so you can begin to receive information about your S2SA membership.

  • 60204 – Auctions, Appraisals, Picture Framing, and Rental Storage
  • 60402 – Automotive Sales and Repair
  • 60404 – Automotive Body Shops
  • 60503 – Heavy Industrial Equipment Sales and Services
  • 61004 – Heavy Industrial Equipment Rental Services

If your industry is in the list below, you can contact S2SA by phone (204-779-8296) or email ([email protected]) to learn more about filling out a support letter and signing up for a membership.

S2SA offers many types of memberships that provide support and resources that members can use to become SAFE Work Certified. Below are the different types of members:

  • Levied Members – A company that has paid there annual WCB levy membership fees,
  • Aligned Members – A company that has signed an Industry Based Safety Program (IBSP) Letter of Support and paid their annual equivalent levy membership fee,
  • Aligned Non-Member – A company whose WCB rate code has been assigned to S2SA who may or may not have signed a support letter and is yet to start paying their annual equivalent levy membership fee,
  • Non-Members – A company whose WCB rate code is not aligned to S2SA.

S2SA partners with Manitoba businesses to offer its members discounts on services both provided independently by S2SA and as well on external safety-related products and services. External resource discounts include businesses such as Dealer Pilot, MacMor, MEP Brothers, Ross Hearing, Safety Services Manitoba. St. John Ambulance, WESguard, and Freedom Fire Inc.

S2SA provides training, support, tools, guidance, educational materials, and resources to our members. We work with our members to develop a safety program for their organization, and this helps in three ways including providing a safer workplace, reduction of workplace injuries and illnesses, and business protection against liability claims. Call 204-779-8296 or email [email protected] to be put in contact with a Safety Advisor to learn more.

Sales and Service Safety Association (S2SA) supports members in building and maintaining safety programs that work for their business needs. Below are some of the offered services S2SA can provide:

  • SAFE Work Certification
  • Safety Training (Maintenance Auditor, Safety for Senior Management, Safety for Middle Management, Safety for Committee and Representatives, Incident Investigation and Reporting, etc.)
  • Visual Ergonomic Assessments
  • Respiratory Fit Testing
  • Program Development Guides
  • Gap Analysis
  • Action Plans
  • Emergency Support
  • Safety Templates (Shared Learning, Safety Talks, Best Practice Guides, pintables, toolkits, etc.)
  • Technology Solution Via DealerPilot

Many services are available at no additional fee for members. Additional fees can include cost of required safety and health training, cost of developing a safety and health program, SAFE Work Certification process, fit testing, etc. Members benefit as there are discounted rates for specific services. Call 204-779-8296 or email [email protected] to connect with an advisor to discuss specific fees dependent on services required.

WCB rate codes are specific to your workplace. For more information about your WCB account visit www.wcb.mb.ca or call 1-204-954-4321 or 1-855-954-4321 (in North America).

All levied members (those in a levied rate code) are currently paying a levy on WCB premiums. If a company chooses to take appropriate safety measures, it will improve their WCB record, and they will notice a decrease in their premiums over time. If a company chooses to achieve SAFE Work Certification, they will now be eligible for a financial incentive through WCB premium rebates.

If enough employers within the specific sub sector (rate code) agree to support the safety program (done through a letter of support), all other employers within that same sub sector will be required to pay the levy percentage.

Committees

Workplace safety and health committees are required when a workplace has 20 or more employees regularly employed. The number of workers employed at the workplace shall be determined by averaging the previous 12-months number of full and part-time workers.

A workplace can develop a committee if they wish, although it is not required it may still be beneficial. When there are 20 or fewer workers, it is required to appoint both an employer (management or employer) and worker (not associated with management) safety representative when a committee is not required. A worker safety representative shall be appointed by the workers they represent and perform the same duties as a committee. An employer safety representative is selected by the employer.

An employer is responsible for establishing a committee when required, or if they cannot do so, they may delegate some responsibility to support staff although it is still required for the employer to be involved in the process and make allowances.

Workplace safety and health committees are made up both employer and worker representatives. An employer representative is selected by the employer to delegate responsibility to a person(s) holding management or supervisory titles, and a worker representative is appointed by the workers the representative shall represent through a collective election. If the workplace is a part of a union, the only exception is that the union may decide who will be on the committee as per their Collective Bargaining Agreement. A committee must represent the workplace as a whole and include sample sizes from all departments.

The employer selects employer representatives and the workers collectively elect worker representatives. At no point is a committee permitted to have more employer members than worker members. Equal membership or more workers than employer representatives are the only acceptable scenarios.

There are no ‘criteria’ to determine whether and individual can only be a worker representative or an employer representative, although through the selection process an individual can be labeled a particular representative. Employer representatives are commonly known as, but not restricted to Managers, Supervisors, Lead Hands, Owners, etc. Worker representatives are commonly referred to as another worker, unless collectively the workers elect a representative that is most associated with their employer to represent them accurately. In either case, the process must be documented.

There are 2 chairpersons who will take turns heading committee meetings and sharing chairperson responsibilities. The employer will vote a chairperson and the worker representatives will vote a chairperson.

Each member can serve a term of 2 years at which they may be re-elected or someone new may be voted in, or in cases of a union voted in by the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

The employer does not have to be in the committee for most cases, it is recommended that they do not have a seat on the committee. In some cases, it is preferred to have senior management respond to recommendations made by the committee independently, rather than as a representative. In other cases, some prefer to have senior management involved and active on the committee to streamline the process.

A committee is a group of representatives that work collectively to review health and safety concerns to implement corrective actions that meet the needs identified by the organization. The committee does not deal with labour, management, HR, organizational, social, or operational issues.

A committee will need to make a rules of procedure policy that outlines how the committee is to conduct themselves. The policy will highlight the purpose, structure, duties/responsibilities, representatives and chairperson selection, terms of office, quorum, rescheduling, meeting minutes, etc.

Duties of the committee include:

  • Reviewing, implement solutions, and make recommendations for concerns and complaints brought forth by workers regarding health and safety (Right to Refuse investigations, outstanding hazards, etc.)
  • Involvement in the identification process regarding health and safety risks in the workplace (regular inspections, refusals to work, and investigations – accidents, incidents, near misses).
  • Develop and implement policies, processes, procedure, training, etc.
  • Cooperate with WSH Officers or those exercising legal responsibilities.
  • Maintain records in connection with any activities performed by the committee.
  • Comply with all responsibilities mention in the Workplace Safety and Health Act and Regulations.

A member of the committee is deemed to be working when performing duties required by the committee and entitled to their regular or premium wage benefits.

Within a month of establishing a committee, the committee must meet. From that point forward the committee must meet at a minimum of every 90 days (quarterly intervals). All meetings must be documented.

It is a legal responsibility for management to respond, in writing, to all recommendations made by the committee within 30 days of receiving the recommendations. Failure to do so may result in an administrative penalty or may result in the involvement of a Workplace Safety and Health Officer.

To have a guest attend a meeting it must be at the agreeance of the committee as a whole.

Yes. The employer must ensure committee members are trained to competently fulfill their duties out lined in the Manitoba Workplace Safety and Health Act and Regulations.

Audit

The schedule of an external audit will vary according to the size and complexity of the employer’s operations. In general, the audit scope will cover 30% of the overall business operations at a minimum.

S2SA charges a daily audit rate ($700/day) multiplied by the number of days to complete the audit, including report writing.

Daily rate x number of days = total cost of Audit

*Mileage will be added to the cost for audits outside the perimeter

As an employer, if you already have a comprehensive safety and health management system in place, the required time to obtain SAFE Work Certified could be less than if there isn’t one in place. For Organizations establishing a new safety and health management system, the amount of time needed to become SAFE Work Certified will depend upon the organization’s available resources to complete the required training, program development, implementation, evaluation and audit activities. Contact your S2SA Safety Advisor to receive your free gap analysis to see if you are ready for SAFE Work Certification.

Once an employer obtains safety and health certification, the certification remains valid for three years. During that time, employers must demonstrate that the standards of their safety and health program continue to meet SAFE Work Certified standards by:

  • participating in quality assurance reviews, which could include site assessments and audits
  • participating in maintenance year activities established by their certifying partner such as internal audits (maintenance audits) during years 2 and 3,
  • remaining in good standing with the WCB and applicable regulatory bodies.

To re-certify your organization, you will need to arrange a SAFE Work Certified audit through Sales and Service Safety Association or your designated CP.

A maintenance audit is an annual systematic review required in years two and three of your audit cycle to maintain your certification between certification years.

Maintenance audits are also a requirement for the Prevention Rebate Program.

Maintenance audits must be conducted by a worker in your organization that has completed the Auditing for Certification (Maintenance Auditor) course offered through your CP.

If you do not have a maintenance auditor on staff, you may choose to engage a SAFE Work Certified Auditor to complete your organization’s maintenance audits. Click here to book a SAFE Work Certified Auditor to complete your maintenance audit.

If the staff person designated and trained to complete maintenance audits leaves your organization as the employer, it will be your responsibility to designate a new staff person as soon as possible. This staff person will need to complete the Auditing for Certification (Maintenance Auditor) course offered through S2SA or your CP before the date your next maintenance audit is required.

Contact S2SA for your sector. If you are unsure if your industry has one, contact S2SA at 204-779-8926 or email: [email protected]