When it comes to Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S), staying compliant isn’t just about avoiding fines—it's about keeping your team safe and your business running smoothly. But let’s face it, navigating OH&S regulations can feel like untangling a pile of holiday lights. For Calgary businesses, a misstep can mean hefty penalties or even a full-blown shutdown. Yikes!
To keep you in the clear, we’ve rounded up some of the most common OH&S compliance mistakes businesses make and how Calgary Safety Consultants can help you avoid them.
1. Skipping or Inadequate Hazard Assessments
The Mistake: Many businesses fail to conduct thorough hazard assessments or keep them updated. This often leads to overlooked risks, which can result in accidents, injuries, and non-compliance.
The Fix: Schedule regular hazard assessments and keep them up to date, especially if your work environment changes.
How We Can Help: Our team specializes in hazard assessments tailored to Calgary's industries, from construction to hospitality. We’ll identify risks and help you implement practical solutions.
📖 Reference: Alberta OHS Code, Part 2, outlines your legal obligation to identify hazards in your workplace.
2. Improper or Missing Safety Training
The Mistake: Tossing new employees onto the job without proper safety training—or thinking a quick safety talk will suffice. Training isn’t a one-and-done deal!
The Fix: Implement a comprehensive safety training program and refresh it regularly.
How We Can Help: Calgary Safety Consultants offers customizable safety training programs, including onboarding for new hires and ongoing training for seasoned employees. Plus, we handle the boring paperwork, so you don’t have to.
📖 Reference: Alberta OHS Code, Part 1, Section 3 requires employers to ensure workers are adequately trained.
3. Neglecting Proper Record-Keeping
The Mistake: Missing documents, incomplete records, or not keeping required paperwork like safety inspections, training logs, or incident reports. This is a major red flag for inspectors.
The Fix: Keep organized records for everything OH&S-related. Pro tip: digitize them to make it easier to update and access.
How We Can Help: Our team can set you up with easy-to-use record-keeping systems so you’re always audit-ready.
📖 Reference: Alberta OHS Act, Section 22 highlights the importance of maintaining proper documentation.
4. Failing to Maintain PPE Standards
The Mistake: Providing subpar personal protective equipment (PPE) or failing to ensure employees actually use it.
The Fix: Invest in high-quality PPE and enforce its use. Regular inspections and replacements are key.
How We Can Help: We’ll help you select the right PPE for your industry, train your team on how to use it, and even set up a maintenance schedule.
📖 Reference: Alberta OHS Code, Part 18, specifies PPE requirements.
5. Overlooking Emergency Preparedness
The Mistake: Thinking, “It won’t happen to us.” A lack of emergency response planning can be disastrous, both for your employees and your business.
The Fix: Develop and test emergency response plans, covering everything from fires to chemical spills.
How We Can Help: We’ll craft an emergency response plan specific to your business and conduct training drills to ensure your team is ready for anything.
📖 Reference: Alberta OHS Code, Part 7, requires emergency response planning.
6. Not Reporting Incidents or Delays in Reporting
The Mistake: Failing to report workplace incidents promptly. Some businesses think minor injuries don’t need reporting, but that’s a big no-no.
The Fix: Know what needs reporting and ensure incidents are reported immediately.
How We Can Help: We’ll guide you through incident reporting requirements and even manage the process for you, so you’re always compliant.
📖 Reference: Alberta OHS Act, Section 40 requires certain injuries and incidents to be reported.
At Calgary Safety Consultants, we’re more than compliance experts—we’re your partners in workplace safety. Here’s why Calgary businesses love working with us:
By addressing these common mistakes, you can protect your employees, avoid penalties, and build a stronger safety culture in your workplace. If you’re ready to level up your safety game, let Calgary Safety Consultants guide you every step of the way.
Yes, we provide comprehensive, tailored training programs that cover safety management, hazard identification, incident investigations, leadership for a safer workplace and beyond.
Absolutely. We offer safety management training that empowers both leadership and staff to improve safety protocols and ensure compliance.
Hazard assessments identify risks in your workplace and ensure you're prepared to mitigate them, keeping your employees safe and avoiding regulatory penalties.
Keep records of training, hazard assessments, incident reports, safety inspections, and emergency plans. These documents are essential to prove compliance during an inspection.
Safety training should be updated regularly—at least annually—and whenever new employees are hired or new equipment or procedures are introduced.
Calgary Safety Consultants is here to help you ensure compliance, enhance safety, and streamline your OH&S program. Don’t wait—fill out the form, and we’ll connect with you to discuss how we can support your business. Let’s get started!
Calgary Safety Consultants delivers game-changing COR Audits and OH&S consulting designed to keep your business safe, compliant, and accident-free. With 30+ years of expertise in high-risk industries like oil & gas, construction, and manufacturing, we understand the unique challenges you face. We offer tailored safety solutions that not only meet regulatory standards but also reduce operational risks and protect your workforce. From conducting thorough safety audits to implementing comprehensive safety management systems, we ensure your team is fully supported. Our hands-on, collaborative approach means we're with you every step of the way, helping you achieve a safer, more efficient workplace. Let us handle the heavy lifting so your team stays protected, and your business thrives!
