by HSEI Training
Many communities have historically relied on the support of volunteers, and increasingly, so do many organisations. As such, it is important to understand the duty owed by employers to ensure the safety of volunteers.
Volunteers represent a significant number of the workforce in both Canada and the US. An organisation may engage volunteers for a number of reasons. Volunteers can perform an essential range of activities, from providing support services, mentoring, collecting donations or serving as a volunteer director.
Volunteers are protected by health and safety laws as much as any other worker. Organizations have an obligation to ensure the health and safety of the volunteers are protected when they are undertaking work on your behalf.
All your volunteers also owe a duty of care to take reasonable care for their own health and safety and that of other people, and also to follow any of your organization’s reasonable instructions or procedures.
Like any other worker in your organization, volunteers need to understand the nature of the work that they will performing, the particular hazards that they may face in doing their work, and what steps they should put in place to control those risks.
Sometimes, due to the seasonal nature or sporadic engagement of volunteers, there is a risk that volunteers won’t have enough time to come up to speed with how the work is to be undertaken. As with any other group of vulnerable workers, including young or inexperienced workers, you should take steps to ensure that volunteers are given a proper orientation into your organization and clear directions on how the work is to be performed. You must also provide supervision.
In short, volunteers should be treated as if they were your own workers from a safety point of view. Be sure to provide them with a safe and risk-free work environment.
Interested in Knowing More?
For in-depth advice about safety management, please contact one of our expert team today. https://www.hseigroup.com/contact.