Health and Safety ReportVolume 22, Issue 11

With climate change driving increasingly severe and frequent weather events, workplaces across Canada face growing risks from floods, wildland fires, heatwaves, and storms. In response, employers must be proactive about emergency preparedness to mitigate risks, protect lives, and minimize operational disruptions. Here are some essential steps that can help workplaces navigate extreme weather events safely and effectively.

Assess risks and develop a plan

A comprehensive assessment allows employers to identify how weather events may impact their emergency response plan and develop an appropriate response. Consider any unique vulnerabilities of staff, such as outdoor workers and those with disabilities or mobility issues who may need additional support during emergencies.

After hazards are identified and the impact of the risks are assessed, employers should develop a detailed emergency response plan that incorporates responses to climate events. This plan should include clear procedures for communication protocols or for more extreme responses such as evacuation or if there is a need for shelter-in-place. The plan should be tailored to site-specific hazards and reflect how the workplace will respond, such as what steps the workers must take and when, who will communicate these steps, and who is the lead during the response.

Employer responsibilities: Preparedness and communication

Employers have a legal responsibility to provide a safe work environment. Day-to-day steps include keeping evacuation routes clear and providing emergency supplies like specialized equipment, first-aid kits and flashlights. Determine if there is a need to provide essentials such as drinking water during a shelter-in-place situation. 

Effective communication is critical during a weather emergency. Environment and Climate Change Canada recommends that employers use multiple channels—phone, email, and text alerts—to keep workers informed in real-time. In the event of a phone or internet outage, employers may also want to post notices in the workplace or have a protocol for managers to notify workers in-person. Designate an emergency coordinator responsible for overseeing communication during any emergency.

Worker responsibilities: Stay informed and ready to act

Workers also play a crucial role in workplace emergency preparedness. They should be familiar with the company’s emergency response plan and actively participate in emergency drills and training exercises. Workers also need to know the nearest exits, evacuation routes, and emergency equipment locations. It is good practice for everyone to stay aware of weather forecasts, especially when working outdoors, and use Environment Canada’s weather alerts and air quality reports to adapt activities as needed.

Knowing the emergency response plan empowers workers to respond quickly in actual emergencies, whether evacuating, sheltering in place, or assisting colleagues who may need help. Situational awareness is key—stay alert to changing conditions and be ready to act if necessary.

Be responsive to local conditions. If evacuation or shelter-in-place orders have been given by local authorities, employers should allow workers to stop working and find safety.

Tips for extreme weather

1. Heatwaves: Provide hydration stations, set up shaded rest areas, provide cooling stations, and encourage regular breaks for outdoor workers. Workers should wear lightweight, breathable clothing and watch each other for signs of heat exhaustion. Report concerns to the supervisor.
2. Floods: In flood-prone areas, designate evacuation routes and ensure waterproof storage for critical equipment. Educate workers that they should not walk or drive through floodwaters.
3. Wildland fires: When wildland fires affect air quality, maintain ventilation systems. Monitor the situation if the fire is in your area. To keep workers safe, limit outdoor exposure, check the air quality, and modify activities as needed. If needed, consider using N95 respirators.
4. Storms: Identify shelter-in-place areas in buildings for severe weather events. Workers should know to avoid areas with windows and where emergency supplies are stored.

Recovery and debriefing post-event

After an extreme weather event, the workplace should debrief to evaluate its emergency response. Identify what was effective, areas for improvement, and any necessary training or resources that need to be part of the emergency response plan.

It’s also essential to consider the well-being of staff after a traumatic weather event. Where possible, provide workers with access to mental health resources, counselling, and support groups, as many may experience stress or anxiety that can affect performance and morale.

With extreme weather events on the rise due to climate change, Canadian workplaces must be prepared to safeguard workers, assets, and operations. Effective planning, communication, and training can minimize risks, help workers feel protected, and foster a workplace capable of navigating the challenges posed by our changing climate.

Resources

• Climate Change: Workplace Impacts handbook, CCOHS
• Severe Weather Alert Tracker, Environment and Climate Change Canada
• Emergency Response Planning, WorkSafeBC
• Climate Change fact sheets, CCOHS
• Hazard and Risk Assessment fact sheet, CCOHS
• Get Prepared, Government of Canada

Proactively managing risk in your workplace is a key part of any effective health and safety program. This is where a risk assessment can help.  

A risk assessment involves identifying hazards, assessing the risk of hazards, and prioritizing hazards associated with a specific activity, task or job. It also helps you develop a practical plan to eliminate workplace hazards where possible, and to introduce precautions that lower the risk of harm. These steps walk you through performing a thorough risk assessment.  

• Assemble a risk assessment team. Be sure to include people who have good knowledge of your workplace and risk assessment methods, such as supervisors, workers, and health and safety committee members or representatives. 
• Select the job or process to assess. Ideally, risk assessments should be performed for all roles and processes at your workplace. Given time and resource constraints, however, start with the potentially more hazardous jobs first. 
• Break down the job or process into tasks. Map out each task required to complete a job in sequential order. Dividing a job into individual tasks can help pinpoint possible hazards that could arise while getting the job done. 
• Identify the hazards of each task. For each task, list the possible hazards and potential harm to workers. Ask questions like “Can any body part get caught in machinery?” “Can chemical exposure occur?” “Is entry into a confined space needed?” This will help ensure you’ve covered off all possible outcomes. 
• Assess the level of risk. For each hazard identified, determine the likelihood that it will cause harm, and the potential severity of that harm. This will help prioritize which hazards to address first. Use a method appropriate for your workplace to assess risk. Using a risk assessment matrix is one method that can help determine which hazards are more serious. 
• Control the risk of each hazard. The best approach is to eliminate a hazard altogether. This follows the risk reduction model known as the hierarchy of controls. If not possible, substitute hazards with safer alternatives and use engineering controls. Administrative controls complement more effective measures and use personal protective equipment when other controls are inadequate or not possible. Layering on multiple control measures at once is also a good way to further reduce risk. 
• Evaluate the effectiveness of controls. Implement a process for monitoring each control measure you introduce to make sure it is effective and working as intended. Ensure new hazards have not been created, and that the required procedures are being followed. Seek feedback from workers about any concerns and make improvements as needed. 
• Communicate results. Make workers aware of the potential hazards of their job and the control measures in place to protect them. Share the completed risk assessments with workers and consider posting them where they can be easily accessed, like on a bulletin board or intranet. 
• Assess the need for repeat assessments. As part of the process for evaluating controls, determine when a risk assessment needs to be repeated. This may be required when a new job is created, there are changes to an existing job, or new equipment or processes are introduced. Health and safety is a process of continuous improvement, so be prepared to re-assess as needed.  

CCOHS Resources  

• Risk Assessments: Foundations and Practical Applications, manual
• Hazard and Risk – Risk Assessment, fact sheet 
• Hazard and Risk – Hierarchy of Controls, fact sheet 
• Hazard Control, infographic 

Our podcast episodes help you stay current and informed about workplace health, safety, and well-being in Canada.

Featured podcast: Prevent Slips, Trips and Falls with Good Workplace Housekeeping 

Good workplace housekeeping might seem like a simple concept, but it doesn’t always get the respect it deserves. Learn how effective housekeeping can reduce the risk of slips, trips and falls, one of the most common lost-time injuries.  

Listen to the podcast now.

Encore podcast: Top Picks for Travel Tips  

Despite the season or destination, safety should always be a critical part of your travel plans. From planning and preparation all the way to hotel precautions and communication procedures, we’ll review timely and relevant tips for a safe and healthy trip.   

Listen to the podcast now. 

See the complete list of podcast topics or, better yet, subscribe to the series on iTunes or Spotify and don't miss a single episode.

Do you or someone you know own a small business? With so many competing priorities, many small to medium-sized companies often don’t have the time or resources to dedicate to health and safety. That’s where our Business Safety Portal can help.

The Portal offers an accessible, scalable, and low-cost solution for business owners to understand and help meet their legal obligations to protect workers from injuries and illness on the job.

It provides businesses with health and safety guidance specific to their industry and location, plus templates and checklists to help identify hazards, assess the risks to their workers, and develop policies and programs to help protect them.

The Portal also includes online courses, practical manuals, fact sheets, and a digital file cabinet to store, update and share important documentation, such as health and safety plans, training certificates and inspection records. 

Spend less time searching for your responsibilities as an employer, and more time keeping your organization up to date with effective health and safety policies, programs, and training. Annual subscriptions start from $100.  

Learn more about the Business Safety Portal.

We’re accepting applications for the Dick Martin Scholarship Award. The contest is open to any college or university student enrolled in an occupational health and safety course or program leading to an occupational health and safety related certificate, diploma, or degree. 

Two students will be awarded a $3,000 prize (and their academic institutions will be gifted $500). To be considered, students must complete an online application, submit a cover letter outlining their aspirations of obtaining a career in the health and safety industry, and submit an essay on one of two topics related to occupational health and safety: 

• Prevention Essay: Choose a high-risk workplace hazard. How would you work to solve and create awareness about the issue? 

• Technical Essay: Research an existing or emerging hazard or risk (coverage may include how to identify, assess, and control the risks). 

CCOHS will accept applications until 11:59 p.m. EST, January 31, 2025. Scholarship rules, essay criteria, and other guidelines are available on the CCOHS website. Winners will be announced in early Spring 2025. 

Is your workplace ready for the future of health and safety? In addition to bringing together experts with unique perspectives on the latest health and safety issues, here are a few reasons you won’t want to miss CCOHS Forum 2025: The Changing World of Work. 

Intimate and interactive: With a limited number of attendees and networking opportunities, you can dive deeper into topics while connecting with like-minded health and safety stakeholders. 

Fresh content: From changing demographics to climate change, the world of work is evolving. Learn about the health and safety issues workplaces need to prepare for. 

Solutions-focused: Get inspired to make positive change through insight and expertise you’ll gain from our speakers, showcase of innovations and soapbox event. You’ll also learn about solutions and tools you can bring back to your organization.  

Register by February 14, 2025, to take advantage of the early bird rate (a $100 savings). Special rates for CCOHS Members and students are also available. Plus stay at the event venue, Sheraton Suites Calgary Eau Claire, and benefit from preferred delegate rates if you book by April 28, 2025 (a limited number of rooms are available). 

For more information and the latest updates, visit www.ccohs.ca/forum. 

With temperatures dropping and winter on the horizon for much of Canada, there’s a lot more to working safely in the cold than bundling up in layers. Help workers stay safe when working outdoors this winter with these free resources from CCOHS. 

Fact Sheets 

• Cold Environments - Working in the Cold
• Cold Environments - General
• Cold Environments - Health Effects and First Aid
• Working on or Near Ice Covered Water 

Infographics 

• Working in the Cold  

Podcasts 

• Working Safely in the Cold
• Cold Feet Prevention: Steps to Stay Safe and Warm When Working Outdoors