Key responsibilities for Ontario employers
Information sheet: Understanding your health and safety requirements - Download and share
Many small business owners may be surprised to learn they have the same basic health and safety responsibilities as larger employers under Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA). Whether a workplace has two workers or 200, employers are responsible for protecting workers from hazards on the job.
Understanding how these responsibilities apply in practice can be challenging, especially for smaller workplaces that may not have dedicated health and safety staff or resources.
“One of the most important concepts under the Occupational Health and Safety Act is the Internal Responsibility System (IRS),” says Stephanie Boucher, a Health and Safety Specialist at Workplace Safety North. “It means health and safety isn’t one person’s job – it’s shared by employers, supervisors, and workers, who all play a role in identifying hazards and supporting safe work.”
Key health and safety responsibilities for small businesses:
- Establish clear roles and responsibilities
Small businesses need to make sure everyone understands their role in health and safety:
- Employers must ensure the workplace is safe. They carry the overall responsibility to ensure policies and programs are implemented and designed to protect their workers.
- Supervisors must guide and correct unsafe work. In addition to ensuring appropriate training is provided to their workers, supervisors play a key role in informing their crews of potential and existing hazards they face in the work environment.
- Workers must follow safe practices and speak up about hazards. One way a worker can do this is by participating in their operation’s joint health and safety committee, or by taking on the role of health and safety representative for their workplace. Workers are legally obligated to report any hazardous conditions to their supervisors.
Everyone has the right to know about workplace hazards and how to complete their tasks safely around them. These roles support the collective effort in maintaining awareness: a key function of an effective IRS.
- Post and communicate key information
Workplaces must keep important safety information visible and accessible, including:
- Health and Safety Act and key safety posters
- Workplace health and safety policies
- Violence and harassment prevention policies
- WSIB injury reporting information and emergency contacts
- Names of joint health and safety committee members (if required)
This information can be posted on a safety bulletin board, or it can be kept electronically in a place that everyone knows about and is easy to access.
- Maintain written policies and a basic safety program
Businesses are expected to:
- Maintain a health and safety policy (reviewed at least annually)
- Support policies with practical procedures (training, inspections, emergency plans, equipment safety, etc.)
- Update policies as workplace needs change
- Train and supervise workers
Employers must ensure:
- Mandatory health and safety awareness training is completed
- Workers are trained for their specific tasks and hazards
- Workers are trained on the proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and the safe work procedures required for their job
- New and young workers receive extra support and supervision
- Involve workers in safety
Depending on the size of the workplace, this may include:
- A health and safety representative (6–19 workers)
- A Joint Health and Safety Committee (20+ workers)
- Regular workplace inspections and feedback on hazards
- Respond to hazards and incidents
Employers must:
- Identify and control workplace hazards
- Investigate incidents and report serious injuries when required
- Offer modified duties to support return to work when possible
In 2025, Workplace Safety North helped more than 200 small businesses. “We understand the challenges smaller workplaces face and are here to provide practical resources to support them on their health and safety journey,” says Boucher.
For more information, visit health and safety resources for small business.
Related
Information sheet: Understanding your health and safety requirements - Workplace Safety North
Health and safety resources for small business - Workplace Safety North
Small Business Toolkit - Workplace Safety North
Health and Safety Checklist - Forms - Central Forms Repository (CFR) - Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development
Health and safety for small businesses - Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development