Lesson 3: The Employer's Responsibilities

Glossary

The Employer's Responsibilities

An employer is responsible for the health and safety of all workers present at any worksite. This includes identifying confined space hazards in the workplace and taking the necessary steps to protect workers.

Employers must ensure that all workers know where the confined spaces are located on the worksite.  Posting signs at confined space entrances, will decrease the chance of a worker entering a confined space by accident.
Signs must be clear, visible, and written in the languages of the workers.

Concerning work within confined spaces, Alberta's Occupational Health and Safety Code stipulates very specific responsibilities for the employer.
       ©iStock

Before examining the details of the legislation, it's important to understand the "big picture" of legislated employer responsibilities.
Broadly, these can be thought of as being three-fold in nature, as specified in "Part 5: Confined Spaces" of Alberta's OHS Code, as follows:

  • Code of Practice - an employer must ensure that:

    • there's a written Code of Practice governing the procedures of workers entering and working in confined spaces

    • the Code of Practice identifies all existing and potential confined space work locations at a worksite

    • the worker involved in any aspect of confined space entry complies with the requirements and procedures.

  • Hazard Assessment - the employer must appoint a competent person to:

    • assess the hazards

    • specify and perform inspections and tests

    • specify safety and personal protective equipment (PPE) required

    • identify PPE and emergency equipment for any rescue operation.

  • Training - an employer must ensure the worker is trained in:

    • recognizing hazards associated with confined spaces

    • performing his or her duties in a safe and healthy manner.


For working in confined spaces, workers have responsibilities also. You will learn about those in the next lesson.