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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHUR130-004 Critical and Fatal Incident ResponsePICKERING CITY PROCEDURE Procedure Title: Critical and Fatal Incident Response Procedure Number: HUR 130-004 Reference: Occupational Health & Safety Act ° Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act Date Originated: January 30, 2009 Date Revised: Approval: Chief Ad inistrati • officer Point of Contact: Coordinator, Health & Safety I IIIII Procedure Objectives The objective of this Procedure is to: 1. ensure that all City employees follow consistent steps when responding to a critical or fatal workplace incident in accordance with the provisions of the Occupational Health & Safety Act, Sections 9(31), 51(1) and (2) and Regulation 834; 2. ensure all circumstances, contributing factors, and root causes of workplace injuries are examined and acted upon; and 3. prevent all incidents of critical or fatal injuries in the workplace. Index 01 Definitions 02 Procedures 01 Definitions 01.01 Critical Injury - An injury of a serious nature that: a) places life in jeopardy; b) produces unconsciousness; c) results in substantial loss of blood; d) involves the fracture of a leg or arm but not a finger or toe; e) involves an amputation of a leg, arm, hand or foot but not a finger or toe; f) consists of burns to a major portion of the body; or g) causes the loss of sight in an eye. 01.02 City Response Team - A designated group of City employees responsible for attending the scene, preserving all conditions and evidence until Incident Command is established, recording information and carrying out the City's investigations. The City Response Team includes the: a) Coordinator, Health & Safety (or, if the Coordinator, Health & Safety is unavailable, then the Division Head, Human Resources); b) immediate Supervisor or Manager; c) Department or Division Head; and d) a designated Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) Worker Representative from Pickering Professional Firefighters Association (PPFA) or the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE, Local 129). 01.03 Emergency Services (ES) - Emergency Services includes Police, Fire and Ambulance Services. 01.04 Fatal Injury - Immediate death or death immediately following an injury. 01.05 Incident Command - The on-site control centre for all emergency activities and investigations. Police (1) or Fire Services (2) assume command and control of the site when they arrive. 01.06 Incident Commander - The senior attending Police Officer or Fire Services Officer in charge of the scene and the coordination of responder activities. Procedure Title: Critical and Fatal Incident Response Page 2 of 8 Procedure Number: HUR 130-004 01.07 Notification — Next of Kin - Police are responsible for the official notification of next of kin. However, the City will also want to contact next of kin to offer its fullest support and assistance. In the case of a fatality, the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) will contact next of kin. In all other cases, either the CAO or a designate of the CAO will contact next of kin. 01.08 Personal Information - The Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act governs the collection of personal information by the City, even during a critical/fatal accident investigation. The City Response Team may ask for personal information but cannot compel this. All personal information collected by the City Response Team is confidential and cannot be disclosed to third parties except as provided for by law. For the same reasons, Police, Fire and Emergency Medical responders may not share personal information with the City Response Team. 01.09 Sudden Death - Immediate death for unknown or unapparent reasons. Cause of death will need to be determined by a medical examiner. 01.10 Supervisor - Under the Occupational Health & Safety Act, a supervisor is a person in charge of a workplace or who has authority over an employee. This includes unionized supervisory staff, such as forepersons, captains, and platoon chiefs. 02 Procedures 02.01 Key Elements of Incident Response Incidents that result in critical or fatal injuries are investigated as soon as possible while the site is still preserved and witness accounts are fresh. The site is immediately blocked off so that evidence is undisturbed. Except for the purposes of rescue, recovery or immediate Procedure Title: Critical and Fatal Incident Response Page 3 of 8 Procedure Number: HUR 130-004 safety, all vehicles, equipment, machinery, devices, tools and materials are left as found. The site remains preserved and secure until released by one of the following (in sequence of authority): a) Incident Command/Police b) Ministry of Labour Investigator c) Coordinator, Health & Safety (or their alternate) All work at the site stops until investigations are completed, hazards are cleared and Incident Command has released the site. Police (1) or Fire Services (2) establish an Incident Command post to coordinate activities, upon arrival at the scene. The Incident Commander has control of the accident site. The Critical or Fatal Injury Notification Sequence begins immediately: a) 911 — Emergency Services (Police, Fire and Medical) b) Coordinator, Health & Safety c) Director/Division Head d) CAO e) Ministry of Labour f) JHSC Worker Co -Chair 02.02 In all Cases of Critical or Fatal Accidents, the following information should be collected as soon as available: a) incident time, date, place and circumstances; b) name of victim and any other involved persons; c) description of conditions (daylight, weather); d) description of site as found (ground surface, structures, power sources, etc.); Procedure Title: Critical and Fatal Incident Response Page 4 of 8 Procedure Number: HUR 130-004 e) sequence of events; f) contact information including addresses and telephone numbers; g) witness names and contact information; h) witness statements (verbal and written); i) emergency responder information (EMS, Police, Fire); j) site drawings or photographs; k) manufacturer's specifications or descriptions of equipment, machinery or devices; I) maintenance records of equipment, machinery or devices; m) hazardous materials and Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs); n) training records; o) WSIB Claim information; and p) Ministry of Labour Investigator's Report. All accident and investigation documents shall be forwarded to and retained by the Coordinator,. Health & Safety. Every employee who is involved with or has personal awareness of a critical or fatal incident shall maintain strict confidentiality of all details of the incident and victim, except as required by law. Media or other third party requests for information are directed to the office of the Chief Administrative Officer. 02.03 Incident Response and Investigation Procedures The first City employee to identify a critical or fatal accident or sudden death involving another City employee shall initiate the City's Emergency Medical Response by calling the City Operator at '0' or by calling '911' immediately, and then calling his/her supervisor. Procedure Title: Critical and Fatal Incident Response Page 5 of 8 Procedure Number: HUR 130-004 02.04 Duties of Supervisor The Supervisor shall attend the scene of a critical or fatal injury or sudden death immediately upon notification. 02.05 If Emergency Services are already on site, the Supervisor shall report to Incident Command, and then: a) call the Coordinator, Health & Safety; b) follow directions of the Incident Commander; c) provide assistance to Incident Command, as requested; and d) stand by until the remaining members of the City Response Team arrive on site. 02.06 If Emergency Services are not yet on site, the Supervisor shall take charge of the scene until an Incident Command is set up, and: a) ensure '911' Emergency Services are called; b) call the Coordinator, Health & Safety; c) secure the site and isolate presenting hazards if safe to do so; d) direct witnesses to stand by in a safe place; e) provide screening or barriers to ensure the dignity of the victim; f) appoint a person to direct and control by-standers, as required; and g) appoint a person to warn traffic, as required; and h) stand by until the City Response Team has arrived on site. Procedure Title: Critical and Fatal Incident Response Page 6 of 8 Procedure Number: HUR 130-004 02.07 Duties of Coordinator, Health & Safety The Coordinator, Health & Safety - upon notification of a critical or fatal incident, shall immediately contact the: a) appropriate Director or Division Head; b) CAO; c) Ministry of Labour at 416.235.5330 (days) or 416.325.3000 (nights/weekends); and d) the Worker Co -Chair of the appropriate JHSC. The Coordinator, Health & Safety shall attend the scene as quickly as possible. The Coordinator, Health & Safety shall provide a verbal report of accident/injury to the Chief Administrative Officer and the Workplace Safety & Insurance Board as soon as basic information about the incident is known. The Coordinator, Health & Safety shall provide a written Report of Accident/Injury within 48 hours to the Chief Administrative Officer, the Director of the Ministry of Labour and the Workplace Safety & Insurance Board (WSIB), whether or not the investigation is complete. The Coordinator, Health & Safety shall, in consultation with the Chief Administrative Officer and the Division Head, Human Resources, arrange for timely support and counseling for City employees and/or the victim's family following a critical or fatal incident, as may be required. The Coordinator, Health & Safety shall receive and collect copies of all documentation including (but not limited to) City Response Team notes, witness statements, police reports, medical examiner's reports and the Ministry of 'Labour Investigation Report. The Coordinator, Health & Safety shall provide an executive summary report and copies of the investigation documents to the Chief Administrative Officer, the appropriate Director/Division Head and others as may be required, once the Ministry of Labour Investigator's Report is received. Procedure Title: Critical and Fatal Incident Response Page 7 of 8 Procedure Number: HUR 130-004 02.08 Duties of City Response Team The Director or Division Head shall attend the scene as quickly as possible. The designated JHSC Worker Representative shall attend the scene as quickly as possible. The City Response Team shall assemble at the accident site and await the arrival of the Ministry of Labour Investigator. While awaiting the Inspector's arrival, the City Response Team: a) provides assistance to the Incident Commander, as requested; b) collects witnesses' identification and contact information; c) can take witness statements; and d). makes sketches or takes photographs of the general site including: 1. existing conditions; 2. unusual conditions; 3. collapsed structures; 4. machinery, devices or equipment; 5. hazardous materials; 6. personal protective equipment; 7. power sources; and 8. anything else that could provide evidence of what happened. Procedure Title: Critical and Fatal Incident Response Page 8 of 8 Procedure Number: HUR 130-004