ETFO NIAGARA

ETFO Provincial has a health and safety website, etfohealthandsafety.ca, a resource containing a wealth of information on topics such as workplace violence, infection prevention and control, as well as various hazards that may occur in a working environment.

If there is a concern, it is a worker’s duty to inform their immediate supervisor of the issue. The worker may then be directed by the supervisor to fill out an appropriate form to report an issue.

The Workplace Violence Reporting Process Roadmap, found in the Workplace Violence in School Boards: A Guide to the Law, is a helpful visual to assist members in navigating the reporting process. Click the tabs to the right access information on the types of workplace violence and/or harassment that need to be reported and the appropriate form(s) to use.

For a general health and safety issues a member should fill out the DSBN Employee’s Report of Health and Safety Concern form, which is available from the site supervisor.

If you have any questions about health and safety in your worksite, talk to your Health and Safety site rep or contact the Local. 

You can watch some of the videos from ETFO’s Action on Violence Toolkit below. 

The Occupational Health and Safety Act defines workplace violence as “the act of committing, attempting to commit, or threatening to commit an act using physical force that does or would cause physical injury”.

When to Complete a Staff Violent Incident Report

If you experience or witness workplace violence, including physical and/or verbal aggression, you must report it using the Staff Violent Incident Reporting Tool. This tool can be found in the My Applications column of the Staff Portal or eBase on your DSBN Apps page. DSBN Administrative Procedure 5-27, Workplace Violence Prevention Program, sets out the legislated reporting requirements for reporting workplace violence.

When to Complete a Safe Schools Progressive Discipline Report

If the violent incident you are reporting could result in suspension or expulsion, you must also complete a Safe Schools Progressive Discipline Report. You can find this report linked at the top of the Workplace Violent Incident Reporting Tool or in the My Applications column of the Staff Portal under Progressive Discipline Reporting Tool. Administrative Procedure 3-26 lists the behaviours which are considered serious student incidents.

This include but are not limited to: 

• Uttering a threat to inflict serious bodily harm on another person;
• Swearing at a teacher or at another person in a position of authority;
• Committing an act of vandalism that causes extensive damage to Board property or to property located on the premises;
• Bullying or Cyber-Bullying;
• Persistent opposition to authority;
• Possessing a weapon, including possessing a firearm;
• Using a weapon to cause or to threaten bodily harm to another person;
• Committing physical assault on another person that causes bodily harm requiring treatment by a medical practitioner.

Note: Reporting of serious student incidents is required under s300.2 of the Education Act. Here you will find the full list of behaviours that could be considered grounds for suspension or expulsion, which constitute a serious student incident.

If a worker is injured or has lost time due to an incident of workplace violence the incident must also be reported through the DSBN’s Workplace Safety and Insurance Board procedures using DSBN Administrative Procedure 5-02, Reporting Employee Workplace Accidents. If the incident involves a student, it must be also reported under the Education Act using DSBN Administrative Procedure 3-26, Student Discipline.

If you have questions about any of these forms, please contact the Local office.

The Occupational Health and Safety Act defines workplace harassment as: “engaging in a course of vexatious comment or conduct against a worker in a workplace that is known or ought reasonably to be known to be unwelcome.” 

This may include:

• making remarks, jokes or innuendos that demean, ridicule, intimidate, or offend; 
• displaying or circulating offensive pictures or materials in print or electronic form;
• bullying;
• repeated offensive or intimidating phone calls, text messages or e-mails; or
• workplace sexual harassment.

The Occupational Health and Safety Act defines workplace sexual harassment as:

• engaging in a course of vexatious comment or conduct against a worker, in a workplace because of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression where the course of comment or conduct is known or ought reasonably to be known to be unwelcome, or
• making a sexual solicitation or advance where the person making it is in a position to confer, grant or deny a benefit or advancement to the worker and the person knows or ought reasonably to know the solicitation or advance is unwelcome.

This may include:

• asking questions, talking, or writing about sexual activities;
• rough or vulgar humour or language related to sexuality, sexual orientation or gender;
• displaying or circulating pornography, sexual images, or offensive sexual jokes in print or electronic form;
• leering or inappropriate staring;
• invading personal space;
• unnecessary physical contact, including inappropriate touching;
• demanding hugs, dates, or sexual favours;
• making gender-related comments about someone’s physical characteristics, mannerisms, or conformity to sex-role stereotypes;
• verbally abusing, threatening or taunting someone based on gender or sexual orientation; or
• threatening to penalize or otherwise punish a worker if they refuse a sexual advance.

Source: Workplace Violence and Harassment: Understanding the Law 2016

Incidents of workplace harassment or sexual harassment should be reported under the DSBN Administrative Procedure 7-01, OHRC and OHSA Workplace Harassment. There are forms that are available for accessing both informal or formal complaint procedures.

Contact the Local if you have questions or concerns about incidents of workplace harassment or sexual harassment.