Critical Injuries
- provide immediate emergency assistance
- notify EOHSS for assistance in reporting the incident
- ensure that the scene remains undisturbed until after investigation
- ensure notification of an inspector, the JHSC, and the employee's union
- issue a written report to the Ministry of Labour within 48 hours
McMaster departments should contact EOHSS (x24352) for assistance and clarification.
The Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) defines a critical injury as,
"...an injury of a serious nature that,
- places life in jeopardy,
- produces unconciousness,
- results in substantial blood loss,
- involves the fracture of a leg, arm, hand, or foot but not a finger or toe,
- involves the amputation of a leg, arm, hand or foot but not a finger or toe,
- consists of burns to a major portion of the body, or
- causes the loss of sight in an eye."
In the event of a critical injury
The OHSA defines how all organizations must react in the event of a critical injury.
At McMaster, the EOHSS department is delegated the responsibility of ensuring that all legally binding reporting requirements are fulfilled.
In the event of a critical injury at McMaster, workers must
- render immediate emergency assistance
- notify the workplace supervisor
- ensure the scene remains undisturbed until investigated by a Ministry inspector
The supervisor then
- immediately notifies EOHSS
- ensures the scene remains undisturbed until investigated by a Ministry inspector
- completes an incident report
EOHSS then
- immediately notifies the Ontario Ministry of Labour (MOL)
- immediately notifies the Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) and employee's union
- issues a written report to the MOL within 48 hours
The scene of the critical injury is then subject to an investigation.
Critical injury investigation
The scene of a critical injury must be inspected by an MOL inspector, as well as by a worker representative from the JHSC.