The IHSA Safety Podcast is a free podcast from the Infrastructure Health and Safety Association that seeks to improve the lives of workers in Ontario — one thought-provoking discussion at a time.
We engage with professionals and industry influencers to help them implement and improve health and safety solutions for workers and the workplace. Each episode explores best practices, resources, and training to control and eliminate safety hazards in work environments involving high-risk activities in the industries that IHSA serves: construction, transportation, and electric utilities.
Episode 135: Building Better Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems with COR® 2020 and ISO 45001
This episode of the IHSA Safety Podcast discusses occupational health and safety management systems (OHSMS) and features IHSA experts Chris McKean, Vice President of Programs and Strategic Development, and Ken Rayner, Vice President of Market Development and Communications.
This episode builds on Episode 132, where we explored the WSIB’s Health and Safety Excellence program. Now, we look at what comes next in your health and safety journey.
We cover:
- How an OHSMS can help your business succeed
- Where COR® 2020 or ISO 45001 works best
- How to choose the right standard for your business
- What makes an OHSMS effective
- How to know that workers trust your system
- How good leadership and oversight make the system stronger
Listen to learn how the COR® 2020 and ISO 45001 standards can help your business improve decision-making, reduce risk, and keep workers healthy and safe.
Free resources
IHSA – Certificate of Recognition (COR®)
Debunking Seven Myths about the COR® Program
Episode 134: Workwear That Works: Why Proper-Fit PPE Matters for Women in Skilled Trades
This episode of the IHSA Safety Podcast discusses the importance of proper-fitting workwear for women in skilled trades and features Alicia Woods, founder of Covergalls.
Alicia discusses the real challenges women in trades face in finding suitable workwear, including reduced mobility, discomfort, and safety risks caused by poorly fitting personal protection equipment (PPE). Alicia was motivated to create Covergalls based on her own experiences and frustrations with the lack of fitted workwear while working in the mining industry.
Key takeaways on the importance of proper-fit PPE in skilled trades:
- Proper-fit PPE improves day-to-day comfort and reduces physical strain, allowing workers to perform tasks more efficiently
- Proper-fit PPE helps reduce safety risks by ensuring coveralls or equipment function as intended without requiring unsafe modifications
- Designing PPE for diverse body types helps eliminate barriers that have often discouraged women from entering or staying in skilled trades.
Listen to the full episode to learn more about why proper-fit PPE is crucial for workplace safety and inclusion.
Free resources
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) – Resources
Episode 133: Understanding Commercial Diving Risks and Contractor Requirements
This episode of the IHSA Safety Podcast discusses commercial diving and its underlying risks and features Doug Elsey, Executive Director of the Canadian Association for Diving Contractors (CADC).
Doug explains that commercial diving typically happens when something sinks, breaks, or needs inspection or repair underwater. Commercial divers are essential for maintaining underwater infrastructure, and it’s critical to follow all safety precautions because of the high-risk nature of the work.
Doug mentions several key factors in commercial diving:
- Recreational diving experience is not sufficient for commercial work; commercial divers must undergo formal training and adhere to strict safety standards.
- Hiring unqualified divers puts lives at risk and may lead to incidents, fines, or lawsuits. Investing in a competent diving contractor helps ensure work is done safely and efficiently.
- A safe diving operation depends on trained diving teams that know how to manage underwater hazards, the right equipment, and proper procedures in place.
Because of the risks involved in commercial diving, choosing the right contractor is a critical part of planning the work. Before any work begins, it’s important to ensure the contractor meets the necessary safety and competency requirements. Refer to IHSA’s ‘Hiring a commercial diving contractor’ brochure for proper guidance.
Free resources
Episode 132: From Compliance to Culture: How WSIB’s HSEp Builds Stronger Safety Systems in Ontario
This episode of the IHSA Safety Podcast discusses how Ontario employers—especially small and growing businesses—can build effective occupational health and safety systems using WSIB’s Health and Safety Excellence Program (HSEp). The episode features experts Maren Gamble and Chris McKean.
HSEp is a flexible program developed by WSIB that helps employers build and improve their occupational health and safety systems in an intentional and structured way over time. It offers a step-by-step framework that allows businesses to formalize what they’re already doing and build a stronger, more consistent safety culture as they grow. Key highlights of HSEp include:
- Breaking safety improvements into over 40 easy-to-choose topics with clear requirements, so employers can choose what’s most relevant to their needs
- Providing structure through timelines, milestones, and quarterly rebates to keep progress on track
- Strong financial incentives and rebates—participating employers can receive up to 200% of their WSIB premiums back
- Improved efficiency, better communication, stronger employee attraction and retention, and preparation for certifications like COR ® or ISO 45001
Providers like IHSA play a key role by supporting employers throughout the process—helping them understand requirements and make the right decisions. Employers interested in building a more consistent safety culture are encouraged to explore WSIB’s HSEp and learn how they can access available rebates. Connect with IHSA to get started.
Free resources
WSIB Health and Safety Excellence Program
Occupational Health and Safety: The Physical Work Environment
Episode 131: Safety Training and Resources for Young Workers: Why Parents Should Get Involved
This episode of the IHSA Safety Podcast discusses the health and safety resources available to young workers and their parents and features Pam Patry, northern region manager at WSPS.
Pam highlights that young workers don’t know what they don’t know, so if they’re not trained or taught about hazards in their workplace, they won’t know what to look out for or how to recognize a hazard. Young workers often receive generic training such as WHMIS but may not be educated on specific hazards they could face in their roles.
There’s a pressing need for site-specific training so that young workers can be better equipped to handle hazards. Workplace training should clearly explain what the job involves, the hazards that may be present, and how to manage or remove them. Training should also be easy to understand to help young workers quickly grasp the essential information they need.
Pam emphasizes that young workers should be reminded of their three rights—right to know about hazards, right to participate in safety procedures, and right to refuse unsafe work. Parents should support their children in asserting those rights and be proactive in understanding their child’s work environment, including what their tasks are and how much safety training they’ve received. Their tasks may appear simple, but they could pose risks if not done correctly.
Free resources
Episode 130: Preparing Teens for Work: Safety Training and Parental Support
This episode of the IHSA Safety Podcast discusses adequate health and safety training for teenagers entering the workforce and features Angela and Melanie.
Angela and Melanie express concerns about young workers receiving proper training on common workplace hazards, emergency procedures, or personal protective equipment (PPE) at their places of work. Angela says, although her son learned some basic safety protocols, there should have been more focused training at his workplace on potential hazards like chemical exposure and working at heights.
Melanie states that while her daughter did receive some training on health and safety at her current job, her previous job did not provide adequate training, especially in the context of potential violence and harassment, which are common hazards in the workforce.
Angela and Melanie emphasize the importance of safety education and communication in preventing workplace incidents. Both parents agree that high schools should provide more education on workplace safety, especially before students enter the workforce. They also encourage other parents to ask questions about their children’s work environments, emphasize their rights, and engage more proactively in conversations about safety.
Free resource
Episode 129: Protecting Young Workers Starts With Effective Health and Safety Training
This episode of the IHSA Safety Podcast discusses young workers’ experiences with health and safety training and features guest speakers Ashley and Will, who share their experiences from different sectors.
Ashley and Will discuss the challenges young workers face when it comes to health and safety awareness and training. Ashley, who works in healthcare and previously in a grocery store, mentions that her grocery store job provided only minimal training during orientation, mainly through video content that wasn’t engaging. However, her healthcare job involves ongoing learning, helping her stay informed about safety practices. Will, who works in the service sector, didn’t receive any formal safety training at his job; however, he learned some safety tips from family and other sources.
When asked about overall safety at their jobs, Will feels his safety is prioritized, while Ashley, who received little attention when she got injured at her grocery store job, says her current workplace supports and encourages open discussions on safety. They both discuss more topics such as safety procedures, incident reporting, and PPE, and both express the need for improved and more interactive safety training processes to better prepare young workers for real workplace hazards.
Free resources
Episode 127: IHSA’s 5-Part Series on Best Practices for Construction Health and Safety
This episode of the IHSA Safety Podcast discusses IHSA’s 5-part video series “Ask a Construction Health and Safety Expert” and features series host Ken Rayner and industry experts Deb Moskal and Dave Dametto.
Ken states that the series is designed to support small business owners, especially those in their first year, by providing easy, accessible health and safety resources and helping them achieve compliance. With over 10,000 new construction businesses joining IHSA each year, the series addresses common questions and misconceptions about health and safety compliance.
Deb Moskal highlights how crucial it is for new construction businesses in Ontario to have basic health and safety guidance. The number of requirements and responsibilities they face can feel daunting; however, with the right guidance and tools, they don’t have to be. As these businesses face initial start-up challenges, keeping their workers safe is critical, so it’s essential that they create strong health and safety practices from the beginning.
Dave explains that the series covers a plethora of health and safety topics for construction workers, such as mandatory training, legislation, hazard assessments, incident response plans, and competent supervision. The episodes are free and available on IHSA’s website and YouTube, as well as on a dedicated landing page designed for easy access to additional resources.
Free resources
Ask a Construction Health and Safety Expert landing page
IHSA’s free health and safety resources
IHSA’s 5-episode series on construction health and safety (YouTube)
Episode 126: Closing the Loop: Using the COR® Maintenance Action Plan to Drive Continuous Improvement
This episode of the IHSA Safety Podcast discusses COR®’s Maintenance Action Plan (MAP) and features Peter Smith, Lead COR® Auditor at IHSA, and Margaret Hart, health and safety program administrator at Hart-Well Electrical.
The MAP, which was introduced in Alberta in 2016 to improve health and safety standards, is a new option for mature COR®-certified organizations in Ontario to enhance health and safety without the burden of repetitive internal audits.
Peter explains that following a recertification audit a company has the option to participate in a MAP instead of completing an internal maintenance audit. The company would submit a MAP proposal to IHSA that outlines five objectives for continuous improvement. Once IHSA approves, the company has nine to 10 months to address the outlined objectives and provide evidence to IHSA 60 days before their certification anniversary date. Once IHSA signs off, the MAP effectively replaces the internal maintenance audit for that recertification year, and a letter of good standing is issued to the company.
Margaret discusses her team’s experience with MAP, and she and Peter offer tips on the MAP process for companies that may be considering taking the MAP approach
Free resources
Debunking Seven Myths about the COR® Program
Episode 125: Enhancing Efficiency with the COR® Combined Audit
This episode of the IHSA Safety Podcast discusses the new COR® Combined Audit program and features Peter Smith, Lead COR® Auditor at IHSA.
Peter states that the COR® Combined Audit allows organizations with many accounts to undergo one comprehensive COR® audit rather than multiple audits throughout the year. The key benefit of the program is to enhance efficiency during the COR® certification process, so that instead ofreviewing the same health and safety management system with various accounts multiple times, the review can be completed in a single audit of all accounts.
The combined audit program isn’t mandatory but rather optional, and it doesn’t change the COR® standards or audit expectations. Each account is still expected to be in compliance withthe COR® 2020 standard, and each account still gets its own individual certification.
Peter also highlights other benefits of the program, such as saving time and money. It cuts down on the time spent writing several audit reports for each account and also lowers the cost of auditing each account.
Free resources
21 Voyager Court South
Etobicoke, ON
M9W 5M7
Tel: 416-674-2726
Toll Free: 1-800-263-5024
Fax: 416-674-8866
ABOUT IHSA
The Infrastructure Health and Safety Association (IHSA) is Ontario’s trusted health and safety resource. Our goal is to improve the lives of Ontario workers. We provide resources and training to control and eliminate safety hazards in work environments involving high-risk activities.
At IHSA we have always maintained a standard of excellence. We are proud of our role in helping to make Ontario one of the safest places in the world to work. Our focus is on workers and on keeping our promise to provide them with the tools to Work Safe for Life.
As part of Ontario’s health and safety system, we are recognized by the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development, the Ministry of Colleges and Universities, the Ministry of Transportation, and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board as designated trainers and consultants. So you can be sure that the training you get from IHSA meets regulatory requirements and compliance standards.