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Pre-Start Health and Safety Reviews
| Conestoga Materials is allied with an experienced team of senior engineers
to identify and analyze potential safety hazards and to discuss the safety
concerns of operators and maintenance personnel. Ensure your workplace is
safe. Contact us
to get aligned with our experienced engineers who can work with you to come
with a safe, practical solution. |
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As of October 2000, a Pre-start Health and Safety Review (or
PSR) must be performed on any new or used process or equipment which has
been moved into a new workplace or where a safety control has been added or
modified. This is a requirement of the Ontario Health and Safety Act. In
effect, it is law. Many companies have not adopted the practice of
performing PSR's when they are required. This has a number of very negative
consequences. A large part of the problem is that the PSR process is not
very well understood. Here we hope to shed some light on the PSR process and
the new responsibilities faced by industries.
What is a Pre-start Health and Safety Review?
A PSR is a specific audit of a process or piece of equipment which may
uncover deficiencies with respect to relevant sections of the Ontario Health
and Safety Act. The safety concerns are identified and evaluated for hazard
potential. Measures to bring the deficiencies into compliance are defined.
The results are then presented to management and the Joint Health and Safety
Committee and are used to establish an action plan for the implementation of
the measures.
What is the purpose of a Pre-start Health and Safety Review?
There are many instances of equipment which is presently in an unsafe
operating condition. The standards of safety are increasing every year. This
process is a means to improve the safety of new or modified equipment, to
enhance the visibility of these standards, and to educate. The goal is to
apply these standards to existing equipment to bring the whole standard up
to enhanced levels.
When are they required?
A Pre-start Health and Safety Review is required when new or used equipment
or process is moved to a new workplace. Exemptions are possible under
certain specific conditions.
Who can perform PSR's?
PSR’s must be performed by a professional engineer registered in the
Province of Ontario. However, in rare cases a competent technical person can
do them. Firms which offer engineering services, including those who perform
of PSR’s, must hold a Certificate of Authorization issued by Professional
Engineers Ontario (PEO).
What are the benefits of PSR's?
On the positive side, the PSR process identifies equipment safety concerns
and proposes practical measures which are necessary to place the equipment
in a safe and reliable operating condition. It also identifies unsafe
working practices and can uncover areas of inefficiency or waste.
A structured action plan allows safety deficiencies to be corrected in an
organized and cost effective manner. A side benefit is renewed motivation
from employees when they realize their employer is taking an active step
towards ensuring their safety. Obviously, a safer operation means fewer
injuries, less lost time, and lower insurance premiums, as well as higher
worker morale.
To review
the Ministry of Labour's guideline to Pre-Start Health and Safety Reviews
please click the following link