9.2 Identify workplace health and safety rights and responsibilities of employers, managers, supervisors, and workers.

PURPOSE

SUGGESTED TIME

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• identify and articulate the definition of due diligence and the right to refuse work is a right that is not to be taken lightly
• role play and verbally describe the rights and responsibilities for employers, supervisors and workers in creating a safe workplace

INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES

• video presentation
• in-class discussion
• role play

INSTRUCTIONAL TOOLS AND RESOURCES

• Effective Health and Safety Programs: The key to a safe workplace and due diligence pamphlet   
• Due Diligence 12 minute video (VHS & DVD available)   
• Rights and Responsibilities role play handout

INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN #1

1. If time permits show video as an excellent definition of the term Due Diligence
2. After the video discuss the definition of due diligence and the right to refuse work is a right that is not to be taken lightly
3. Show video and/or refer students to Effective Health and Safety Programs: The key to a safe workplace and due diligence pamphlet
4. Distribute the Rights and Responsibilities role play handout or put the role plays on a white board
   
   
   Create role-play handouts using the following three scenarios:
   
   
   • Scenario One: A part-time worker at a Tourism Information centre is required to follow closing duties protocol and take out the heavy garbage after mopping the floor. The worker is concerned that this is dangerous and wants to ask the supervisor to arrange for someone to help or change the closing duties protocol.
     
     
   • Scenario Two: From the compartments of a large touring bus, the driver unloads luggage by himself and must climb inside the compartments to reach the luggage. The bus is old, the compartments are deep and the luggage is very heavy.
     
     
   • Scenario Three: A mountain hiking guide will be setting out with an overnight tour group. He uses a two-way radio system to stay in touch with the office and notices that after telling the manager the antenna is broken over a week ago, it still is not fixed.
     
     
5. Invite six students to volunteer to participate in the three role plays using the three scenarios where a worker must refuse unsafe work and communicate their concerns to a supervisor
6. Instruct the pairs to read the scenario but not discuss their roles and with each other
7. Following the role play, ask students to consider how they would handle a situation that involved unsafe work practices. What would they do? Why?
8. Discuss how effective the worker was in expressing his/her safety concerns, how the employer responded to those concerns. Ask what the students would do if faced with similar situations in their workplace.

INSTRUCTOR PLAN #2

1. Show the video
2. Create four quadrants on white board, chalk board, handout, or flip chart outlining worker rights and responsibilities in the top two quadrants and employers rights and responsibilities in the bottom two quadrants
3. Introduce rights and responsibilities
4. Describe the scenario: It's your first day on the job as a tour guide:
   
   
   • What do you have the right to expect from your employer regarding safety in the workplace?
   • What responsibilities do you have to work safely and maintain a safe working environment?
   • What does your employer have the right to expect from you regarding safety in the workplace?
   • What responsibilities does your employer have to maintain a safe working environment?
     
     
5. Ask students to define what they have the right to expect of employers and what employers have the right to expect of workers. Ask them to identify who is responsible for the suggested expectations.
6. Divide the class into small working groups and ask them to identify and fill in the 4-quadrant chart
7. Have each group present their ideas back to the class