Your role in sun safety

Depending on the role you have in your workplace, there may be some sun safety information that you are more interested in. Choose the role that best describes you or your interests to see some suggestions about considerations, information, and resources on sun safety.

 

Large Employer

The difference between an employer of a ‘small’ and a ‘large’ workplace depends on the jurisdiction. Many occupational health and safety acts distinguish between workplaces with 20 or more employees, and those with fewer, for topics such as the need for a workplace health and safety committee or a written occupational health and safety policy.

Unlike a smaller employer, larger employers will often take an occupational health and safety management system (OHSMS) approach. In this case, the sun safety program will be one of a number of programs designed to address hazards in the workplace.

Resources and information for larger employers:

You can also look at other roles to understand their responsibilities in the workplace.  

 

Small Employer

An employer can be an individual sole proprietor, a partnership, or a corporation. Most employers are ‘small employers’.  The difference between a small and large employer depends on the jurisdiction. Many occupational health and safety acts distinguish between workplaces with 20 or more employees, and those with fewer, for topics such as the need for a workplace health and safety committee or a written occupational health and safety policy.

If you are a smaller employer, or represent one, you may also be a ‘supervisor’ – you’ll want to check out the role of a supervisor in a sun safety program.

Resources and information for employers of smaller employers:

You can also look at other roles to understand their responsibilities in the workplace.  

 

Family Member

Helping workers and their families to be more sun safe outside of work is an important contribution of a sun safety program. Sun safety is important for family members, and particularly for kids. High levels of sun exposure as a child is a significant ​risk factor for sun damage and skin cancer as an adult.

Resources and information for family members:

 

Health and Safety Committee or Worker Representative

You are a member and/or worker representative on a health and safety committee. How involved you are in developing the sun safety program will depend on how involved the committee is required to be in developing occupational health and safety programs. For example, in some jurisdictions a committee may establish a program, participate in the development of a program, or advise/consult on the development of a program.

Resources and information for health and safety committee or worker representatives:

You can also look at other roles to understand their responsibilities in the workplace.  

 

Health and Safety Practitioner

You are a health and safety practitioner. You may go by another title, for example, coordinator, advisor, officer, or manager.

Your role includes advising, consulting, educating and promoting health and safety in your workplace. You assist everyone in the workplace with their occupational health and safety (OHS) efforts. One of your tasks is to initiate, plan, develop, implement and monitor OHS programs, such as a sun safety program. You are not directly responsible for health and safety.

Resources and information for the health and safety practitioner:

You can also look at other roles to understand their responsibilities in the workplace.  

 

Manager - Mid-Level

You are a mid-level manager. Supervisors report directly or indirectly to you. You may be responsible for budgeting, staffing, planning, allocating resources, assigning crews and developing supervisors. The success or failure of sun safety activities by workers and supervisors depends on you.

Few occupational health and safety acts in Canada have separate and clear duties for managers. In most jurisdictions where there is a general duty for supervisors, the meaning of ‘supervisor’ will include ‘managers.’ That means you will have an obligation to consider what is necessary for sun safety independent from the employer’s concern.

In other jurisdictions, the ‘employer’ is defined to include managers as ‘agents’ for the employer. In this case, you will have to take the employer’s duties, including the employer’s general duty, personally.

Even though the health and safety practitioner will developing, implementing, and monitoring your workplace sun safety program, your support is needed terms of time, money, resources, and people.

If front-line supervisors report to you as a manager, you will want to review the techniques that supervisors should be using to reduce risk under a sun safety program. Often the manager will provide the mandatory training for supervisors.

Resources and information for mid-level managers:

You can also look at other roles to understand their responsibilities in the workplace.  

 

Manager - Senior

You are a manager, officer, or director of the workplace, or perhaps you are the owner of a small business. You are interested in the big picture of why sun safety is important in your workplace. You also need to make sure the sun safety program is being followed and that everyone at the workplace is involved in the sun safety program.

Resources and information for senior managers:

You can also look at other roles to understand their responsibilities in the workplace.  

 

Occupational Health Nurse

Often larger workplaces employ occupational health nurses, while smaller workplaces do not. Some occupational health nurses are consultants. The occupational health nurse might be the only health & safety practitioner in the workplace.

Occupational health nurses have a broad role within a workplace which may include: assessment and case management, emergency response, health surveillance, return to work programs, employee education, hazard identification and surveillance, employee wellness programs, employee assistance programs, immunization programs, and workers compensation. For sun safety, they often have the opportunity to discuss personal risk factors and to emphasize the importance of sun safety to the worker and their family.

Resources and information for occupational health nurses:

You can also look at other roles in the workplace to understand their responsibilities in the workplace.   

 

Occupational Hygienist

Occupational hygienists are highly trained health and safety practitioners who specialize in identifying, assessing, and controlling exposure to workplace hazards. Depending on the size and hazards at a workplace, there may be an occupational hygienist on staff, or they may be called-in when needed as a consultant. For sun safety, they have a critical role in risk assessment and in decision-making for and evaluating the effectiveness of control measures.

Resources and information for occupational hygienists:

You can also look at other roles in the workplace to understand their responsibilities in the workplace.  

 

Supervisor

We consider anyone who directs the work or activity of other workers is a supervisor (your job title may vary). We are referring to the front-line supervisor. A successful sun safety program needs supervisors on board. Many sun safety activities can only be done by a supervisor.

In many jurisdictions in Canada, a supervisor has personal legal duties for workplace health and safety that is independent of the employer’s duties. Supervisors have to take all reasonable care, both as an agent for the employer and on their own account.

Resources and information for supervisors:

You can also look at other roles to understand their responsibilities in the workplace.  

 

Worker or Employee

You are a worker or employee who works outdoors. Your active participation is an important aspect of a successful sun safety program. You have a lot to gain as well as a lot to lose depending on the program’s effectiveness.

If you also have other roles such as a health and safety practitioner, supervisor, or manager, select the role from this list to learn more.

Resources and information for workers or employees:

You can also look at other roles to understand their responsibilities in the workplace.