Maintaining a safe and productive work environment is essential for any organization. You must learn to identify and address risks to keep your workforce out of harm’s way. Conduct a professional review or PSHSR to achieve this goal.
A Pre-Start Health and Safety Review (PSHR) plays a vital role in risk assessment. It ensures your organization follows health and safety guidelines relevant to your industry. This professional review is a documented assessment of industrial structures, equipment, and processes.
To learn more about PSHR, here’s a comprehensive guide.
Is PSHR Mandatory for Organizations in Ontario?
According to the Occupational Health and Safety Act, a PSHR is a professional review of industrial processes, equipment, and storage facilities. It safeguards your workforce against workplace hazards and reduces various risks.
Before construction, installation, or modification occurs, every project requires a safety review. With a PSHR, your organization can identify deficiencies and exercise control measures to ensure compliance.
Under Section 7, Occupational Health and Safety Act R.R.O. 1990, Regulation 851 for Industrial Establishments, a PSR is mandatory when you have to:
- Dispose of flammable liquids or toxic compounds
- Upgrade workers’ safety gear and apparatus
- Store materials in racking or stacking structures
- Identify the risk of ignition and other explosives
- Install, alter, or construct devices or machines
- Expose workers to chemicals or toxic compounds
- Add molten metal and foundries
Purpose of Professional Reviews
The intent of a pre-startup safety review is to protect a workforce and their rights. It checks whether standard protocols are being followed in the workplace. A PSHR is an integral part of managing a business. It includes a risk assessment that helps identify hazards in the workplace. It also ensures you put safety measures in place to control the risks.
For instance, suppose you’re moving equipment or parts of a machine. Displacing any structure without following the necessary guidelines can lead to accidental damage. If moving the machine has some adverse effect on performance, a PSHR becomes mandatory.
A pre-start health and safety review also informs organizations whether current processes are up-to-date. The PSHR under Section 7 is to ensure workers’ safety under the applicable provisions of the regulation.
By law, the employer or company must ensure safety compliance. But you can always consult a certified engineer or manufacturer to issue a pre-startup health and safety review.
With the help of a professional, you can navigate through PSHSR to remain compliant with current Ontario regulations. A certified expert can identify and report anything that requires specific control measures.
Schedule an Assessment with an Expert
According to Ontario Guidelines, in the event of an incident or a potential hazard, a PSHR is essential. But only a licensed professional can conduct a pre-startup safety review.
At S.A.F.E Engineering, we work with experienced engineers who can perform a safety review on any apparatus, structure, or equipment. They can help address issues related to operations, health, and safety of a workplace. We also issue a safety compliance letter with details of protective measures taken before testing.
For more information about our service, call us today!
