Community Outreach Program Sign-Off

INTRODUCTION

In an effort to support the current state of emergency in Ontario under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act due to the 2019 novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”), and in tandem with advice from the Chief Medical Officer of Health, the Ontario government and the City of Hamilton, Hamilton Public Library’s (“HPL”) Community Outreach Program will allow employees to use up to 50% of their regular work schedule to volunteer with an approved, essential service organization and/or group. In order to participate in the Community Outreach Program, requests must be submitted to HPL’s Emergency Response Team for approval.

Dependent upon the current state of emergency, and supply and/or service need of the community outreach activities, additional regularly scheduled work hours may be used toward the Community Outreach Program subject to approval from HPL’s Emergency Response Team. Hours worked relating to the Community Outreach Program cannot be used for overtime, lieu time, and/or public holiday entitlement.

As this the Community Outreach Program is designed to support volunteer activities, where an individual uses their own vehicle for travel, mileage will not be reimbursed by HPL. It is advised to check with the respective volunteer organization on their mileage policy. Employees are responsible for ensuring that they have adequate insurance coverage for their vehicle and that their vehicle is maintained and in good condition.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

As an employee of HPL, we are all responsible for the Internal Responsibility System (IRS). The IRS is a system where everyone has a direct responsibility for health and safety as an essential part of their job. It does not matter who or where the person is in the organization, they achieve health and safety in a way that suits the kind of work they do.

The key elements to a successful IRS include:

1. Everyone must have a sincere wish to prevent accidents and illnesses;
2. Everyone must accept that accidents and illnesses have causes that can be eliminated or greatly reduced;
3. Everyone must accept that risk can be continually reduced, so that the time between accidents and illnesses get longer and longer;
4. Everyone must accept that health and safety is an essential part of doing their work (health and safety is not an extra, it is part of doing the job);
5. Every person must have a clear understanding of what they are responsible for; what they can do to change matters; and when things must be done;
6. Every person must be regularly asked to explain what they have done to ensure health and safety on the job and in the workplace;
7. Everyone must have a clear understanding of their own skill, ability and limitations, and should have the capacity to carry out their responsibilities;
8. Everyone must attempt to avoid conflict when trying to reduce risk;
9. As an individual, each person must go beyond just complying with health and safety rules and standards, and strive to improve work processes to reduce risk;
10. When an individual cannot reduce risk by themselves, then they must cooperate with others to go beyond just complying with health and safety rules and standards, and strive to improve work processes to reduce risk;
11. Everyone must understand the IRS process, believe in it, and take steps to make it effective at all levels in the organization; and
12. No one should be fearful of reprisals when using IRS processes.

Employees are responsible for following and participating in health and safety policies and programs established for the workplace, wearing required personal protective equipment, and following safe work practices.