Health and safety responsibilities

Everyone at Vancouver Island University has a role to play in health and safety.

Everyone at VIU has the responsibility to:

  • Ensure the health and safety of themselves, and others around them.
  • Cooperate with their manager for purposes of health and safety.
  • Use all equipment, tools, and devices as trained.
  • Wear all require personal protective equipment (PPE).
  • Report unsafe or unhealthy acts.
  • Report unsafe or unhealthy work or learning conditions.
  • Refrain from causing or participating in violent behaviour.
  • Refrain from engaging in bullying and harassment, acts or behaviours.

Comply with all federal and provincial health and safety legislation, including the BC OHS Regulations, and all VIU Policies

In addition to the basic safety responsibilities above, a hierarchy of safety responsibilities also exists at VIU to assist everyone to have the best understanding of their health and safety responsibilities as it pertains to their specific role, from the VIU Executive Team down to our employees and students.

Health and safety rights

All VIU employees have the following health and safety rights under the BC Workers Compensation Act.

  1. Right To Know about health and safety matters, including the hazards of your work and work environment
  2. Right To Participate:
    • in workplace decisions that could affect your health and safety, and
    • as a representative of your union group or employer on the joint occupational health and safety committee.
  3. Right To Refuse work that could affect your health and safety and that of others without threat of discriminatory action.