If you’re at work and feeling unsafe or if something happened and you’re not sure what to do, it’s fine to feel scared. The more information you have the better you will be able to deal with these kinds of situations.

Your employer is the one who is mainly responsible for your health and safety at work but everyone, including you, is responsible for working safely and reporting hazards. You have the right to know about the dangers of your job. You also have the right to help make your work safer.  

Who is responsible for my health and safety at work?

Your employer is the one responsible for your health and safety. To keep your work safe, you and everyone else at work shares the responsibility to identify dangers. You should report them to your boss. Your employers responsibility is to deal with these dangers and make the space safe for you.

As a worker, you have the right to know about the hazards in your job. You also have the right to take part in keeping your workplace healthy and safe. You can do this by:

• Protecting yourself at work. Read a few tips on how to protect yourself.
• Reporting dangers as you see them
• Being on a health and safety committee at work. These committees are groups of workers that make sure your workplace is safe. If your workplace doesn’t have one, think about starting one yourself.

Getting Injured at Work

Where can I go if I feel unsafe at work?

If something happens at work and you’re not sure what to do, you can usually talk to your supervisor or boss. You can also get help from your health & safety representative, union or management.

If you’ve talked to your boss, and still think your work is unsafe, you have the right to refuse to work.

No job is worth risking your health or your safety for. Protect yourself and everyone around you by making sure your voice is heard about the issue. Download this chart (PDF) to see what might happen if you refuse to work.