At the Faculty of Arts & Science, we are dedicated to the health and safety of our employees.
Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), the University is defined as an employer and is therefore obligated to comply with the Act, and associated regulations. The aim is to prevent illnesses and injuries from occurring in the workplace. The OHSA is enforced by the Ministry of Labour (MOL) through MOL inspectors that have the authority to enter and inspect any workplace.
Within the University of Toronto, all aspects of health and safety are monitored by the Office of Environmental Health & Safety (EHS), which offers many useful resources such as reporting templates, training sessions and information on other programs and services.
The Faculty of Arts & Science is dedicated to keeping our employees, faculty, and students safe. We work with administrative leaders to develop a strong health and safety culture across their units.
To learn more about how we foster safety awareness and best practices, as well as the many health and safety resources here for you, please see the links below.
This form should be completed and submitted by an employee’s supervisor/manager in the event of an incident or injury. Where an employee has been injured, the supervisor of the employee must submit this form within 24 hours of the incident.
Student, Contractor and Visitor Incident Form
This form should be completed and submitted by a University of Toronto employee in the event of an incident or injury involving students, contractors or other visitors (including visiting students conducting research).
Critical injuries: If the accident is serious or if anyone is critically injured, contact Christine Weidner, Health & Safety Manager at 416-949-3528 or c.weidner@utoronto.ca, or the Office of Environmental Health & Safety immediately at 416-978-4467. Do not remove or disturb any equipment — the scene will need to be secured.
For supervisors/managers, where an employee has been injured, the supervisor of the employee must submit forms within 24 hours of the incident. Please refer to emergency procedures for more information.
A well-designed workspace allows you to work comfortably without needing to over-reach, sit or stand too long or use awkward postures. The goal at any seated workstation is to promote "sitting tall."
No matter your sitting posture, it will not feel comfortable if you maintain it for too long. Your workstation and chair and the way you have arranged your work area should allow you to easily alter your position. Movement is important for minimizing fatigue and can be as simple as slightly altering the angles of your neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, knees and ankles.
For more information, follow the advice on the workspace ergonomics page.
Staff, faculty and students and those conducting authorized activities at the University require specific Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) training as deemed necessary by management, please refer to the training matrices (as applicable to your job activities) to register and complete required training.
Environmental Health & Safety Resources by Role & Workplace
- University of Toronto, Environmental Health & Safety
- University of Toronto, Environmental Health & Safety Policies, Procedures and Guidelines
- Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development — Workplace Health and Safety Resources
- Occupational Health and Safety Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. O.1
- Infographic posters: Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) Educational Posters
Need Assistance?
If you have any health and safety concerns, please contact your Faculty of Arts & Science Health & Safety Office team or a Joint Health & Safety Committee member:
- Christine Weidner, Health & Safety Manager, 416-978-8321 or c.weidner@utoronto.ca
- Abdullah Parekh, Faculty Health and Safety Coordinator, 416-978-3148 or a.parekh@utoronto.ca