Safety Rights

Nurses have three fundamental rights when it comes to health and safety. These rights are protected by occupational health and safety law.

The Right to Know – you have the right to be informed of existing or potential hazards in your workplace (e.g. a patient with a history of violence)

The Right to Participate – you have the right to engage in the process of identification, investigation, review (e.g. you have the right to participate in the activities of the local safety committee, or in an investigation about a hazard you identified)

The Right to Refuse – you have the right to refuse unsafe work (e.g. you can refuse to work with an infectious patient unless you are provided with appropriate personal protective equipment)

NSNU Safety Form

Nurses are encouraged to report safety matters directly to their employer through SIMS, ERS, SafeLine, etc. The NSNU is sometimes unaware of these issues as the Union is not privy to the employer’s reporting systems. To help fill that information gap, the NSNU has a mechanism for nurses to inform the union about safety incidents and concerns. NSNU members can submit a safety form whenever they encounter such an occurrence, enabling the NSNU to act on their behalf.

Click the button below to request a safety form. Thank you in advance for keeping the Nurses’ Union informed about safety concerns.

safety@nsnu.ca