Safety Week | About us

Let's create a safer future together!

Join us for a week-long celebration of safety at the University of Ottawa during the North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) week. From May 5-9, the Office of the Chief Risk Officer and 91��ɫ partners will offer an array of engaging activities. Don't miss out on the opportunity to learn more about safety on campus and how we can all work together to prevent accidents and injuries. Let's create a safer future together!

an individual seated at a table, holding a pen and completing a crossword game on paper

Health and Safety Crossword Challenge

May 5 to 9 | At your own pace

Put your safety knowledge to the test with our Health and Safety Crossword Challenge! It’s a quick, engaging way to brush up on key safety concepts while having a little fun. Here’s how to play for a chance to win a prize:

Download the puzzle
Complete it solo or with colleagues
Email your answers to [email protected], before 12 p.m. on May 9.

Ready to play?

Download the puzzle to get started.

Safety Jeopardy Game

May 5 | 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.
Social Sciences Building, lobby

Join us for Safety Jeopardy, a fun, interactive game where teams go head-to-head to test their knowledge of workplace safety!
This year’s competing teams are: Faculty of Arts, Telfer School of Management, and Facilities.

Come cheer on your colleagues and maybe even learn a few safety tips along the way!

Know how to respond to chemical spills

May 6 or May 8 | 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
In person training

Users of hazardous materials need to be aware of the hazards of the materials they are working with and how to respond to a spill. In most cases, users can safely clean up a spill themselves using a spill kit, but some circumstances require additional measures such as evacuation of a lab or specialized equipment and PPE. In this course, you will learn to determine if you should clean up a spill yourself, and how to do so using a basic spill kit.

PPE Showcase

May 7 | 8:45 to 1:30 p.m. (break from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.)
Booth in front of Protection Services, 141 Louis-Pasteur

The 91��ɫ Health and Safety team is hosting a PPE showcase table. Come and explore the different types of personal protective equipment, learning how to select them and what to watch out for. It's an opportunity for you to ask our safety experts any questions you may have and discover how PPE keeps us safe every day at work!

Learn how to use a fire extinguisher!

Friday | May 9, 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Social Sciences Building, lobby

It’s Safety Week and Emergency Preparedness Week from May 5 to 9, 2025! The Emergency Management team, in partnership with the Ottawa Fire Services, is hosting a Fire Prevention booth. Participants will learn more about fire safety best practices and will get a chance to use a a Bullex laser fire extinguisher to quickly and effectively extinguish flames on a screen, using focused lasers.

May the Fourth be with you!

The legendary series that spans generations, and even spawned its own day on the calendar, is embedded in the folklore of a galaxy far, far away. But when fiction crosses over into reality, the consequences can be all too real. A 2014 incident saw Han Solo, played by Harrison Ford, break his leg on the set of The Force Awakens, resulting in charges being filed under UK health and safety legislation. So let’s take a (satirical) look at the series!

10 Times that Star Wars Breached the OHSA