WHAT IS A SAFETY COMMITTEE

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# Health and Safety Legislation in Canada - Basic Responsibilities (cont.) ## What does the legislation say about forming health and safety committees? (cont.) - Be co-chaired by one management chairperson and one worker chairperson. - Make sure worker representatives are elected or selected by the workers or their union. Workplaces with less than 20 regularly employed workers may not need a committee but may be required to have a health and safety representative instead. Refer to the relevant occupational health and safety legislation to learn about when a committee or representative is required. Refer to the OSH Answers on Health and Safety Committees for more information. ## What is the role of the health and safety committee? The role of health and safety committees can include to: - Act as an advisory body. - Identify potential and actual hazards and obtain information about them. - Recommend corrective actions. - Assist in resolving work refusal cases. - Participate in investigations (e.g., incidents, work refusals) and workplace inspections. - Be present for health and safety-related testing. ## What happens when there is a refusal to work? A worker can refuse work if they believe that the situation is unsafe to either themself or their co-workers. When a worker believes that a work refusal should be initiated, then - The worker must report to their supervisor that they are refusing to work and state why they believe the situation is unsafe. - The worker, supervisor, and a committee member or worker representative will investigate. - The worker returns to work if the problem is resolved with mutual agreement. - If the problem is not resolved, a government health and safety inspector is called. - The inspector investigates and gives a decision in writing. See the OSH Answers document "Health and Safety Legislation in Canada - Right to Refuse" for more information. Health and Safety Legislation in Canada - Basic Responsibilities CCOH…

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# What are examples of responsibilities of safety coordinators? (cont.) ## What is the purpose of a health and safety committee? (cont.) - Establishing how often a committee will meet, conduct inspections, etc. - How the employer will respond to the committee's recommendations. Each organization should set up their own terms of reference. More information is available in the health and safety committee documents listed below: - Joint Health and Safety Committee - What is a Joint Health and Safety Committee? - Joint Health and Safety Committee - Creation - Joint Health and Safety Committee - Effective and Efficient - Joint Health and Safety Committee - Measuring Effectiveness - Joint Health and Safety Committee - Structure The health and safety committee members should be active participants in consulting, developing, implementing, and monitoring all phases of the health and safety program. ## Why are safe work procedures established? Government health and safety regulations represent minimum requirements. In almost all cases, organizations will exceed these regulations with rules or procedures that are specific to the organization, the work being done, the equipment used, etc. We need rules - to protect the health and safety of workers - but there are dangers in having either too few or too many rules. Too few rules may be interpreted as a sign that health and safety are not important, or that common sense is all that is required to achieve them. Too many rules may be seen as not treating workers as thinking adults and makes enforcement of all rules less likely. Following are some guidelines for establishing rules: - Rules should be specific to health safety concerns in the workplace. - The health and safety committee should participate in their formulation. - Rules should be stated in clearly understandable terms. - Rules are best stated in positive terms ("workers shall" not "workers shall not"). - The reasons for the rule should be explained. -…

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# Health and Safety Committee - What is a Health and Safety Committee? (cont.) ## What is a health and safety committee? (cont.) - Health and Safety Committee - Effective and Efficient - Health and Safety Committee - Measuring Effectiveness - Health and Safety Committee - Structure of Meetings ## Who is responsible for establishing a health and safety committee? Employers are responsible for establishing health and safety committees. Most Canadian health and safety legislation sets guidelines for organizing the committee, its structure, meeting frequency, and the roles and responsibilities of committee members. Employers establish terms of reference applicable to the formation, structure, and functioning of the committee. Such terms of reference must ensure: - Compliance with occupational health and safety legislation. - Effectiveness of the committee in meeting workplace-specific needs. - Widest possible worker involvement. ## What does a health and safety committee do? While exact roles may vary by jurisdiction, in general, the committee assists the employer to: - Recognize workplace hazards. - Evaluate the hazards and risks that may cause incidents, injuries, and illness. - Participate in the development and implementation of programs to protect the workers' safety and health. - Respond to worker complaints and suggestions concerning safety and health. - Ensure the maintenance and monitoring of injury and work hazard records. - Monitor and follow up hazard reports and recommend action. - Set up and promote programs to improve worker training and education. - Participate in health and safety inquiries and investigations, as appropriate. - Consult with professional and technical experts. - Participate in resolving workplace refusals and work stoppages. - Make recommendations to management for incident prevention and safety program activities. Health and Safety Committee - What is a Health and Safety Committee? CCOHS

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# Health and Safety Committee - What is a Health and Safety Committee? (cont.) ## What does a health and safety committee do? (cont.) Monitor the effectiveness of safety programs and procedures. ## Is a committee or a representative required by law? A health and safety committee or the appointment of health and safety representatives is either mandatory or subject to ministerial decisions in all Canadian jurisdictions. Certain types of workplaces may be exempt from this requirement, depending on the size of the workforce, industry, incident record, or some combination of these factors. Consult the most up-to-date applicable legislation to find out what requirements are for your workplace. ## What are the sources of legislation regarding health and safety committees? The following are references to the provincial and federal legislation, where you will find the requirements for health and safety committees from the different jurisdictions in Canada. Since legislation is amended from time to time, the jurisdictions should be contacted for the most current information. The most recent versions of the legislation can often be accessed directly from the website of the government agency responsible for occupational health and safety. ## Canada (Federal) Canada Labour Code, Part Il (R.S.C. 1985, C. L-2), Sections 135 to 137 Policy Committees, Work Place Committees and Representative Regulations (SOR/2015-164) (Called: Policy Health and Safety Committees; Work Place Health and Safety Committees) ## Alberta Occupational Health and Safety Act (S.A. 2020, O-2.2 as amended), Part 2, Health and Safety Committees Representatives and Programs, Sections 13 to 16 Occupational Health and Safety Code (Reg. 191/2021) Part 13, Joint Health and Safety Committee and Health and Safety Representatives, Sections 196 to 202 (Called: Joint Health and Safety Committees) ## British Columbia Workers Compensation Act, (R.S.B.C. 1996 as amended) Part 2, Division 5, Sections 31 to 46 (…