Effective Joint Health & Safety Committees

Dave McCormick, President

Karen Galipeau, Industrial Health & Safety Practice Leader

Pam Saddlemeyer, H&S Consultant

Chantal Van Maren, Operations Manager

Effective Joint Health &Safety Committee

Is it making a positive impact on your bottom line?

Our Objective Today

1. Understand the Internal Responsibility System Interlocking duties, obligations and rights

2. Structure of an effective JHSC Everyone has a role

3. Tips for working with management Make the impact on lives and profit

Demonstrate how the JHSC can be a voice worth hearing

How we help companies –“Responsive”

• Experience: 25+ years

• Advise: Understanding WSIB ratings, premiums and NEER statements, legislative guidancehelped save $1000s for clients

• Action: workplace assessments, claims management, staffing solutions

Offsetting WSIB premiums with rebates, and effective use of temporary staffing

The Facts

20 or more Regularly Employed Employees

Toxic Substance On-Site

MOL Issued Designated Substances

Less than 50 Regularly Employed Employees

2 Certified Members

More than 50 Regularly Employed Employees

4 Certified Members

50/50 Split Worker & Management Representatives

Part 2 – Specific Hazard Training

• Lock-out Tag-out: Clear procedures ensure safety, protect equipment, and minimizes downtime

• Confined Spaces are in almost any workplace i.e.: silos, vats, hoppers, utility

vaults, tanks

Powers, Functions & Duties

• Consult• Confidentiality• Identity• Meet and discuss• Entitlement• Document

Worker Members are Special

• Specified additional functions and duties• Responsible to participate in monthly workplace

inspections• Critical injury: MOL Director• Work refusal: Accompany the inspector• Health & Safety testing: right to be present

Effective JHSC

• Communication: Common language

• Participation: Share perspectives and experiences

• Teamwork: All levels of employees work together

• Problem Solving: Methods of resolving conflicts

Structure

• 1 worker Co-Chair & 1 Management Co-Chair• For workplaces with 20-50 employees regularly

employed

By Law

+

$70,000 Fine, Is it worth it?

BURLINGTON, ON, Feb. 10 /CNW/ - The TDL Group Corp. was fined $70,000 onFebruary 2, 2009, for a health and safety violation under the OccupationalHealth and Safety Act. During an investigation into an injury at the company's warehouse onWyecroft Rd. in Oakville, a Ministry of Labour inspector found the company didnot have a joint health and safety committee in place for its workers. The TDL Group Corp. pleaded guilty to failing to establish and maintain ajoint health and safety committee at the workplace. The fine was imposed by Justice of the Peace Dennis Lee in the OntarioCourt of Justice, Burlington. In addition to the fine, the court imposed a25-per-cent victim fine surcharge on the total, as required by the ProvincialOffences Act. The surcharge is credited to a special provincial governmentfund to assist victims of crime.

Appoint Administrator

Agendas Quorum Minutes ReportsCompile Notify Distribute Document & File

Terms of Reference?

• Put it in writing• Outline responsibilities• State the group’s purpose• Determine what authority the JHSC will have• How you plan to keep records• When you will have your meetings• Detail why resolutions were made

Quorum, Decisions & Organization

• Even number of workers and management

• Organize to make the best use of time and give time to prepare and distribute

• Vote or consensus, which works best?

The Key to it all: Resources

You can’t know everything, so…• Know where to find the information• Know who is available for advice• Have information easily accessed• Keep it up-to-date• Assign knowledge experts in your workplace

Resource Examples

• First Aid treatment stats• Inspection reports• Accident reports

• Employee surveys• Health surveys• External reports

Internal Resources

Records ready for the MOL InspectorAre they in order by date? Filled completely? Signed by management rep? Signed by worker rep?

Analyze the data Location of injuryTime of accidentYears of service and training of worker

Recommendations from the JHSC

S- SpecificM- MeasureableA- AchievableR- Results OrientedT-Timely

The Written Plan

• Photographs or sketches of hazard

• Details on accidents/incidents

• Process description

• Workplace layout

Summary

• Be Clear• Support freely• Have high expectations• Provide resources• Take the JHSC seriously• Provide guidance and mentorship

Questions?

Ask your Pivotal representative to help offset your premium costs, lower your risk of potential injuries and accidents or how to create a new health and safety program that meets

all compliance requirements…

Learn more about WSIB and Pivotal at www.pivotalsolutions.com