Mission Statement:
The mission of the GHSD#75 Occupational Health and Safety Committees is to develop and promote a healthy and safe environment for all employees, students and visitors to our facilities through the involvement of all individuals with regards to education, training, communication and safe work practices.
Preamble:
Health and safety committees are an important forum for consultation on OH&S issues within the workplace. They provide a way for employees to manage their own health and safety and assist employers in providing a safer, healthier workplace.
Activities:
The health and safety activities of the committee will include, but are not limited to the following:
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Assist in the development and implementation of effective health and safety awareness programs in compliance with the OH&S Act, Regulations and Code.
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Obtain and analyze available data including staff survey results, accident/injury/near miss reports, data on past injuries and illnesses, and identify trends and suggest appropriate corrective actions.
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Conduct health and safety inspections of both operations and facilities, identify hazards and recommend corrective measures and/or controls.
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Identify unsafe work practices and conditions and provide suggestions and recommendations for resolution of health and safety concerns.
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Encourage feedback from all individuals with regard to health and safety related ideas, problems, and solutions.
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Provide support and serve as a resource in the development, implementation, and maintenance of a comprehensive safety, loss prevention and loss control program.
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Serve as an advisory body to management on health and safety issues.
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Maintain up-to-date files pertaining to the worksite and the Division Safety Management
Plan, including but not restricted to policy, administrative directives, protocols, meeting minutes, training records, inspections, corrective actions and incident reports.
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Such other functions as are prescribed and agreed upon by the employer and committee.
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Membership:
Committee members (number varies based on worksite), shall be appointed by the administrator or supervisor and constitute a diverse group of employees from the worksite. The member in an administrative capacity will be designated as the contact person and chairperson.
Responsibilities:
Management's Responsibilities:
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Enforce all safety and health rules and procedures.
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Actively promote health and safety.
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Facilitate the process to allow committee members to actively pursue and implement health and safety activities.
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Lead by example in following all health and safety rules.
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Provide timely feedback to the committee.
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Recognize improvement and excellence in health, safety and environmental management.
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Ensure that protocols are in place for the investigation of all injuries, incidents and near misses.
Chairperson's Responsibilities:
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Actively promote health and safety.
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Act as communication liaison between management and/or the Division Safety Officer and the committee.
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Facilitate the health and safety committee meetings.
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Schedule and develop an agenda for meetings based on member/staff input.
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Ensure the meeting minutes are recorded and maintain files of meetings, correspondence, activities and corrective actions. The minutes of the meeting will also be given to the worksite administrator/supervisor and posted on the OH&S designated bulletin board located on site.
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Take and record attendance.
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Distribute any correspondence and/or directives developed by the committee.
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Prepare an annual report of the committee's activities and accomplishments.
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Committee Members Responsibilities:
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Actively promote health and safety.
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Attend all health and safety meetings on time or arrange for an alternate to attend.
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Assist in communicating committee activities with other worksite staff.
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Bring safety or health concerns to committee meetings.
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Serve as an example by following all safety rules and work practices.
Employee Responsibilities to the Worksite Committee:
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Actively promote health and safety.
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Bring health and safety concerns to the supervisor or committee representatives immediately.
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Learn and follow all health and safety rules and procedures.
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Participate in applicable, employment-related health, safety and environmental training programs as they become available.
Division Safety Officer Responsibilities to the Worksite Committee:
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Actively promote health and safety.
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Serve in the capacity as a resource to the committee on health and safety issues.
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Act as a liaison between management and the committee.
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Review accident
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Assist in conducting health and safety inspections and preparing reports.
Meetings:
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Meetings will be held monthly, preferably on the first Wednesday of each month or in conjunction with staff meetings. At a minimum, regular meetings of the committee will be held at least every two months.
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Special meetings of the committee may be called by Chairperson as necessary.
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