With 2020 in the rear view mirror, we look forward to 2021 with a renewed sense of optimism and hope. The importance of workplace health and safety was highlighted with the COVID-19 pandemic. Well-functioning committees ensure employers meet their obligations to take every reasonable precaution to protect worker's physical and psychological health and safety.

Your Role
Your role as a health and safety representative is a key component of an effective OHS committee. It is important to know what your rights and responsibilities are as a committee member, to stay up to date on current issues and be educated and informed. Taking the annual 8 hours of health and safety training you are entitled to is always helpful. 

Component 10 is launching an exciting initiative this year and you are invited to participate! Virtual provincial meetings will be organized during the spring and fall to connect OHS representatives with BCGEU OHS staff and component leadership. These 1-2 hour meetings will consist of short training sessions with time set aside for participants to share worksite health and safety issues. These meetings will improve consultation and communication with fellow members and strengthen your role as an OHS representative on your committee.

Reply to this email if you are interested in attending the provincial meetings and more details will be sent to you in a few weeks.

Joint OHS Committees
Many JOHS committees use the January/February meeting to set goals and plan the year's activities ahead. Evaluating your committee strengths and weaknesses can identify what the committee needs to work on to improve their effectiveness. Employers in British Columbia, where applicable, are required to conduct an annual evaluation of their JOHS committee. This evaluation is required to determine whether the joint committee is generally in compliance with the Workers Compensation Act and OHS Regulation and to assess whether the joint committee has been effective in fulfilling its role so that improvements can be considered and implemented.

The committee evaluation must contain the following information: whether or not,

• The joint committee met the membership requirements
• Worker and employer representatives were selected in accordance with the Act
• The joint committee fulfilled their duties and functions as per section 36 of the Act 
• The joint committee met monthly
• The employer responded appropriately to written recommendation letters
• Committee members received their time off work as required per section 40 of the Act
• Committee members attended the annual training they were entitled to
• The employer provided the joint committee with the equipment, premises, clerical personnel and information required
• The committee prepared reports of its meetings and provided copies to the employer
• The employer posted and kept committee information as required
• Each member of the joint committee received the instruction/training as per Regulation 3.27
• Rules of procedure are in place and effective
• The committee overall is effective.

An effective joint OHS committee is more important than ever when it comes to the prevention of workplace injury and illness. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for worker consultation, preventive measures, mental well-being, and for cooperation and compliance.

You can improve the health and safety at your worksite by improving your ability to advocate for members. We encourage you to take every opportunity to enhance your role through formal annual training and by engaging with your fellow OHS representatives in the provincial OHS meetings. Reply to this email if you are interested in attending the provincial meetings and more details will be sent to you in a few weeks.

For more information on committee evaluations, click here:
https://www.worksafebc.com/en/law-policy/occupational-health-safety/searchable-ohs-regulation/ohs-regulation/part-03-rights-and-responsibilities#SectionNumber:3.26

To view a committee evaluation guidebook and download a fillable evaluation tool, click here: 
https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/bcgeu/pages/10486/attachments/original/1580497553/Session_6-4-FM-JOHSC_Evaluation_Guidebook-2018.pdf?1580497553


Questions? Email [email protected] 

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