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OPSEU Policy on Health and Safety Committees

April 25, 2014
  1. Each local union must form a standing union health and safety committee (committees) that is responsible and accountable to the local executive (LEC).
  2. Each committee shall be composed of an appropriate number of members who are appointed by the LEC as health and safety committee persons.
  3. All health and safety committee persons shall serve on the committee for a term of office determined by the LEC, and shall serve at the pleasure of the LEC.
  4. All health and safety committee persons must have completed at least one (1) weekend health and safety school, and by the end of their first term in office must have completed a 30-hour health and safety program.
  5. Health and safety committee persons shall focus on health and safety matters including participation as union representatives on joint (union-management) health and safety committees.
  6. The union health and safety committee shall be responsible for the following:
    1. investigating members’ complaints and assisting in obtaining a remedy.
    2. Inspecting the workplace as per the provision of the legislation or collective agreement.
    3. Conducting or arranging health and safety training for local members.
    4. Regularly informing members about health and safety hazards and their rights under the legislation and their collective agreement.
    5. Representing members during Ministry of Labour inspection tours, work refusals and health and safety hearings.
    6. Calling in the Ministry of Labour inspectorate when concerns are raised by individual members.
  7. Union representation of joint (union-management) health and safety committees shall consist of at least one (1) member of the LEC, and an appropriate number of health and safety committee persons appointed by the LEC from the union health and safety committee.
  8. Union representatives on joint committees shall be solely accountable to the LEC and the membership at all regularly scheduled meetings.
  9. The union health and safety committee shall meet as required and report to the LEC and the membership at all regularly scheduled meetings.
  10. Each health and safety committee person shall be provided with a wallet-size certificate and lapel pin with a health and safety designation recognizing their status within the local union.

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