HRANB Newsletter

Who hasn’t yet identified communication as being key in all aspects of one’s life? Indeed, communication is an essential element when interacting with others. The nature of communication can be for social, neighbourly, work-related or personal purposes. In business, good communication is an essential ingredient; it could mean the difference between being awarded an important contract or being passed over. For example, to help a client with a request, an employee will often need a thorough understanding of the message to be relayed. Good communication may also be needed to clearly explain proper health and safety practices to a group of employees.

Health and safety communications are an important prevention tool. They are necessary to operational quality. Message quality and the efficiency with which messages are circulated greatly influence whether or not people are careful. Good communication is also used to pass on best practices to employees, gather comments or observations and promote ongoing improvements. A well-communicated message can also save lives because it explains why security measures must be observed and why protective gear must be worn. Joint health and safety committees are an excellent venue for communicating, developing and exchanging ideas on continuous improvement. Workplace committees are also an excellent way to bring together project participants to discuss various health and safety issues. Joint health and safety committees and workplace committees allow representatives from each specialty, trade and sector, working toward a common goal, to sit together and exchange ideas. The committees are opportunities to step back and go over prevention solutions. The entire process is legislated. With bill 18, the requirements regarding the joint health and safety committee have been modified. Articles 14 to 16 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act define joint health and safety committee requirements, operations and roles. A 3 day training session is also offered by the commission.

In regards to health and safety communications, many may wonder how joint committees are formed and who is responsible for administering them. Articles 14 through 16 identify specifics regarding construction sites and non construction sites. Consequently, employers with more than 20 employees must form joint committees. Also, once work on site has continued for more than 90 days or if more than 30 employees are present, a worksite committee must be established by the contractor who is responsible for the worksite. So, who is held responsible when a work assigner, such as a municipality, awards various work contracts to multiple contractors? For example, work on a water main, or maintenance on a building or other small work assignments? Who is considered the one responsible for the project? To encourage an open health and safety communication process, such questions must be answered before the work is undertaken and be included in the project specification. For example, the work assigner can specify in the project specifications that a joint committee must be established to facilitate health and safety communications which in turn will also greatly improve worksite prevention and project success. It can also be included in the project’s initial prevention program to which all contractors must adhere. One must not forget that good health and safety communication is a privileged conduit that encourages health and safety workplace prevention. Joint committees should be planned for all health and safety systems. A committee should be established even if the minimum requirement by law is not reached. It is an element that increases an organisation’s changes of success, increases reasonable diligence and jointly includes employer and employee.

In the next issue, the Z1000 standard and the importance of health and security systems within companies will be discussed.

Martin Logan
Health and Safety Director
Eastern Canada
Aluma Systems

JOINT HEALTH AND SAFETY WORKSITE COMMITTEE
Worker Association
Employer Representative, Worksite Committee, Health and Safety Representative
Contractor responsible for the worksite