Sample Terms of Reference

Occupational Safety and Health

Committees

Joint Health and Safety Committee

Sample Procedures or Terms of Reference

1. Name of Joint Health and Safety Committee

The committee shall be known as the {insert name of committee} Joint Health
and Safety Committee.

(A name is reference for identification where there are other committees in the organization.
Often a location or branch reference is sufficient)

2. Purpose of the Committee

The purpose of the joint committee is to work cooperatively with the employer in
identifying and resolving safety and health issues in support of a planned
occupational safety and health program and to prevent occupational injuries and
diseases in the workplace.

3. Committee Membership

(a) The committee shall consist of at least 4 members.

(b) The committee must consist of worker representatives and employer

representatives

(c) At least half of the members must be worker representatives.

(d) The worker representatives must be selected by the workers from workers
at the workplace who do not exercise managerial functions at the workplace
according to the procedures identified in section 128 of the Workers’
Compensation (WC) Act. The union should be notified of the selection so
that the employer can be notified of their appointment by the union.

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(e) The employer representatives must be selected by the employer from
among persons who exercise managerial functions for the employer and, to
the extent possible, who do so at the workplace for which the joint
committee is established.

{List the names of the members below along with the area/union they represent}

Name of Employer Representatives Area/Union Representing

Name of Worker Representatives Area/Union Representing

(f) The committee must have 2 co-chairs, one selected by the worker
representatives, and the other selected by the employer representatives.

(g) All members will arrange to have an alternate member to attend meetings in
their place, when they are unavailable to attend.

(h) The co-chairs of the committee must notify the employer when there is a
lack of representation on the committee.

4. Co-chair Duties

(i) Facilitate the meetings

(ii) Review previous meeting reports and material prior to the meetings
(iii) Ensure that a meeting place is arranged
(iv) Ensure members are notified of meeting dates, times and locations
(v) Ensure meeting agenda is prepared and distributed
(vi) Ensure meeting reports are prepared and distributed
(vii) Ensure that a copy of meeting reports is forwarded to the employer for
distribution
(viii) Prepare recommendation(s) and forward to the employer for a response
(ix) Prepare all correspondence on behalf of the committee

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5. Terms of Office

(a) Committee members will sit on the committee for {insert number} years.
(Note that committees are more effective if terms of office overlap for committee members.
This allows a mix of new and experienced committee members on the committee, even
after elections).

(b) If a member of the committee chosen by the workers is unable to complete

the term of office, the workers must choose another member.

(c) If a member of the committee appointed by the employer is unable to

complete the term of office, the employer must appoint another member.

(d) All members must arrange to have an alternate member to attend meetings
in their place, when they are unavailable to attend.

6. Who does this Committee Report to?

This committee will report to each employer represented on the committee.

{Insert name of Employer and person representing the Employer the
committee will report to}

7. Participation of Other Employers on this Joint Committee

If other employers request to participate on this joint committee, the request must
be forwarded to the employer this committee reports to for consideration.
Participation of other employers on this committee requires the permission, by
written order of WorkSafeBC, under section 126 of the Workers Compensation
Act.

8. Duties and Functions of the Committee

The duties and functions of a Joint Safety and Health Committee are those
identified in Division 4, Section 130, of the Workers’ Compensation Act:

(a) Identify situations that may be unhealthy or unsafe for workers and advise
on effective systems for responding to those situations.
(b) Consider and expeditiously deal with complaints relating to the
occupational health and safety of workers.
(c) Consult with workers and the employer on issues related to occupational
health and safety and occupational environment.

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 (d) Make recommendations to the employer and the workers for the
improvement of the occupational health and safety of workers and
compliance with the regulations, and monitor their effectiveness.
(e) Make recommendations to the employer on educational programs
promoting the health and safety of workers and compliance with the
Regulation, and monitor their effectiveness.
(f) Advise the employer on programs and policies required under the
Regulation for the workplace and monitor their effectiveness.
(g) Advise the employer on proposed changes to the workplace or the work
processes that may affect the health or safety of workers.
(h) Ensure that incident investigations and regular inspections are carried out
as required by the Regulation.
(i) Participate in inspections, investigations and inquiries as provided by the
Regulation.
(j) Carry out any other duties and functions prescribed by the Regulation.

9. Performing the Duties and Functions

Consulting

Generally means communicating for the purposes of seeking information and

advice.

Decisions of the committee

The committee should attempt to reach consensus on each decision it makes. If

the committee cannot reach consensus then a vote may be taken. The
committee will go with the majority vote, when a vote is needed.

Assistance in resolving disagreements within committee

If the joint safety and health committee is unable to reach agreement on a matter
relating to the health or safety of workers at the workplace, a co-chair of the
committee may report this to a senior Manager, who may investigate and attempt
to resolve the matter. Unresolved issues should be referred to the Permanent
Joint Committees established under the Master collective agreements.

Recommendations to the Employer

The joint committee must make all recommendations to the employer in writing
with a written request for a response from the employer within 21 days. Both the
employer and worker co-chairs must sign the recommendations before they are
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forwarded to the employer. All recommendations must be made separate from
the minutes of the meeting.

The employer is required, under the OHS Regulation, to respond to the joint
committee recommendations within 21 days of receiving the written request. The
employer must respond in writing by:
 Indicating acceptance of the recommendation, or
 Giving the employer’s reasons for not accepting the recommendation.

If the employer is not reasonably able to provide a response before the end of
the 21-day period, the employer will be asked by the committee to provide -
within that time - a written explanation for the delay, together with an indication of
when the response will be provided.

If the employer does not accept the committee’s recommendations, a co-chair of

the committee may report the matter to the Permanent Joint Committee
established under the Master collective agreement, which may investigate and
attempt to resolve the matter.

If the joint committee is not satisfied that the explanation provided for the delay is
reasonable - in the circumstances - a co-chair of the committee may report this to
WorkSafeBC. WorkSafeBC may investigate the matter and may, by order,
establish a deadline by which the employer must respond.

10. Support for the Committee

At the request of the joint committee, the employer is required by the Regulation
to provide the reasonable equipment, space and clerical support necessary for
the joint committee to carry out its duties and functions.

The joint committee may request the following information from the employer, as
needed:
(a) The identification of known or reasonably foreseeable health or safety
hazards which workers are likely to be exposed to in the workplace,
(b) Health and safety experience, work practices and standards in similar or
other industries of which the employer has knowledge,
(c) Orders, penalties and prosecutions under the WC Act or OHS Regulation
relating to health and safety at the workplace, and
(d) Any other matter prescribed by OHS Regulation.

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11. Meetings

(a) The committee will meet monthly on the (__________) working day of each
month.
(b) Regularly scheduled meetings will be held from {insert time range} in the
{insert name of room}.
(c) Special meetings, if required, will be held at the call of the co-chairs.
(d) A quorum shall consist of a majority of members on the committee.

12. Time from work for meetings and other committee functions

Members of the joint committee are entitled to time off from work for:
(a) The time required to attend meetings of the committee,
(b) Other time that is reasonably necessary to prepare for meetings of the
committee, and
(c) Other time that is reasonably necessary to fulfill the other duties and
functions of the committee.

Time off for joint committee members to perform these duties and functions will
be deemed to be time worked for the employer, and the employer will pay for that
time consistent with the provisions of the Master collective agreements.

13. Agendas and Reports of the Committee

(a) An agenda will be prepared by the co-chairs and distributed to members

prior to the meeting.
(b) A report of the meeting will be prepared as soon as possible after the
meeting with a copy provided to the employer.
(c) The employer will be responsible for sending a copy of the report of the
meeting to the union if requested by any union representing workers at the
workplace.
(d) The employer will retain a copy of the reports for at least 2 years from the
date of the joint committee meeting to which they relate.
(e) The employer will be responsible for ensuring that the retained reports are
readily accessible to the joint committee members, workers of the employer,
officers and other persons authorized by WorkSafeBC.

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14. Posting Committee Information

The employer must promptly post and keep posted at the workplace, in a place
readily accessible to employees, the following:
a) The names and work locations of the joint committee members,
b) The reports of the 3 most recent joint committee meetings, and
c) Copies of any applicable orders under this Division for the preceding
12 months.

15. Records

The committee must keep accurate records of all matters that come before it.
The committee will maintain copies of its minutes for a period of at least 2 years
from the date of the joint health and safety committee meeting to which they
relate.

16. Educational Leave Entitlement

Each member of the joint committee is entitled to an annual educational leave

totaling 8 hours, or a longer period if prescribed by regulation, for the purposes of
attending occupational health and safety training courses.

A member of the joint committee may designate another member as being

entitled to take all or part of the member’s educational leave.

The employer must provide the educational leave without loss of pay or other
benefits and must pay for, or reimburse the worker for, the costs of the training
course and the reasonable costs of attending the course.

17. Amendments

These terms of reference may be amended by vote of the committee members.

Approved:

Signature of Employer Co-Chair Date

{Insert name of Employer Co-Chair}

Signature of Worker Co-Chair Date

{Insert name of Worker Co-Chair}

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