Skip to the content of the web site.

UW Joint Health and Safety Committees and Health and Safety Representatives

Unit Location
Main Campus 200 University Ave. West, Waterloo
Architecture 7 Melville St. South, Cambridge
Gage Avenue 335 Gage Ave., Kitchener
Health Sciences Campus 10 Victoria St. South, Kitchener
Fire & Asphalt Research 925 Erb St. West, Waterloo
Stratford Campus 6 Wellington St., Stratford

 

Terms of Reference

In exercising their duties Joint Health and Safety Committees (JHSCs) and Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs) strive to inform their workplace community on means and measures to improve health and safety according to the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) and UW Policy 34, Health and Safety Environment. As UW is a complex organization with multiple functions and environment, the JHSCs and HSRs shall endeavour to encourage department/work area resolution of health and safety concerns by members of their workplace community and their supervisors as obligated under the OHSA. UW shall provide such information and assistance as is necessary for JHSCs and HSRs duties to be carried out. No person shall knowingly hinder or interfere with JHSCs and HSRs or furnish JHSCs and HSRs with false information.

Duties  

Membership and Selection

JHSCs are required where workplace is more than twenty employees. HSRs are required where workplace is more than five but less than twenty employees. The Safety Office shall maintain a listing of JHSC and HSR membership requirements.

Worker Members - Employees who do not exercise managerial functions are selected by employee union and associations.

Management Members - Employees who exercise managerial functions on behalf of UW are appointed by the Vice-President, Academic & Provost

Resource Persons - Resource persons from the Safety Office , Health Services, Police Services provide background information, guidance and assistance and may attend JHSC/HSR meetings at the request of the JHSC/HSR.

Secretarial support shall be available from:

  • Safety Office - Main Waterloo Campus
  • Faculties/Departments - Other workplaces

Entitlement and Release Time

JHSC/HSR members are deemed to be at work for time spent attending meetings and attending to other JHSC/HSR duties as specified by the OHSA.

JHSC/HSR members shall notify their supervisor for release time from regular duties. Travel and related expenses shall be reimbursed by the JHSC/HSR member's department in accordance with UW Policy #31.

Where in a department head's view a department cannot support the expense of releasing a JHSC/HSR member for duties, the department head shall make necessary arrangements with the Senior University administrator accountable for the area to ensure UW reasonably complies with OHSA employer obligations.

Training

JHSC/HSR members shall participate in health and safety training according to JHSC/HSR Guidelines including JHSC/HSR orientation and WSIB (Workplace Safety and Insurance Board) Certification requirements.

In the interest of JHSC competence and renewal, while not an OHSA requirement, all JHSC members shall be supported by UW to attend WSIB Certification Training according to the JHSC Guidelines.

When providing WSIB Certification training, UW expects that the employee union and associations shall select for reappointment at least those JHSC members who have received and maintained their WSIB Certification.

JHSC Meetings*

JHSCs shall schedule meetings at least every three months according OHSA requirements. The JHSC Guidelines shall outline meeting procedures which include:

  • Preparation of meeting agenda;
  • Recording of minutes and their approval;
  • Handling of motions that are recommendations and other decisions;
  • Formation of sub-committees; and
  • Quorum as fifty percent plus one of all members but not more than fifty percent management members.

*HSRs do not require scheduled meetings or Co-Chairs

JHSC Co-Chairs*

Worker Co-Chair shall be selected by the worker members and management Co-Chair shall be selected by the management members. The JHSC Guidelines approved by the JHSC outline their term of office and role.

Designation of Worker Members

For injuries/illness investigations a worker member designated by employee union and associations will be notified according to OHSA requirements as follows:

  • Critical injury or fatality - The worker member shall investigate with the Safety Office and report findings to JHSC and Ministry of Labour normally through the Director of Safety.
  • Disabling or medical aid injury or occupational illness - The worker member may investigate and report findings to JHSC.

JHSC/HSR Guidelines shall further outline procedures for designation of worker members to attend a work refusal, a work stoppage, beginning of occupational health and safety testing, investigate injury/illness and accompany Ministry of Labour inspector investigation or inspection.

Concern and Recommendation Resolution

The JHSC/HSR shall maintain in the JHSC/HSR Guidelines, procedures to address health and safety concerns and recommendations.

Inspections

The JHSC/HSR Guidelines shall outline procedures to ensure that workplace inspections are conducted according to OHSA requirements. An annual schedule of inspections is approved by the JHSC/HSR.

JHSC worker members and HSRs, in addition to inspections of the physical workplace, shall monitor compliance under UW's Health, Safety and Environment Program.

Injury/Illness Statistics

The JHSC/HSR Guidelines shall outline how the Safety Office provides JHSC/HSR members with records of:

  • employee injuries/incidents and occupational illness; and
  • student, contractor and visitor injuries/incidents.

Health, Safety and Environment Information

Regulatory notices, hazard alerts, case histories and related Health, Safety and Environment information shall be distributed regularly to JHSC/HSR members by the Safety Office.

Revisions approved by the VP, Academic & Provost, March 2010