The Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) is required by the OHSA and is made up of worker and employer representatives consulting in a co-operative spirit to identify and resolve safety and health problems in support of a planned occupational health and safety program in the place of employment.

Roles and Responsibilities

Joint Health and Safety Committee

• Meet at least once every three (3) months.
• Maintain and keep minutes of meetings. Provide minutes for examination by a Ministry of Labour inspector if applicable. 
• Post the names and work locations of committee members on the health and safety board.
• Inspect the workplace at least once a month according to a schedule, or where it is not practical, inspect a portion of the workplace at least once a month so the entire workplace is inspected yearly. 
• Make written recommendations for improvement in health and safety of workers to the employer as needed.
• Identify workplace hazards.
• Be present at investigations of work refusals and investigate critical injuries and fatalities if necessary.
• Accompany a Ministry of Labour inspector during a physical inspection of the workplace. 
• Maintain up-to-date certification. 
• Review WHMIS policy annually. 
• Investigate complaints of dangerous circumstances if necessary. 
• Be present at the beginning of any industrial hygiene testing. 

Employer

• Respond to written recommendations from the JHSC within twenty-one (21) days. Response must include timetable for implementation or reasons for not accepting recommendations.
• Provide inspection team with information and assistance including copies of SDSs and any prescribed assessments of hazardous materials. 
• Give inspection team the authority to stop unsafe work identified during inspections.
• Provide time to committee members to prepare for and attend JHSC meetings, conduct investigations, investigate accidents and be present at work refusals. 
• Consult the JHSC about proposed testing strategies for investigating industrial hygiene and provide relevant information.

Guidelines

There are four principal functions of a JHSC outlined in the OHSA:

1. To identify potential hazards
2. To evaluate these potential hazards
3. To recommend corrective action
4. To follow up on implemented recommendations

To carry out its functions, the JHSC is required to hold meetings and carry out regular inspections of the workplace.

The committee shall consist of at least four (4) members: two (2) worker representatives and two (2) employer representatives. One (1) worker and one (1) management JHSC member will have successfully completed the Certification Training Program (Parts 1 and 2).

All members of the JHSC team are given access to a full range of pertinent information. The JHSC is bound to keep private any medical or other personal information about a worker that it learns during the course of its duties.

Entitlement to Pay

Committee members will be paid while performing functions and powers and during certification training at either the premium or regular rate, as applicable.

JHSC Member Information

Lisia Amaral Management Member 416-712-6677 lamaral@servicemastercs.com

Julie Strong Management Member 416-629-4754 juliestrong@servicemastercs.com

Cindy McTaggart Worker Member 289-329-0315 cmctaggart@servicemastercs.com

Franca Tucciarone Worker Member 289-329-0320 admin@servicemastercs.com

Committee member names and contact information will be posted on the health and safety board.

Terms of Reference

The Terms of Reference sets out how the committee is set up; what the committee needs to do; and who will do the tasks. The terms of reference are posted on the JHSC bulletin board for other workers to read and is filed in the JHSC official records.

Workplace Inspections

Monthly workplace inspections must be completed by at least the worker representative. The Management representative can assist the worker representative during the inspection but this is only seen as a best practice. Potential hazards are identified during their inspection and reported to the committee. The inspections are conducted according to a regular schedule set out by the committee. 

Measuring Team Effectiveness

Regular reviews and assessments of JHSC performance are completed to point out areas to improve and areas of success as a committee.