Committee Manual
Table of Contents

 
Introduction
What’s in this guide
Chapter 1: Maintaining a safe workplace
Introduction
Fundamentals
What is occupational health and safety?
What causes accidents?
The internal responsibility system for occupational health and safety
What are the components of an effective IRS?
Direct responsibility for occupational health and safety
What are the legislated duties of employers, supervisors and workers in the IRS?
What is due diligence?
What is shared responsibility for health and safety?
Worker rights
Critical role of committees in the IRS
What are the major responsibilities of committees?
Role of the legislation in supporting internal responsibility
Role of the Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) Division
How does the IRS link up with the OH&S Division?
Review
Chapter 2: Identifying, assessing and controlling hazards
Introduction
Definitions
What is a hazard?
What is an occupational illness?
What is probability?
What is severity?
What is a risk?
What is risk analysis?
Principles of hazard identification, assessment and control
Collect information
Assess the risk
Set priorities
Communicate information
Develop, select and implement controls
Identifying and assessing health hazards
How can health hazards be identified?
How can health hazards be assessed?
Identifying and assessing safety hazards
Controlling hazards
Example: managing the safety of controlled products under WHMIS
Technical steps in hazard control
Control at the source
Control along the path from the hazard to the worker
Control at the level of the worker
Selecting controls
Monitoring the effectiveness of controls
What else can be done?
Review
Chapter 3: The committees’ role in accident prevention
Introduction
How committees are expected to function
Where committees are required
How committees are structured
Selecting members
Posting names
Selecting co-chairpersons (regulation 43)
Terms of office (regulation 39)
Quorum at meetings (regulation 40)
Frequency of meetings (regulation 41)
Additional meetings
Minutes of meetings (regulation 42)
Duties of committees
Dealing with the concerns of workers
Handling refusals to work under section 23 of the Act
How to investigate a refusal to work
Advising and assisting the employer
Helping the employer with policies, plans and programs
Helping the employer orientate new and inexperienced workers
Helping the employer plan worker training
Worker training programs
Communicating with workers
Protection for committee members
Review
Chapter 4: Responsibilities of employers and employees towards the committee
Introduction
Responsibilities of employers
Training co-chairpersons
Providing information
Providing time
Helping the committee to inspect the workplace regularly
Providing progress reports
Helping the committee conduct investigations
Resolving concerns reported by the committee
Providing access to records
Responsibilities of managers, supervisors and workers
Managers
Supervisors
Workers
Review
Chapter 5: Holding effective committee meetings
Introduction
Meeting requirements
Planning meetings
Managing meetings and solving problems
Some items to concentrate on
Problem solving ideas
Look for underlying causes of problems
Consider both facts and feelings
Problem analysis table
Involve stakeholders
Consider what is known and not known about the problem
Review the sequence of events
Developing recommendations
Implementation schedule checklist
After the meeting
Role of the employer
Review
Chapter 6: Maintaining committee effectiveness
Introduction
Teambuilding
Establish membership
Clarify the expectations of committee members
Develop group norms
Agree upon goals
Set measurable objectives to achieve the goals
Establish roles and responsibilities for each member
Agree on ways of handling disagreements
Clarify how members will support each other
Consider how to involve influential employees not on the committee
Consider expectations placed on the committee
Consider organizational factors affecting the work of the team
Consider how to evaluate the performance of the committee
Training
New members
Review
Chapter 7: Inspections
Introduction
Types of committee inspections
Regular inspections
Inspections with an occupational health officer
Intermittent inspections
Training for inspections
Planning inspections
Inventories and checklists
What to inspect
Pre-inspection meetings
What to do during inspections
Handling the results
When an unsafe condition is found
Review
Chapter 8: Investigating accidents
Introduction
Reportable accidents and dangerous occurrences
Planning investigations
Standards
Carrying out investigations
Secure the scene and report the accident or dangerous occurrence
Study the scene
Interview witnesses
Investigate the physical evidence
Finding the causes
Analyze the accident factors
Find the accident causes
Taking action
Review
Chapter 9: Legislation
Introduction
The difference between an Act and regulations
How to locate and apply information in the legislation
Use the tables of contents, index and section headings to find information
Look in the Preliminary Matters sections to find definitions
Look in the appendix to find reference lists and tables
Key legislation for committees
Requirements 1-10
Requirements 11-24
Requirements 25-36
Requirements 37-50
Requirements 51-59
Review
Appendices
Appendix 1: Notification requirements for new operations
Appendix 2: Forms
How to complete a minutes form
Example
Committee recommendation form
Example
Committee accident investigation form
Example
Appendix 3: Communication, conflict resolution and problem solving techniques for committee members
Introduction
Four principles of health and safety communication
Verbal communication techniques
Active listening
Written communication
Raising controversial issues
Other communication tools
Appendix 4: Helping the employer plan worker training
Training procedures
Monitoring orientation and training
Bibliography


PLEASE NOTE

This publication is not designed to interpret the legislation. It is not intended to be used in court. Please use the original legislation whenever you wish to interpret or apply the law.

To purchase copies of The Occupational Health and Safety Act, 1993 or The Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, 1996 contact the Queen’s Printer in Regina at (306) 787-6894. The FAX number is (306) 787-9779.

Industries under federal jurisdiction - such as transportation, broadcasting and telecommunications—are governed by The Canada Labour Code. If you work in a federally regulated industry, please contact the appropriate agency for information.

 

Sask Labour Home | Labour Relations | Labour Standards | Status of Women
Work & Family | Health & Safety | Worker's Advocate | Farm Safety

Site Map | Search | Contact Us
Acts and Regulations

The information on this page is not intended for legal applications.
For all purposes of interpretation and application of the law, consult the relevant legislation.

If you have a question or comment about this website contact the Saskatchewan Labour Webmaster at
webmaster@lab.gov.sk.ca

minilogosm.gif (1102 bytes)