Overview

This course provides general guidance and best practices for the development, implementation, and maintenance of an effective health & safety committee or representative. It includes:

  • Clearly-defined roles
  • Responsibilities
  • Key duties
  • Functions
  • For committees: having terms of reference in place

Attendees will develop an insight to health & safety activities, key industry standards, expectations and compliance to applicable Alberta Occupational Health & Safety legislation.

Course Topics

  • Purpose/Goals – What is a joint health & safety committee and what are workers’ rights
  • Benefits of a health & safety committee/representative, basic health & safety duties and responsibilities
  • Committee functions – Meetings, agendas, minutes and maintaining records
  • Sequential procedure for making recommendations
  • Measuring committee effectiveness
  • OHS competency criteria, undue hazards, work refusals
  • Sample templates – Terms of reference, agenda, minutes, recommendations

Legislation

Under Alberta Occupational Health & Safety Legislation all worksites that employ:

  • 5–19 employees – Require a worker designated the health & safety representative
  • 20+ employees – Require establishment of a formal health & safety committee