TOR06: Joint Health and Safety Committees

2. DEFINITIONS

College designate: The Manager, Environment, Health and Safety Services.

College sponsor: The Executive Director, Facilities Management and Community Safety

3. MEMBERSHIP AND TERMS OF OFFICE

3.1. A Committee is required at a College workplace having more than 19 workers and shall consist of:

• 3.1.1. Four members at a College workplace with 20 to 49 workers, including:
  • two members representing the workers selected from among the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) membership at that workplace; and
  • two members representing the College selected from management employees; and
• 3.1.2. Eight members at a College workplace with at least 50 workers, including:
  • four members representing the workers selected from among the OPSEU membership at that workplace; and
  • four members representing the College selected from management employees.

For further clarity, Appendix A: College Workplace JHSCs, lists College workplaces meeting these sets of requirements.

3.2. The appointment of, or the rescission of the appointment of, a Committee member may be made, with prior written notice, normally at least five days in advance, to the College designate, by:

• the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) where such member is a member representing the workers; or
• the College sponsor where such member is a member representing the College.

3.3. The College designate, or a delegate, may, in the College designate's reporting capacity, attend any Committee meeting to provide clarification, guidance or support to the Committee.

3.4. Co-chairs, as prescribed by the Act, normally serve a term of two years. The co-chairs alternate the chairing of meetings in accordance with arrangements determined by the Committee.

3.5. At least one member representing the workers and at least one member representing the College are certified and trained as prescribed in the Act.

3.6. In the event a member is unable to participate in meetings or Committee-related tasks for an extended period of time, an interim member may be appointed. The appointment of, or the rescission of the appointment of, an interim member may be made, with prior written notice, normally at least five days in advance, to the College designate, by:

• OPSEU in any instance where such member is a member representing the workers; or
• the College sponsor in any instance where such member is a member representing the College;

provided always that the number of members representing either the workers or the College shall at no time exceed the number of members appropriately prescribed in section 3.1. The interim member may participate in meetings or Committee-related tasks for the time that the replaced member remains unable to participate, unless such appointment is rescinded sooner by another appointment by the appointing party, or automatically with return of the replaced member. The co-chair of a meeting will be informed in advance a meeting of any temporary substitution of members.

4. MEETINGS AND CONDUCT OF BUSINESS

4.1. General

4.1.1. Each Committee is expected to meet five times per year, in September, November, January, March and June.

4.1.2. Committee meetings may proceed only when:

• Quorum has been reached:
  • For Committees described in 3.1.1, quorum is two members present (i.e., at least one member present representing workers and at least one member present representing the College); or,
  • For committees described in 3.1.2, quorum is four members present (i.e., the number of members present representing workers is equal to or greater than the number of members present representing the College, and at least one member present is representing the College);

and,

• The number of members present representing workers is equal to or greater than the number of members present representing the College;

and,

• The total number of members present does not exceed the numbers specified in 3.1 above.

4.1.3. Meeting duration is normally three hours or less.

4.1.4. Deviation from the prescribed schedule, or additional meetings, or extensions to meetings, may be called as necessary and as determined by each Committee.

4.1.5. Minutes of meetings are recorded and posted at the workplace, and are readily available for review by Ministry of Labour inspectors. Minutes are signed by both co-chairs as approved prior to posting.

4.1.6. Committees are advisory to the College as the employer. Recommendations to the College, as provided for in the Act, are submitted to the College designate in writing with the signatures of both co-chairs. However, when attempts have been made in good faith by the Committee to reach consensus, a recommendation with only one co-chair signature may be submitted. The College designate facilitates a written response on behalf of the College within the time frames prescribed in the Act.

4.1.7. Members are responsible for maintaining confidentiality of personal information disclosed to them during the course of performing their duties, except where disclosure of information is specifically required by the Act or other law.

4.2. Meeting Agendas

4.2.1. Any member may submit agenda items to a co-chair.

4.2.2. The co-chairs distribute an agenda and the minutes of the previous meetings to all members normally no later than one week before the date of a scheduled meeting.

4.3. Task Forces

4.3.1. Task forces may be created by mutual agreement of the co-chairs.

4.3.2. The time allocation for preparation, attendance at meetings and other related activities including length of commission of the task force are agreed by the co-chairs.

4.3.3. A task force makes recommendations to the Committee.

4.4. Workplace Inspections

4.4.1. Workplace inspections are carried out in compliance with the Act.

4.4.2. The inspection schedule is reviewed by the Committee at least annually.

4.4.3. A manager representing the College normally accompanies the member representing the workers on all workplace inspections.

4.5. Training

The College makes provisions for member training at no cost to the employee.

4.6. Member Activity Log

Each member completes a member activity log on a monthly basis and submits the completed log to the College designate.

5. AMENDMENT AND RESOLUTION

5.1. Resolution on matters before a Committee takes the form of either: a direction from the Committee to take some action by the Committee as a whole, or by its members; or a recommendation to the College.

5.2. The College sponsor may amend these terms of reference, normally on the recommendation of the College designate or a Committee.

5.3. The College sponsor or designate develops and implements procedures as are necessary to implement and effect these terms of reference.

6. REFERENCES

• Occupational Health and Safety Act (Ontario)
• College Terms of Reference TOR03: Senior Leadership Council

7. ADDENDA

• Appendix A: College Workplace JHSCs

Appendix A: COLLEGE WORKPLACE JHSCS

ToRID & Title: TOR06: JOINT HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMITTEES
Addendum: Appendix A: COLLEGE WORKPLACE JHSCS
Issued by: Chief Infrastructure Officer, Facilities Management and Community Safety
Effective: 2023-04-03

1. Purpose

The purpose of this document is to identify College workplaces that meet the criteria of the Act for the establishment of a Committee, as outlined in section 3.1 of this terms of reference.

2. Four-Member Committees

The following College workplaces meet the criteria for a four-member Committee:

• Centre for Applied Transportation Technology, Z-building, 1764 Oxford Street East, London
• Aviation Centre, Y-building, 1000 Air Ontario Drive PVT, London
• Simcoe/Norfolk Regional Campus, 634 Ireland Road, Simcoe
• Woodstock/Oxford Regional County Campus, 369 Finkle Street, Woodstock

3. Eight-Member Committees

The following College workplaces meet the criteria for an eight-member Committee:

• London Campus, 1001 Fanshawe College Boulevard, London
• Howard W. Rundle Building, London Downtown Campus, 137 Dundas Street, London
• St. Thomas/Elgin Regional Campus, 120 Bill Martyn Parkway, St. Thomas