Occupational Health & Safety Committees and Representatives

Occupational Health and Safety Committees are required for any workplace with 10 or more employees. Some workplaces with between 5-9 workers are required to appoint an Occupational Health and Safety Representative.

Committees must have at least 2 members and not more than 12 members. Half of the members of the committee must be workers not connected to management.

Members of an committee or a representative are either elected by employees or appointed by a union, if there is one.

Employers are required to post the names of members of the committee or the name of the representative.

Committees and representatives work with employers and workers to help create a healthy and safe work environment, including an environment free from harassment or violence.

The duties of committees and representatives include:

• Helping employers identify and control health and safety hazards in the workplace.
• Talking with workers about health and safety concerns and helping resolve their concerns.
• Receiving and distributing information to workers about health and safety.

Employers must make sure that committee members or representatives have a reasonable opportunity to...

• inform workers about their rights
• receive and investigate concerns during regular working hours

The committee or representative must be provided time to do the above during regular working hours and without loss of pay or other benefits.

If the employer does not resolve a health and safety issue raised by a committee or representative they must provide the committee or representative with written reasons for not doing so. After this the employer, the committee, any member of the committee or the representative can refer the matter to an Occupational Health Officer.