Health and Safety Committee

OVERVIEW

Workplace Safety and Health

Your workplace shouldn’t make you sick. Nor should it place your health and safety at risk. This common sense logic seems unassailable. Yet, UTE members couldn’t always count on legislative protections from an unhealthy or unsafe work environment.

Unbelievable as it may now seem workplace safety and health matters were determined by arbitrary employer policies until the mid-1980s. There were no mechanisms to ensure that policies were enforced.

Only in 1986, after a major three-year PSAC campaign, were federal public service workers included under the Canada Labour Code’s safety and health provisions.

The PSAC continued to play a leadership role on the legislative review of the Code to further improve the rights of their members. In 2000, the Code was amended introducing major changes. It places greater onus on employers and workers to work together to ensure a healthy and safe work environment. The Code requires the employer who normally employs directly 300 workers of more to establish a policy health and safety committee. The purpose is to ensure that health and safety issues are addressed at the corporate level. UTE is an active participant on the Policy Committee.

Jointly with the employer and other unions as members of the Policy Committee, our duties are:

• To participate in the development of health and safety policies and programs;
• to consider and expeditiously dispose of matters concerning health and safety raised by members or referred to it by a workplace committee or a health and safety representative;
• to participate in the development and monitoring of a prevention program that also provides for the education of workers in health and safety matters;
• to monitor data on work accidents, injuries and health hazards; and
• to participate in the planning of the implementation and in the implementation of changes that might affect occupational health and safety.

The UTE also has a National Health and Safety Committee. It consists of two National Officers, one member selected by the Presidents’ Conference and a Labour Relations Officer who acts as a technical advisor.

This UTE Committee is the cornerstone of our efforts to ensure the employer follows both the letter and the spirit of federal safety and health laws and the CCRA Health and Safety policies. Committee members play an important role in providing information, resource material and assistance in resolving issues brought forward by health and safety activists, workplace health and safety committees and Executive members. Critical and important issues are dealt with immediately with the employer.

The committee also prepares and delivers a series of health and safety conferences in order to keep its locals and health and safety activists up to date on current issues and concerns. The Committee issues bulletins on Health and Safety and organizes presentations at the Presidents' conferences. Our members also have access to ongoing PSAC health and safety courses and documentation.

Prior to the creation of the Policy committee, UTE National Health and Safety Committee members were on the National Joint Occupational Safety and Health Committee. NJOSH, with representation from both the UTE and the employer, met twice a year to deal with a wide range of safety and health issues. While initially an informal group with little clout, NJOSH gained importance and stature. It was co-chaired by the ADM of Human Resources and the employer side also included senior managers from personnel, security, administration and other areas as required.

NJOSH allowed for a frank exchange of views on existing and emerging issues. Topics for consideration could range from the activities of local safety and health committees, to the identification of potentially hazardous materials, to specific problems encountered in one particular work site.

Here is just a sampling of the achievements carried out by this committee:

• A new agency policy on safety and health;
• a joint training course for UTE and employer members of local safety and health committees;
• instruction of UTE members to provide this training to local committee members;
• a safety and health booklet for supervisors;
• an “Emergency Procedures” manual to address such issues as fire, bomb threats, power outages and robberies;
• communication guidelines regarding situations where asbestos has been identified;
• an Agency policy against abuse, threats, stalking and assaults by persons outside the CCRA; and
• a joint safety and health video to be used as a training tool for managers.

The UTE also strongly backs the work of its volunteer members of local safety and health committees in workplaces across the country. These women and men deserve our support and appreciation for their dedicated interest in the well-being of their co-workers.

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