Doug Gaetz
Next meeting of the National Health & Safety Policy Committee will take place March 7, 2019.
I would also like to take this opportunity on behalf of UTE Health & Safety Committee to thank Annick Lamoureux, President representative on the committee, for her contributions and wish her all the best in her new role as PSAC representative.
On January 23 and 25, 2019, the UTE met with AFS and CRA representatives as part of the workplace violence and psychological health and safety working groups.
The workplace violence working (WPV) group:
- approved the WPV toolkit, which includes among other documents a standard complaint form, a competent person investigation form and a series of template letters for managers to use at each step of the procedures (the toolkit is currently being reviewed by upper management and should soon appear on InfoZone);
- confirmed that the CRA is no longer using excluded CRA employees to conduct competent person investigations. Instead, it is using a roster of third parties forming part of a standing offer through Treasury Board. The number of competent persons in this roster has recently doubled from five to ten, which the working group hopes will reduce delays in completing WPV investigations.
The psychological health and safety working group:
- resolved to develop an action plan, including developing a course for health and safety committees and communication pieces that would better inform members of the mental health/wellness tools already available to them;
- discussed ways to conduct a job hazard analysis as recommended by the Mental Health Taskforce in its third Report on Mental Health in the Workplace.
The UTE also received an update on the upcoming Incident Reporting and Disability Management System (IRDMS). It is currently being tested in a handful of offices across the country, including sites in Sudbury and Montreal, with the goal of gathering feedback and working out any kinks. The launch date is unknown at this time.
Respectfully submitted,
Doug Gaetz
Chair of the Committee