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Ontario Safety Committee Rules

A health and safety committee in Ontario, Canada, is one that comprises two or more members in an organization who implement policies, procedures and rules to enhance safety in a workplace. According to the Occupational Health and Safety Act in Ontario, joint health and safety committees are mandatory in workplaces that employ more than 19 workers.

  1. Committee Formation

    • Every health and safety committee consists of members that represent the employer and the employees in the organization. The management chooses the committee members that will represent it and the workers, or the union will decide on their representative(s). In general, the health and safety committee must have a minimum of two members if the workplace has between 20 and 50 workers. If the number of workers is 50 or more, there must be at least four members representing all the different divisions. The number of management members must not be greater than the number of workers in the committee.

    Conduct Inspections and Make Policies

    • The health and safety committee has the power to conduct inspections of the workplace and identify potential hazards. The committee will then report any findings to the employer, who must respond within 21 days. The committee plays a vital role in the formulation of safety policies and procedures that make the workplace safer for every worker. The committee must also maintain records related to injuries, deaths and workplace hazards.

    Frequency of Meetings

    • The safety committee will meet at least once every three months. The employer will allow members to take the required time off from work and pay them at the regular pay rate. The employer will also pay the committee members at their regular pay rate for inspections or other duties related to the safety committee. The committee members will maintain minutes that record the happenings and decisions made at every meeting.

    Role of the Employer

    • The employer must educate all employees about the presence of hazardous situations or substances in the workplace. It is the employer’s responsibility to ensure that all the necessary information regarding health and safety policies is available to every employee. The employer must also provide training to each employee and advise him of the possible hazards he may encounter during work. The employer must only recruit persons who are above the required age limit and also take every precaution to protect workers. Whenever the health and safety committee makes any recommendations or requests information, the employer must oblige and co-operate fully.

    Role of the Worker

    • If a worker encounters a risky or dangerous situation at work, he must report it to his manager. If no action is taken, he must notify the healthy and safety committee. Every employee has the right to refuse work in a hazardous setting. In case of an accident or injury, the worker must report the incident to his employer and the safety committee.

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