Communications & Meetings > OHS Representatives / Committees

In Saskatchewan, the OHS Act requires a committee to be established in a workplace where 10 or more workers are employed. Where there are less than 10 employees a representative has to be identified. All committee members and representatives have the same duties / obligations, they must be elected by the workers and their names have to be posted. The OHS Committee will meet quarterly.

HSE Committees or Representatives shall use the following mandate:

HSE Committee Objectives:

•To be a working group to develop an effective HSE Management System.

•To solicit input from field employee representatives on the completeness and effectiveness of the HSE programs and initiatives. This input will help to ensure that HSE programs are realistic and meet Company and field operations’ needs.

•To provide employees with a process, through committee representation, to present HSE concerns and suggestions for improvement of Power Tech Industries Ltd. HSE initiatives.

Member’s General Responsibilities:

•To fairly represent all workers’ health and safety concerns and to recommend corrective actions to resolve these concerns.

•To participate in scheduled inspections of production facilities as identified in the planned inspection section of the HSE Program manual.

•To review proposed health and safety standards, policies and procedures to ensure they meet the needs of the Company and operating areas.

•To assist in the investigation of incidents. To review each of these losses and recommend further corrective action.

•To assist in planning / organizing other area health and safety initiatives such as training, incentive programs, emergency response exercises, etc.

•To facilitate and ensure that all of the health and safety program elements are completed as required.

•A representative may call a special meeting with an employer to deal with urgent concerns, imminent dangers to health or safety or investigations of accidents or dangerous occurrences.

Structure:

•The HSE Committee will ensure adequate employee representation from each operating area. Employees from each area will choose committee members, or members will volunteer. Worker representatives will make up at least half the committee.

•The committee members will select a Chairperson and Co-Chairperson. One of these positions will be filled by a worker representative and one by a management representative.

•The committee shall hold its first meeting within two weeks after being established and hold three subsequent meetings at intervals not exceeding one month.

•Meetings will be held quarterly with no less than four meetings being held in a year. At the last meeting of each year, a schedule for the next year’s meetings will be established.

•Members will be designated for a term not exceeding three years.

•Members of the committee hold office until a successor is designated, and may be re-designated for a second or subsequent term.

•A quorum consists of one-half of the members of a committee where representatives of both employers and workers are present, and at least one-half of the members present represent workers.

•Any business of a committee that is transacted where a quorum is not present is not validly transacted, and any meeting of a committee that is held where a quorum is not present is not a valid meeting of the committee.

Specific Responsibilities:

All Committee members / HSE Representative will:

•Attempt to attend all meetings. A designate representative may attend in the place of the member, but only in extreme circumstances. We need to ensure some consistency in membership.

•Let the Chairperson know at least a day before a planned absence and of the attendance of a designate.

•Solicit concerns from their areas of operation; keep employees informed of Company safety initiatives and committee activities.

•Follow up to assigned concerns by the specified dates.

•Come prepared to the meeting with an update on assigned responsibilities.

•Assist in the organization of general safety meetings and other program initiatives.

•Report any other related safety issues or hazards to the committee.

•Assist in worksite planned inspections

Management will provide / allow for the additional time commitment for Committee members to do their duties or attend required training seminars. This may require additional temporary staff or contractors to handle the work load or the provision of additional resources as required.

Chairman’s responsibility:

•Arrange for a suitable meeting place.

•Prepare the agenda.

•Present concerns / recommendations to management when required and act as the liaison between management and the committee.

•Ensure that all identified concerns and corrective actions are assigned and completed by the specified date.

•The Chairperson does not keep minutes or take responsibility for action items arising from the meetings.

Secretary responsibilities:

•Assist the Chair is fulfilling his duties.

•Take minutes during the meeting, ensure that the minutes are legible or typed, and post a copy of the minutes at a location that is readily accessible to workers at the place of employment until all concerns recorded in the minutes are resolved.

•Ensure time distribution of minutes.

Training:

Committee chair and co-chair members will complete the first and second level of OH&S training, which includes incident investigation techniques. All other members will receive Level 1 training on the duties and responsibilities of the committee.

Standing Agenda:

The Chairperson will prepare an agenda of meetings at least a week before the meeting, after consultation with each member. Meetings should be kept to a maximum of two hours in duration. The agenda format should be based on the following:

OLD BUSINESS:

•This time should be dedicated to a brief update on outstanding items by those who were assigned to complete follow up actions by a specified date.

INCIDENT REVIEW.

•Immediate and underlying causes of the loss should be identified before the meeting. The meeting is not intended to be part of the investigation, but information sharing. If other actions are identified in the meeting, this should be recorded on the report and assigned for follow up action.

REVIEW OF NEW BUSINESS / CONCERNS:

•This should be the focus of the meeting and should be program developed based. These items should be identified on the agenda. This should also include a review of other safety activities / initiatives (such as inspections, training, meetings, etc.).

PRIORITIZE & ASSIGN ITEMS FOR FOLLOW UP

Minutes:

HSE Committee meeting minutes will be kept using the OHS format. The meeting minutes will be forwarded to OHS by the Committee Chair within two weeks of the date of the meeting. Minutes will also include:

•Next scheduled meeting time, date and location

•Attendance

•Person(s) to whom the minutes should be copied

•A list of action items with individuals assigned responsibility for corrective action by a specified date.

Rules:

•Only one person will speak at a time and only one concern will be addressed at a time. The Chair will maintain control of the meeting.

•A plan of action should have been thought out before the meeting with a proposal for correction of the problem. Don’t just bring problems - suggest solutions.

•Do not try to solve a problem or concern in the meeting. Identify the problem, limit the discussion to 10 minutes, identify any course of action discussed and assign the course of action to a member for follow up or update by a specified date. This action may just be for the member to think about / research a possible solution and make a proposal by the next meeting.

•Responsibility for action items will be shared equally, except by the Chairperson.

•Other people will be instructed not to interrupt the meeting unless there is an emergency.