A Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) embodies safety, support, and balance by being a collaborative body that equally represents both workers and management. This balanced structure is the foundation of the Internal Responsibility System (IRS) in Ontario, where all workplace parties share responsibility for health and safety. This principle forms the foundation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA).
What Are The Provisions For JHSC In The Occupational Health and Safety Act?
Most employers in Ontario with 20 or more employees are required to have a Joint Health and Safety Committee. According to the Occupational Health and Safety Act, a committee must have a minimum of two certified members to be considered valid.
To provide balance and representation to the committee, the two certified members must be equally represented by workers and management. Therefore, certification for at least one worker representative and one management representative is required for legal compliance with the OHSA for employers with 20 or more employees but with fewer than 50 employees.
For organizations with more than 50 employees, a committee with at least 4 certified members is mandatory, as per the OHSA.
We strongly recommend getting your chosen team’s members certified. You could schedule a course for the same window in which you have planned working at heights training, for example. That way, you could save time and gain relevant certifications.
How Does JHSC Ensure Safety At The Workplace?
A Joint Health and Safety Committee is the bedrock that supports safety within the workplace. While the IRS is based on the idea that workers and employers cooperate to ensure safety by jointly identifying, assessing, and controlling workplace hazards, the JHSC is supposed to provide relevant recommendations to the employer for improvement for the health and safety of their workers.
Their functions may sound overlapping, but it is the duty of responsible employers to realize the benefits of workplace safety within their organization so their people, property, and business can be protected.
What Is The Purpose Of JHSC Training?
As a key element of a well-functioning workplace’s internal responsibility system, the formation of JHSC requires professionally developed and executed training from a Chief Prevention Officer (CPO)-approved provider like Act First Safety.
The purpose of the training is to help a group of learners interact, communicate and share workplace experiences, thus paving the way for a committee’s future success.
The training provider should be following the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD) requirements and provide foundational information (Part 1) and specific workplace-relevant information (Part 2) – all of which we do at Act First Safety.
What Are The Steps To Achieving JHSC Certification?
Certification is a two-part process. Part 1 - Basic Certification and Part 2 - Workplace-Specific Hazard training. Both must be completed within a year of each other for full certification. There was a time, coming out of the Covid lockdown, that one-time extensions were granted by the Ministry to extend the span between Part 1 and Part 2 training courses, but the practice has since been abandoned as businesses are now fully operational.
Part 1 of JHSC Training
Part 1 training is considered basic in that it covers the basic knowledge like locating and interpreting legislation, recognizing hazards, the hierarchy of controls, understanding hazard assessment tools and so much more. This safety training is foundational for new committee members, enabling them to understand their vital role in workplace safety. It equips them with the necessary tools and skills for success that will continue to develop through Part 2 of the course and Refresher training.
Part 2 of JHSC Training
Part 2 training explores specific hazards that are relevant to the uniqueness of specific workplaces or industries and sectors.
Topics covered in Part 2 training may include common hazards such as working at heights, ladders, slips, trips and falls, indoor air quality, and workplace violence and harassment. Once hazards are recognized and assessed, controls that might be explored by the employer include working at heights training, aerial lift training, mask fit testing, and asbestos training, among others.
These are just examples of what certified committee members would be required to consider as part of their duties to control hazards.
When Is Refresher Training Required?
According to the Ministry, in general, JHSC certification is valid for three years after the successful completion of an approved JHSC Part 2 training program. Of course, representatives must complete both Part 1 and Part 2 certification training and receive training from a CPO-approved training provider like Act First Safety.
That said, after three years, certified members must complete a refresher JHSC course to maintain the validity of their certification.
If refresher training is not completed within the three-year renewal period, members must begin the process again by completing both JHSC Part 1 and Part 2 training, which is a five-day commitment. The duration of the program is given below:
Duration of Training
- JHSC – Part 1 is 3 days
- JHSC – Part 2 is 2 days
- JHSC – Refresher is 1 day
One-day refresher training includes a review of key concepts from Part 1 and Part 2 JHSC training; relevant updates to legislation, standards, codes of practice, occupational health and safety best practices; and, an opportunity for certified members to share and explore solutions and discuss specific challenges faced by their committees.
During the course, it is a great idea to discuss the successes and obstacles faced by external committee members within the class to assist learners with the progress of their own committees. These shared experiences provide precious value beyond the course curriculum.
Common challenges faced by committee members may include hazard recognition, organizing meetings and their respective agendas, workplace inspections, and getting employer and worker buy-in when new ideas, equipment, concepts, and policies are presented. The opportunity to openly discuss these types of challenges is invaluable in a well-facilitated and safe environment among peers.
What Are The Additional Criteria For The Formation Of JHSC Committees?
Apart from what we have discussed above, the Ministry has made it mandatory for certain types of workplaces to have a JHSC. These include:
- As per Clause 9(2)(a), workplaces that regularly have 20 or more workers need to have a JHSC. Note that workers taking part in community participation (workfare) under the Ontario Works Act, 1997, are not counted for the purpose of determining whether there are 20 or more workers regularly employed.
- Clauses 9(2)(a) and 9(1)(a) of the OHSA state that construction projects that employ 20 or more workers regularly for a minimum period of 3 months must have a JHSC.
- Clause 9(2)(c) states that any workplace (other than specified construction projects) to which a designated substance regulation applies, even if there are fewer than 20 workers regularly employed in the workplace, should have a JHSC.
- According to Clause 9(2)(b), any workplace where a Director’s order has been issued under section 33 of the Act, even if there are fewer than 20 workers regularly employed in the workplace, must form a JHSC.
- Any workplace or construction project in which the Ministry has ordered the employer or constructor to establish a committee [subsection 9(3)].
Farming businesses that consistently employ 20 or more workers in roles connected to mushroom production, greenhouse cultivation, or the raising of dairy cattle, hogs, beef cattle, or poultry should form a JHSC.
You can find more information on the MLITSD website.
Employers in Ontario with 50 or more employees are required to have four committee members with the same equal representation from workers and management. The Ministry advises that joint health and safety committees reflect the workforce of the whole workplace. For example, if a workplace has a plant, office, laboratory, and warehouse, ideally, the committee should include representatives from each of these areas.
To ensure compliance, employers with multiple worksites across the province should check with the Ministry for clarification about the specific requirements expected of them. There is a lot of information and guidance available on the Ministry website that will help you better understand the concept of multi-workplace joint health and safety committees.
The Ministry will strictly enforce the validity of JHSC recertification to ensure that employers continue to support the internal responsibility system in their workplaces. This means ensuring that certified members maintain certification by completing JHSC Refresher training as required.
Building a robust safety system within an organization instills confidence in staff, reinforcing that people are a top priority. Securing exceptional safety training, like JHSC Part 1, JHSC Part 2, and JHSC Refresher when needed, to support this mission are foundational investment in the future.
Conclusion
Now that you know of the importance and role of the JHSC in workplace safety, you must find a reliable Chief Prevention Officer (CPO)-approved provider to enroll your chosen team members in the course. Act First Safety is a renowned provider of many certified worker safety programs, ranging from working at heights and aerial lift training to JHSC certification, Parts 1 and 2. Contact us to check the dates of our industry-leading training programs offered all across Ontario.
FAQs
What is JHSC?
Standing for Joint Health and Safety Committee, it is a workplace committee composed of members that represent both the employers and the workers of a particular workplace in Ontario. The committee can only be formed if a workplace employs a minimum of 20 workers on a regular basis. It must have at least 2 certified members.
What is the purpose of JHSC?
The core purpose of JHSC is to recognize hazards present at the workplace and suggest appropriate recommendations to ensure worker safety onsite. It also serves the dual purpose of ensuring compliance with OHSA rules and regulations across Ontario worksites.
Does Act First Safety offer CPO-approved JHSC certification?
Yes, we do. Led by expert instructors, our CPO-approved JHSC course is divided into two parts - Part 1 and Part 2. It is designed to cover both theoretical and practical skills that members need to be a part of the committee.
