When your JHSC member needs a Refresher
Introduction
Most employers in Ontario with 20 or more employees are required to have a Joint Health and Committee (JHSC). According to the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), the committee is composed of at least two certified committee members. 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.
The Role of the JHSC
A Joint Health and Safety Committee is one of the cornerstones that support a principle called the Internal Responsibility System (IRS). This principle is what the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) was built on. It is based on the idea that workers and employers work in cooperation to identify, assess and control workplace safety hazards and provide recommendations to the employer for improvement for the health and safety of workers.
Purpose of Training
As a key element of a well-functioning workplace internal responsibility system, professionally developed and executed training from a CPO-approved training provider like Act First Safety to a group of learners able to interact, communicate and share workplace experiences provides the foundation for a committee’s future success.
Steps to Certification
Certification is a two-part process, Part 1 – Basic Certification and Part 2 – Workplace-Specific Hazard Training. Both must be completed within 6 months of each other for certification. One-time extensions are available and granted by the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development.
When Refresher Training is 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.
After three years certified members must successfully complete a refresher program to keep certification valid. If refresher training is not completed within the three year renewal period, members must begin the process again by completing JHSC Part 1 and Part 2, a five day commitment.
One-day refresher training includes a review of key concepts from Part One and Part Two training; relevant updates to legislation, standards, codes of practice, and occupational health and safety best practices; and, an opportunity for certified members to share and discuss best practices and challenges.
More on When Committees are Required
The Ministry explains that workplaces that require committees include:
• any workplace that regularly employs 20 or more workers [clause 9(2)(a)]. 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
• construction projects on which 20 or more workers are regularly employed and expected to last three months or more [clauses 9(2)(a) and 9(1)(a)]
• any workplace (other than specified construction projects) to which a designated substances regulation applies, even if there are fewer than 20 workers regularly employed in the workplace [clause 9(2)(c)]
• 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 [clause 9(2)(b)]
• any workplace or construction project in respect of which the Minister of Labour has ordered the employer or constructor to establish a committee [subsection 9(3)]
• farming operations at which 20 or more workers are regularly employed and have duties related to mushroom, greenhouse, dairy, hog, cattle or poultry farming. Detailed information is available in the Ministry of Labour’s Health and safety committees and representatives in farming.
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 recommends that joint health and safety committees be representative of the entire workplace. For example, if a workplace has a plant, office, laboratory and warehouse, the committee should include representatives from each of these areas.
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.