Joint Work Site Health and Safety Committee

As your business grows and you hire more people, you’ll have to take on extra health and safety duties. The most important is appointing a Health and Safety Representative (HSR) or creating a Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee (JOHSC). These committees are elsewhere known as Joint Health and Safety Committees (JHSC). This is a person or body made of management and workers committed to the safety of the entire organization. 

JOHSCs must comply with Occupation Health and Safety Legislation (OHS). JOHSCs are also bound by the Workers Compensation Act and The Occupational Health and Safety Regulation.  

Whether you have an HSR or a JOHSC will depend on headcount.  WorkSafeBC requires:  

  • Businesses with 20+ employees must establish a JOHSC. 
  • Businesses with 9-19 employees must appoint an HSR. The representative must fulfill the same duties as a JOHSC. 
  • Workplaces with 10+ employees that are deemed a medium to high hazard may require a JOHSC. 

JOHSCs bring to light workplace health and safety concerns, giving them the focus they need. The committee is then able to provide and implement solutions to these concerns. 

Are there any advantages to having a JHSC?

JOHSCs give workers a chance to help draft policy. This means the policy will reflect the needs of workers, leading to a safer workplace. Some additional advantages of a JOHSC include: 

  • The opportunity to learn from workers from various industries. 
  • Health and safety education/training, as well as annual health and safety education leave. 

Don’t hesitate to give our experts a call if you need help creating a JOHSC or appointing an HSR. Our business is keeping your business safe.

Your responsibilities as an employer

As an employer, you are responsible for the creation of a JOHSC. Along with this, you’ll also have to: 

  • Respond to JOHSC recommendations. 
  • Provide members with paid time off to perform member-related duties. 
  • Provide members with up to eight hours of paid annual educational leave. 
  • Provide the committee with the necessary resources (i.e. equipment, facilities, etc.). 

The employer is the tone setter for the program as it is your job to create it. This means as the employer the success of your safety and health program will likely rest with you.

Have health and safety questions? Get in touch

Still, have questions about JHSRs or HSRs? Get in touch with our health and safety advisors who will walk you through the entire process. We will help you establish a health and safety committee or appoint a health and safety representative. Call us at 1 (888) 207-0657.