Joint Work Site Health and Safety Committee

As your business grows and you hire more people, you’ll have to take on extra duties to health and safety. The most important is appointing a health and safety rep (HSR) or creating a Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC). This is a person or body made of management and workers committed to the safety of the entire organization. JHSCs must comply with the Manitoba Workplace Safety and Health Act. 

Whether you have an HSR or a JHSC will depend on the headcount. The rules are:  

  • Businesses with 20 or more employees must establish a Workplace Safety and Health Committee. 
  • Businesses with 5-19 employees must appoint a Safety and Health Representative. 

Under Manitoba’s safety and health legislation, everyone has a duty to keep workplaces safe. This includes employers, supervisors, and employees.

Are there any advantages to having a JHSC?

A JHSC gives workers a chance to help draft policy. This means the policy will reflect the needs of workers, which leads to a safer workplace. It also leads to: 

  • Reduction in injuries. 
  • Lower injury costs. 
  • Decreases compensation board premiums. 
  • Better employee morale. 
  • Increased productivity. 

Don’t hesitate to give our experts a call if you need help creating a JHSC or appointing an HSR.

Your responsibilities as an employer

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

  • Respond to any committee recommendations within 30 days.
  • Install an accessible bulletin board.
  • Provide a place for the committee to meet. 
  • Alert the committee about the new equipment, procedures, or new substances/materials. 

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 JHSCs 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 (204) 201-1614.