Create & Support a Joint Health & Safety Committee (JHSC)

All About Joint Health and Safety Committees

Composed of both employer and worker representatives, the JHSC works to maintain a healthy workplace and resolve any issues that come up. The JHSC is required to meet at least monthly. These meetings are an important opportunity for worker representatives to participate and take ownership by raising health and safety issues that are brought to their attention by their co-workers. This helps to support psychological health and safety in the workplace by giving workers a voice.

Does my business need a JHSC?

If you have 20 or more workers at your business (who have been employed for over a month), then you will need to create a JHSC. A JHSC must have at least four members and at least half of the members must be workers (people who aren’t in managerial roles, don’t participate in the overall direction of the workplace, don’t discipline workers and don’t represent management in labour relations matters).

If you have fewer than 20 workers at your business, but more than nine, you will need to appoint a health and safety representative.

What’s the role of the JHSC or health and safety representative?

Both the JHSC or health and safety representative ensure your workplace is a safe and healthy place. Specifically, they:

• Take note of unhealthy or unsafe situations (physical or psychological) and give advice on ways to respond
• Work with you, as the employer, and workers on issues related to occupational health and safety (for example, working alone procedures or first aid plans)
• Recommend ways to improve health and safety in the workplace, such as educational programs
• Make sure the business is following programs and policies required under the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation
• Tell you about any changes to the workplace that could affect health and safety (for example, new machinery)
• Participate in inspections or investigations, including incident investigations

Note: In workplaces where a worker health and safety representative is required, the representative has the same duties and functions as JHSC, to the extent practicable.

Is there any training involved?

Any new JHSC members who were appointed after April 3, 2017 have to complete eight hours of training on mandated topics within six months of joining the committee that covers mandated topics. Health and safety representatives appointed after April 3, 2017 have to do four hours of training. go2HR offers a training course that covers the mandated training topics, linked below.

Both JHSC members and health and safety representatives are also entitled to eight hours of leave annually to attend health and safety training, which can include webinars, conferences, training courses and other relevant development opportunities.

Are JHSCs evaluated?

Each year, the JHSC must do a written evaluation to assess its effectiveness, which includes considering how its members are working together, reflecting on its successes and considering opportunities for improvement. The JHCS can use its own evaluation tool or the WorkSafeBC version, linked below.

For more information:

• WorkSafeBC JHSC Evaluation Tool (Optional Template)
• WorkSafeBC Handbook for JHSCs
• go2HR JHSC Member Training Course

go2HR is the Human Resources and Health & Safety Association for BC’s tourism and hospitality industry. Our role is to drive strong workforces and safe workplaces that deliver world-class tourism and hospitality experiences in British Columbia.