Joint Health and Safety Committees
One of the most important battles Alberta workers have won is the right to be involved in the workplace decisions that impact our safety. This generally takes the form of a joint health and safety committee with equal representation from workers and the employer.
After all, if strong health and safety provisions are not in place and enforced by the employer, it is workers who are in danger. Too many workplace fatalities could have been prevented with more proactive planning with direct input from workers on the job.
Alberta Bill 47 proposes radical changes to the workplace health and safety laws, including the thousands of joint health and safety committees (JHSCs) across the province.
Document iconDownload Fightback Factsheet #2 - Bill 47 and Joint Health and Safety Committees
- All employers and worksites with more than 20 employees must have a JHSC
- Mandatory committee member training
- Workers select their representatives
- JHSC involved at every stage of prevention
- Many worksites with more than 20 workers exempted from JHSC requirement
- No training requirements
- Unclear how worker representatives are selected
- Limited JHSC involvement and roles