Health and safety committees are an important institution in the North American workplace. In Canada, the provincial occupational health and safety laws typically require employers to establish a joint health and safety committee (JHSC), or, if it's a smaller company, to designate a health and safety representative in lieu of a JHSC. In the U.S., committees are voluntary for most industries. Many companies also agree to establish them under collective bargaining.

In either case, the potential exists for JHSCs to play a vital role in a company's health and safety efforts. However, to achieve that potential, JHSCs must overcome administrative and organizational problems. They must have processes in place so committee members can act to diagnose safety problems and recommend workable solutions to address them. Part 1 of this series will outline a simple six-step process JHSCs can use to meet this challenge. There's also a briefing card explaining the process in the Tools section of SafetyXChange. Next week, in Part 2, I'll present a case study showing the process at work.

Preparing for Implementation

Although the six-step process outlined in this article is straightforward, you will need a facilitator to help you implement it. I suggest that at your next JHSC meeting you appoint someone to fulfill this role, a coach if you will.

The coach needs to spend some time familiarizing himself or herself with the six steps of the method and what's involved in overseeing it. The coach should be prepared to brief everybody at the subsequent meeting. The Briefing Card in Tools can come in handy for this purpose. Thereafter, the coach should keep the process on track and answer questions and concerns from other JHSC members.

Let's now look at the six steps of the actual process:

Step 1: Defining the Problem

Committee members should all share a clear definition of whatever problem they are wrestling with. Only then will they all focus on the same issues, share ideas and work together as a team. You need to ask key questions about the problem, such as:

• Is the problem real or just imagined?
• Is the JHSC the appropriate forum to discuss it?
• What are the symptoms of the problem?
• How urgent is it?
• What are the timeframes involved - when does it occur and when does it have to be solved?

When you write out answers to these questions, and sift through the results, you will have a written definition of the problem. Now, you can consider the defined problem in more detail.

Step 2: Diagnosing the Problem

Committee members need as much information as possible about the problem so they can determine what's at the root of it. They need to know when and where the problem arises, why it occurs and who's involved.

Step 3: Brainstorming Solutions

Once the problem has been diagnosed, solutions may be considered. Committee members should look at a number of options. To do this, they should brainstorm and come up with as many ideas as possible. Members should be encouraged to use their imagination and not criticize each other for suggesting ideas. Aim for quantity. Quality is also important and it will come. But for now the challenge is to get as many ideas as possible on the table.

Step 4: Selecting a Solution

Committee members will be justifiably proud of the long list of possible solutions they collect. But next they need to consider which of their ideas are feasible. Keep in mind that most JHSCs can make only recommendations. So the solution or solutions they suggest must win management support. Committee members thus need to consider the options in light of the company's financial and human resources. They also need to consider which solution will be the most reliable, the most cost-effective.

Step 5: Implementing a Solution

The JHSC needs to have a plan for implementing the solution they recommend. The plan should lay out:

• The actions recommended;
• Who's responsible for putting those actions in effect; and
• Deadlines for implementation.

Step 6: Evaluating the Outcome

Evaluation will tell committee members whether their problem-solving and decision-making approach worked. This will enable the committee to suggest adjustments and at least prepare them to deal with similar problems next time. To do this, members need to decide what to evaluate. Suggestions:

• Did the problem-solving and decision-making process work?
• Did people understand it?
• How might it be improved?
• Was the recommended solution actually implemented?
• If not, why not? If so, did it work?

Conclusion

Why bother with this elaborate process? Answer: Because solving problems as a team helps to ensure that everyone on the committee has an opportunity to be heard. The systematic nature of the questioning helps to get to the root of a situation. Writing down decisions helps to clarify them. Solving the problem together helps to build a common understanding and a common sense of purpose.

MEMBER REPLY

Contractor Safety Form

I recommend that you add a line to your Model Form on tracking the whereabouts and safety training of contractors' workers:

"7. Does the Contractors certificate of insurance meet ABC Company's insurance requirements?"

Annamarie M. Gibbs, CSP, CRIS
Senior Vice President
Manager, Risk Control Services

THE LAW OF JHSCs

Does a company have to establish a Joint Health & Safety Committee? The answer depends on where the company is and how many workers it has.

U.S.: The federal OSHA law doesn't require companies to have JHSCs. The Bloodborne Pathogens standards says companies must consult with workers on the selection of devices to guard against sharps injuries. This seems to suggest that the company create a JHSC. But the standard never comes out and says this.

In addition, although OSHA is a national law, states may adopt more stringent standards. That may include requiring a JHSC. Some states have in fact done this.

Canada: In Canada, it's mandatory for companies of certain sizes to have JHSCs. The threshhold is generally about 25 workers at the workplace. Smaller companies might have to appoint a health and safety representative in lieu of a committee.

The lone exception is Alberta. Companies in this province need not have a committee or representative unless the government specifically orders them to.

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