Health and Safety Committee - What is a Health and Safety Committee?

In Canadian legislation, health and safety committees are mentioned under slightly varying names. We have used the name joint health and safety committee to reflect its composition. The committee may also be known as the joint health and safety committee, occupational health committee, workplace safety and health committee, or occupational health and safety committee.

A health and safety committee (HSC) is a forum for bringing the internal responsibility system into practice. The committee consists of labour and management representatives who meet on a regular basis to deal with health and safety issues. The advantage of a joint committee is that the in-depth practical knowledge of specific tasks (labour) is brought together with a larger overview of company policies and procedures (management). Another significant benefit is the enhancement of cooperation among all parts of the workforce toward solving health and safety problems. In smaller companies with fewer than a specified number of employees, a health and safety representative is generally required. Consult health and safety legislation applicable to your workplace for details.

Please refer to the following OSH Answers documents for more information about health and safety committees:

• Health and Safety Committee – Creation
• Health and Safety Committee – Effective and Efficient
• Health and Safety Committee – Measuring Effectiveness
• Health and Safety Committee – Structure of Meetings

Employers are responsible for establishing health and safety committees. Most Canadian health and safety legislation set guidelines for organizing the committee, the structure of the committee, meeting frequency, and the roles and responsibilities of committee members.

Employers establish terms of reference applicable to the formation, structure and functioning of the committee. Such terms of reference must ensure:

• Compliance with occupational health and safety legislation.
• Effectiveness of the committee in meeting workplace-specific needs.
• Widest possible employee involvement.

While exact roles may vary by jurisdiction, in general, the committee assists the employer to:

• Recognize workplace hazards.
• Evaluate the hazards and risks that may cause incidents, injuries and illness.
• Participate in the development and implementation of programs to protect the employees' safety and health.
• Respond to employee complaints and suggestions concerning safety and health.
• Ensure the maintenance and monitoring of injury and work hazard records.
• Monitor and follow up hazard reports and recommend action.
• Set up and promote programs to improve employee training and education.
• Participate in health and safety inquiries and investigations, as appropriate.
• Consult with professional and technical experts.
• Participate in resolving workplace refusals and work stoppages.
• Make recommendations to management for incident prevention and safety program activities.
• Monitor the effectiveness of safety programs and procedures.

A health and safety committee or the appointment of health and safety representatives is either mandatory or subject to ministerial decisions in all Canadian jurisdictions. Certain types of workplaces may be exempt from this requirement, depending on the size of the workforce, industry, incident record, or some combination of these factors. Consult the most up-to-date applicable legislation to find out what requirements are for your workplace.

The following are references to the provincial and federal legislation, where you will find the requirements for health and safety committees from the different jurisdictions in Canada. Since legislation is amended from time to time, the jurisdictions should be contacted for the most current information. The most recent versions of the legislation can often be accessed directly from the website of the government agency responsible for occupational health and safety.

Canada

Canada Labour Code, Part II (R.S.C. 1985, C. L-2), Sections 135 to 137

Policy Committees, Work Place Committees and Representative Regulations (SOR/2015-164)

(Called: Policy Health and Safety Committees; Work Place Health and Safety Committees)

British Columbia

Workers Compensation Act, (R.S.B.C. 1996 as amended) Part 2, Division 5, Sections 31 to 46

(Called: Joint Health and Safety Committees)

Alberta

Occupational Health and Safety Act (S.A. 2020, O-2.2 as amended), Part 2, Health and Safety Committees and Health and Safety Representatives, Sections 13 to 16

Occupational Health and Safety Code (Reg. 191/2021) Part 13, Joint Health and Safety Committee, Sections 196 to 202

(Called: Joint Health and Safety Committees)

Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan Employment Act (S.S., 2013, c. S-15.1), Sections 3-22 to 3-27

(Called: Occupational Health Committees)

Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, 2020, Part 4, Sections 4-1 to 4-12

Manitoba

Workplace Safety and Health Act (R.S.M. 1987, c. W210), Section 40

Workplace Safety and Health Regulation (Man. Reg. 217/2006), Part 3, Sections 3.1 to 3.9

(Called: Workplace Safety and Health Committees)

Ontario

Occupational Health and Safety Act (R.S.O. 1990, c. O.1), Sections 8 to 11

(Called: Joint Health and Safety Committees)

Quebec (English language legislation)

Act respecting Occupational Health and Safety (R.S.Q., c. S-2.1), Chapter IV, Sections 68 to 86.

And the Regulation respecting health and safety committees (R.R.Q. 1981, c. S-2.1, r. 6.1, O.C. 2025-83)

(Called: Health and Safety Committees)

New Brunswick

Occupational Health and Safety Act (A.N.B. 1983, c. O-0.2), Sections 14 to 18

(Called: Joint Health and Safety Committees)

Nova Scotia

Occupational Health and Safety Act (S.N.S. 1996, c. 7), Sections 29 to 32

(Called: Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committees)

Prince Edward Island

Occupational Health and Safety Act (R.S.P.E.I. 2004, c. 42), Section 25

(Called: Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committees)

Newfoundland

Occupational Health and Safety Act (R.S.N. 1990, c. O-3), Sections 37 to 40

Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, 2012, N.L.R 5/12, Part IV Section 25

(Called: Occupational Health and Safety Committees)

Yukon Territory

Workers' Safety and Compensation Act (S.Y. 2021), Part 3, Division 3, Sections 36 to 43

(Called: Health and Safety Committees)

Northwest Territories

Safety Act (R.S.N.W.T. 1988, c. S-1), Section 7.1

Also:  Occupational Health and Safety Regulations (R-039-2015), Part 4 Sections 37 to 43

(Called: Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee)

Nunavut

Safety Act (R.S.N.W.T. 1988, c. S-1), Section 7.1

Also: Occupational Health and Safety Regulations (R-039-2015), Part 4 Sections 37 to 43

(Called: Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee)

Table One provides brief information about the committees: when they are necessary, size and representation. This summary is intended to provide basic facts. Please consult the legislation applicable to your workplace for exact requirements, including those for construction and project work.

*CNESST = Commission des normes, de l'équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail