Occupational Health & Safety (a) It is a mutual interest of the parties to promote health and safety in workplaces and to prevent and reduce the occurrence of workplace injuries and occupational diseases. The parties agree that health and safety is of the utmost importance and agree to promote health and safety and wellness throughout the organization. The employer shall provide orientation and training in health and safety to new and current employees on an ongoing basis, and employees shall attend required health and safety training sessions. Accordingly, the parties fully endorse the responsibilities of employer and employee under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, making particular reference to the following:
Occupational Health and Safety Committee The Employer and the Union agree to cooperate in the promotion of safe working conditions, the prevention of accidents, the prevention of workplace injuries and the promotion of safe workplace practices.
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY 47 22.1 Statutory Compliance 47 22.2 Occupational Health and Safety Committee 47 22.3 Unsafe Work Conditions 49 22.4 Investigation of Accidents 49 22.5 Occupational First Aid Requirements and Courses 49 22.6 Occupational Health and Safety Courses 50 22.7 Injury Pay Provisions 50 22.8 Transportation of Accident Victims 50 22.9 Working Hazards 51 22.10 Video Display Terminals 51 22.11 Safety Equipment 51 22.12 Dangerous Goods, Special Wastes and Pesticides & Harmful Substances 51 22.13 Communicable Diseases 51 22.14 Workplace Violence 51 22.15 Pollution Control 52 22.16 Working Conditions 52 22.17 Asbestos 52 22.18 Employee Safety Travelling to and from Work 52 22.19 Strain Injury Prevention 52 ARTICLE 23 - TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE 53 23.1 Definition 53 23.2 Notice 53 23.3 Commencing Negotiations 53 23.4 Failure to Reach Agreement 53 23.5 Training Benefits 53 23.6 Transfer Arrangements 54 23.7 Severance Arrangements 54 ARTICLE 24 - CONTRACTING OUT 54 24.1 Contracting Out 54 24.2 Additional Limitation on Contracting Out 54 ARTICLE 25 - HEALTH AND WELFARE 55 25.1 Basic Medical Insurance 55 25.2 Benefit Entitlement for Part-Time Regular Employees 55 25.3 Extended Health Care Plan 55 25.4 Dental Plan 56 25.5 Group Life 56 25.6 Accidental Death and Dismemberment 56 25.7 Business Travel Accident Policy 57 25.8 WorkSafeBC Claim 57 25.9 Employment Insurance 57 25.10 Medical Examination 57 25.11 Legislative Changes 57 25.12 Employee and Family Assistance Program 57 (v) 25.13 Health and Welfare Plans 57 25.14 Designation of Spouse 58 ARTICLE 26 - WORK CLOTHING 58 26.1 Protective Clothing 58 26.2 Union Label 58 26.3 Uniforms 58 26.4 Maintenance of Clothing 58 26.5 Lockers 58
Accident Prevention Health and Safety Committee (a) The Employer and the Union agree that they mutually desire to maintain standards of safety and health in the Hospital in order to prevent accidents, injury and illness. its responsibilities under the applicable legislation, the Hospital agrees to accept as a member of its Accident Prevention Health and Safety Committee at least one representative selected or appointed by the Union from amongst bargaining unit employees. Such Committee shall identify potential dangers and hazards, institute means of improving health and safety programs and recommend actions to be taken to improve conditions related to safety and health. The Hospital agrees to co-operate reasonably in providing necessary information to enable the Committee to its functions. Meetings shall be held every second month or more fre- quently at the call of the Chair if required. The Committee shall maintain minutes of all meetings and make the same available for review. Any representative appointed or selected in accordance with hereof shall serve for a term of one calendar year from the date of appointment which may be renewed for further periods of one year. Time off for such representative(s) to attend meetings of the Accident Prevention Health Safety Committee in accordance with the foregoing shall be granted and time so spent attending such meetings shall be deemed to be work time for which the representative(s) shall be paid by the Hospital at his regular or premium rate as may be applicable. The Union agrees to endeavour to obtain the full co- operation of its membership in the observation of all safety rules and practices. Pregnant employees may request to be transferred from their current duties if, in the professional opinion of the employee's physician, the pregnancy may be at risk. If such a transfer is not feasible, the pregnant employee, if she so requests, will be granted an unpaid leave of absence before commencement of the maternity leave referred to in Article Where the Hospital identifies high risk areas where employees are exposed to Hepatitis the Hospital will provide, at no cost to the employees, a Hepatitis B vaccine.