HEALTH AND SAFETY 11.01 The Parties to this Collective Agreement will cooperate to the fullest extent in the matter of occupational health, safety and accident prevention. The Employer will require that Employees utilize safety equipment and devices as required by the Occupational Health and Safety Code. Required safety equipment and devices will be provided where necessary by the Employer. The Employer and Employees will take reasonable steps to eliminate, reduce or minimize all workplace safety hazards. 11.02 The Employer shall establish a Health and Safety Committee(s) which shall be composed of representatives of the Employer and at least one (1) Employee representative of the Union and may include representatives of other employee groups. Where practical, the Union shall have two (2) representatives sit on the Committee(s). This Committee shall meet at least once a month. 11.03 The number of Employer representatives on the Committee shall not exceed the number of representatives from the Union and other employee groups. The Committee will, on an annual basis, discuss and determine the most effective means of chairing meetings. 11.04 The Basic Rate of Pay shall be paid to an Employee representative for time spent in attendance at a meeting of this Committee. 11.05 The Employer shall not unreasonably deny Employee representatives of the Health and Safety Committee(s) access to the workplace to conduct safety inspections. 11.06 The Committee shall consider such matters as occupational health and safety including responsibility for communication and education as required. The Union may make recommendations to the Employer in that regard. 11.07 The Health and Safety Committee shall also consider measures necessary to protect the security of each Employee on the Employer’s premises and may make recommendations to the Employer in that regard. (a) If an issue arises regarding occupational health or safety, the Employee or Union shall first seek to resolve the issue through discussion with the applicable immediate supervisor in an excluded management position. If the issue is not resolved satisfactorily, it may then be forwarded, in writing, to the Committee. The Committee shall meet within ten (10) days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and Named Holidays) of receiving a written issue regarding occupational health and safety. (b) Should an issue not be resolved by the Committee, the issue shall be referred to the Senior Program Officer, or designate(s) with accountability for Workplace Health & Safety. A resolution meeting between the Union and the Senior Program Officer, or Designate(s), shall take place within twenty- one (21) calendar days of the issue being referred to the Senior Program Officer. The Senior Program Officer or designate(s) shall reply in writing to the Union within seven (7) days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and Named Holidays). (c) Should an issue not be resolved by the Senior Program Officer, or Designate(s) the issue shall be referred to the Chief Executive Officer (or Designate). A resolution meeting between the Union and the CEO (or Designate) shall take place within twenty-one (21) calendar days of the issue being referred to the CEO. The CEO (or Designate) shall reply in writing to the Union within seven (7) calendar days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and Named Holidays). (d) Should the issue remain unresolved following the CEO’s written response, the Union may request and shall have the right to present its recommendation(s) to the governing Board. The governing Board shall reply in writing to the Union within twenty-eight (28) calendar days of the presentation by the Union. 11.09 The Employer shall have in place a Workplace Violence Prevention and Response Policy (that includes harassment and bullying), and working alone policies and procedures to support a working alone safety plan which adheres to the Occupational Health and Safety legislation. 11.10 The Employer shall have a process in place to protect the Employees in situations that could impact the safety of the Employees in the workplace such as: isolation/contagious disease communication and notification of violent patient/resident. 11.11 Employer policies, plans and procedures related to Occupational Health & Safety shall be reviewed annually by the Committee. 11.12 Where the Employer requires that the Employee receive specific immunization and titre, as a result of or related to their work, it shall be provided at no cost. (a) Occupational Health & Safety education, training and instruction shall be provided to Employees, at the Basic Rate of Pay, to fulfill the requirements for training, instruction or education set out in the Occupational Health and Safety Act, Regulation or Code. (b) The Employer shall provide training at no cost to all Employees on the Committee to assist them in performing their duties on the Committee. Such training shall be provided at the Employee’s basic rate of pay. 11.14 When introducing a regularly scheduled shift that begins or ends between the hours of twenty-four hundred (2400) and zero six hundred (0600), the Employer will notify the Union.
