Accident Prevention Health and Safety Committee 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 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 providing necessary information to Committee to its functions. Meetings shall be held every second month or more frequently at the call of--the chair 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 Acci- dent Prevention - Health & Safety Committee in accord- ance 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.
Health and Safety Committees In order to provide a safe and healthful workplace, local unit level LMCs shall establish Health and Safety Committees. Each committee will be composed of an equal number of representatives appointed by the Union and the Employer and will be co-chaired by a Union and Employer representative. A Union representative must be a member of the unit but either party may be accompanied by staff and/or other subject matter experts who may participate, but not vote, at meetings. Each party shall prepare and submit an agenda to the other party one week prior to any scheduled meeting. If neither party submits an agenda, the meeting shall be canceled. Each committee’s general responsibility will be to provide a safe and healthful workplace by recognizing hazards and recommending the abatement of hazards and educational programs. Each committee will: 1. meet on an established schedule; 2. arrange periodic inspections to detect, evaluate and offer recommendations for control of potential health and safety hazards; 3. appoint members of the committee to participate in inspections, investigations, or other established health and safety functions to the extent necessary; 4. receive and review a quarterly summary of job-related health and safety reports including accident reports and make appropriate recommendations; 5. investigate all types of employee job-related accidents and all types of occupational illnesses and make recommendations; 6. promote health and safety education; 7. study the use of VDTs and make appropriate recommendations to ensure the health and safety of employees regarding such use; 8. maintain and review minutes of all committee meetings; and 9. review the availability and adequacy of first aid supplies and equipment and address any inadequacies. In cases where summary reports are provided, a committee member may request and receive an individual case file or report. In no case will an employee’s records be provided when the law forbids disclosure. In addition, employees’ names will normally be deleted but may be provided to all committee members in instances where committee members need to know the name(s) of employee(s) to effectively represent the bargaining unit(s) and disclosure of name(s) is not prohibited by law. The Employer may require committee members and Union representatives to sign confidentiality statements. Members of each Health and Safety Committee will be paid by the Employer while performing committee duties, including travel time, and will also be paid for any time spent in committee approved training related to health and safety. The Committee will develop an annual training program for its members. Each Health and Safety Committee will establish rules consistent with the above principles. A mechanism to coordinate the efforts of individual Health and Safety Committees will be established at each agency.
Safety and Health Committee The District's Safety and Health Committee shall include three (3) classified staff members appointed by ECCE who shall fully participate in the duties and functions of the Committee. The Safety and Health Committee shall normally meet on a monthly basis.
Workplace Violence Prevention and Crisis Response (applicable to any Party and any subcontractors and sub-grantees whose employees or other service providers deliver social or mental health services directly to individual recipients of such services): Party shall establish a written workplace violence prevention and crisis response policy meeting the requirements of Act 109 (2016), 33 VSA §8201(b), for the benefit of employees delivering direct social or mental health services. Party shall, in preparing its policy, consult with the guidelines promulgated by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration for Preventing Workplace Violence for Healthcare and Social Services Workers, as those guidelines may from time to time be amended. Party, through its violence protection and crisis response committee, shall evaluate the efficacy of its policy, and update the policy as appropriate, at least annually. The policy and any written evaluations thereof shall be provided to employees delivering direct social or mental health services. Party will ensure that any subcontractor and sub-grantee who hires employees (or contracts with service providers) who deliver social or mental health services directly to individual recipients of such services, complies with all requirements of this Section.
HEALTH AND SAFETY 7A01 The parties to this Collective Agreement endorse the importance of a safe and secure environment, in which nurses must work. The parties will work together in recognizing and resolving Occupational Health and Safety issues. 7A02 In accordance with the Workplace Safety and Health Act, the Employer agrees to make reasonable and proper provisions for the maintenance of a high standard of health and safety in the workplace and will provide safety and personal protective equipment where required and install safety devices where necessary. 7A03 The Workplace Safety and Health Committee shall cooperate with Union representation for the purpose of ensuring health and safety in the workplace and the identification of health and safety hazards. On an annual basis the Workplace Safety and Health Committee will be provided with and will review the Critical Incident Stress Response policy, security/response plans and all other applicable policies and regulations. The Employer will make available where it exists, support through the Critical Incident Stress Response (CISR) team, or where there is no CISR team, appropriate Critical Incident support, to a nurse affected by a Critical Incident, an incident or circumstances that are deemed by the nurse to be outside the normal experience of their duties/workplace, and/or upon request of the nurse, or the manager on behalf of the nurse. Where the Employer, does not currently maintain a CISR team, they shall provide the Union with the specifics of how nurses are provided support similar to that provided by CISR teams, and through what programs and/or services. Where maintenance of CISR teams is no longer reasonably possible the Employer shall provide the Union as much notice as possible and the parties shall meet to discuss what options are to be implemented to continue provision of similar support to nurses. The Employer will communicate to members the option to activate CISR as well as provide information as to the nature of the support provided by the CISR teams. The parties agree that there shall be a dedicated mental health support unit (over and above EAP), funded by PCOC, and established exclusively for nurses in the bargaining unit. The parties agree to establish a committee within sixty (60) days of ratification of this agreement to establish the scope, duties and terms of reference of the mental health support unit. 7A04 The Employer and the Union agree that no form of abuse, harassment or bullying of nurses will be condoned in the workplace. Both parties will work together in recognizing, facilitating the reporting of alleged abuse and resolving such problems as they arise. There shall be zero tolerance of abuse, harassment or bullying. Any nurse who believes a situation may become or has become abusive, harassing or bullying shall report this to the immediate supervisor. The Employer shall notify the Union ninety-six (96) hours after the receipt of the report. Every reasonable effort will be made to rectify the abusive situation to the mutual satisfaction of the parties. Any workplace injury or harmful exposure suffered by a nurse shall be reported to the Union no later than ninety-six (96) hours after the report/notification is made to the Employer. Such report to the Union will include the name of the affected nurse, if the nurse agrees, and a brief description as to the mechanism of injury/exposure. In regards to respectful workplace; there shall be a policy supporting a Respectful Workplace which shall be provided to the Union, and shall be reviewed annually by the Workplace Health and Safety Committee. Such policy shall address the issue of communication strategies, which will include signage. The Employer’s Respectful Workplace policy shall include a commitment to conclude the investigation as quickly as is reasonably possible. Where a respectful workplace complaint is filed by a nurse, the Employer shall notify the Union of such complaint no later than ten (10) business days following receipt of the complaint. Where the Union has concerns regarding the impartiality of an Employer conducted Respectful Workplace Investigation, the Union shall have the right to request the investigation be conducted by an individual from outside the work site. The Employer shall give all due reasonable consideration to such request. If a Respectful Workplace Investigation is conducted, a report of findings, or a summary of the report will be shared by the Employer with the complainant and respondent nurse(s). Where a summary is provided, rather than the full report the Union may request and the Employer shall provide the rationale for the provision of a summary rather than the full report. The complainant and respondent may share the report/summary with the Union if they wish. 7A05 At the request of a nurse, the Employer shall provide, at no cost to the nurse, vaccination(s) and/or immunization(s) for occupational illness(es) in accordance with the Canadian Immunization Guide from the Laboratory Centre for Disease for Health Canada. All reasonable efforts should be made to provide immunization(s) to the nurse during their regularly scheduled work hours. 7A06 Rehabilitation and Return to Work Program - The Employer agrees to actively participate and facilitate the rehabilitation and return to work of ill, injured or disabled nurses even when they are not covered under the D & R, WCB or MPI programs. For clarity, where a nurse is waiting for a decision from D & R, WCB, or MPI and has been medically cleared to return to work, the Employer will pay for all return to work hours. It is understood that the nurse will reimburse the Employer once their claim is accepted. Any such nurse will be supernumerary in nature when reasonably possible. The Union shall be notified by the Employer if there is a request for a Rehabilitation and Return to Work Program for a nurse. The Employer shall include the Union in the initial meeting with the nurse to review the provisions of the program to ensure that the work designated is within their restrictions and limitations. If required, the Employer shall schedule subsequent (progress) review(s) with the Union and the nurse and may proceed without the Union’s involvement subject to the Union’s concurrence. Where appropriate, by agreement between the Employer and the Union, job postings may be waived.
Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee The Employer and the Union recognize the role of the joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee in promoting a safe and healthful workplace. The parties agree that a Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee shall be established for each Employer covered by this Collective Agreement. The Committee shall govern itself in accordance with the provisions of the Industrial Health and Safety Regulations made pursuant to the Workers’ Compensation Act. The Committee shall be as between the Employer and the Union, with equal representation, and with each party appointing its own representatives. Representatives of the Union shall be chosen by the Union membership or appointed by the Union. All minutes of the meetings of the Joint Occupational Health & Safety Committee will be recorded in a mutually agreeable format and will be sent to the Union. The Union further agrees to actively pursue with the other Health Care Unions a Joint Union Committee for the purposes of this Article. The Employer agrees to provide or cause to be provided to Employer members of the Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee adequate training and orientation to the duties and responsibilities of committee members to allow the incumbents to fulfil those duties competently. The Union agrees to provide or cause to be provided to Union members of the Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee adequate training and orientation to the duties and responsibilities of committee members to allow the incumbents to fulfil those duties competently. Such training and orientation shall take place within six (6) months of taking office.
Health and Safety Committee Where required a committee will be formed and will meet where required by the Employer’s safety policies and by statute.
PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY (APPLIES TO RNS ONLY 19.01 The parties agree that resident care is enhanced if concerns relating to professional practice and workload are resolved in a timely and effective manner, as set out below; In the event that the Home assigns a number of residents or a workload to an individual employee or group of employees, such that she or they have cause to believe that she or they are being asked to perform more work than is consistent with proper resident care, she or they shall: i) At the time the workload issue occurs, discuss the issue within the Home to develop strategies to meet resident care needs using current resources. If necessary, using established lines of communication, seek immediate assistance from an individual(s) identified by the Home who has responsibility for timely resolution of workload issues. ii) Failing resolution at the time of occurrence of the workload issue, complain in writing to the Union-Management Committee within twenty (20) calendar days of the alleged improper assignment. The chairperson of the Union-Management Committee shall convene a meeting of the Union-Management Committee within twenty (20) calendar days of the filing of the complaint. The Union-Management Committee shall hear and attempt to resolve the complaint to the satisfaction of both parties. The Employer will provide a written response to the Union, with a copy to the ONA representation within ten (10) calendar days. iii) Prior to the complaint being forwarded to the Independent Assessment Committee, the Union may forward a written report outlining the complaint and recommendations to the Director of Resident Care and/or the Administrator. iv) At any time during this process, the parties may agree to the use of a mediator to assist in the resolution of the Professional Practice issues. v) Any settlement arrived at under 19.01 (a) i) – iii) shall be signed by the parties. vi) Failing resolution of the complaint within twenty (20) calendar days of the meeting of the Union-Management Committee, the complaint shall be forwarded to an independent Assessment Committee composed of three (3) registered nurses; one chosen by the Ontario Nurses' Association, one chosen by the Home and one chosen from a panel of independent registered nurses who are well respected within the profession. The member of the Committee chosen from the panel of independent registered nurses shall act as Chairperson. vii) The Independent Assessment Committee shall set a date to conduct a hearing into the complaint, within twenty (20) calendar days of its appointment, and shall be empowered to investigate as is necessary to properly assess the merits of the complaint. The Independent Assessment Committee shall report its findings, in writing, to the parties within twenty (20) calendar days following completion of its hearing. (b) i) The list of Independent Assessment Committee Chairpersons is attached as Appendix “B”. The members of the panel shall sit in rotation as agreed by the parties. If a panel member is unable to sit within the time limit stipulated, the panel member next scheduled to sit will be appointed by the parties.
Function of Joint Health and Safety Committee All incidents involving aggression or violence shall be brought to the attention of the Joint Health and Safety Committee. The Employer agrees that the Joint Health and Safety Committee shall concern itself with all matters relating to violence to staff.
Occupational Health and Safety Committee (a) The parties agree that a joint occupational health and safety committee will be established. The Committee shall govern itself in accordance with the provisions of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations made pursuant to the Workers Compensation Act. The Committee shall be between the Employer and the Union, with equal representation, and with each party appointing its own representatives. The Union agrees to actively pursue with the other Health Care unions, where more than one union is certified with the Employer, a joint union/employer committee for the purposes of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations. (b) Employees who are members of the Committee shall be granted leave without loss of pay or receive straight-time regular wages while attending meetings of the Joint Committee. Employees who are members of the Committee shall be granted leave without loss of pay or receive straight-time regular wages to participate in joint workplace inspections and joint accident investigations at the request of the Committee pursuant to the WCB Occupational Health and Safety Regulations. Committee meetings, workplace inspections and accident investigations shall be scheduled during normal working hours whenever practicable. (c) The Occupational Health and Safety Committee shall have as part of its mandate the jurisdiction to receive complaints or concerns regarding workload problems which are safety-related, the right to investigate such complaints, the right to define the problem and the right to make recommendations for a solution. Where the Committee determines that a safety-related workload problem exists, it shall inform the Employer. Within 21 days thereafter, the Employer shall advise the Committee what steps it has taken or proposes to take to rectify the safety-related workload problem identified by the Committee. If the Union is not satisfied with the Employer's response, it may refer the matter to the Industry Trouble shooter for a written recommendation. (d) No employee shall be disciplined for refusal to work when excused by the provisions of the