Health Promotion and Health Education Both parties to this Agreement recognize the value and importance of health promotion and health education programs. Such programs can assist employees and their dependents to maintain and enhance their health, and to make appropriate use of the health care system. To work toward these goals:
Health & Safety (a) The Employer and the Union agree that they mutually desire to maintain standards of safety and health in the Home, in order to prevent injury and illness and abide by the Occupational Health and Safety Act as amended from time to time.
(b) A Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) shall be constituted in accordance with the Act, which shall identify potential dangers, recommend means of improving the health and safety programs and obtaining information from the Employer or other persons respecting the identification of hazards and standards. The committee shall meet at least every three months or more frequently if the committee decides. The Employer agrees to accept as a member of its Joint Health and Safety Committee at least one (1) ONA representative selected or appointed by the Union from the Employer. Scheduled time spent in such meetings is to be considered time worked for which representative(s) shall be paid by the Employer at his or her regular or overtime rate. Minutes shall be taken of all meetings and copies shall be sent to the Committee members within two (2) weeks following the meeting, if possible. Minutes of the meetings shall be posted on the workplace health and safety bulletin board.
(c) The Employer shall provide the time from work with pay and all related tuition costs and expenses necessary to certify the worker representative. Where an inspector makes an inspection of a workplace under the powers conferred upon him or her under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, the Employer shall afford a committee member representing workers the opportunity to accompany the inspector during his or her physical inspection of a workplace, or any part or parts thereof. Where a committee member is not available, the Employer shall afford a worker selected by a Union, because of knowledge, experience and training, to represent it, the opportunity to accompany the inspector during his or her physical inspection of a workplace, or any part or parts thereof.
(d) Two (2) representatives of the Joint Health and Safety Committee, one
(1) from management and one (1) from the employees, shall make monthly inspections of the work place and shall report to the health and safety committee the results of their inspection. The members of the Committee who represent the workers shall designate a member representing workers to inspect the workplace. Where possible that member shall be a certified member. The Employer shall provide the member with such information and assistance as the member may require for the purpose of carrying out an inspection of the workplace. Scheduled time spent in all such activities shall be considered as time worked.
(e) The Joint Health and Safety Committee and the representatives thereof shall have access to Incident/Accident Report Form required in S.51, S.52 and S.53 of the Act and the annual summary of data from the WSIB relating to the number of work accident fatalities, the number of lost workday cases, the number of lost workdays, the number of non-fatal cases that required medical aid without lost workdays, the incidence of occupational injuries, and such other data as the WSIB may decide to disclose. It is understood and agreed that no information will be provided to the Committee which is confidential. This information shall be a standing item recorded in the minutes of each meeting.
(f) The Union will use its best efforts to obtain the full co-operation of its membership in the compliance of all safety rules and practices.
(g) The Employer will use its best efforts to make all affected direct care employees aware of residents who have serious infectious diseases. The nature of the disease need not be disclosed. Employees will be made aware of special procedures required of them to deal with these circumstances. The parties agree that all employees are aware of the requirement to practice universal precautions in all circumstances.
(h) The parties further agree that suitable subjects for discussion at the Union-Management Committee and Joint Health and Safety Committee will include aggressive residents. The Employer will review with the Joint Health and Safety Committee written policies to address the management of violent behaviour. Such policies will include but not be limited to:
i) Designing safe procedures for employees,
ii) Providing training appropriate to these policies,
iii) Reporting all incidents of workplace violence.
(i) The Employer shall:
i) Inform employees of any situation relating to their work which may endanger their health and safety, as soon as it learns of the said situation,
ii) Inform employees regarding the risks relating to their work and provide training and supervision so that employees have the skills and knowledge necessary to safely perform the work assigned to them, When faced with occupational health and safety decisions, the Home will not await full scientific or absolute certainty before taking reasonable action(s) that reduces risk and protects employees.
iii) Ensure that the applicable measures and procedures prescribed in the Occupational Health and Safety Act are carried out in the workplace.
(j) A worker shall,
i) Work in compliance with the provisions of the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the regulations,
ii) Use or wear the equipment, protective devices or clothing that the worker's Employer requires to be used or worn,
iii) Report to his or her Employer or supervisor the absence of or defect in any equipment or protective device of which the worker is aware and which may endanger himself, herself or another worker, and
iv) Report to his or her Employer or supervisor any contravention of the Occupational Health and Safety Act or the regulations or the existence of any hazard of which he or she knows.
Alcohol and Drug-Free Workplace City reserves the right to deny access to, or require Contractor to remove from, City facilities personnel of any Contractor or subcontractor who City has reasonable grounds to believe has engaged in alcohol abuse or illegal drug activity which in any way impairs City's ability to maintain safe work facilities or to protect the health and well-being of City employees and the general public. City shall have the right of final approval for the entry or re-entry of any such person previously denied access to, or removed from, City facilities. Illegal drug activity means possessing, furnishing, selling, offering, purchasing, using or being under the influence of illegal drugs or other controlled substances for which the individual lacks a valid prescription. Alcohol abuse means possessing, furnishing, selling, offering, or using alcoholic beverages, or being under the influence of alcohol.
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.
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:
Health Leave Any regular employee of the District may, at the discretion of the Board, be granted a leave of absence without pay for reasons of health, such leave to be specified for a period of not more than one year. Such leave may be extended in case of serious health conditions.
Occupational Health and Safety Act The Employer, the Union, and the Employees recognize they are bound by the provisions of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, S.N.S. 1996, c.7, and appropriate federal acts and regulations. Any breach of these obligations may be grieved pursuant to this Agreement.
Occupational Safety and Health Acts Contractor(s) who perform any work under this contract shall fully comply with the provisions of the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 and any amendments thereto and regulations pursuant to the act. Any Contractor who fails to do so may be terminated for cause as set forth below.
Alcohol and Drug Testing Employee agrees to comply with and submit to any Company program or policy for testing for alcohol abuse or use of drugs and, in the absence of such a program or policy, to submit to such testing as may be required by Company and administered in accordance with applicable law and regulations.
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 workplace in order to prevent accidents, injury and illness.
(b) Recognizing its responsibilities under the applicable legislation, the Employer agrees to accept as a member of its Accident Prevention – Health & Safety Committee at least three (3) representatives, one from each base, selected or appointed by the Union from amongst bargaining unit employees. At any time where a vote is required, an equal number of representatives from each side shall be entitled to vote.
(c) 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.
(d) The Employee agrees to co-operate reasonably in providing necessary information to enable the Committee to fulfill its functions.
(e) Meetings shall be held quarterly or more frequently at the call of the Chair if required. The Committee shall maintain minutes of all meetings and make the same available for review.
(f) Any representative appointed or select in accordance with (b) hereof shall serve a term of one (1) calendar year from the date of appointment which may be renewed for further periods of one (1) year. The Union will encourage its representative(s) to serve at least one (1) 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 Employer at his regular or premium rate as may be applicable.
(g) The Union agrees to endeavour to obtain the full co-operation of its membership in the observation of all safety rules and practices.
(h) 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 16.04
