Worker Safety Rep Checklist

Questions to Ask as a Worker Safety Representative or Safety Committee Member

There are many questions you should be asking yourself as a worker or union health and safety representative. You have a vital role in keeping your members and workplace healthy and safe. Here are some key points to help you do your job.

TRAINING

• Am I certified/trained to applicable government OHS standards?
• Am I aware of the industry standards related to my workplace?
• Who did my OHS training? Was it employer or worker-centred training? Am I competent in understanding my role?
• Have I been trained in all of my union’s safety training programs?
• Do I maintain my skills and training on a regular basis by taking refresher courses?
• Do I pursue additional OHS training above minimum government standards?

GENERAL QUESTIONS

• Am I improving overall health and safety conditions in the workplace?
• Am I raising the awareness of health and safety issues in the workplace?
• Am I identifying potential health and safety issues and bringing them to the employer’s attention?
• Am I making recommendations to the employer to address risks?
• Does my collective agreement contain specific health and safety language related to my role in the workplace?
• Is my employer cooperating with me?
• Am I being consulted in regards to workplace health and safety programs or new chemicals coming into the workplace?
• Am I being given an opportunity to speak to workers who are not happy with their OHS responses from issues raised to the employer?

• Do I document everything that I do and am I given paid time to do so?
• Do I file and maintain all received documentation in a controlled and locked location?
• Am I able to access historical safety information or data from my predecessors?
• Am I giving a report on workplace safety to my local union at meetings, on line or in print?

INSPECTIONS

• Am I inspecting the workplace once a month? Is this a partial or full inspection? Am I writing up the reports, delivering them to the employer, making recommendations and receiving feedback?
• Am I reviewing all employer programs related to health and safety?
  
  • Harassment and violence programs?
  • Designated substance reviews?
  • Employee screening programs?
  • WHMIS/GHS programs?
  • COVID-19 related programs?
• Am I inspecting chemical storage across the workplace?
• Am I speaking to workers during my inspections and utilizing their intimate knowledge of their work areas while looking for hazards?
• Am I inspecting safety training matrices and completion statistics?

JOINT OHS COMMITTEES AND MEETINGS

• Who is my company OHS counterpart? Are they accessible? Are they honest/trustworthy? Are they trained to the correct standards?
• Am I a member a Joint Safety Committee?
• Does my workplace have a multi workplace committee or policy committee?
• Does our OHS committee have a terms of reference (ToR)?
• Are we having monthly or regular OHS meetings?
• Are JH&SC member names and contact information properly posted in the workplace?Is my employer supporting the OHS committee?
• Do I get ample time for OHS meetings and all of my other health and safety related duties?
• Do I get meeting preparation time paid?

• Am I co-chairing the meeting?
• Who sets the meeting agenda?
• Who sets the time of the meeting and am I involved in meeting planning?
• Are the meetings on a regular schedule?
• Are copies of the meeting minutes made available to everyone?
• Who writes the meeting minutes?
• Do I agree with the meeting minutes in their written form?

TRANSFER OF INFORMATION - NOTIFICATION

• Am I getting correct information from the employer regarding health and safety in the workplace?
• Am I being informed of health and safety developments in the workplace by the employer?
• Am I being consulted during any biological, chemical or physical hazard exposure testing in the workplace?
• Am I given information concerning tests of equipment, machines, devices or articles?
• Am I being consulted with in regards to health and safety programs like WHMIS-GHS training or designated substance programs?
• Do I have copies of all reports related to health and safety occurrences in the workplace?
• Do I have all copies of Ministry of Labour documentation left at the workplace after inspector visits?
• Am I being notified of occupational diseases or injuries caused by accidents, fires, or workplace acts of violence?

INVESTIGATIONS

• Am I attending and investigating accident investigations that result in critical injuries or fatalities?
• Am I receiving information concerning sources of danger from workers? Am I investigating these issues and are these issues being reported to the employer? Is the employer acting on my recommendations to resolve these issues?