DOS & DON’TS: Clearly Identify the Members of Your JHSC

It’s important that you identify the members of your workplace’s JHSC. The committee is a key component of your company’s OHS program. Workers should be encouraged to not only join the JHSC but also go to it when they have safety concerns. But they can only do so when they know who’s actually on the committee, which can be a big problem in a large workplace.

Many jurisdictions, including Fed, BC, MB, NB, NL, NS, ON, PE, QC and SK, require employers to post in the workplace a list of the names of the JHSC members. That’s a good start but you should consider going a step further. For example, when you post the list of JHSC members, include their contact information, work location and a picture of them so workers can put a face to the name. You can also make JHSC members stand out by giving them, say, specially coloured hardhats, a JHSC decal to wear on their hardhats or a patch to affix to their uniforms.

Insider Says: For more information on JHSCs, go to the JHSC Compliance Center. And at SafetySmart.com, you’ll find a safety talk explaining the role of the JHSC to workers.