Instructions

Read the scenario out loud and then use the guiding questions and key discussion points to have a conversation about what Kaira’s next steps should be and how the joint occupational health and safety (JOHS) committee can help resolve her health and safety concerns. Share joint occupational health and safety committee resources with the staff to review.

Learning outcomes

After this huddle, staff should be able to:

• Recognize the role and function of a joint occupational health and safety committee.
• Explain how they can actively participate in workplace safety by reporting incidents and hazards.
• Name some members of their JOHS committee, locate joint occupational health and safety committee meeting minutes, and describe how they can contact their joint occupational health and safety committee.

Guiding questions

• What should Kaira do before talking to the JOHS committee about the problem?
• How can Kaira reach out to her JOHS committee with her concerns?
• How can the JOHS committee help resolve this issue in the workplace?
• Why is it important to report safety hazards and concerns, even if it was a near miss and no one was hurt?
• Where can workers find information about the joint occupational health and safety committee and its role in the workplace?

Notes to the huddle leader

• Emphasize that Kaira should first report the concern to a supervisor before escalating it to the joint occupational health and safety committee if the issue persists.
• Discuss how reporting workplace incidents and hazards can prevent the occurrence and/or recurrence of incidents (For example, Kaira reporting the near miss can prevent the scenario from happening again).
• The joint occupational health and safety committee may help to resolve safety concerns by:
  • Ensuring regular inspections are performedReviewing past reports
  • Advising the leadership team
  • Monitoring the effectiveness of any changes
• Inform staff where they can find joint occupational health and safety committee contact information and meeting minutes.
• The joint occupational health and safety committee can engage staff in workplace safety through participation in health and safety activities, such as taking part in workplace safety inspections. For example, Kaira can take part along with the joint occupational health and safety committee in inspecting resident beds.