Federation of Post-Secondary Educators of BC

The right to a safe and healthy workplace is of increasing importance to members. FPSE's Workplace Health, Safety & Environment Committee (formerly the Occupational Health & Safety Committee) brings together representatives to learn about legislative rights and to identify issues and trends in the post-secondary education sector.

• Committee Members
• Policy Statement
• Responsibilities
• Terms of Reference
• Member Resources
  
• Upcoming Events
  
• Links of Interest to the Workplace Health, Safety & Environment Committee

Committee Members:

Policy Statement:
The Workplace Health, Safety & Environment Committee shall assist FPSE locals to identify and assess the current and future occupational health and safety needs of their members, and shall promote means of enabling FPSE members individually and collectively to develop their own occupational health and safety activities.

Responsibilities:

1.  
   1. To create an awareness of occupational health and safety issues among the members of FPSE locals.
   2. To gather and disseminate information to member locals on occupational health and safety needs, activities, and services.
   3. To maintain ongoing contact with each member local Occupational Health & Safety Committee through a designated representative at each local.
   4. To work to correct safety deficiencies in the workplace.
   5. To recommend changes to provincial and federal health and safety legislation and regulations.
   6. To form an Occupational Health & Safety Committee in each local that complies with the Workers’ Compensation Health and Safety Regulations, which shall take such actions necessary to promote safety awareness amongst the members of the local.
   7. To actively work to prevent accident and injury in the workplace.
   8. To assist FPSE to lobby governments to improve safety regulations.
   9. To create an understanding of the Workers’ Compensation Act and other legislation that affects the health and safety of the workers.
   10. To join with other external groups to promote occupational health and safety.
   11. To create a consciousness of and to correct environmental hazards dangerous to female instructors and students.
   12. To promote development of First Aid/Emergency procedures and facilities in the colleges and institutes.
   13. To work with other committees to gather and disseminate information on occupational health and to liaise.
   14. To recommend contract language on occupational health and safety matters to negotiating committees for incorporation in collective agreements.

Terms of Reference:

Reporting to: Reports regularly to the FPSE President and the Presidents’ Council.

Composition: Each local shall name a specific member as their designated representative to the Committee. The Non-Regular Faculty Committee may appoint one person to the Committee.

A member will be appointed by the Executive Committee, with voice but without vote, to act as liaison between the Standing Committee, the Executive, and Presidents' Council. 

Term of Appointment: Locals shall endeavour to elect or appoint representatives for a two year term.

Chairperson: The Committee shall elect a new Chairperson at the last meeting of the Committee held prior to the convening of the Annual General Meeting and Convention.

The Committee shall endeavour to elect a Chairperson who has served on the Committee a previous term as a local representative.

The Chairperson or designate shall have observer status at meetings of the Presidents’ Council with voice but no vote. The responsibility of the Chairperson includes attendance by the Chairperson or designate at the Presidents’ Council meeting immediately subsequent to a meeting of the Committee or upon request of the FPSE President.

The Chairperson shall attend the Annual General Meeting and Convention. The Convention shall provide orientation and planning opportunities for Committee Chairpersons and facilitate their meeting as a group.

The duly elected Chairperson of the Committee shall continue to serve as Chairperson where the Chairperson ceases to be a designated local representative to the Committee.

Meetings: Such meetings as are required to fulfill its responsibilities, limited only by the funding allocated to the Committee. The Committee may substitute or include a workshop or conference for a meeting.

Observers: By invitation of the Chair.

Quorum: A majority of locals.

Voting: Positions adopted by consensus among designated representatives; otherwise by simple majority of those voting
(By-Law #6).

Funds: As allocated in the annual budget.

Links of interest to the WHSE Committee:

• More information on workplace health and safety is available from the Workers' Compensation Board.

• Occupational Stress in FPSE Members 190 kB  

• Canosh, Canada 's national occupational health and safety website, is maintained by the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety.
• The Labour Environment Alliance Society is a non-profit society that brings together environmentalists and labour activists to promote environmental issues in the workplace.
• The North American Occupational Health and Safety Week is an annual week to promote occupational health and safety, sponsored by the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering.
• Canadian Centre For Occupational Health and Safety
• Public Health Agency of Canada
• The Canadian Association of University Teacher's Health and Safety Fact Sheets
• CUPE Health and Safety