New Year; New JHSC: Make this Year the Most Efficient Yet!

Many people go into January feeling hopeful about New Year’s resolutions they made. How can you take these positive vibes and apply them to the workplace in order to gain maximum benefit? One way is to resolve to make your Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) the most effective and efficient it’s ever been.

​The Benefits of Having an Effective JHSC

Having an effective JHSC has numerous benefits, such as:

• Lower injury and illness rates in the workplace, resulting in less lost time
• A more positive safety culture, resulting in proactive safety initiatives and programs
• Happier and healthier workers with better productivity rates

 
Your organization can expect to see a positive impact on the bottom line as a result of reduced lost time, increased productivity, and a happy and healthy workforce.

Start on the Right Foot

To enjoy the benefits of having a JHSC that operates at peak efficiency, you’ll need to be sure that your JHSC starts the year off refreshed, motivated, and ready to contribute to the overall growth of your organization’s bottom line. 

Get Motivated

Keep your JHSC motivated this year by setting goals and offering incentives. Because the JHSC is primarily advisory, the idea of setting targets may seem counterintuitive. However, giving the JHSC something to strive for will help them stay focused throughout the year. Don’t forget to reward the JHSC for their hard work and efforts. Surprise them with donuts and coffee at the next meeting or suggest that they hold their next meeting at a local lunch spot off-site; on you, of course!​

Get New Members

Breathe new life into your JSHC next year by adding new members. New members bring fresh perspectives to the committee, and they want to be a part of the JHSC because they’re passionate about workplace safety. If your JHSC is at capacity, consider holding elections so that workers have a say in who’s representing them. Section 9(8) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act outlines the selection of members. 

Get the Right Tools
​

​Your JHSC can’t be as effective as possible if they don’t have the right tools. Talk to members to determine if there’s something out there that can help them be more efficient. Of course, they’ll need access to the latest Occupational Health and Safety Act. You may also want to consider outfitting your JHSC with a tablet for on-the-go access to digital policies and procedures, training records, and online information resources. Using a tablet could also streamline workplace inspections, from completion through to automatic creation of inspection reports. Don’t forget to also provide your JHSC with a quiet and comfortable place to meet, where they won’t be distracted. This will keep them on task and efficient. 

Get Current

​In order to ensure that the JHSC is effective when it comes to hazard recognition and control, they must be current on the latest health and safety legislation in your jurisdiction. Ensure that the JHSC has access to online health and safety resources, reputable publications, and opportunities to learn or network with other JHSC members and health and safety experts within your industry. Discussing best practices is a great way to make improvements and add efficiencies to your organization’s JHSC. 

Get Trained

Nothing will make your JHSC more effective and efficient than JHSC training. Having certified members on the JHSC ensures that your organization is compliant and operating properly. However, training all JHSC members is even better; it ensures that all JHSC members have a working knowledge of health and safety basics and hazard recognition and control. Giving all members an edge through certification training will make a huge difference in how effective and efficient your JHSC is. This year ensure that all JHSC members get certified. Members who are already certified can benefit from JHSC Refresher training. 

Trust MidSouthWest Training and Consulting 

MidSouthWest Training and Consulting provides JHSC training. in association with Langlois Safety Training and Consulting Services, an approved CPO Provider. We offer in-house and on-site JHSC Part One, Part Two, and Refresher training. You can trust MidSouthWest Training and Consulting to provide you with cost-effective training solutions tailored to meet your organization’s unique health and safety needs.
 
To ask questions about how to make this year your JHSC’s most effective year yet, contact us online or call 289.309.1143. Visit us 24/7 on the web at midsouthwest.ca.

​Last updated January 7, 2020