@abraxas 24 September 2021 more from that month

A few people have asked about my work in regards to me taking the Joint Health/Safety Committee training this week (as I'd mentioned in an earlier post). I thought I'd take some time to elaborate more on what it's about etc. I do corporate IT, usually in an office environment, but I've been working from home for the past year and a bit due to COVID policies. While many people will look at an office environment as safe (and they're definitely far from the most unsafe jobs out there) they're also maybe some of the worst places for hidden dangers. Aside from tripping hazards, lifting hazards, and the potential for some filing cabinets to tip or improperly stored files to maybe fall, office workers are also prone to Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) illnesses and ergonomic issues. SBS issues occur due to most offices being nearly sealed. Windows can't be opened, so we rely on air filtration systems to pump fresh air through the premesis. Ergonomic issues might be the biggest ones, though. They often don't even show up until later in life. If you get hurt on the job, usually you know right away. But in the case of musculoskeletal injuries, they may take weeks, months, even years to show themselves. And usually once you have one, you can't really get rid of it. The reason I'm taking this training is because I am part of my work's committee that focuses on the health and safety of the people that work in my office space. The committee consists of worker representatives and manager representatives. The regulations are set at a provincial level. Companies must have a committee with at least two certified members. The worker rep(s) of the committee inspect the workplace at least once a month and meet at least once a quarter. We have the power to force work to stop if we observe any dangerous circumstances (as defined in 44(1) in the Occupational Health and Safety Act of Ontario). In Ontario, workers have the right to refuse unsafe work. In a situation where this occurs, a JHSC member would meet with the worker and that person's manager to discuss the concern and figure out a plan of action from there. The JHSC also has the power to push 21-day recommendations to management if unsafe conditions are not being properly addressed. In these cases, management has 21 calendar days to respond and correct the issue. If they fail to do this, the ministry will be contacted and fines/stoppages will be enforced from there. These situations would be ones where health/safety issues are present but not deemed dangerous circumstances. Legally, at least two members of the board must be certified. Only the certified members can call for a unilateral/bilateral work stoppage. Every three years, certified memebers must take a one-day refresher course, otherwise their certification will expire and they'll have to do parts 1 and 2 again... which is what happened to me LOL In any case, it's a super important role in any company. It's our job to do everything we can to make sure our collages go home at the end of the day in the same state that they arrived that morning.