An occupational health and safety committee is an advisory group made up of representatives from management and workers. The committee provides a forum for communication between the employer and the worker to address health and safety concerns in the workplace. In an effort to reduce workplace accidents and injuries, committees identify and evaluate concerns, make recommendations for corrective action and promote health and safety in the workplace. Committees are a legislated requirement of the Occupational Health and Safety Act and Regulations.

Occupational health and safety committee requirements: 

• A workplace having 10 or more workers must have a committee
• A firm that has more than one workplace (i.e. retail company with stores across the province, school board with schools across a district, etc.) must have a separate committee for each location if the number of workers at each location is 10 or more
• The committee may consist of two to 12 members
• At least half the members shall be elected by workers
• The other members shall be appointed by the employer
• The committee is to have two co-chairs – one representing management and the other representing workers
• A list of committee members shall be posted in a conspicuous place at the workplace
• Committee meetings shall be held every three months and during work hours as part of the job
• Minutes of meetings are to be posted in the workplace and a copy forwarded to the Commission
• The committee shall participate in workplace inspections
• Committee members are to be trained according to legislative requirements