In Canada, when an employer reaches a certain number of employees the occupational health and safety legislation for each province requires the establishment of a functioning Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) in the workplace. Failure to not have a properly functioning and trained Joint Health and Safety Committee in your workplace can result in fines, penalties, sanctions or stop work orders from provincial health and safety officers.

​A JHSC Committee is an advisory group, within a business, made up of employers and employees working together to improve occupational health and safety in their workplace. This advisory group is known as members of the OHS committee and these members meet at a minimum of once a month (in some cases every 3 months) to identify hazards in the workplace, discuss issues and concerns regarding OHS in the workplace, conduct incident investigations, conduct workplace inspections, make recommendations to the employer and follow up on safety issues which may arise. The occupational health and safety regulations for each province across Canada, require for all workplaces who reach a certain number of employees, including for high or moderate risk workplaces, to have a functioning Joint Health and Safety Committee established. OHS Regulations across Canada also require that all members receive adequate level of training. It is strongly recommended to re-certify your JHSC members every 2 years to ensure proper re-training due diligence. 

Some of the duties of a joint health and safety committee are to:

• Conduct regular workplace inspections
• Investigate accidents and incidents
• Communicate any work process or environment changes that may impact worksite health and safety to management
• Attend to worker concerns about worksite health and safety
• Identify potential safety hazards
• Inform management of corrections to potential hazards
• Consult and liaise with workers and management on all workplace health and safety matters
• Participate in refusing unsafe work 

How often do meetings need to be held?

• Must occur at least once a month
• Minutes must be recorded and posted in the workplace for at least three months. Provide a copy to the local manager or supervisor. The supervisor must make minutes available to the union
• Minutes must be retained for at least two years and be accessible to staff and WCB. WCB considers it acceptable to store meeting minutes on shared electronic drives or websites accessible to all staff.

What powers to JHSC members have?
The WCA Act throughout Canada sets out certain functions and powers that apply to the committee as a whole, and specific duties and powers that apply to worker members. The committee’s key functions are to:

• identify hazards in the workplace (hazard identification is done through such activities as workplace inspections, accident investigations and information analyses); and
• make recommendations to the employer on health and safety issues and on programs and procedures to improve health and safety. To carry out these functions, the committee has the power to obtain information from the employer on:
• Potential or existing hazards of materials, processes or equipment;
• The health and safety experience and work practices of other workplaces;
• Safety and health tests of machines, equipment and materials. The JHSC committee also has the power to obtain information about the company’s compensation claims from the the Workers Compensation Board across each province. 

Currently Empire Safety Solutions offers approved Online JHSC Joint Health and Safety Committee training across BC

WHY SHOULD YOU HIRE A 3RD PARTY SAFETY CONSULTING COMPANY IN BC?
WorkSafeBC regulations can sometimes be confusing and complex; that can be overwhelming for one person to understand and be responsible for. There are always new rules and regulations to stay on top of and potential changes to keep an eye on. Whether you are a business owner, member of management with some safety responsibilities, or even a safety officer, you can always ask for help from qualified safety consultants. The other reason of course would be if you have no one on your team with an occupational health and safety background.

Safety consultants should also be mindful of the complaints of the workers, especially if they have something to do with the workers’ health and safety. Consultants should also perform safety inspections and evaluations on power tools, automobiles, machinery and other equipment needed at the construction site to ensure that those things work properly and are safe to use. A safety consultant should also keep himself or herself updated with the latest safety measures and regulations provided by credible researchers, professionals and government authorities, either via training or by reading publications and other materials regarding such matters.

WHAT DO HEALTH AND SAFETY CONSULTING COMPANIES DO?
Safety Consulting companies in BC work directly with other businesses to assist them with provincial occupational health and safety regulation compliance. Some common services safety consultants in BC provide are health and safety program development, health and safety manual development, health and safety audits, health and safety inspections, site health and safety assessments and health and safety training course for employees and Supervisors.

WHO ARE THE TOP HEALTH AND AND SAFETY CONSULTING FIRMS IN BC?
The following health and and safety consultants are recognized with government bodies and employers across BC:

HEALTH AND SAFETY CONSULTING & CONSULTANTS BC

WHAT ARE SOME QUESTIONS YOU CAN ASK BEFORE HIRING A SAFETY CONSULTANT IN BC?
Does the safety consulting company have a website?
What are the safety consultants educational credentials? Try and only hire an OHS consultant with a minimum of a Diploma or Degree in the field.
What are the safety consultants designations? CRSP, CSP, OHO etc? These are not always necessary if the OHS consultant has a decent level of education in the field. 
Ask for references, however, top health and safety companies in BC do not always provide references due to client/consultant confidentiality due to involvement with the government.
What is the safety consultants hourly rate?
What is the timeline of the project?
What is the total cost of the project? This is so there are no overrun costs. Most professional and recognized health and safety consultants will always give you a quotation for the project rather than surprise you with an invoice based on an hourly charge.
What are the invoice payment procedures?

WHAT MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS SHOULD A HEALTH AND SAFETY CONSULTANT HAVE IN BC?

• Completion of an occupational health and safety designation or equivalent
• Minimum 5 years of experience working in occupational health and safety
• Experience working in all types of different industries
• Facilitation experience and knowledge of adult-learning principles
• Excellent working knowledge of provincial Health and Safety Regulations and a willingness to keep up with new
• developments
• Drivers license and access to a reliable vehicle to allow for regular travel throughout the province
• The ability to coach and support individuals and organizations in adopting and implementing leading occupational health and safety practices
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Desire and ability to work independently
• Experience with COR Certificate-of-Recognition is an asset

​Safety Consultants in BC should be able to provide employers, managers, supervisors and workers with comprehensive health safety consulting and safety consultants BC services, safety training and education, written health and safety programs, WorkSafeBC compliance, safety audits and online safety training certification courses. Safety comes first, however an experienced professional health and safety consultant also understands that safety needs to be incorporated into productivity. Safety Consultants can help your organization achieve great safety success without compromising your production. An employers primary focus should be the health, safety and wellness of their employees, to ensure they all go home to their loved ones at the end of each and every work day. A safety consulting company's core safety beliefs should be: all accidents are preventable and all injuries are preventable. Working safely and in a safe environment must be a condition of employment; and safety education and safety training for employees is the fundamental key towards an effective health and safety program in BC.

HOW DO YOU BECOME A HEALTH AND SAFETY CONSULTANT IN BC?

First things first! You will need the proper education in occupational health and safety. This to ensure that when employers hire you they know what you are doing in regards to health and safety in the workplace. At least 15 to 20 years of experience in different industries is ideal to be successful as a safety consultant. Remember, any employer across BC and can contact you - so be prepared and know their industry well. 

Secondly, know how to run a business. You advertise your services to clients who need your help. You write them a proposal for service, you complete the work and they pay you.

Thirdly, know what you are going to charge the client a head of time. Never surprise a client with an invoice they were not expecting. Always give a quotation prior to the start of the project and stay honest with your quotation. A qualified and recognized health and safety consultant's hourly rate in BC could range from $150 to $200 an hour.

And lastly, treat your clients with respect and always give your 110% percent. Your clients complete satisfaction should be your ultimate goal, and not just getting paid. 

Empire Safety Solutions is a professional occupational health and safety consulting service company in BC British Columbia, Vancouver BC, Surrey BC, Langley BC, Burnaby BC, Richmond BC, Delta BC and Victoria, BC. Empire Safety Solution’s health and safety consulting, occupational health and safety consultants, safety consultants and OHS consultants offer a wide variety of health and safety consulting services to clients across BC British Columbia, Vancouver BC, Surrey BC, Langley BC, Burnaby BC, Richmond BC, Delta BC, Coquitlam BC, Maple Ridge BC, New Westminster BC and Victoria, BC; such as:
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Contact Empire Safety Solutions for more information on our occupational health and safety consulting services, health and safety consulting, health and safety consultant, health and safety training, health and safety programs development, health and safety audits, health and safety inspections, OHS safety consulting, OHS safety consultants, OHS safety audits, OHS safety inspections, OHS safety program development, worksafebc safe work BC compliance in BC British Columbia, Vancouver BC, Surrey BC, Langley BC, Burnaby BC, Richmond BC, Delta BC, Coquitlam BC, Maple Ridge BC, New Westminster BC, Abbotsford BC and Victoria, BC.

​OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY CONSULTING SAFETY CONSULTANTS SAFETY TRAINING VICTORIA BC, VANCOUVER ISLAND BC, VANCOUVER BC, NORTH VANCOUVER BC, WEST VANCOUVER BC, BURNABY BC, NEW WESTMINSTER BC, RICHMOND BC, SURREY BC, DELTA BC, LANGLEY BC, FORT LANGLEY BC, MAPLE RIDGE BC, COQUITLAM BC, PORT COQUITLAM BC, PORT MOODY BC, PITT MEADOWS BC, ABBOTSFORD BC and MISSION BC. ​

Vancouver Lower Mainland, BC: (604) 800-9930
Email: info@empiresafetysolutions.com
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Contact Us:
https://www.empiresafetysolutions.com/

Empire Safety Solutions
Phone: (604) 800-9930
Email: info@empiresafetysolutions.com
 
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For over 20 years, Empire Safety Solutions has been providing clients with professional occupational health and safety consulting, safety consultants, health and safety programs development, safety audits and reviews, worksafebc compliance and OHS safety training courses services in:

​VICTORIA BC, VANCOUVER ISLAND BC, VANCOUVER BC, NORTH VANCOUVER BC, WEST VANCOUVER BC, BURNABY BC, NEW WESTMINSTER BC, RICHMOND BC, SURREY BC, DELTA BC, LANGLEY BC, FORT LANGLEY BC, MAPLE RIDGE BC, COQUITLAM BC, PORT COQUITLAM BC, PORT MOODY BC, PITT MEADOWS BC, ABBOTSFORD BC and MISSION BC. ​
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