CUPE Health Care Workers' Council of Unions

ARTICLE 15 - OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY

15.01 Cooperation on Safety

The Local of the Union and the Employer(s), as a matter of principle, recognize that occupational health and safety is a shared concern. They will cooperate on promoting and improving rules and practices which will enhance the physiological and psychological working conditions for all Employees in accordance with The Occupational Health and Safety Act and Regulations and it is further agreed that The Occupational Health and Safety Act and Regulations form part of this Collective Agreement. There shall be no discrimination, no penalty, no intimidation and no coercion when Employees comply with this Article.

15.02 Time Off for Health and Safety Training

Where an Employee attends a training program, seminar or course of instruction on health and safety matters conducted or provided by the Occupational Health and Safety Division, or jointly between SAHO and CUPE, such attendance will be considered time worked and the Employee shall suffer no loss of pay or benefits.

15.03 Referral of Safety Concern

An Employee or group of Employees who have a health or safety concern should endeavour to resolve the concern by first referring the concern to the immediate supervisor or the OH&S Committee Co-Chair who will investigate and take remedial action.

15.04 Transportation of Accident Victims

Employees who require immediate care as a result of a workplace accident or workplace illness shall be transferred to and from the nearest practitioner or emergency service at the expense of the Employer(s).

15.05 Working Alone or Isolated Place of Employment

Working alone means to work at a work site as the only worker of the Employer(s) at that work site, in circumstances where assistance is not readily available in the event of injury, ill health or emergency.

The Employer(s) shall take all reasonably practicable steps to eliminate or reduce risks arising from the conditions and circumstances of working alone. The steps:

a) Must include the establishment of an effective communication system that consists of:

i) radio communication;

ii) phone or cellular communication; or

iii) any other means that provides effective communication in view of the risks involved.

b) May include any of the following:

i) regular contact by the Employer with the Employee;

ii) limitations on, or prohibitions of, specified activities;

iii) establishment of minimum training or experience, or other standards of competency;

iv) provision of personal protective equipment;

v) establishment of safe work practices or procedures; or

vi) provision of emergency supplies for use in travelling under conditions of extreme cold or other inclement weather conditions.

15.06 First Aid Kits

The Employer(s) shall provide and maintain a first aid kit for every work site.

15.07 Video Display Terminals

a) Where work demands constant and uninterrupted concentration on the screen by the operator, the Employer will allow the operative five (5) minutes of non-visual display unit work after one (1) hour of operation and fifteen (15) minutes of non-visual display unit work after every two (2) hours of operation. The non-visual display unit work may coincide with regular breaks.

b) The Employer agrees to provide appropriate protective equipment and/or apparel for an employee during her pregnancy. Alternately, the Employee may request and will be granted a temporary reassignment of duties for the duration of her pregnancy.

15.08 Managing Shift Work

The Employer, with the Occupational Health and Safety Committee must:

a) assess the risks to the worker's health and safety posed by the work;

b) inform the worker about the nature and extent of the risk and how to eliminate or reduce them.

15.09 Workload

The Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee shall have as part of its mandate the jurisdiction to receive workload concern(s). This mandate shall include the review of staffing levels, the responsibility to investigate workload concerns, the responsibility to define the workload problem, and the responsibility to make recommendations to rectify the workload concern(s).

The Committee shall issue a report on their recommendations for solving the workload concern(s) to the Employer and the Local of the Union within thirty (30) days of receiving the concern.

Within thirty (30) days, the Employer shall advise the Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee and the Local of the Union, as to what reasonable steps it has taken or proposes to take to implement the workload recommendations identified by the Committee.

In the event the Employer does not respond or take action, the concern(s) may be referred by either party to the Dispute Resolution Committee.

The Provincial Dispute Resolution Committee shall establish an internal process in which to resolve the workload concerns.

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CUPE Health Care Workers' Council of Unions
3725E Eastgate Drive
Regina, Sask
S4X 1A5

Phone: 1-306-546-2185
Fax: 306-781-8177
Email: Gordon Campbell, President