OSSTF District 16 Health and Safety
All workers have the three basic rights. You have the right to KNOW about hazards in the workplace. You have the right to PARTICIPATE with the employer (the Board) in health and safety activities, through the Teachers' Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee (JOHSC). You also have the right to REFUSE work you believe is dangerous to your health and safety, after ensuring your students are in a safe location.
Your D16 Health & Safety Officer, Scott West, is a York Region teacher who, under the Ontario Ministry of Labour Regulations, represents you during monthly meetings of the Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee (JOHSC) and in meetings with Ministry of Labour representatives (ex: work refusal). You are also represented on the JOHSC by a second D16 Teacher Representative, Dave Lanziner. The D16 Health and Safety Officer completes regularly scheduled (yearly) inspections of your school, investigates teacher accidents and workplace concerns, reports workplace accidents, hazards and dangers, assists in resolving work refusal cases, and recommends corrective actions.
Minutes of JOHSC meetings are available on the Board's bww site, under Health and Safety Department.
All schools must have a H&S bulletin board, as required by Ministry of Labour regulations, with relevant information for all D16 teachers.
The District 16 Ad Hoc Health and Safety Committee meets each month to discuss issues, concerns, reports of accidents or near misses, and other Health and Safety related occurences, and to make recommendations regarding issues and concerns to take to the next JOHSC meeting.
If you are a teacher interested in Health and Safety issues, you are invited to our monthly meetings at the D16 office.