Health and safety is an essential part of the important work that CUPE and CUPE locals and members do to ensure a safe and secure work and workplace environment for everyone. CUPE members face a wide range of hazards while on the job.
Worker involvement is the real key to resolving health and safety problems because front line workers have a unique understanding of health and safety hazards in the workplace. CUPE provides tools, resources and training to help committee members and health and safety representatives help our members to stay healthy and safe at work and to encourage activism.
Occupational health and safety committee members and representatives play an important role within their local unions. They are advocates for healthy and safe work and can participate in recognizing, evaluating, and recommending controls to hazards found throughout the work and the workplace.
The OHSA sets out four rights for workers.
• The right to know about all workplace hazards and the means to protect themselves from exposure to the hazards
• The right to participate in the Internal Responsibility System(IRS). This means participating as a health and safety representative (HSR) or a member of the Joint Health and Safety Committee JHSC. The JHSC and the HSR have the right to obtain information about workplace hazards and the power to make recommendations to improve workplace conditions. Workers also have the right to participate by raising Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) concerns with the employer or supervisor.
• The right to refuse work where health and safety are in danger. The exercise of this right should occur when circumstances are likely to endanger a worker and when the IRS has broken down.
• The right to no reprisal for having worked in compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) or participating in the IRS.
Additional Resources
4 Steps To Resolving A Health and Safety Problem
Checklist Response to Violence In The Workplace