OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMITTEE
Chair: Jordan Bray-Stone
Vice Chair: Sandra Hendre
What is the role of the Component Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Committee?
The Component OHS Committee is an internal group comprised solely of Union representatives which strives to improve the health and safety of all members by:
- Ensuring the sharing of Health and Safety information and issues between the Locals
- Liaising and providing counsel to the Executive officers of the Component on matters affecting occupational health and safety.
- Organize meetings between Component OHS committee members to ensure consistency.
- Providing a national structure to support and assist local OHS committees big and small, including access to legal support.
- Working to ensure that all legislative requirements contained in Part II of the Canada Labour Code, the Aviation Occupational Safety and Health (AOSH) Regulations and the Canada Occupational Safety and Health (COSH) Regulations, as well as other relevant flight attendant related legislation such as the CARS are upheld and implemented by the Employer system-wide.
Who is on the Component OHS Committee?
Anyone who holds a union representative position on a joint health and safety committee at the company is automatically a member of the Component OHS Committee.
What are joint health and safety committees?
There are two types of joint health and safety committees that are required by law at large federally regulated companies like ours. The Union appoints members to each type to represent you, the worker. They work alongside management who are appointed by the company to address OHS issues affecting the workplace.
Policy Health and Safety Committees (PC):
A very simple way of understand the PC is that it addresses hazards, policies, programs and other things affecting the health and safety of employees on a system-wide level.
Workplace Health and Safety Committees (WPC’s):
A very simple way of understanding what a WPC does is that they address hazards and workplace injuries/illnesses occurring at the worksite level (your base).
The ESDC page about health and safety committees can be consulted here for the official definitions and detailed description of duties.
CONTACT US (including emergency line):
Click HERE to download a list of important contacts or just send an email to sante.health@accomponent.ca and we’ll route it to the appropriate OHS committee. We make every effort to reply within two days.
Do we have your contact info?
Did you know that the Air Canada Component of CUPE maintains its own contact list, separate from that of the company and the local Union offices? If you aren’t getting our bulletins you’re probably not on our list! This also means we may not be able to reach out to you in a time of need following an incident.
Send your most recent contact information to contact@accomponent.ca . Ensure to provide youremployee number, base, phone number, address, and email address.
BULLETINS:
We issue bulletins to the membership on a regular basis about important health and safety issues.
The following is a list of issues we have issued bulletins about recently. If you weren’t on our mailing list, send us an email including your employee number, language preference, and subject, and we’ll have a copy emailed to you.
- Heat/Cold at work
- Bed Bugs
- Right to refuse dangerous work
- Reporting
- Fundamental Health and Safety Rights
- Uniform/Luggage (Mainline)
- 1:50 Ratio
- Cosmic Radiation
- Medaire (Mainline)
- Air Quality/Smog
- Layover Safety
APPS:
The following mobile applications have been designed for a wide audience by reputable organizations. They may be useful as a general guide, but should never replace official SOP’s, consulting the Union, or seeking support from a qualified professional.
Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety – OSH Anwers APP (iOS)
Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety – OSH Anwers APP (Android)
Flight Attendant Wellness APP – FADAP (Android)
Flight Attendant Wellness App – FADAP (iOS)
Travel Smart – Travel Advisories and Info Global Affairs Canada (Android)
Travel Smart – Travel Advisories and Info Global Affairs Canada (iOS)
LINKS:
General:
ESDC Occupational Health and Safety Main Page
Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS)
Transport Canada – Aviation Occupational Health and Safety
Law and Regulations:
Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations
Aviation Occupational Health and Safety Regulations
Flight Attendant Training Standard
Fact Sheets:
CUPE – List of Health and Safety Fact Sheets
ESDC – Reports and Publications – Health and Safety
Info For New workers:
CUPE – Health and Safety facts for young and new workers
ESDC – Are you in danger? Fundamental Rights
Employer and Employee Rights and Responsibilities Federal Sector:
CUPE – Your three essential health and safety rights
CCOHS – Three Fundamental Rights
ESDC – Internal Responsibility System – Employer and Employee Duties
CCOHS – OH&S Legislation in Canada – Basic Responsibilities
Internal Responsibility System – Reporting and Eliminating Hazards:
TC– Internal Complaint Resolution Process
ESDC – Internal Complaint Resolution Process (H&S complaint)
ESDC – Internal Responsibility System – Employer and Employee Duties
Health and Safety Committees in the Federal Sector:
ESDC – Health and Safety Committees (federal)
CCOHS – Joint Health and Safety Committees (note: Airline employees fall under “Canada” jurisdiction)
Violence and Harassment in the Workplace:
Company Violence and Harassment Policies:
- Mainline: ACAeronet > Search “harassment” > Workplace Violence and Harassment Prevention
- Rouge: See ePub.
CUPE – Violence Prevention Kit
Canadian Human Rights Commission – What is Harassment?
ESDC – Guide to Violence Prevention in the Workplace
Psychological Health:
ESDC – Psychological Health in the Workplace
CSA – Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace Standard
CCOHS – Psychological Hazards: Stress, Violence, Bullying
WHO – Psychosocial Risk Factors and Hazards
Canadian Mental Health Association
Pregnancy:
We suggest asking your local Union office for our “from here to maternity” document, which will be tailored to your province of residence.
CHRC – Pregnancy & Human Rights in the Workplace
ESDC – Pregnant and Nursing Employees
Cabin Air Quality:
Global Cabin Air Quality Executive – Cabin Air Quality Advocacy Organization (CUPE is a member)
Association of Flight Attendants – CWA – Cabin Air Quality Page
Substance Use and Addictions:
NOTE: Employe Assistance Programs are available to you. Should you or someone you know require advice or support, we strongly suggest contacting the EAP Coordinator.
CHRC – Impaired at Work: A Guide to Accomodating Substance Dependancy at Work
Flight Attendant Drug and Alcohol Program
CCOHS – Substance Use in the Workplace
Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction
Layover Safety:
Company ePub > Layover Safety
N95 Respirators
The company sent out a memo regarding the fact that they will now be provisioning 1 N95 respirator per crew member. Your health and safety
COVID-19 & Reporting Health & Safety Complaints
Throughout the COVID-19 experience we have received many emails asking what we are doing to address this virus at the Health and Safety Committee level.
COVID-19 & The Right To Refuse Dangerous Work
COVID-19 has resulted in a high demand for information on the right to refuse dangerous work. Please take note that work refusals are intended to
The Three Fundamental Health & Safety Rights
The Health and Safety committee issued this bulletin previously in 2018 and we think it is important in this time to remind our members of
COVID-19 Update – The Importance Of Good Hygiene
As the COVID-19 coronavirus makes its way to more countries around the world, proper hygiene will play an even bigger role in ensuring the health and
Health & Safety Update: PY Service Enhancements
We have received a flood of comments from members about the revised Premium Economy service standards (13DEC19 MMN, 15JAN20 globe bulletin). When taken in full