CAALL — Canadian Association of Administrators of Labour Legislation

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Occupational Safety and Health

Mandate

The Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Committee perform the duties of an advisory and consultative body on occupational safety and health to the Canadian Association of Administrators of Labour Legislation (CAALL).

This Committee comprised of membership from all provincial and territorial jurisdictions collectively participates as a forum in which there may be an interchange of ideas and of proposals concerning occupational safety and health.

CAALL OSH provides authoritative information on occupational hazards and the means of dealing with them. As well, the Committee considers ways in which the Canadian expertise could best contribute to international occupational safety and health standards.

The members of the Committee review and discuss occupational health and safety concerns via teleconferences and an annual general meeting.

Terms of Reference

Objectives

The purpose for which the members of the Occupational Safety and Health Committee, hereinafter called the Committee agreed collectively to participate, is to provide a forum:

1. in which there may be an interchange of ideas and of proposals concerning occupational safety and health;
2. in which, to the greatest extent possible, consultation would develop uniform national occupational safety and health requirements, and taking account of international practices;
3. in which the minimum practicable occupational risk can be reviewed and expressed;
4. to communicate to members of CAALL OSH authoritative information on occupational hazards and means of dealing with them;
5. to consider ways in which the Canadian expertise could best contribute to international occupational safety and health standards.

Terms of Reference

1. The Committee shall be so constituted as to perform the duties of an advisory and consultative body on occupational safety and health to the CAALL In this respect it shall consider:
   1. technical and policy aspects of occupational safety and health
   2. dangers to the safety and health of workers, for which preventive or remedial measures may be deemed necessary, taking into account the effect upon other persons and the environment.
2. The Committee shall act as a coordinating body in which representatives of each of the jurisdictions may consult together on matters within their respective jurisdictions, such as:
   1. the adoption of regulations, amendments to existing regulations, guidelines for techniques of conduct, codes of practices, manuals of emergency procedures, and general aspects of occupational safety and health regulations;
   2. uniform measures and standards (these may be derived from the analysis of hazards through studies undertaken by members on their own initiative or through research undertaken on formal recommendations of the Committee); and
   3. measures and standards necessary to ensure to the greatest extent possible, the rationalization within (the various jurisdictions in) Canada and harmonization at the international level of all matters related to occupational safety and health.
3. The Committee shall carry out such other duties and functions as the Executive Committee of the Canadian Association of Administrators of Labour Legislation (CAALL Executive) may designate.
4. The Committee may establish:
   1. partnership with other committees and organizations
   2. sub-committees and task forces to examine specific aspects of any matter which falls within its objectives. In this respect the Committee shall adopt, by way of recommendation, the proposed work program of the sub-committee or task force and shall specify its membership:
      1. so as to include representation of every member of the Committee desiring to participate; and
      2. which may, on the decision of the Committee, include individually named experts whose participation shall be sponsored by a member of the Committee.
   Such sub-committees or task forces shall be designated as standing or as ad hoc and shall conduct their business in the manner prescribed by the rules of procedure of the Committee.

Composition

The Committee shall consist of one member from each jurisdiction including each of the three territorial governments.

The Committee shall decide on the circumstances in which it may invite to its meetings, or to meetings of its subsidiary bodies, persons representing non-governmental interests or representing governmental interests other than those of Canadian OSH jurisdictions, and such persons or interests may participate to the extent permitted by the Chair, with the consent of the Committee; but in no case may such persons or interests participate in the taking of a decision by the Committee.

Representation

Each member jurisdiction may be represented at any meeting of the Committee by an alternate representative who shall be nominated by the member jurisdiction and who shall be permitted to participate on behalf of the member jurisdiction in the work of the Committee.

A member or alternate member may be accompanied by advisors.

Officers

• The Chair of the Committee shall be appointed by the Committee from among its members and shall hold office, at the pleasure of the Committee and the Executive of the CAALL, for a period of one year so long as the appointment as a member continues.
• The Committee shall appoint a first, second and third Vice-Chair from among its members, who shall hold office, at the pleasure of the Committee for a period of one year.
• The Executive of the Committee shall consist of the Chair, the first, second and third Vice-Chair plus the immediate Past Chair. At the annual meeting each year, each Executive Officer will move up one position and a third Vice-Chair will be appointed.
• In the absence of the Chair, the first Vice-Chair shall take the chair and may immediately nominate an alternate to act in his or her stead.
• The duties of the first Vice-Chair shall include liaison with the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) and chairing the CSA Advisory Council meetings.
• The duties of the second and third Vice-Chair shall include monitoring the status of specified work plan projects as assigned by the executive of the Committee.
• The Chairs of sub-committees and task forces shall be appointed by the Committee and shall hold office at the pleasure of the Committee.
• A Secretary to the Committee shall be appointed by the Committee with the consent of the CAALL Executive on the recommendation of the Committee.

Quorum

A quorum shall consist of not less than a simple majority of the Committee members.

Reporting

• Sub-committees or task forces shall furnish reports of their activities by way of minutes of meetings and the texts of any recommendation to the Committee, duly adopted, and may, in supplement to this, furnish specific reports on any subject within its competence.
• Sub-committees or task forces shall report annually to the Committee and may, at the discretion of the Committee be required to report at more frequent intervals.
• Reports of the Committee shall be made to the CAALL Executive. At the CAALL annual meeting, the current chair reports on the proposed work plan and the past chair may report on the former work plan.

Meetings

• Meetings or teleconferences of the Committee shall be at the call of the Chair or at the request of a quorum of the members.
• There should be at least two weeks' notice of meetings.

As adopted January 1976
Revised April, 1976; August 1976; December, 1976; April, 1977; November 27, 1979; March, 1992 and December 2004.

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