Article 26 - Occupational Health and Safety

It is agreed that the Employer, the Union, the employees and all levels of supervision will cooperate fully to promote safe work practices, healthy working conditions and compliance with The Saskatchewan Employment Act.

The Union, through the participation of its members in the Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee(s), will provide input into issues of occupational health and safety and will assist, wherever possible, in the furtherance of safe conditions and practices.

The Occupational Health and Safety Committees shall hold meetings and regular inspections to deal with all unsafe, hazardous or dangerous conditions. Committee representatives shall suffer no loss of pay for attending such meetings or inspections. Minutes of committee meetings and inspection reports shall be provided to the Union.

All employees either working with or in close proximity to any hazardous product or dangerous material will be supplied with adequate and sufficient training, education, tools and safety equipment so as not to be exposed to unacceptable risks of the hazardous product or dangerous material. The training, tools and equipment to be used will be determined by a representative of the Department of Health, Safety and Environment in consultation with the relevant Occupational Health and Safety Committee consistent with pertinent legislation and accepted protocols.

With the prior consent of the department head or Dean, a Union member of a Health and Safety Committee shall be entitled to time off from work with no loss of pay to attend educational courses and seminars sponsored by government agencies or the University for instruction and upgrading on health and safety matters.

No employee shall be disciplined for refusal to work on a job or to operate any equipment which, in the opinion of the employee or any member of the Health and Safety Committee, is unsafe, until an Occupational Health and Safety Officer or an Occupational Health and Safety Committee established under The Saskatchewan Employment Act has investigated the matter or situation, or until sufficient steps have been taken so that the employee has reasonable grounds for believing that the duty or duties are no longer unusually dangerous.