Occupational health and safety courses - health care
The following Occupational Health and Safety courses are being offered over the next few months. Please note that some courses are open only to OH&S Stewards who are members of their worksite's Joint OH&S Committee, while others are open to all HSA members.
1) HSA's Basic OH&S Steward course
This two-day course will be offered at HSA's Vancouver office March 31 and April 1, 2003. HSA pays the costs of attending this course, including wage replacement, so this course can be taken in addition to the eight hours of employer-paid OH&S training to which joint OH&S committee members are entitled each year. Additional information and an application form for this course are attached (PDF file - Adobe Acrobat required). All HSA OH&S Stewards are encouraged to take this course.
2) OHSAH courses
Joint OH&S Committee Training
OH&S Stewards who are members of their worksite's Joint OH&S Committee, can apply to take one or both days of the Joint Committee Training offered by the BC Occupational Health and Safety Agency for Healthcare (OHSAH). This course is designed specifically for the health care sector. OHSAH encourages all members of a worksite's Joint OH&S Committee to take the training together, but will consider training fewer members of the committee where some members are unable to attend, or have already taken the OHSAH training. OHSAH provides the training and materials at no charge. Committees who wish to take the training together can contact OHSAH to schedule a course in their area. Individuals can contact OHSAH to see if they can attend a course already scheduled in their area. Committee members are entitled to take one day of this course as the eight hours of employer-paid OH&S training to which Joint OH&S committee members are entitled each year. Employers are required to pay reasonable costs associated with taking eight hours of the course per year, including wage replacement. Employers may agree to pay for both days in one year. Individuals must have completed Day 1 of the course, or some other Basic OH&S course, in order to take Day 2 of the training.
Other OHSAH Courses
OHSAH offers additional courses in Incident Investigations, Inspections, Violence in the Workplace, plus Hazard and Risk Identification. Committee members may take any of these courses as part of the eight hours of employer-paid OH&S training to which Joint OH&S committee members are entitled each year.
Additional information about OHSAH courses is available at OHSAH's web site at www.ohsah.bc.ca or by phoning OHSAH at (604) 775-4034, or toll free at 1-800-359-6612.
3) BC Federation of Labour Courses
Basic OH&S course and Exposure to Workplace Toxins course
OH&S Stewards who are members of their worksite's Joint OH&S Committee are entitled to take either of these one-day courses as the eight hours of employer-paid OH&S training to which Joint OH&S committee members are entitled each year. Employers pay reasonable costs associated with taking the course, including wage replacement, and the course fee of $85.00 (which includes lunch). The Federation of Labour is offering courses in several locations around the province in February and March (see course schedule on the Occupational Health and Safety page).
OH&S stewards who are not Joint OH&S Committee members, or who have already received their 8 hours of employer-paid OH&S training for the year can apply to the HSA Madden fund for financial support to attend these courses (application form attached - PDF file - Adobe Acrobat required). Alternatively, these OH&S Stewards can receive more limited financial support from HSA's OH&S training fund to cover tuition, meals and mileage to attend BCFL courses (contact Carol Riviere at the HSA office).
Other HSA Stewards and members who are not Stewards are also welcome to attend BCFL courses, and can apply to the HSA Madden fund for financial support to attend these courses.
For more information and future course dates, phone the BCFL at (604) 430-1421, check the Federation web site at www.bcfed.com and follow the links, or e-mail @email. The Occupational Health and Safety Education Project is funded by BC's Workers Compensation Board.
NOTE
OHSAH courses or BCFL courses can be taken in addition to the training offered through HSA. All three basic courses cover the OH&S provisions in the Workers' Compensation Act, the OH&S Regulation, joint OH&S committees, OH&S programs, inspections, accident investigations, and refusing unsafe work. HSA's course also deals with your rights and responsibilities as HSA Stewards.
4) Capilano College Labour Studies Courses
Issues in Women's Occupational Health
Occupational health problems of women in the workplace are often invisible. The course will look at where women work, examine the potential health risks in those jobs, and discuss the political issues involved in recognizing women's occupational health problems. Course content focuses on repetitive strain injuries, the health effects of exposure to toxins, workplace violence and stress. The course is participatory, and emphasizes the importance of women health and safety activists in our unions.
2 Sundays, March 30 and April 6 from 9 am - 4 pm, BCNU office, Burnaby $300
OH&S Panel: What's Happening to Occupational Health & Safety in BC?
Hear from the Workers' Compensation Board staff, the B.C. Federation of Labour, and occupational health and safety activists about the cuts to the WCB Prevention Department, deregulation, and other threats to workers' health. Strategies for protecting health and safety in these times will be discussed.
Saturday, April 5 from 9 am - 4 pm, IBEW office, Burnaby $125
Violence in the Workplace
This seminar will feature a panel of experts on Friday evening and workshops on Saturday. Topics include: assessing your workplace for violence prevention; legal issues following an incident; critical incident debriefing; skills for dealing with victims and perpetrators; and healing the workplace after a violent incident.
Friday, April 11 from 6:30 pm- 9 pm and Saturday, April 12 from 9 am - 4 pm, HEU office, Burnaby $125
All HSA members are welcome to attend Labour Studies courses, and can apply to the HSA Madden fund for financial support to attend these courses (application form attached - PDF file - Adobe Acrobat required). A registration form with contact information for the Labour Studies Program, as well as additional information can be found on their web site at www.capcollege.bc.ca/programs/labourstudies.
For further information about any of the courses listed in this bulletin, please phone Carol Riviere, HSA Labour Relations Officer responsible for Occupational Health & Safety at 604-439-0994, or toll free at 1-800-663-2017.