Championing Safety at the Workplace by Understanding the JHSC
- 5 min read
- November 19, 2025
Workplaces are increasingly focussing on creating a safe and healthy workplace environment and ensuring compliance with regulations to reduce and minimize risks. To help organizations accomplish their goal of becoming safe and complaint, the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) lays down the legal framework and tools.
Although employers have the biggest responsibilities when concerning health and safety in the workplace, all partners play an important part in ensuring these requirements are met with towards promoting health and safety and help in being compliant with the statutory requirements set out under the Act.
An essential tool to realize of this goal is establishing the Joint Health and Safety Committees (JHSC). JHSCs promote a culture of safety, facilitate effective communication, and drive continuous improvement in the organization’s occupational health and safety practices. In this article, we explore the significance of JHSCs how they contribute to workplace safety.
What is a Joint Health and Safety Committee?
A Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) is a team of representatives composed of both the management and workers, committed towards identifying and resolving health and safety concerns within the workplace. These committees act like a bridge between the employer and workers, making sure everyone’s perspectives and concerns over health and safety matters are taken into consideration. They identify potential hazards, bring them to attention and keep everyone informed of the health and safety developments.
How does a Joint Health and Safety Committee ensure a more compliant and collaborative workplace?
- Identify and Assess Hazards - JHSCs are responsible for identifying, assessing, and mitigating workplace hazards. The members receive specialized training specific to their industry that allows them to recognize potential risks and hazards.
- A Culture of Safety - JHSCs promote a culture of safety within the organization through meetings, training sessions, and awareness campaigns. They encourage employees to adopt safe work practices, prioritize safety, and become actively involved in the organization's goal to be compliant and prevent workplace injuries and illnesses.
- Act as a bridge - JHSCs serve as an accessible communication channel between the management and workers, allowing and empowering both parties to share concerns related to health and safety. It also serves as a platform for everyone to voice their feedback and suggestions, which in turn promotes effective compliance.
- Influencing Policy and Procedures - JHSCs directly impact the development of health and safety policies and procedures and their implementation. The members also provide valuable insights into potential risks and the effectiveness of existing policies, review and make recommendations for improvements, and ensure that the policies and procedures align with the regulatory requirements and best practices.
- Training and Education - JHSCs also play a pivotal role in promoting training. The committee members receive specialized training, enabling them to advocate and facilitate workplace safety. They also raise awareness about specific hazards and provide guidance on safe work practices.
- Monitoring and Evaluating Safety Performance - JHSCs continually monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of safety programs and initiatives being implemented in the organization. They keep track of incidents and identify trends and gaps, allowing organizations to strengthen their safety performance through better resource allocation and making informed decisions.
Today’s fast-paced and complex work environments, require the establishment of specialized teams to safeguard the well-being of employees and equipment. By promoting a culture of safety, facilitating communication, identifying hazards, and influencing policies, JHSCs significantly augment the overall safety stance of organizations and allow for diligent health and safety compliance.
