- Workshop addresses

issues of safety
incentives & discipline

During the safety conference,
national safety council chairman
Bob Patterson and second vice chair
Les Veale unveiled the new I.W.A.’s
safety manual, a condensed pocket
book version of the union’s policies,
and guide for occupational health
and safety committee members.

The manual was produced by the
I.W.A.’s national safety department
and distributed to each delegate in

The first portion of the manual
deals with a brief history of the
1.W.A.’s involvement in health and
safety since 1987 to present. The
union’s policies, program structure
and duties of OH&S committees are
laid out along with tips on developing
safety programs

The middle material deals with
safety management-like issues,
such as how to deal with noise,
hazardous chemicals, accident
investigation, job safety analysis,
workplace inspections, emergency
and lockout procedures, etc.

It also has an appendix with
sample programs and resources.

“Basically our manual is the
I.W.A’s safety management system
in brief form,” said Patterson.
“Companies have them too and they
audit them.”

Brother Veale pointed out that
the manual is designed to deal with
safety issues in all types of I.W.A.
workplaces, in all parts of Canada.

“Some of this stuff may be what
you need, some of it might not be
relevant, but in terms of ‘one size
fits all’ — it’s a tough task given the
multiple jurisdictions that our
members work in,” said Veale.

The workshop briefly went over
the history and policies that the
union has worked on over the year,
including the election of committees,
jurisdiction over OH&S matters,
the right to refuse unsafe work, the
“walking wounded,” the elimination
of hazards, and the investigation of
injuries and diseases.

But two important policies — on
safety incentive programs and
disciplinary procedures for safety
infractions, became the subjects of
workshops for conference delegates.

Patterson told the participants that
these policies were chosen because
they are emotionally charged issues.

“As committee members, we are
constantly getting dragged into
these topics,” he said. “Often we get
into problems with the membership
and many may not know which way
to go.

Hoatelha groups tackled case
studies and had spirited discussions,
some in support of discipline for
safety infractions and safety
incentive programs and others not.

The union’s policy is that it is
opposed to most safety incentive
programs, especially for those that
encourage workers to stay on the
job when it’s unsafe to do so because
of some prize they or a group will
get. It is also against the under-
reporting of injuries.

Patterson said that workers must
be encouraged to report first-aid
incidents and that proper first-aid
is designed to keep people in the
workplace.

He also said there have been many
studies over the past thirty to forty
years that show some incentive
programs are effective depending
on how they are set up.

The union’s policy however, says
that providing rewards for those
who don’t report accidents and
punishing those who do is unethical
and bad policy.

On the topic of discipline for safety
infractions, Patterson said there
are huge opportunities for com-
panies and the union to work
together to create joint efforts in
educating and training workers but
that it draw a lines at disciplining
its own members.

He said the union will defend its
members, through the grievance
procedure if necessary, against
unfair discipline.

The union’s policy is clear, it is
management’s role to hand out
discipline and not the union’s.
In fact, nowhere in Canadian
OH&S laws or regulations is a
union or any of its members
designated to participate in
disciplinary procedures.@

Fight Bill 57

Cont.from page twenty-eight

floor plans for the workplace.

° it allows the WSIB to take legal
action against employee for supposed
false statements whenever it wants
to, eliminating the two-year
statutory limit.

Mr. Glibbery encouraged I.W.A.
members in Ontario to get active
and oppose Bill 57. He reminded
workers that it took thousands of
deaths and years of struggle to get

t-to-refuse legislation in place.
e said activists should write

letters, try to get on the radio, contact
their] 's and get a campaign
eeealth and safety is a community

. It’s not strictly a workplace
issue,” he said.

PHASE Il HAZARDOUS TRAINING

The delegates were also told by
Mr. Glibbery that employers and

workers have until December 31,
ious

'1 to complete Phase II Hazard
ing under the WSIB.

He pointed out that employers
and workers must agree on what
hazards exist in their workplace.
Worker reps on joint OH&S
committees must agree to what
poses a significant risk and sign off

‘orms sent to the WSIB.

All workers must take the courses
agreed-upon, of which dozens of
modules with sub-sections exist.
There’s a legal obligation for
employers to do hazard analysis in
consultation with workers.

If things are not moving on time,
Glibbery suggested workers or union
reps pick up the phone and call
the WSIB.

“If you don’t agree with the
employer, don’t sign the paper,”
he added.

The speaker said that the Level IT
training will likely get busy, in the
fall for many I.W.A. members as
forest industry workers return from
shutdown and/or vacations.

The Worker’s Health and Safety
Centre provides training and
certified instructors, some of whom
are I.W.A. members that can
efficiently deliver the training
modules.a

ws

e National safety council second vice chair Les Veale co-facilitated
workshops using the new I.W.A. safety pocket book.

¢ The CAW's Tashlynn Chase (r.) and Mervin Van Steinberg of the United
Way's Labour Committee, co-facilitated a workshop on safety issues in
the aging workforce.

* Local 2995's Gaetan Carrier facilitated a workshop on Strategies for
Change, one of four bilingual presentations.

LUMBERWORKER/SEPTEMBER, 2001/29