On May 27 & 28, 2022, joint health and safety committee (JHSC) worker representative from across the province attended the Back to Basics: Past, Present and Future of OHS conference co-hosted by the CEU and BCGEU. Worker representatives from Courtney, Kamloops, Kelowna, Nanaimo, Nelson, Port Moody and corporate JHSCs were in attendance to participate in health and safety presentations and network with each other and members of the BCGEU.

Topics presented included asbestos, JHSCs and workplace accommodations, metal health and physiological health and safety, bullying and harassment, JHSC basics, a history of health and safety in BC and a brain storming session to develop a personal action plan for the participant’s local JHSC. Our own CEU members presented on mental health and physiological health and safety, bullying and harassment and JHSC basics.

Liz Cullen, worker representative for the Nanaimo JHSC, stated, “It was interesting to hear that many of us are facing the same challenges despite coming from different sectors. I came away with a nice long list of things to review with my committee! We have work to do. I look forward to attending again in the future!”

While the COVID-19 pandemic put a damper on regular in-person conferences, we seem to be coming out the other side and the health and safety conference will be hosted in person on an annual basis.

A special thank you to our current JHSC members who actively support their regions with health and safety issues, and a thank you to those who volunteered some of their personal time to attend this conference to learn more about health and safety.

The CEU is always looking for members to participate in local JHSCs; the committees benefit from a range of worker experience in health and safety, departmental assignment, etc. If you are interested in joining your local JHSC, please contact Erin Guy, Corporate JHSC Worker Co-Chair, at moc.cbefaskrowobfsctd@yug.nire.

For those interested in attending the next health and safety conference co-hosted by the CEU and BCGEU, watch out for calls of interest in the spring of 2023.