The Design and Evaluation of a Joint Health and Safety Committee Education Programme in the Healthcare Sector in Western Canada

Research on the Canadian workforce has consistently indicated that healthcare workers have a greater risk of workplace injuries and more mental health problems than any other occupational group1. Studies also indicate that healthcare workers face substantial occupational risks related to infectious diseases, violence from patients/residents with dementia, allergic reactions from chemical agents, and ergonomic issues associated with patient handling2-11, among other occupational hazards. “Accident committees” were established by legislation, for some industries in 1920 in British Columbia, much earlier than in the rest of Canada (WHSA, 1994). Mandatory Joint Health and Safety Committees (JCs) for workplaces with 20 or more employees were legislated in BC in 197712. Nonetheless, despite the long-term existence of JCs, in the BC healthcare sector in 1998 the injury rate was 54% higher than the average rate for all workers in BC13. And, from 1997 to 1999, direct claims costs were $180 million in BC healthcare13. The purpose of this paper is to describe the development, delivery, and evaluation of a JC education program designed specifically for healthcare institutions in BC. The JC education program was designed by the Occupational Health and Safety Agency for Healthcare in BC (OHSAH), an agency jointly governed by the healthcare unions and employers in BC. The program was developed with extensive input from labour and management as well as expert advice from human resources consultants.