Health and Safety Rights and Responsibilities
Employer’s have primary responsibility for occupational health and safety. But as an employee and a union member you have rights and responsibilities too.
- You have the right to know about hazards associated with your work.
- Be aware of changes in you health that could be caused by your working conditions.
- You have the right to participate in health and safety decisions. This is done primarily through your workplace occupational health and safety (OHS) committee. Every workplace with ten or more employees must have an OHS committee. Smaller, high hazard workplaces must designate a worker OHS representative.
- You have the right to refuse work if you have reasonable grounds to believe it is unusually dangerous to yourself or others. First inform your supervisor about the problem. In most cases you should stay on the job site. Your employer is required to provide you with other work. If the problem is not resolved to your satisfaction, it will be referred to the workplace OHS committee.
- You are protected from disciplinary action or other punishment for fulfilling their responsibilities or exercising their rights under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
- If you have concerns about health and safety, contact your workplace OHS committee.
- Check with Saskatchewan Labour OHS branch for detailed information on OHS rights and responsibilities.
- SGEU has an Occupational Health and Safety /Environment Committee which educates and advocates on behalf of members.
