Health & Safety Representatives

Workers Compensation Board of Prince Edward Island

Health & Safety Representatives

If your workplace has between five and nineteen workers, a Health and Safety Representative is required to be in place. This is the law on Prince Edward Island.

A Health and Safety Representative is a worker who has no managerial functions and who is selected by workers or their union.

The role of the Health and Safety Representative is to help identify any health and safety issues with fellow workers, and to present these concerns to management. The Representative acts as the link between the employers and workers, so that health and safety solutions can be developed, together.

Responsibilities of the Health and Safety Representative include:

Participating in regular inspections and investigations of incidents.
Making recommendations to the employer for improvements on health and safety issues.
Encouraging workers to report hazards and concerns to their supervisor.

Download the Safety Representatives Health and Safety Responsibilities poster and display it in your workplace.

The WCB has a number of tools designed to assist Representatives with workplace health and safety. We also offer workshops and seminars that provide information on requirements under the OHS Act and the development of health and safety programs in your workplace.

For more information, refer to the Guide to Workplace Health & Safety Representatives or contact us. Our Occupational Health and Safety staff are available to answer your questions.

May 16, 2012

Maritime Worker Compensation Boards fund Dalhousie University occupational medicine courses

Physicians in Atlantic Canada now have access to online courses in occupational medicine thanks to a strategic alliance between WorkSafeNB, the Workers’ Compensation Boards of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island and Dalhousie University. “With no academic programs in occupational medicine east of Toronto, this alliance, combined with the establishment of a research chair in occupational medicine at Dalhousie University’s medical school in Saint John, will help ensure best practices in disability management and return to work,” said Sharon Tucker, chairperson of WorkSafeNB’s board of directors, who spoke on behalf of the three Maritime provinces’ compensation boards. The Maritime Occupational Medicine Continuing Medical Education (MOM CME) Alliance will provide courses not only to physicians, but also to all stakeholders with a vested interest in occupational medicine, including occupational therapists, physiotherapists, case managers, workers and employers. Because they are web-based, they can be conveniently accessed at any time. “This important initiative will help prevent occupational injuries and illness, break down the barriers of return to work, and keep injured workers employable so they can enjoy the quality of life they deserve,” Tucker said. The courses will be funded by the three Maritime worker compensation boards, while Dalhousie Continuing Medical Education will develop, host and maintain the courses on their website. The courses are accredited, providing CME credits for family physicians in the Maritime provinces. The first course, which deals with issues around prescribing time off, is now available online. Media Contacts:Beverly StearsActing Manager, CommunicationsWorkSafeNB 506-632-2828Julie Trites Communications AdvisorWorkers’ Compensation Board of Nova Scotia 902-491-8110Bonnie BlakneyDirector, Corporate DevelopmentWorkers Compensation Board of PEI 902-620-3478

May 14, 2012

William (Bill) Reid appointed to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety

William (Bill) Reid, Director of Occupational Health and Safety with the Workers Compensation Board of Prince Edward Island, has been appointed to the Council of Governors of the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS). On May 8, 2012, Federal Labour Minister Lisa Raitt announced that Reid will represent Prince Edward Island on the CCOHS Council of Governors, serving a four- year term. The mandate of the CCOHS is to promote the health and safety of working Canadians. It is governed by a Council whose members represent labour, employers and government from across Canada, providing diverse perspectives and a balanced approach to workplace health and safety issues. Mr. Reid is a Canadian Registered Safety Professional and a Certified Mechanical Engineering Technologist. Prior to assuming his role at the WCB, Reid worked for 21 years in the manufacturing industry, with a concentration in Environment, Health and Safety. He has a Bachelor of Engineering Technology Degree in Manufacturing, and holds certificates in Occupational Health and Safety Management and Ergonomics Program Management. He is an experienced firefighter, emergency responder and hazardous material technician. “Bill has an enormous wealth of knowledge on workplace safety, and we are very proud to have him represent the Workers Compensation Board and our province on safety matters at a national level,” said Nancy Guptill, Workers Compensation Board Chair. To learn more about the CCOHS, visit www.ccohs.ca. Information about occupational health and safety on Prince Edward Island is available in the Safe Workplaces section of the Workers Compensation Board website.

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