Testing the joint health and safety committee assessment tool in the education sector

Abstract

Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) effectiveness has been identified as an area of concern for Ontario’s education sector. The JHSC Assessment Tool has been previously tested in hospitals with positive results. This study assessed the feasibility and usability of the JHSC Assessment Tool in the education sector. Members of multi-workplace JHSCs from Ontario school boards used the tool to assess their committees’ effectiveness before, during and after a committee meeting with usability testing conducted pre and post meeting. Results suggested that the JHSC Assessment Tool was feasible to use during a regular JHSC meeting, groups were able to come to consensus on the majority of items, and usability scores were high overall. Participant feedback provided insight that informed the development of a version relevant to multi-workplace committees.

Keywords:

• Education
• employee participation
• internal responsibility system
• joint health and safety committee
• legislation
• occupational health and safety
• prevention

Acknowledgments

Study support from Helen Kelly, Sarah McMillan, Kristofer Bandayrel, Paulina Huniewicz and Arlinda Ruco.

Disclosure Statement

None to declare.

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded through a grant to the Centre for Research Expertise in Occupational Disease from the Ontario Ministry of Labour.