Report of the Occupational Safety & Health Committee

National Board of Directors Meeting

April 2010

 

 

Chair:                                      Jason McMichael

 

Committee Members:             Mike Matuzic

                                                Brett Evans

                                                Leanne Hughes

                                                Anthony Essex

                                                Dave VanHelvert

                                                Sean Smith

 

Resource Persons:                 Jake Baizana , Michelle Tranchemontagne

 

 

 

The committee met Wednesday at 0900. 

 

Recommendation 1

 

WHEREAS BSO’s receive duty firearm training and the proper tools to fulfill their duties as an armed officer;

 

BE IT RESOLVED that CIU National recommends that all armed officers wear their tools at all times while on duty; and

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED CIU National will fully support any member that exercises their rights under part 2 of the Canada labor code by refusing to work based their perception of danger.

 

Rationale

 

CBSA has provided training that emphasizes muscle memory, and in fact drills are performed daily during training to ensure knowledge of locations of defensive tools, to remove one would counter our training.

 

Members in NFLD have been asked to attend flights with an empty holster.  CIU Health and Safety committee believes that this practice is also contrary to training and potentially creates a further threat.

 

Members in New Brunswick were recently asked to attend flights without their duty firearm.  On 2 separate occasions in this local members exercised their right to refuse dangerous work.  These refusals were met with rulings of “no danger” after a lengthy investigation.  This committee applauds these members and will support their appeals.

 

 

Recommendation 2

 

WHEREAS Treasury Board policy doesn’t support the placement of AED’s (Automated external defibrillators) on job sites, citing cost and lack of training; and

 

WHEREAS CBSA is citing this policy as their reason for not providing AED’s to our members and further to the travelling public;

 

BE IT RESOLVED that CIU undertake a fundraising campaign at the local levels, with proceeds going towards the purchase of AED’s to be presented to the employer for placement at local job sites.

 

Rationale

 

The committee recommends a shame campaign through such things as bake sales, with media coverage and slogans like “AED’s are cheaper than funerals”.  This campaign will be supported by this committee and the National executive.  Brother Evans notes that N.B. RCMP detachment has an AED present as soon as you walk in the building.

 

Committee report

 

The committee discussed local OSH committees are referring almost zero issues to the National level.  If there is a problem with the employer refusing to sign off, that needs to be brought to our attention.  Otherwise if issues are still unresolved at a second meeting, efforts should be made to follow the procedure and refer.

 

Lab 1070’s – The board should inform local OSH committees that all Lab 1070’s absolutely must have a corrective action attached.  Members should insist on this at the local levels.

 

Local OSH committee minutes should also be sent to the National office to the attention of Brother Baizana for monitoring.

 

The Chair thanked the committee, Brother Baizana, and Sister Tranchemontagne for their continued work

 

 

This report is hereby respectfully submitted.

 

 

 

Jason McMichael

Chair