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What can I do if I have a concern regarding my or someone else's health and safety in the workplace?

Prior to filing a complaint or refusal, we encourage our members to first contact their area health and safety representative for advice and ongoing support. If a health and safety representative is unavailable, contact should be made with your Governing Council representative. 

The following internal complaint resolution process must be followed under the CLC prior to contacting a health and safety officer: 

INTERNAL COMPLAINT RESOLUTION PROCESS

Complaint to supervisor 

127.1 (1) An employee who believes on reasonable grounds that there has been a contravention of this Part or that there is likely to be an accident or injury to health arising out of, linked with or occurring in the course of employment shall, before exercising any other recourse available under this Part, except the rights conferred by sections 128, 129 and 132, make a complaint to the employee´s supervisor. 

Resolve complaint 

(2) The employee and the supervisor shall try to resolve the complaint between themselves as soon as possible. 

Investigation of complaint 

(3) The employee or the supervisor may refer an unresolved complaint to a chairperson of the work place committee or to the health and safety representative to be investigated jointly (a) by an employee member and an employer member of the work place committee; or (b) by the health and safety representative and a person designated by the employer. 

Notice 

(4) The persons who investigate the complaint shall inform the employee and the employer in writing, in the form and manner prescribed if any is prescribed, of the results of the investigation. 

Recommendations 

(5) The persons who investigate a complaint may make recommendations to the employer with respect to the situation that gave rise to the complaint, whether or not they conclude that the complaint is justified. 

Employer's duty 

(6) If the persons who investigate the complaint conclude that the complaint is justified, the employer, on being informed of the results of the investigation, shall in writing and without delay inform the persons who investigated the complaint of how and when the employer will resolve the matter, and the employer shall resolve the matter accordingly. 

Stoppage of activity 

(7) If the persons who investigate the complaint conclude that a danger exists as described in subsection 128(1), the employer shall, on receipt of a written notice, ensure that no employee use or operate the machine or thing, work in the place or perform the activity that constituted the danger until the situation is rectified. 

Referral to the Minister

(8) The employee or employer may refer a complaint that there has been a contravention of this Part to the Minister in the following circumstances:

(a) where the employer does not agree with the results of the investigation; 
(b) where the employer has failed to inform the persons who investigated the complaint of how and when the employer intends to resolve the matter or has failed to take action to resolve the matter; or 
(c) where the persons who investigated the complaint do not agree between themselves as to whether the complaint is justified. 

Investigation

(9) The Minister shall investigate the complaint referred to in subsection (8).

 Duty and power of Minister

(10) On completion of the investigation, the Minister

  • (a) may issue directions to an employer or employee under subsection 145(1);
  • (b) may, if in the Minister's opinion it is appropriate, recommend that the employee and employer resolve the matter between themselves; or
  • (c) shall, if the Minister concludes that a danger exists as described in subsection 128(1), issue directions under subsection 145(2).