Health and safety is an essential part of the important work that CUPE and CUPE locals and members do to ensure a safe and secure work and workplace environment for everyone. CUPE members face a wide range of hazards while on the job. Worker involvement is the real key to resolving health and safety problems because front line workers have a unique understanding of health and safety hazards in the workplace. CUPE provides tools, resources and training to help committee members and health and safety representatives help our members to stay healthy and safe at work and to encourage activism.
Occupational health and safety committee members and representatives play an important role within their local unions. They are advocates for healthy and safe work and can participate in recognizing, evaluating, and recommending controls to hazards found throughout the work and the workplace.
…it’s the work that needs to be safe… focus not only on the where, but also the who, the how, the when and the why.
As a CUPE member doing the important work of occupational health and safety, it’s important to remember occupational health and safety is about the occupation, not the place. When CUPE refers to health and safety, the consideration must be for all aspects of health and safety that relates to the work, not just of the workplace. Focusing on only the building or the place where the work is being done and making that safe. But keep in mind that it’s the work that needs to be safe, and focus not only on the where, but also the who, the how, the when and the why. Health and safety activists must be concerned with all the aspects of work, regardless of where that work is taking place. This includes the physical, mental and organizational aspects of the work.
Sometimes health and safety struggles can seem overwhelming. Just remember, you are not expected to be an expert or to have all the answers. You are expected to share the experience of workers working in your workplace – that’s your expertise and your strength. Workers are the experts in the work they do in their workplace – that’s an important point of view to have if the goal is to make work safer in the workplace. And, most of all, keep in mind that you are not alone. Your CUPE Local union, CUPE Division, CUPE National, and many other labour organizations and agencies can help.
Though this guide and accompanying kit focus on health and safety committees, much of the information provided will be applicable to smaller workplaces that have health and safety representatives.
The Health and Safety Committee Resource Kit provides additional information and materials you can refer to.
Disclaimer: All third-party opinions expressed via IASWI accounts linked to and from this page are those of the individuals concerned and do not necessarily represent those of IASWI or its affiliates. No copyright infringement is intended nor implied. To discuss this disclaimer or the removal of appropriate credit for materials of which you hold copyright please contact us. All the third party videos and contents found on workers-iran.org is not hosted on our servers; all third party videos or contents are hosted on a third party site. The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the various authors and news sources on the www.workers-iran.org do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the IASWI or official policies of the IASWI. These posts are only generated for the purpose of information sharing on the labour related issues.
Usalama na usalama ni sehemu muhimu ya kazi muhimu ambayo CUPE na wanachama wa CUPE hufanya ili kuhakikisha mazingira salama na salama ya kazi na mazingira ya kazi kwa kila mtu. Washiriki wa CUPE wanakabili hatari mbalimbali wanapokuwa kazini. Ushirikiano wa wafanyakazi ni ufunguo halisi wa kutatua matatizo ya afya na usalama kwa sababu wafanyakazi wa mstari wa mbele wana uelewa wa kipekee wa hatari za afya na usalama mahali pa kazi. CUPE hutoa zana, rasilimali na mafunzo kusaidia wanachama wa kamati na wawakilishi wa afya na usalama kusaidia wanachama wetu kukaa afya na salama kazini na kuhamasisha uendeshaji. Washiriki na wawakilishi wa kamati za afya na usalama kazini hutimiza fungu muhimu ndani ya vyama vyao vya wafanyakazi. Wao ni watetezi wa kazi yenye afya na salama na wanaweza kushiriki katika kutambua, kutathmini, na kupendekeza udhibiti wa hatari zinazopatikana katika kazi na mahali pa kazi. ... ni kazi ambayo inahitaji kuwa salama... kuzingatia si tu juu ya wapi, lakini pia nani, jinsi, wakati na kwa nini. Kama mwanachama wa CUPE kufanya kazi muhimu ya afya ya kazi na usalama, ni muhimu kukumbuka afya ya kazi na usalama ni kuhusu kazi, si mahali. Wakati CUPE inahusu afya na usalama, kuzingatia lazima kuwa kwa masuala yote ya afya na usalama ambayo yanahusiana na kazi, si tu ya mahali pa kazi. Kuangalia tu jengo au mahali ambapo kazi inafanywa na kufanya hivyo salama. Lakini kumbuka kwamba ni kazi ambayo inahitaji kuwa salama, na kuzingatia si tu juu ya wapi, lakini pia nani, jinsi, wakati na kwa nini. Wanaharakati wa afya na usalama lazima wawe na wasiwasi na nyanja zote za kazi, bila kujali mahali ambapo kazi hiyo inafanyika. Hilo latia ndani mambo ya kimwili, ya kiakili, na ya kitengenezo ya kazi hiyo. Nyakati nyingine matatizo ya afya na usalama yaweza kuonekana kuwa makubwa sana. Kumbuka, haukuhitaji kuwa mtaalamu au kuwa na majibu yote. Unatarajiwa kushiriki uzoefu wa wafanyakazi wanaofanya kazi katika mahali pako pa kazi - hiyo ni utaalam wako na nguvu yako. Wafanyakazi ni wataalamu katika kazi wanayofanya katika mahali pao pa kazi - hiyo ni mtazamo muhimu kuwa nayo ikiwa lengo ni kufanya kazi iwe salama zaidi mahali pa kazi. Na, juu ya yote, kumbuka kwamba wewe si peke yako. Chama chako cha CUPE, Chama cha CUPE, CUPE ya Kitaifa, na mashirika mengine mengi ya wafanyakazi na mashirika yanaweza kusaidia. Ingawa mwongozo huu na kit inayoambatana na inazingatia halmashauri za afya na usalama, mengi ya habari iliyotolewa itatumika kwa maeneo madogo ya kazi ambayo yana wawakilishi wa afya na usalama. Kit ya Rasilimali ya Kamati ya Afya na Usalama hutoa habari ya ziada na vifaa unaweza rejea. Maoni yote ya watu wa tatu yaliyoonyeshwa kupitia akaunti za IASWIS zilizounganishwa na kutoka kwa ukurasa huu ni ya watu wanaohusika na sio lazima kuwakilisha wale wa IASWIS au washirika wake. Hakuna ukiukaji wa hakimiliki unaokusudiwa wala unaonyeshwa. Ili kujadili disclaimer hii au kuondoa sifa sahihi kwa vifaa ambavyo unashikilia hakimiliki tafadhali wasiliana nasi. Video zote za mtu wa tatu na maudhui yaliyopatikana kwenye tovuti ya wafanyakazi-iran.org haipatikani kwenye seva zetu; video zote za mtu wa tatu au maudhui hupatikana kwenye tovuti ya mtu wa tatu. Maoni, imani na maoni yaliyotolewa na waandishi mbalimbali na vyanzo vya habari kwenye www.workers-iran.org sio lazima kutafakari maoni, imani na maoni ya IASWIA au sera rasmi za IASWIA. Vituo hivi hutengenezwa tu kwa kusudi la kushiriki habari juu ya masuala yanayohusiana na kazi.