Stettler District Ambulance Association Collective Agreement 2023 - 2026

Article 31: Workplace Health, Safety, and Wellness

1. No Employee shall be expected to operate equipment, administer drugs, or use any new technique until trained in that particular procedure or technique. An Employee may during the training period administer, use, or operate as stated above under direct supervision of a qualified Employee.

2. The parties to this Collective Agreement will cooperate to the fullest extent in the matter of occupational health, safety and accident prevention.

3. Required safety equipment, devices, and training will be provided where necessary by the Employer, and will include:

   1. Establishing a Safe Patient/Client handling program that provides equipment appropriate to industry standards to minimize hazardous manual patient/client lifting and handling.

   2. The Employer must make available the highest protective level of safety engineered sharps or needle-less systems and ensure that they are used.

   3. The Employer must apply the precautionary principle of using the appropriate level of personal protective equipment.

   4. The creation of policies and procedures to address Working Alone and Violence including abuse and harassment which are in addition to the current provisions of the Alberta OHS Code or the current collective agreement.

4. The Employer shall establish a Joint Worksite Health and Safety Committee which shall be composed of representatives of the Employer and at least two (2) Employee representatives appointed by the Union.

5. The Joint Worksite Health and Safety Committee shall meet quarterly at a mutually agreeable hour and date. A co-chairperson(s) may call a special meeting of this Committee to deal with urgent matters and shall meet within ten (10) days of an event, such as a serious workplace injury, work refusal, or other matter that requires the Committee’s attention under OHS legislation.

6. The applicable rate of pay shall be paid to an Employee representative for time spent in attendance at a meeting.

7. The “Rules of Procedure” and terms of reference of the Joint Worksite Health and Safety Committee shall be agreed upon by the Union and Employer. 

8. Either party may request the attendance of guest(s) at a Joint Worksite Health and Safety Committee meeting(s), and this shall not be unreasonably denied.
9. The Committee shall consider such matters as occupational health and safety and may make recommendations to the Employer in that regard.
10. The Committee shall also consider measures necessary to protect the security of each Employee on the Employer’s premises and may make recommendations to the Employer in that regard.
11. The parties will provide available relevant information to all applicable parties at least five (5) days prior to any discussions or meetings to ensure meaningful discussion of safety concerns, incidents, and issues.
12.  
    1. Should the recommendations not be implemented and adequate steps taken towards implementation within thirty (30) days from the date the recommendation is made, the Joint Worksite Health and Safety Committee may request and shall have the right to refer the issue to the Stettler District Ambulance Association Chief Administration Officer (CAO), or designate. A resolution meeting between the Union and the CAO, or designate, shall take place within twenty-eight (28) calendar days of the issue being referred to the CAO. The CAO shall reply in writing to the Union within fourteen (14) calendar days.
    2. Should the issue remain unresolved following the Chief Administration Officer’s written response, the Union may request and shall have the right to present its recommendation(s) to the Stettler District Ambulance Association Board of Directors. A resolution meeting between the Union and the Board of Directors shall take place within ninety (90) calendar days. The Board of Directors shall reply in writing to the Union within fourteen (14) calendar days of the presentation by the Union.
13. Workplace Health, Safety and Wellness education, training and instruction shall be provided to Employees, at the applicable rate of pay, to fulfill the requirements for training, instruction or education set out in the Occupational Health and Safety Act, Regulation or Code.
14. The Employer shall implement a psychological health and safety plan consistent with the current CSA Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace standard. Aspects of this plan may be reviewed annually by the Joint Worksite Health and Safety Committee.

15. Critical Incident Management 
    A critical incident is defined as an event or a series of events that has a stressful impact sufficient enough to overwhelm the usually effective coping skills of either an individual or a group.

    1. Following a critical incident, an Employee may request to be provided with down time during the shift without loss of pay following the completion of the critical incident. The Employee’s request shall not be unreasonably denied.

    2. If an Employee requests mental health services including peer support, and specialized EFAP (Employee Family Assistance Program) services such as trauma support, the Employee’s request shall not be unreasonably denied.

    For each psychological injury claim the Employer shall complete the appropriate WCB documentation if the critical incident results in an absence from the workplace beyond the day of the incident or necessitates health care intervention.