Service-Wide Committee on Occupational Health and Safety

The role of the Service-Wide Committee on Occupational Health and Safety (SWOHS) is to participate in the development and review of all Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat policies, programs and issues relating to occupational health and safety. The SWOHS Committee provides advice and leadership to the departmental or agency policy committees.

SWOHS Communiqués

Committee Advisor: Eden Bédard

Quarterly Report to the National Joint Council (June 2026)

Regular Activities

• The Committee has met two (2) times since the last Council meeting;
• The Committee wishes to note the departure of a Bargaining Agent Side representative, Dejan Toncic, from the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) and an Employer Side representative, Chantal Seeton, from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), and to thank them for their contributions to the Committee;
• The Committee welcomed a new Bargaining Agent Side representative, Crystal Stewart, from PIPSC, and a new Employer Side representative, Natacha Prudent, from CFIA;
• The Committee received a presentation on the occupational health and safety (OHS) impacts of climate change on workers. The presentation focused on the risks and impacts of over-heating and wildfire smoke and provided science-based suggestions to reduce risks;
• The Bargaining Agent Side proposed the creation of a sub-committee regarding OHS issues that could arise from employees returning to the office. The Bargaining Agent Side prepared terms of reference for the sub-committee, which SWOHS reviewed and may revisit at a later date;
• The Committee received a presentation from the Canadian Association of Professional Employees (CAPE) regarding reproductive health in the workplace. The presentation focused on key findings from a survey and focus group of CAPE members regarding the prevalence of reproductive-health-related symptoms, their impact, related accommodations and barriers faced by employees in the workplace;
• The Committee continues to monitor concerns surrounding the issues of respiratory infections, harassment and violence, mental health, among other hazards;
• The Harassment and Violence Prevention (HVP) Tools Working Group continues to actively work on developing resources and materials which will assist departments, agencies, and Policy Committees in navigating the Work Place Harassment and Violence Prevention Regulations. The Working Group has met once (1) since the last Council meeting. The Working Group completed a new tool, titled the Post-Harassment and Violence Investigation Recommendations Tool for Occupational Health and Safety Committees, which provides examples of occurrences in the workplace and recommendations on how to prevent and respond to these. The tool has since been approved by SWOHS and will be published on the NJC website. The Working Group is in the process of determining their next project.

Outstanding Items

• The Committee continues to monitor the progress on implementation of the Work Place Harassment and Violence Prevention Regulations.

Next Meetings: September 17, 2026; November 19, 2026