ABSTRACT
Most large organizations and facilities have Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) committees, often featuring the participation of both management and workers, which is the actual intention and gives the effort a great deal of credibility. The OHS committee must be sponsored by the corporate executives and cannot function without that support. OHS regulations provide standards of working conditions that are generally accepted as safe for the worker, yet productive for the employer. OHS committees usually offer formal government-sponsored training programs to their members, who can become certified practitioners. Within large facilities, OHS committees are an accepted reality containing members appointed from within business units in a building. Safety data sheets (SDS), are found in all facilities as a safe way of identifying hazardous materials being used or stored on-site. In Ontario, regulations require that SDS documents be updated at least every three years, or as soon as possible but within 90 days of any change.
