Confused by the record-keeping requirements for joint health and safety committees (JHSCs)? “You are not alone,” says Tova Lawsen, WSPS Health and Safety Consultant. “Many JHSCs are unclear about which records to keep, how much detail to include, how long to keep them, and how to store them.” 

The Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) requires JHSCs to maintain records of specific mandated activities – such as meeting minutes and workplace inspections. It also encourages them to retain copies of other documents as a best practice to support ongoing safety compliance and continuous improvement. 

“Records serve as documented evidence for ministry inspectors that a committee is fulfilling its legal duties, allow employers to demonstrate due diligence, and enable the committee to track hazards, monitor controls, and identify trends,” explains Tova. 

Which documents to retain

Keeping the following records supports compliance, helps JHSCs track corrective actions, and ensures continuity when committee membership changes, says Tova.

• Meeting minutes. “Keep it simple. You don’t need to include the agenda or all the back-and-forth conversation between members. Focus on the decisions, actions, and recommendations. Tova suggests using this downloadable template or creating a simple, dated, and signed document by the co-chairs that outlines the issues discussed and the outcomes.
• Inspection reports. Although a checklist is an excellent tool for spotting hazards, it is not an inspection report, explains Tova. The report should detail hazard findings, history, location, risk level, recommended actions, and responsible parties. “These records can really help the committee over time. If you keep seeing the same problems over and over, it may mean you are not getting to the root causes.”  Use this template to keep records of your inspections.
• Recommendations to the employer. Document what recommendations were made, when, the response received, and the proposed timeframe for implementation. “This builds a robust evidence history that shows the employer is cooperative and responsive to the JHSC, as required by the OHSA, and that the Internal Responsibility System (IRS) is working as intended.”
• Certification training records. Maintain proof that at least one worker and one employer member have received Part One and Part Two certification training, as well as refresher training within the past three years. “The employer should also be keeping JHSC Certification training records,” says Tova.
• Terms of reference. Although not required by law, Tova recommends that JHSCs have formal Terms of Reference that outline the committee’s structure, roles, responsibilities, and operating procedures to guide members. “Review this document annually to ensure it still reflects the practical reality of the workplace, and the functioning of the committee.”
• Investigations of fatalities and critical injuries by a worker member. The JHSC must document and retain findings, recommendations, and follow-up actions to ensure accountability and support continuous improvement. This report is shared with the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training, and Skills Development. 
• Orders and reports from the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training, and Skills Development. Employers must share these documents with the JHSC. “Retaining them makes it easier for the JHSC to monitor the effectiveness of controls that were put in place to address non-compliance.”
• employer-provided information: Employers must share reports concerning health and safety (excluding results of harassment investigations) with the JHSC or health and safety representative if the committee or rep requests them. These documents include, but are not limited to:
  • incident reports (including those that do not result in injury)
  • results of health and safety testing (e.g., air quality, noise, chemical exposure)
  • workplace violence risk assessments
  • pre-start health and safety reviews (PSRs)
  • workplace training records

“If the JHSC makes a written recommendation related to one of these reports, it should keep a copy (and the employer’s response) with the originating document. This way, it retains context for future monitoring or if similar issues arise related to the original recommendation.”

How long to keep records 

In most cases, the OHSA and regulations don’t specify how long records should be kept. An exception is  Regulation 420, sections 51-53, which requires copies of notices or reports dealing with fatalities, critical injuries, occupational illnesses and other incidents to be kept for at least three years. 

“My suggestion is to keep JHSC records for 3-5 years,” says Tova. Failure to retain records long enough could result in lost evidence of recurring hazards, unaddressed recommendations, or missed follow-up actions – potentially leading to increased workplace risks and employer liability. 

How to store records 

Records can be kept in paper form, such as in a well-organized JHSC binder. They may also be electronic. Do what makes sense for your workplace. Whatever system you choose, it needs to be well-designed so JHSC members can quickly, reliably and securely access their records.

How WSPS can help

Training

• JHSC Certification Part 1 (3-day instructor-led virtual or in-person training) or (self-paced online learning)
• JHSC Certification Part 2 by sector (2-day instructor-led virtual or in-person training)
  
  • Warehousing & Distribution
  • Service
  • Offices
  • Manufacturing
  • Agriculture
  • JHSC Refresher (1-day instructor-led virtual or in-person training)

Resources

• JHSC Meeting Minutes Template Recording Form
• Workplace Inspection Recording Form Template
• Joint Health and Safety Committee Terms of Reference
• JHSC Notice of Recommendation (PDF) 
• JHSC Toolkit (PDF)
• JHSC Notice Board Form - Use this form to post the names of your joint health and safety committee members.
• Joint Health and Safety Committees (JHSC): An Overview
• How can a JHSC conduct effective workplace inspections on-site? (video)

The information in this article is accurate as of its publication date.