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Health and Safety

UBC strives to provide a safe workplace for all employees, students, and visitors.

Our Faculty has a Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee (JOHSC), which is an advisory group consisting of employer and worker representatives working together to improve occupational health and safety in our workplace.

Joint Occupational Health & Safety Committee (JOHSC)

The Joint Occupational Health & Safety Committee (JOHSC) is an advisory group consisting of employer and worker representatives working together to improve occupational health and safety in the workplace. The Committee’s role in the workplace includes:

You can learn more about the role of the JOHSC at UBC.

The LFS JOHSC meets monthly, on the first Thursday of the month at 11am virtually. For more information about LFS JOHSC, such as membership, meeting minutes, and to contact the LFS JOHSC, click here: LFS JOHSC

Local Safety Teams (LSTs)

The Faculty of Land and Food Systems have four Local Safety Teams (LSTs). They play a key role for health and safety in the workplace, and provide information, recommendations and support to the LFS JOHSC. For more information of LSTs, please click the appropriate link below.

First Aid

Faculty, staff, student-staff, students, and visitors should call 604-822-4444 (Dial 2-4444 on UBC landline) to contact Campus Security for first aid. In the event of a medical emergency, first call 9-1-1 and then call first aid at 604-822-4444.

An Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and Naloxone Kit can be found outside FNH 230 and MCML 254.

Centralized Accident and Incident Reporting System (CAIRS)

All accidents/incidents and near misses involving UBC workers (faculty, staff & student workers) or practicum students must be immediately reported to the responsible supervisor and then on-line through the UBC Centralized Accident/Incident Reporting System (CAIRS).

Reporting Procedures

  • If an accident/incident/near miss happens in the faculty:
    • It is reported to a manager/supervisor/student supervisor immediately
    • Manager/supervisor notifies the LFS Faculty JOHSC Co-Chairs (patrick.leung@ubc.ca and andy.jeffries@ubc.ca)
    • Serious accidents/incidents are to be reported by phone
    • Within 48 hours, the worker's supervisor/manager reports the incident using UBC Centralized Accident/Incident Reporting System (CAIRS).

Accident Investigation

Incidents and accidents are reported and investigated in order to prevent similar situations from recurring. Investigations should never seek to assign blame. Management will provide all tools and resources necessary for investigations to be effective.

This includes:

  • Accident investigation training for investigators
  • Time made available to allow investigators to complete their duties
  • Quick action on recommended corrective actions to prevent recurrence of similar situations.

An accident investigation report is completed online (see CAIRS at www.srs.ubc.ca ) by the supervisor and by the employee (if one is involved). For assistance filing the supervisor reports, please contact JOHSC Co-Chairs (above). The JOHSC Co-Chairs will automatically receive email notifications of the reports. The reports will be discussed at the monthly local safety team meetings and LFS JOHSC meetings with suggested changes and recommendations made. The final reports will be reviewed by the LFS JOHSC, and the LST/JOHSC will monitor the progress on any actionable items resulting from the investigation and comments on the incident reported in the safety team minutes.

Note: The initial accident investigation report (online CAIRS report)must be submitted within 48 hours of the incident. Details on accident investigation procedures can be found at https://www.cairs.ubc.ca/public_page.php.

Figure 1: CAIRS Investigation Timeline.

JOHSC-and-LST-Training-General-Investigation-Calendar-Process

Figure 2. What are the steps in completing my CAIRS report?

CAIRS process