title: Joint health and safety committees - What is their impact in the acute care hospital?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is very little in the literature on the effectiveness of Joint Health and Safety Committees (JHSCs) in the healthcare sector and a paucity of information on how JHSCs are perceived in the workplace.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study was carried out to explore hospital worker, hospital management, and healthcare sector stakeholder views on the effectiveness of JHSCs in the acute healthcare setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study used a qualitative descriptive design with: (1) nineteen focus groups and twenty two individual interviews in three hospitals of different sizes; and (2) eight individual interviews with external stakeholders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Study findings showed gaps in awareness and understanding of the role and responsibilities of the Joint Health and Safety Committee. Some participants indicated that JHSCs lacked profile and had low visibility in the organization. Facilitators and barriers to JHSC effectiveness were investigated and measures to assess effectiveness identified. The attributes of a "gold standard" JHSC were outlined by respondents and can be used to develop an evidence-driven assessment tool to evaluate JHSCs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study indicate both a continuing need for education and training related to JHSCs and the need to develop better tools to assess JHSC functioning and effectiveness.
authors.affiliation: Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.|Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.|Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, St Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Canada.|Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: D Linn
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Holness
authors.affiliation: Professional Practice, Nursing Research, St Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: Laureen
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hayes
authors.affiliation: Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.|L. S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.|Collaborative Academic Practice, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada.|Professional Practice, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nichol
authors.affiliation: Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.|Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, St Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: Irena
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kudla
authors.affiliation: Professional Practice, Nursing Research, St Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: Vera
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Nincic
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D026683:Advisory Committees / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016272:Occupational Health / Q000592:standards*; D010465:Perception; D036301:Qualitative Research; D017132:Workplace / Q000592:standards*
keywords: Worker management committees; healthcare; post-SARS; worker participation; workplace safety