Today, December 18, 2025, I tried to log into the main Joint Health and Safety Committee website at York University, https://jhsc.info.yorku.ca/ppy_secure/welcome/, (via jhsc.info.yorku.ca) to verify some documentation as I write up a health and safety recommendation and was greeted with this error: This is the main page that we're supposed to use to access JHSC […]
Here at YorkU we rely on emergency phones when accidents or other bad things happen. They are a key part of our safety infrastructure. And, because of this, they need to be checked to see if they are actually functioning. Unfortunately, we've discovered that for some time now many of these safety phones are broken. […]
As I've blogged about before, the Workplace Incident Report documentation and forms remain hidden behind a password wall here at York University. It's unnecessary, making it harder for workers to know how to report workplace injuries or near misses. Why am I blogging about this again? Because our Health Safety and Employee Well Being (HSEWB) […]
As the debate on maximum indoor temperature standard gets underway at Toronto City Hall today, now is a good time to point out to YorkU employees and students that we once had a standard for maximum acceptable temperature but the HSEWB Department got rid of it this year. The bottom line is this: we shouldn't […]
Why are so many sidewalks at York University still covered in ice and snow? Because we simply don't have enough employees and equipment to get the job done. What staff we do have has been working really hard to make the walkways and building entrances safe, but there is simply too much ground to cover […]
I want to follow-up on my earlier post on workplace incident reporting at York University. Our HSEWB department, which controls resources and processes related to workplace health and safety at York University, continues to insist that documentation -- including workplace incident forms -- be hidden behind password protection access. Hiding health and safety documentation behind […]
Summary The Ontario Workers Health & Safety Training Centre provides training on Indoor Air Quality. It’s valuable training for Joint Health and Safety Committee members to provide them on background to better understand how to go about gathering and analyzing information on indoor air in the workplace. The training covers common issues, limitations, and responsibilities. (preview here) Given the importance of […]
If you feel that it's too hot or too cold in your office or classroom, you wouldn't expect your employer to say "Hey! You can't bring a thermometer into the classroom to measure temperature. You need expert training to read and set up that thermometer." Of course not. That's ridiculous. And the same goes for […]
The Workplace Incident Report form is meant to be filled out by your supervision when there is a health and safety incident, like when you slip and fall on ice at work. But it is also meant to be used when you _could_ have been injured -- for instance, by a falling object or a […]
It's Fall 2022 and the masks are off. Well, officially, masking is a "personal choice". Leadership has dropped the COVID ball and is hoping that nobody is going to pick it up again. So what's left to do? Continue to mask, provide alternatives for everyone that don't require in-person gathering (classes, labs, meetings), get vaccinated […]