News Release Archive
LABOUR--OHS APPEAL PANEL TO BE SWORN IN ----------------------------------------------------------------- A key step in the Labour Department's efforts to make the workplace safer will take place this Friday, April 18, when 14 members of the first Occupational Health and Safety Appeal Panel are sworn in at the Law Courts in Halifax. The panel was appointed by Cabinet and formed under the new Occupational Health and Safety Act introduced earlier this year. All members, except for the chair who is a neutral party, were nominated by different organizations, including the Nova Scotia Federation of Labour, the Construction Association of Nova Scotia, Nova Scotia Associations of Health Organizations and the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association. There were also nominees from other private industry and the Cape Breton Regional Municipality. The chair of the appeal panel, Michael Hewitt, was chosen for his experience in occupational health and safety. He has served as a member of Nova Scotia's Occupational Health and Safety Legislative Review, as past president of the Canadian Occupational Health Association, and as former general manager of the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety. Mr. Hewitt is a former assistant deputy minister for the N.W.T. Department of Justice and Public Service. He has also served as a commissioner under New Brunswick's Inquiries Act, conducting a public inquiry into occupational health and safety at the Denison-Potacan Potash mine in Sussex. Labour Minister Manning MacDonald said the formation of the panel has many benefits to providing a safer workplace. "The panel will provide people with a forum to present their disagreement with a decision. And it shows the Labour Department is flexible to change and to steps that have the best interest of individuals in mind." Mr. MacDonald said he also believes having representatives from labour and business on the panel provides a broad and fair input. "With these sectors represented, we are confident decisions will be made based on knowledge and experience." Matters proceed to the appeal panel level after an initial appeal to the director of Occupational Health and Safety. Issues to be settled by the appeal panel relate to technical aspects of health and safety or the protection of individual employees from reprisals after exercising their rights under the health and safety laws. The makeup of a panel considering a specific case will be established after taking into account caseload of members, familiarity with the type of workplace to which the matter relates and proximity to the region where the hearing will occur. Possible conflicts of interest will also be taken into account. Such a panel will usually consist of three people, though in some cases the appeal may be heard by just one member. All decisions are binding. Members of the new panel are: Ivano Andriani, Halifax; Gerardette Brown, River Ryan, Cape Breton Co.; Ken Chisholm, Hubley, Halifax Co.; Clifford Dahms, Dartmouth; Rhona Green, East Bay, Cape Breton Co.; Michael Hewitt, Hubbards; John Kennedy, Lower River Inhabitants, Richmond Co.; Ross Langley, Halifax; Hugh MacArthur, New Waterford; Kevin McNamara, Dartmouth; Miriam Regan-MacNeil, Halifax; Deborah Ryan, Dartmouth; Betty Jean Sutherland, Westville and Robert Wells, Lakeview, Halifax Co. -30- Contact: Patricia Sherwood 902-424-4412 NOTE TO EDITORS: The ceremony will take place at 1 p.m. Media wishing to attend should check at the Law Courts reception desk, second floor, on Friday for the specific room number. A list of the panel members indicating their place of work and who they represent is available by calling 902-424-4492 or 1-800-670-4357. trp Apr. 16, 1997 - 11:30 a.m.