Orillia - April
LU Joint Health and Safety Committee – Orillia
April 2, 2025
11 AM to 12 Noon.
OA3041 and via ZOOM
Minutes
In Attendance: Theresa (T-Bird) Prisciak, Brea Reid, Katelyn Whitten, Tiffany Moore (Thunder Bay Health and Safety), Victoria TeBrugge, Carolyn Rimkey, Sreekumari Kurissery, Madison Temple, Rosamaria Fabiano, Sara Corcoran (Student Health and Wellness), Rebecca Craigie
1. Approval of Agenda
Approver: Victoria TeBrugge
Seconder: Rebecca Craigie
Moved
2. Housekeeping
Introductions for Brea Reid - Human Resources Business Partner. Brea serves as the HR representative along with Katelyn Whitten (admin support) on the Joint Health and Safety Committee - Orillia
3. Student Health and Wellness – Sara Corcoran
Health/Counselling Services
- In person services will conclude on April 13, 2025 (in line with currently scheduled last date of classes)
- Virtual counselling supports will be available throughout Spring/Summer for all enrolled students, as well as virtual Nurse Practitioners appointments.
- The Nurse Practitioners also offer in person access to services at the practitioner locations, or can be arranged for on campus days depending on students needs
Health Promotions
- May 5 to 9, 2025: CMHA Mental Health Week
- Safe Talk workshop being offered May 6th, 2025 from 1:00p.m – 4:30p.m. Workshop is free, registration required and is open to all staff, faculty and students
- Reminder: On Demand D2L ‘Supporting Students in Distress’ workshop/course is always available online
- Wellness Centre Open House: Opportunity for staff and faculty to visit the Wellness Centre to learn about resources that are available to support students
4. Approval of Minutes from last JHSC Meeting
- Victoria TeBrugge and Sreekumari Kurissery to provide an email to Katelyn Whitten regarding amendments to the January 8, 2025 minutes
Approver: Victoria TeBrugge
Seconder: Rosamaria Fabiano
Moved
5. Injury and Accident Report
- Staff
Two slip and fall reports – Security Services Department
1) Heritage Place – Early January; Security Services team member slipped on the stairs. No lost time, however modified work resulted from incident
2) University Ave – March; Security Services team member stepped off a curb, slipped and landed on their back. No lost time or modified work resulted from the incident
Committee discussed this season’s effectiveness of snow removal on Orillia campus’s based on a more than normal amount of incident reports pertaining to slips and falls this winter season. Committee agreed that snow removal and sand/salting efforts were satisfactory for the amount of snow and ice received this season. Some notable comments regarding the slip and fall incidents were with respect to reports of inappropriate footwear for the weather.
The Committee also discussed internal slip and fall hazards, such as sandy staircases. Theresa (T-Bird) Prisciak provided a reminder that the process to report a need for custodial attention is to call Security to report a hazard or area requiring attention and Security will connect with our custodial team to address the matter. Tiffany Moore recommended making use of the Campus Safety App to submit photographs of hazardous areas.
- Sports Related
None to report at this time
- Students
None to report at this time
Sreekumari Kurissery posed a question for Tiffany Moore (Thunder Bay) for clarification on accident reports related to lab equipment, for example, when students elbows bump equipment that lead to broken glassware. Tiffany Moore confirmed that incident reports are not required to be submitted to the Health and Safety Department for such incidents unless there is an injury or a serious safety issue
6. Lab Update – Victoria TeBrugge
- Victoria TeBrugge commented on Sreekumari Kurissery’s question regarding student’s incident reports in the lab. It was confirmed no incidents required medical attention and all incidents were appropriately cleaned up. No major issues to report
- Majority of the labs are finishing up this week (March 31 – April 4, 2025) depending on the return of classes, which are currently cancelled due to power outages in the community. There are a few outstanding lab tests and assignments due. Faculty and Graduate research will continue while undergraduate lab use is finishing up.
7. Other Items for Discussion
a) Update Terms of Reference
- Committee was provided a copy of the Terms of Reference. Tiffany Moore (Thunder Bay) will review and update the Terms of reference to distribute to the Orillia Joint Health and Safety Committee to review for discussion and approval at the next meeting, scheduled July 2, 2025.
b) Monthly Inspections – Tiffany Moore (Thunder Bay)
- The Human Resource Business Partner (Brea Reid) is responsible for leading the Orillia campus building inspections. Theresa (T-Bird) Prisciak accompanies on all the walkthroughs, and does the eye-wash station inspections
- Current Orillia Campus practice for inspections is to do a very thorough inspection of all buildings annually in the spring, inspecting one building per day and submitting the necessary work orders
8. Meeting Adjourned