October 1 Deadline to Display New Health and Safety Poster

Ontario employers must find room on their bulletin boards by October 1, 2012 to display a new Ministry of Labour poster entitled “Health and Safety at Work: Prevention Starts Here.” The poster was developed in response to a recommendation of the Expert Advisory Panel to review Ontario’s occupational health and safety system and summarizes key…

OHSA Designated Substances, Exposure Limits Regulations Amended

On June 12, 2012, the Ontario government filed two regulations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. O. Reg. 148/12 (Designated Substances) adds  “or to a physician designated by the Provincial Physician” to subsections 30(2) and 31(2) of O. Reg. 490/09, effective immediately. It further substitutes a new Table 1 (Exposure Limits) prescribing Agents and…

Ontario Employers Required to Post New OHSA Poster

The Ontario government has announced that employers are now required to post a new workplace poster, “Health & Safety at Work – Prevention Starts Here,” pursuant to their obligations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. This requirement will be enforced by Ministry of Labour inspectors beginning on October 1, 2012. The poster was developed…

Ontario Bar Association Publishes Article by Thomas Agnew

An article by Hicks Morley’s Thomas Agnew was published in the Labour and Employment Law section of the OBA’s June 2011 newsletter. In an article entitled, “Expanding the Definition of Employment Under Health and Safety Legislation” Thomas discusses the Ontario Court of Appeal’s recent decision to encompass independent contractors within the definition of “employment” under…

Consolidated “Confined Spaces” OHSA Regulation Filed

On March 29, 2011, the Ontario government filed amendments to Regulation 632/05 (Confined Spaces) that come into force on July 1, 2011. O. Reg. 95/11 will effectively consolidate regulatory requirements relating to confined spaces from various other regulations into the existing Regulation 632/05, including those applicable to industrial establishments, construction projects, healthcare and residential facilities…

Good Government Bill Passes Third Reading

On March 7, 2011, Bill 110, the Good Government Act, was carried at Third Reading. As previously reported, Bill 110 is omnibus legislation that would, if passed, make a number of amendments to various Acts, including several employment-related statutes. The Bill should be consulted for coming into force information.