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.
Tag: Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA)
Ontario to Amend Occupational Health and Safety Legislation
On March 3, 2011, the Ontario government introduced Bill 160, the Occupational Health and Safety Statute Law Amendment Act, 2011 (“Bill 160”). The proposed Bill 160 amendments, which are intended to respond to the recommendations provided by the Expert Panel on Occupational Health and Safety, would significantly amend the Occupational Health and Safety Act (“OHSA“)….
New OHSA Regulations Filed
On December 6, 2010, the Ontario government filed a number of regulatory amendments under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, including: O. Reg. 480/10 (Firefighters—Protective Equipment), amending O. Reg. 714/94 in respect of protective garment standards for firefighters performing interior structural fire suppression duties; and O. Reg. 479/10 (Designated Substance—Asbestos on Construction Projects and in…
Ontario’s Good Government Bill Ordered for Third Reading
On November 30, 2010, Bill 110, the Good Government Act, was reported to the House without amendments by the Standing Committee on General Government, and ordered for 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.
New OHSA Regulations Filed
On November 5, 2010, the Ontario government filed a number of regulatory amendments under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, including: O. Reg. 419/10, amending Table 1 of Regulation 833 of the Revised Regulations of Ontario, 1990 (Control of Exposure to Biological or Chemical Agents); and O. Reg. 420/10, amending Regulation 851 (Industrial Establishments). The…
MOL to Target Slips, Trips and Falls in a School Board Safety Blitz
The Ministry of Labour (“MOL”) has announced a series of safety blitzes scheduled for November of 2009 that will target slips, trips and falls (“Falls”), and that may affect your schools. Inspectors will visit schools to discuss Falls and to review plans to prevent Falls, particularly in parking lots [1], and will focus on assessing…
Critical Injury or Fatality of a Non-Worker: To Report or Not To Report?
A guest drowns in the hotel pool. Does the hotel need to report the fatality to the Ministry of Labour under subsection 51(1) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (“OHSA”)? According to a recent decision by the Ontario Labour Relations Board, the answer is “yes”. The Labour Board found that employers and contractors are…
Accident Investigations
As the number of prosecutions under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (“OHSA”) continue to rise, clients need to be effectively managing accident investigations. We have summarized some of the key OHSA issues that arise in any accident: 1. Know the Reporting Requirements The OHSA sets out different reporting requirements depending on the type of…
Preventing Workplace Violence: Ontario Looks at Amending the Occupational Health and Safety Act
On September 17, 2008, the Ontario Ministry of Labour released a Consultation Paper on Workplace Violence Prevention. The Consultation Paper seeks input from workplace parties on whether and how Ontario should address workplace violence under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (“OHSA”). The Consultation Paper asks for input on whether OHSA should be amended to…