April 2, 2012
Effective April 1, 2012, a new regulation under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) will set out the functions of the Office of the Worker Adviser (OWA) and the Office of the Employer Adviser (OEA) in respect of reprisals under section 50 of the OHSA.
Under Ontario Regulation 33/12, Offices of the Worker and Employer Advisers,
The OWA and OEA will provide their services free of charge.
The new regulation is part of a broader MOL initiative to strengthen worker protection from reprisals. As part of this initiative, as of April 1, 2012, MOL inspectors will have the authority to refer a worker’s complaint of reprisal directly to the OLRB, in certain circumstances, and with the worker’s consent. In addition, amendments to the OHSA will permit the Chair of the OLRB to expedite proceedings related to the resolution of reprisal complaints and referrals.
June 29, 2011
Amendments to Regulation 854 (Mines and Mining Plants) have been approved and will take effect on January 1, 2012. These changes are primarily based on recommendations from the Mining Legislative Review Committee, the Ministry's advisory committee representing labour and management in the mining sector, and follow an opportunity for public comment in the spring of 2011. The amendments include:
The Ministry of Labour continues to be committed to protecting the health and safety of workers in Ontario's mines and mining plants.
Read the regulation that amends Regulation 854 (Mines and Mining Plants).
May 24, 2011
Amendments have been approved to the Regulation respecting Health Care and Residential Facilities, under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, to reflect changes made to other ministries' statutes referenced in the regulation.
The amendments eliminate the reference to the Community Psychiatric Hospitals Act (repealed in 2009) and replace the reference to the Developmental Services Act, with a reference to the Services and Supports to Promote the Social Inclusion of Persons with Developmental Disabilities Act, 2008.
The types of workplaces covered under the regulation remain the same. The amendments maintain current workers' health and safety protections, and no new obligations, burdens, or costs upon employers are expected.
The amendments come into force on July 1, 2011.
April 4, 2011
Amendments have been approved to consolidate all regulatory requirements under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) into one regulation, namely O. Reg. 632/05 (Confined Spaces). As a result of the amendments, O. Reg. 632/05 (Confined Spaces), which already applies to almost all other workplaces covered by the OHSA, will now also apply to industrial establishments, construction projects, health care and residential facilities, and mines and mining plants.
At the same time, the provisions that apply with respect to confined spaces in the following four sector-specific regulations are revoked:
The amendments to O. Reg. 632/05 (Confined Spaces) maintain the important differences between confined spaces provisions that apply on construction projects and those that apply for other workplaces.
The consolidation of the confined spaces requirements under O. Reg. 632/05 is not intended to significantly affect existing worker protections or employer obligations regarding confined spaces.
The amendments come into force on July 1, 2011.
January 5, 2011
Ontario is promoting worker protection with changes to fire service health and safety requirements in provincial regulations made under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
These changes, which took effect on January 1, 2011, follow consultation with the Ontario Fire Service Section 21 Health and Safety Advisory Committee as well as public consultation in the fall of 2010.
The Ministry of Labour continues to be committed to protecting firefighter health and safety.
Employers need to provide firefighters with structural firefighting protective garments (“bunker gear”) that meets or exceeds the National Fire Protection Association 1971 “Standard on Protective Ensembles for Structural Fire Fighting and Proximity Fire Fighting,” 2007 Edition, if the bunker gear was manufactured on or after March 1, 2007.
If the bunker gear was manufactured before March 1, 2007, that gear must continue to meet or exceed the CAN/CGSB-155.1-M88 “Firefighters' Protective Clothing for Protection Against Heat and Flame” Standard as previously required.
Read the regulation that amends the Firefighters – Protective Equipment regulation (O. Reg. 714/94).
Firefighters and fire investigators are exempted from O. Reg. 278/05 when they carry out specific work, such as fire suppression, rescue, and emergency work, and fire cause investigation. When engaged in this type of work, firefighters, fire investigators and their employers are subject to Regulation 833 (Control of Exposure to Biological or Chemical Agents), which prescribes occupational exposure limits for various substances, including asbestos.
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