Based on these changes your JHSCs should place these legislated changes on an upcoming joint health and safety committee meeting agenda for fulsome discussion and review with the employer. Secondly monthly workplace inspection sheets, policies and actions must be amended to ensure that the workplace is fully inspected for any signs water damage, from leakage, flooding, or sewage back up.
Based on these changes your JHSCs should place these legislated changes on an upcoming joint health and safety committee meeting agenda for fulsome discussion and review with the employer. Secondly monthly workplace inspection sheets, policies and actions must be amended to ensure that the workplace is fully inspected for any signs water damage, from leakage, flooding, or sewage back up.
Bill 177, “The Stronger Fairer Ontario Act”, a year end omnibus budget bill has empowered joint health and safety committee (JHSC) members and individual health and safety workplace representatives by amending the existing section 25 of the OHSA by placing an additional duty on employers to report to the Ministry of Labour (MOL) concerns raised by the JHSC or representative about structural inadequacies in a building as a source of danger or hazard to workers where the employer is a tenant. Especially if the buildings water tightness has been compromised, i.e. sewer back up, flooding or leaking roofs.
“Too many workplaces across Ontario, where the public routinely visit and our members work are compromised. Subject to sewer backups and water infiltration through aging foundations, roofs, windows and resultant mould growth. Our health and safety activists has pushed for years to have these conditions properly addressed and now with this addition to the OHSA our members as well as the public at large will be better protected. Not just against mould, but against basic building structural defects. Defects which left unaddressed can and do result in tragedies like the Elliott Lake Mall collapse which trapped twelve, killed two, and left another seriously injured in June of 2012,” said OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas.
Every year January 1st marks the effective date for adoption of many new laws, and amendments to existing laws and regulations passed through legislative efforts of the preceding year. January 1st of 2018 was no different. Bill 148, “A Plan for Fair Workplaces and Better Jobs”, and Bill 177 “The Stronger Fairer Ontario Act”, each ushered in important changes that our joint health and safety committee (JHSC) members and health and safety representatives should be aware of.
Bill 148, “Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, 2017”
- New provisions in Section 21.5 of the Employment Standards Act (ESA) prohibit a worker from refusing to report for duty when called by an employer to deal with an emergency, to remedy or reduce a threat to public safety, or to ensure the continued delivery of essential public services. For clarity, these prohibitions do not affect a workers right to refuse unsafe work under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA)
- New under Section 25 of the OHSA, employers cannot require workers to wear footwear with elevated heels (high heels) unless they are needed for workplace safety. (there are exceptions in the entertainment and advertising industries)
- As per Section 49.7 of the Employment Standards Act, the employer must put in place mechanisms to protect the confidentiality of records they receive or produce in relation to an employee taking domestic or sexual violence leave, which they are now entitled to under the ESA. These obligations are similar to requirements in the OHSA to keep harassment complaint information confidential
Bill 177, “Stronger, Fairer Ontario Act (Budget Measures), 2017” (known as the Elliott Lake Bill)
- Changing Section 53 of the OHSA so that additional accident and incident reporting requirements can be made by regulation. (Currently, only construction, mines, and mining plants are required to report certain types of incidents.) This provides the authority to include other types of employers
- Fines under Section 66 of the OHSA have been increased from $25,000 to $100,000 for individuals and from $500,000 to $1.5 million for corporations
- Section 69 of the OHSA is changed to extend the MOL’s time limits to lay charges. Currently the MOL has one year from the time of the offense to lay charges. The amendments will allow the MOL one year from the time the MOL first becomes aware of the offense
Based on these changes your JHSCs should place these legislated changes on an upcoming joint health and safety committee meeting agenda for fulsome discussion and review with the employer. Secondly monthly workplace inspection sheets, policies and actions must be amended to ensure that the workplace is fully inspected for any signs water damage, from leakage, flooding, or sewage back up.
Bill 177, “The Stronger Fairer Ontario Act”, a year end omnibus budget bill has empowered joint health and safety committee (JHSC) members and individual health and safety workplace representatives by amending the existing section 25 of the OHSA by placing an additional duty on employers to report to the Ministry of Labour (MOL) concerns raised by the JHSC or representative about structural inadequacies in a building as a source of danger or hazard to workers where the employer is a tenant. Especially if the buildings water tightness has been compromised, i.e. sewer back up, flooding or leaking roofs.
“Too many workplaces across Ontario, where the public routinely visit and our members work are compromised. Subject to sewer backups and water infiltration through aging foundations, roofs, windows and resultant mould growth. Our health and safety activists has pushed for years to have these conditions properly addressed and now with this addition to the OHSA our members as well as the public at large will be better protected. Not just against mould, but against basic building structural defects. Defects which left unaddressed can and do result in tragedies like the Elliott Lake Mall collapse which trapped twelve, killed two, and left another seriously injured in June of 2012,” said OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas.
Every year January 1st marks the effective date for adoption of many new laws, and amendments to existing laws and regulations passed through legislative efforts of the preceding year. January 1st of 2018 was no different. Bill 148, “A Plan for Fair Workplaces and Better Jobs”, and Bill 177 “The Stronger Fairer Ontario Act”, each ushered in important changes that our joint health and safety committee (JHSC) members and health and safety representatives should be aware of.
Bill 148, “Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, 2017”
- New provisions in Section 21.5 of the Employment Standards Act (ESA) prohibit a worker from refusing to report for duty when called by an employer to deal with an emergency, to remedy or reduce a threat to public safety, or to ensure the continued delivery of essential public services. For clarity, these prohibitions do not affect a workers right to refuse unsafe work under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA)
- New under Section 25 of the OHSA, employers cannot require workers to wear footwear with elevated heels (high heels) unless they are needed for workplace safety. (there are exceptions in the entertainment and advertising industries)
- As per Section 49.7 of the Employment Standards Act, the employer must put in place mechanisms to protect the confidentiality of records they receive or produce in relation to an employee taking domestic or sexual violence leave, which they are now entitled to under the ESA. These obligations are similar to requirements in the OHSA to keep harassment complaint information confidential
Bill 177, “Stronger, Fairer Ontario Act (Budget Measures), 2017” (known as the Elliott Lake Bill)
- Changing Section 53 of the OHSA so that additional accident and incident reporting requirements can be made by regulation. (Currently, only construction, mines, and mining plants are required to report certain types of incidents.) This provides the authority to include other types of employers
- Fines under Section 66 of the OHSA have been increased from $25,000 to $100,000 for individuals and from $500,000 to $1.5 million for corporations
- Section 69 of the OHSA is changed to extend the MOL’s time limits to lay charges. Currently the MOL has one year from the time of the offense to lay charges. The amendments will allow the MOL one year from the time the MOL first becomes aware of the offense
Based on these changes your JHSCs should place these legislated changes on an upcoming joint health and safety committee meeting agenda for fulsome discussion and review with the employer. Secondly monthly workplace inspection sheets, policies and actions must be amended to ensure that the workplace is fully inspected for any signs water damage, from leakage, flooding, or sewage back up.
Toronto- The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) is applauding changes to the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) which came into force January 1.
Bill 177, “The Stronger Fairer Ontario Act”, a year end omnibus budget bill has empowered joint health and safety committee (JHSC) members and individual health and safety workplace representatives by amending the existing section 25 of the OHSA by placing an additional duty on employers to report to the Ministry of Labour (MOL) concerns raised by the JHSC or representative about structural inadequacies in a building as a source of danger or hazard to workers where the employer is a tenant. Especially if the buildings water tightness has been compromised, i.e. sewer back up, flooding or leaking roofs.
“Too many workplaces across Ontario, where the public routinely visit and our members work are compromised. Subject to sewer backups and water infiltration through aging foundations, roofs, windows and resultant mould growth. Our health and safety activists has pushed for years to have these conditions properly addressed and now with this addition to the OHSA our members as well as the public at large will be better protected. Not just against mould, but against basic building structural defects. Defects which left unaddressed can and do result in tragedies like the Elliott Lake Mall collapse which trapped twelve, killed two, and left another seriously injured in June of 2012,” said OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas.
Every year January 1st marks the effective date for adoption of many new laws, and amendments to existing laws and regulations passed through legislative efforts of the preceding year. January 1st of 2018 was no different. Bill 148, “A Plan for Fair Workplaces and Better Jobs”, and Bill 177 “The Stronger Fairer Ontario Act”, each ushered in important changes that our joint health and safety committee (JHSC) members and health and safety representatives should be aware of.
Bill 148, “Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, 2017”
- New provisions in Section 21.5 of the Employment Standards Act (ESA) prohibit a worker from refusing to report for duty when called by an employer to deal with an emergency, to remedy or reduce a threat to public safety, or to ensure the continued delivery of essential public services. For clarity, these prohibitions do not affect a workers right to refuse unsafe work under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA)
- New under Section 25 of the OHSA, employers cannot require workers to wear footwear with elevated heels (high heels) unless they are needed for workplace safety. (there are exceptions in the entertainment and advertising industries)
- As per Section 49.7 of the Employment Standards Act, the employer must put in place mechanisms to protect the confidentiality of records they receive or produce in relation to an employee taking domestic or sexual violence leave, which they are now entitled to under the ESA. These obligations are similar to requirements in the OHSA to keep harassment complaint information confidential
Bill 177, “Stronger, Fairer Ontario Act (Budget Measures), 2017” (known as the Elliott Lake Bill)
- Changing Section 53 of the OHSA so that additional accident and incident reporting requirements can be made by regulation. (Currently, only construction, mines, and mining plants are required to report certain types of incidents.) This provides the authority to include other types of employers
- Fines under Section 66 of the OHSA have been increased from $25,000 to $100,000 for individuals and from $500,000 to $1.5 million for corporations
- Section 69 of the OHSA is changed to extend the MOL’s time limits to lay charges. Currently the MOL has one year from the time of the offense to lay charges. The amendments will allow the MOL one year from the time the MOL first becomes aware of the offense
Based on these changes your JHSCs should place these legislated changes on an upcoming joint health and safety committee meeting agenda for fulsome discussion and review with the employer. Secondly monthly workplace inspection sheets, policies and actions must be amended to ensure that the workplace is fully inspected for any signs water damage, from leakage, flooding, or sewage back up.