FEDERAL

Dec 7: After a one-month extension, comments closed on MOL and Chief Prevention Officer public consultations on proposed revisions to OHS regulations governing certification of workplace joint health and safety committee members. Such review is required every 5 years.

Action Point: Avoid 5 common JHSC flaws at your workplace.

ALBERTA

Jan 15: The Alberta OHS division issued revised guidance on how to comply with joint health and safety committees and safety and health representatives requirements, including when committees and reps are required at a particular workplace.

Action Point: Avoid 5 common JHSC flaws at your workplace.

NEW BRUNSWICK

May 15: WorkSafeNB launched a free new online quiz tool that employers can use to evaluate the effectiveness of their workplace JHSC and determine what steps may be necessary to achieve improvements.

Action Point: Avoid 5 common JHSC flaws at your workplace.

NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR

May 25: The OHS Act requires employers with 10 or more workers at a workplace to: i. implement OHS programs; ii. adopt OHS policies; iii. establish OHS Committees (or health and safety representatives if they have fewer than 10 workers); and iv. pay for Committee co-chair certification training. Newly effective Bill 41 increases this threshold number to 20.

Action Point: Avoid 5 common JHSC flaws at your workplace.

ONTARIO

Dec 7: After a one-month extension, comments closed on MOL and Chief Prevention Officer public consultations on proposed revisions to OHS regulations governing certification of workplace joint health and safety committee members. Such review is required every 5 years.

Action Point: Avoid 5 common JHSC flaws at your workplace.

QUÉBEC

Jan 1: New OHS rules require project managers at any construction site where at least 20 construction workers will be present at the same time to form a site committee consisting of a: i. OHS coordinator or representative of the main contractor (for sites with over 100 workers or over $12 million in value); ii. a representative for each employer; iii. a health and safety representative; and iv. a representative of each representative association of which at least one affiliated construction worker is present at the site.

Action Point: Does your workplace have to establish a JHSC? Find out.

Mar 8: CNESST published draft regulations governing reimbursement of registration, travel and living expenses incurred by workers in receiving certification training that new OHS laws require for persons serving as health and safety coordinators, health and safety representatives or JHSC members at construction sites. To be eligible for living expenses, the home of the person required to attend a mandatory training program must be more than 120 km (one way) from the training site. If the training site is more than 320 km (one way) from the home, trainees get one day additional to the number of days required for face-to