Supreme Court Finds Bill C-69 Environmental Assessment Law Partly Unconstitutional
Friday the 13th. Such a fitting date for a decision like this. Friday, October 13, 2023, will long be remembered as the day the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that […]
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Ontario Considering Introducing New Heat Stress And Air Quality Requirements Under The Occupational Health And Safety Act
The Ontario government recently issued two new consultation papers, seeking comments and feedback from workers and employers regarding whether the Occupational Health and Safety Act (the Act) should be amended to address […]
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Why a Good Contract Isn’t Enough to Avoid Liability for Environmental Contamination
Control Data (CD), a company that manufactures computer punch cards, leased a plant in Ontario. The lease required CD to comply with all environmental laws. Ten years later, CD sold […]
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Does WHMIS Training Have to Be Personal? – Ask The Expert
The Safety Data Sheet (SDS), workplace label and other hallmarks of the WHMIS system are based on the principle that workers have the right to know about the “hazardous products” […]
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Does Workers Comp Cover Injuries Workers Suffer While Driving to Work?
While specific rules vary by province, the essential basis of workers’ comp is the same throughout Canada. Workers give up the right to sue their employer for job-related injuries in […]
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Must a Parent Company Remediate the Pollution Done By Its Corporate Subsidiary?
Environmental laws make companies responsible for remediating the pollution they cause. The concept of liability may get tested when the environmental harm is caused not by the company but one […]
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Heads Up! OHS Inspectors Preparing For Ontario Inspection Blitz!
A warning to Ontario employers in the health care, industrial, mining, and construction sectors - expect Occupational Health and Safety inspectors at your door anywhere from June 1, 2023 to […]
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Brief Your JHSC on the Heat Stress Death of Joseph Jolley
Every year, dozens of workers die and thousands more become ill while working in hot or humid conditions. So begins the landing page of the U.S. OSHA website dedicated to helping […]
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When Do Municipal Environmental Laws Go Too Far?
Municipalities have authority to regulate environmental matters within their boundaries. But that authority goes only so far. Each province has enacted so-called “enabling laws” setting out the powers municipalities may […]
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Physical Demand Analysis Form
A Physical Demand Analysis (PDA) is a systematic assessment that evaluates the physical requirements and essential functions of a job or task. It involves identifying and documenting the specific physical […]
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Federal Government Mulls Tough New Environmental Restrictions for PFAS
All “forever chemicals” pose environmental and health hazards, the government contends. The federal government has decided to drop the green hammer on a class of chemicals known as Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS). […]
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Providing Digital Access to SDSs’
An electronic SDS is OK under WHMIS as long as you ensure the information is “readily available”. The Safety Data Sheet (SDS) furnishing essential information about a hazardous product, the dangers […]
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Alberta Wildfires And Workplace Health And Safety: What Employers Need To Know
As wildfires across Alberta continue, Environment Canada has issued special air quality statements (SAQS)1 indicating that there is a high risk of poor air quality in the majority of the province […]
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Creating a Culture of Safety: Strategies for Building a Safety-First Workplace Part 1
DATE: May 31, 2023 TIME: 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM PDT SPEAKER: Shiron Vick, Evolution Safety In the two-part webinar titled "Creating a Culture of Safety: Strategies for Building a Safety-First Workplace," several […]
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Blasting Incident Report Form
Most jurisdictions require employers to report blasting incidents to OHS authorities within a specific deadline after the incident occurs. The first thing you need to do is investigate the incident […]
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Blasting Safety Log
Most jurisdictions require blasters to create and sign and employers to retain a log recording key information about each blast performed. Nova Scotia has the most extensive blasting log requirements. […]
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Maintaining Blasting Logs – Know the Laws of Your Province
British Columbia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Nova Scotia have the strictest blasting log rules. Blasting operations involving the use of explosives are among the most hazardous activities undertaken at worksites. Not […]
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What’s Your Company Doing for the International Day of Mourning?
On April 28, Canada and many countries around the world will celebrate an official Day of Mourning to commemorate those workers who suffered work-related injuries, illnesses and fatalities. It’s also a […]
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Must Federally Regulated Companies Obtain Provincially Required Permits?
Provincial environmental law covers federal operations unless it would impair an essential part of those operations. In Canada, the federal government and provinces share legal authority to regulate the environment. As […]
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Construction Company Fined $20,000 After Worker Injured in N.W.T.
A construction company has been fined $20,000 almost two years after a worker was injured in the Northwest Territories. Arctic Canada Construction Ltd. pleaded guilty Friday to a single count under […]
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When Should Employers Engage An External Investigator?
Increasingly, employers are faced with the challenging task of responding to a wide range of complaints in the workplace. When made aware of a workplace complaint, it is crucial that […]
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OHS Legal Issues With Due Diligence Defenses – Special Report
Is Following an Industry Standard Enough to Show Due Diligence? One of your most important responsibilities as a safety coordinator is to ensure that your company exercises due diligence. The problem […]
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Don’t Assume that Following an Industry Standard Is Enough to Comply with OHS Requirements
Following industry standards can help a company comply with OHS requirements for material handling that are broadly written and don’t provide specifics. For example, it could be reasonable to follow […]
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