[Jeffrey Turner]

in reply to: Private: Does WHMIS Training Have to Offered #102928

Happy Halloween. Basic Rule: WHMIS education and training are required at any workplace where workers use, handle, work near or are or potentially exposed to hazardous products. You don’t have to count home and other remote settings away from your own facilities. If there are hazardous products in your office, you’ll need to educate workers about the WHMIS system–Safety Data Sheets, labels, etc., and also train them as to the specific hazards at your own site. 
Other basic OHS training should cover whatever other hazards are or are potentially at your workplace. You’ll need to have a competent person do a hazard assessment to identify those hazards. I know, it’s more of a trick than a treat, but that’s what the law requires.  

[Jeffrey Turner]

in reply to: Heat & Humidex #102926

No and Yes. This is true in all jurisdictions but especially so in Ontario where OHS regulations lack specific standards for managing exposure to heat stress. In other provinces that do have specific exposure limits, a case COULD BE MADE that a stoppage is warranted when that limit is exceeded. But that’s not an official rule. In fact, I believe that Ontario is the only province that allows for OHS-related work stoppages. By the same token, the OHS exposure limit could be a factor (but far from the only factor) in determining whether a heat stress-related work refusal is valid. Good question and I hope that helps. Glenn 

[Jeffrey Turner]

in reply to: Hazard Assessments #102925

The simple answer is that you should keep the most recent hazard assessment for at least as long as it remains the one on which your prevention measures are based. In other words, the earliest possible time to dispose of it would be after you revise the hazard assessment. However, you should also retain copies of previous hazard assessments that are no longer current to document the measures you took at the time the assessment was in effect. I would say a minimum of 3 years but maybe longer, depending on the nature of the hazard. In addition, some hazard assessments are subject to specific retention requirements. You should look at the analysis on OHS records retention requirements on the OHS Insider site. If you want, you can contact me directly at glennd@bongarde.com. If you let me know what jurisdiction you’re in and which hazards are involved, I can look up the applicable regulations to determine if a specific retention period is required for that particular hazard assessment. Hope that helps. Glenn (I’m the OHSI Editor, not a member)

[Jeffrey Turner]

in reply to: Are there any provincial end of year incident statistics required such as with EAHVOR reporting for federally regulated employers? #102923

I think I might have misread your question as pertaining to End Of Year reporting for federally regulated employers, rather than for provincially regulated employers. In fact, some jurisdictions do have such requirements.  Your question inspired me to do a full court research press on this. We’ll create a Master Checklist but here’s a quick summary. Feel free to contact me at glennd@bongarde.com if you want more info: 
ANNUAL OHS REPORTING REQUIREMENTS TO GOVT. 
FED: EAHVOR incidents + Hazardous Occurrences Report summary
ALBERTA: Mine Plan certified by professional engineer (for mine owners)–due Sept. 30
BC: Joint Health & Safety Committee (JHSC) Annual Evaluation Report + Summary Annual Review of Health Protection Plan for certain lead smelter operations exempt from lead occupational exposure limits
MANITOBA: Annual Report on Workplace Violence Incidents + Annual Audiometric Testing Report for noise exposure (required every 2 years)
NOVA SCOTIA: Annual Summary of Job Training Program at Coal Mining Operation
ONTARIO: Asbestos Work Operation Report for a Type 2 or Type 3 operation
QUEBEC: Annual Report of JHSC Activities (due to CNESST by March 31)
SASK: Summary of hours worked and occupational injuries during preceding year (if govt. requests it)
NWT/NUNAVUT: Summary of hours worked and occupational injuries during preceding year
Hope this finally answers your question. Glenn 
 
 

[Jeffrey Turner]

in reply to: Are there any provincial end of year incident statistics required such as with EAHVOR reporting for federally regulated employers? #102922

Yes. The federal OHS Regs. also require employers to submit a Hazardous Occurrence Report every March 1. Here’s the applicable part of the Canada Labour Code OHS Regs: 
Annual Report

• 15.10 (1) Every employer shall, not later than March 1 in each year, submit to the Head of Compliance and Enforcement a written report setting out the number of accidents, occupational diseases and other hazardous occurrences of which the employer is aware affecting any employee in the course of employment during the 12 month period ending on December 31 of the preceding year.
• (2) The report shall be in the form set out in Schedule II to this Part, contain the information required by that form and be accompanied by a copy of any report made in accordance with subsection 19.8(1).

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