General Workplace Shower Requirements
For more information on this topic, see the related feature article. “OHS Laws: Take 5 Steps to Comply with Personal Hygiene Requirements”
| KNOW THE LAWS: General Workplace Shower Requirements
According to the OHS laws in each jurisdiction, an employer must provide non-emergency showers and/or a shower room or facility:
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| FED | OHS Regulations:
For employees who regularly perform strenuous physical work in a high temperature or high humidity or whose bodies may be contaminated by a hazardous substance [Sec. 9.23(1)]. |
| AB | OHS Code 2009:
1. If a worker may be contaminated by a harmful substance at a work site [Sec. 23]. 2. If a worker is present at a work site where chemicals harmful to the eyes or skin are used [Sec. 24]. |
| BC | OHS Regulation:
1. If work processes involving substances such as lead, mercury, asbestos, silica or pesticides are high hazard [Sec. 5.82(2)(b)]. 2. For high risk work activity that requires provision of a decontamination facility, which must include a shower facility [Sec. 6.16]. 3. If there’s the risk of body contamination to all workers when: a. mixing, loading or applying pesticides, or handling concentrates or wet-treated lumber;
b. cleaning, maintaining or handling equipment, materials or surfaces contaminated with pesticide residues; or
c. entering fields where pesticides have been applied and where contact with pesticide residues may contaminate protective clothing and body areas [Sec. 6.95(1)].
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| MB | Workplace Safety and Health Regulation:
If, due to a hazardous substance coming in contact with the worker’s skin, a work process may create a risk to a worker’s safety or health [Sec. 4.11]. |
| NB | OHS Regulation:
Where an employee may be exposed to a toxic, noxious, infectious or irritating substance or may be exposed to high levels of heat or humidity so that the employee’s health may be adversely affected [Sec. 10(1)]. |
| NL | OHS Regulations, 2012:
Where there’s a high risk of contamination of workers by hazardous substances, infectious or offensive materials as a part of the regular work processes at a place of employment [Sec. 62(2)]. |
| NT/NU | OHS regulations don’t include general shower requirements. |
| NS | Occupational Safety General Regulations:
Where an employee’s skin may be contaminated by a hazardous substance [Sec. 22(3)]. |
| ON | Industrial Establishments Regulation:
Where workers are exposed to a substance that: a. is poisonous by ingestion; and
b. can contaminate the skin [Sec. 134].
Construction Projects Regulation: If workers are employed underground [Sec. 260(5)]. |
| PE | OHS Regulations:
1. Where the health or safety of the employees may be endangered by the presence of poisonous, irritating or infectious material [Sec. 2.6(3)] 2. In the decontamination section of a work enclosure as outlined in Sec. 49.21, which relates to the release of asbestos fibres [Sec. 49.16(1)]. |
| QC | Regulation respecting occupational health and safety:
1. Depending on the nature of the dangers to which workers are exposed [Sec. 75]. 2. In any establishment where workers are exposed to heat stress conditions such that the heat stress index exceeds the continuous work curve in the graph in Schedule V [Sec. 123]. |
| SK | OHS Regulations:
Where a worker’s skin is likely to be contaminated by harmful or offensive substances as part of the regular work processes at a place of employment [Sec. 74] |
| YT | OHS Regulations:
Where the nature of the work requires workers to work in hot, humid, dirty, dusty or wet conditions [Sec. 1.71(4)(c)]. Occupational Health Regulations: To remove all asbestos fibres from the body [Sec. 38(d)]. |